Impressions of New York
Going New York City for the first time can be an overwhelming experience. The immense amount of people, the tall buildings, and even the critters that roam the streets are an overpowering sight.
When thinking of New York City, what first comes to mind are the people. There are people everywhere you go, and at all times in the city. There are also all different types of people; male, female, different ethnicities, and also many foreigners wanting to visit the “Big Apple.” People are also dressed up as characters or other miscellaneous objects to take pictures with tourists. New Yorkers are often said to be rude because they rush past and bump into others without even thinking twice. Unfortunately this does happen frequently when walking through parts of the city.
The smell of the city is indescribable. It is also something that is not easy to get used to. It also greatly depends on the area. The rundown are will most likely not have a pleasant smell; whereas, the are with a lot of shopping will probably smell better, especially if there are multiple perfume stores around.
New York is an amazing place to shop. There are tons of stores of specific brands of foods, clothing and more. The shops are huge and offer a variety of options of whatever the store sells. A great store to visit with any child is the large Toys’ R’ Us, mainly because of the immense amount of available toys, but also because of the large Ferris wheel located directly in the store. The Times Square, where many of the shops are located, is mainly a tourist area. It’s hard to quickly walk from street to street in this area, especially when there are tourists stopping and blocking the walkway every two minutes, in order to take memorable photos.
Although the subway may seem frightening at first, it provides quick and easy transportation to all different regions of the city. The subway is also a relatively inexpensive way to travel throughout the city, at least it is much cheaper than a cab fare would cost. Traffic jams can also be easily avoided by taking the subway.
Coney Island is one of my favorite places to visit. The beach, the boardwalk, and of course the amusement park provide entertainment for over a day. I also enjoy watching the baseball team, the Brooklyn Cyclones, play against other teams. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about Brooklyn that may put tourists off from visiting.
I don’t get to visit the city as often as I’d like to. However, the experiences I have had in New York City thus far, encourage me to want to visit more frequently. Through this class I hope to gain a greater understanding of both the major and minor attractions that New York City has to offer.
When thinking of New York City, what first comes to mind are the people. There are people everywhere you go, and at all times in the city. There are also all different types of people; male, female, different ethnicities, and also many foreigners wanting to visit the “Big Apple.” People are also dressed up as characters or other miscellaneous objects to take pictures with tourists. New Yorkers are often said to be rude because they rush past and bump into others without even thinking twice. Unfortunately this does happen frequently when walking through parts of the city.
The smell of the city is indescribable. It is also something that is not easy to get used to. It also greatly depends on the area. The rundown are will most likely not have a pleasant smell; whereas, the are with a lot of shopping will probably smell better, especially if there are multiple perfume stores around.
New York is an amazing place to shop. There are tons of stores of specific brands of foods, clothing and more. The shops are huge and offer a variety of options of whatever the store sells. A great store to visit with any child is the large Toys’ R’ Us, mainly because of the immense amount of available toys, but also because of the large Ferris wheel located directly in the store. The Times Square, where many of the shops are located, is mainly a tourist area. It’s hard to quickly walk from street to street in this area, especially when there are tourists stopping and blocking the walkway every two minutes, in order to take memorable photos.
Although the subway may seem frightening at first, it provides quick and easy transportation to all different regions of the city. The subway is also a relatively inexpensive way to travel throughout the city, at least it is much cheaper than a cab fare would cost. Traffic jams can also be easily avoided by taking the subway.
Coney Island is one of my favorite places to visit. The beach, the boardwalk, and of course the amusement park provide entertainment for over a day. I also enjoy watching the baseball team, the Brooklyn Cyclones, play against other teams. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about Brooklyn that may put tourists off from visiting.
I don’t get to visit the city as often as I’d like to. However, the experiences I have had in New York City thus far, encourage me to want to visit more frequently. Through this class I hope to gain a greater understanding of both the major and minor attractions that New York City has to offer.
Bodacious Brooklyn: 06/06/2013
Our first class left a great impression. This course seems as if it will fun, but also educational, about the history of New York City. Also, the other students in the class were friendly and had positive attitudes about learning about the city.
It was interesting to learn that Coney Island is no longer an island, but that it is actually a peninsula. This was not my first time going to Coney Island. However, I have not previously heard anyone refer to it as “kitchy.” It was a beautiful day so it was nice to have the opportunity to walk around on our own to do whatever activity we wanted to. The theme park is now known as Luna Park, but it used to be known as “Steeplechase Park (1897),…Luna Park (1903),…and Dreamland (1904)” which unfortunately burned down in 1911 (BG pg. 492). Although I have been to Coney Island before, it was my first time riding the Cyclone! I’ll admit that I was horrified to ride it, mostly because I’m not a fan of roller coasters in general, and this one is known as “the world’s most terrifying roller coaster” (BG pg. 492). I normally avoid roller coasters at all costs, but I decided to go on it, and I do not regret my decision! It was a thrilling and exhilarating experience, and I would even go on it again if someone asked me to.
The Transit Museum offered a chance to sit on old train cars and see how the subways used to look like. I was also able to learn about the creation of the subways and the dangers that workers exposed themselves to. It’s very creative that the museum is built in an unused subway station that “was inaugurated in 1976 for the bicentennial celebrations” (BG p. 468). Our guide was very informative about the history and she showed that she knew exactly what she was talking about.
When walking around Brooklyn Heights, we were able to see actual examples of beautiful neoclassic architecture. There were also many churches that we saw along our walk, it was interesting to learn that another name for Brooklyn is “the burrow of churches.”
I would love to have known what exactly was running through the Chase bank employee’s minds when a herd of young adults walked in, took lollipops, and then walked right out the other side.
The about 1.13 mile walk of the Brooklyn Bridge, opened on May 25, 1883 (BG pg. 464), was not as bad as people may make it seem to be. Arching at 1,595 feet (BG pg. 464), the walk is not that long, and it is invigorating to look over to the side and watch cars drive by while walking next to them.
I would love to have known what exactly was running through the Chase bank employee’s minds when a herd of young adults walked in, took lollipops, and then walked right out the other side.
The about 1.13 mile walk of the Brooklyn Bridge, opened on May 25, 1883 (BG pg. 464), was not as bad as people may make it seem to be. Arching at 1,595 feet (BG pg. 464), the walk is not that long, and it is invigorating to look over to the side and watch cars drive by while walking next to them.
I truly look forward to our future classes and experiences!
A Tale of Three Villages: 06/11/2013
Today was a long and tiring day and to be honest, excruciatingly boring. The morning heat was scorching and it was not pleasant having to walk through the heat. Thankfully there was a nice breeze every now and then, and it did manage to cool off later in the day.
One of the first people we learned about was Dylan Thomas. Thomas was an Irish poet/writer who was also a drunk. An interesting fact that I learned about him was that he died at the White Horse Tavern, located "at 567 Hudson St on the corner of West 11th St" (BG pg. 143) [see left], from drinking too much.
The picture to the right shows the Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall Inn directly relates to the gay rights movement
in 1969. "The riots at the Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher St, were a turning point in the struggle for gay civil rights" (BG pg. 130). During the riot, the gay community fought back again the police who attempter to firebomb this bar. The riot lasted for several days (BG pg. 130). There are now annual Gay Pride parades held in many different cities around the world to "commemorate the uprising" (BG pg. 130).
in 1969. "The riots at the Stonewall Inn, 53 Christopher St, were a turning point in the struggle for gay civil rights" (BG pg. 130). During the riot, the gay community fought back again the police who attempter to firebomb this bar. The riot lasted for several days (BG pg. 130). There are now annual Gay Pride parades held in many different cities around the world to "commemorate the uprising" (BG pg. 130).
It was interesting to learn that Washington Square Park used to be a place where prostitutes, druggies, and other forms of junkies loitered.
Next we visited the Merchant’s House Museum. This museum showed, "the furnishings and personal possessions of the Tredwell family, who lived here for almost 100 years" (BG pg. 158). The first room we visited was the family room, located on the lower level floor. We were informed that the furniture for the family room was less fancy than parlors. This was because the room was used only for the family, and there was less of a need to show off. Also, when it was just the family eating dinner, they would use this room and not the dining room. The next room we saw was the kitchen, which was just for the servants. The servants were mainly Irish immigrants and were a cook, a cooks' assistants, chambermaids, and parlor maids. They were paid between 3-4$ per month which was considered low pay, even for that time! When working in the kitchen they dealt with rodents and vermin on a daily basis. Call bells were located in the kitchen, which were connects to all different parts of the house. There were some positives to being a servant. These included healthcare from house owners, living where you work, and they didn’t need to learn new skills. However, according to the records servants were changed ever 10 years. We had the chance to see the space the servants lived and slept in. They lived in the very upstairs, and would climb 90 stairs carrying a heavy bucket of coal just to heat their own room. There were also two servants per room. Another part of the house, the parlor, was separated into front and rear. The front was primarily used when entertaining guests. The tour guide stated that there was a “never ending cycle of social obligation” when visiting houses. The visits were short, most likely 10 minutes, and could be either accepted or declined. We were told that music is main part of social life. It was interesting to learn that out of the 8 Tredwell children, all 6 daughters knew how to play the piano. It also must have been useful that all of the furniture was on wheels, in order to make them easier to move for dancing. The rear of the Parlor was where the dining room was located, for when guests were invited for dinner. I liked the idea of a “dummy door” in order to keep the front and rear Parlor rooms symmetrical. Many mirrors to bounce lights around room throughout the parlor. Another useful aspect of the Parlor was the multiple mirrors, which were used to bounce lights around the room.
The tour guide seemed to know much of what she was talking about; however, she did have some difficulty when it came to certain aspects of the house.
Overall, the tour of the house gave me a greater insight to how rich families lived, in New York, in the past.
Below is a slideshow of the pictures taken at the beautiful merchant's house!
During the lunch break, I visited my friends’ families’ store located in St. Mark's. I also went to St. Mark’s Comics, a comic book store which has been open for about 30yrs.
After lunch, we walked to meet with our tour guides from The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space. On this tour we visited multiple gardens and parks. The tour guide spoke a lot about squatters and the community activists. It was difficult to retain all of the information our tour guide spoke about, especially when he informed about the many different riots. Although I did not particularly enjoy the lecture, I did like seeing and walking through the gardens. It was interesting to learn that the community gardens used to be very dangerous, but that now it is actually a pleasant place. It is also important to note that the parks are claimed by the community and the locals, even though they are protected like city parks. It was also highlights that the places are not just gardens, but also places to grow unprocessed foods, and a place for conversations among the people within the neighborhood. I thought that the recycled art, by artist Rolando Pillitti (I doubt I spelled that correctly), on top of the gates were intriguing and creative! Aside from looking cool and putting recycled materials to use, the designs also made it much more difficult to climb over the fence.
Below is a picture of a mural on one of the walls in the garden.
Below is a picture of a mural on one of the walls in the garden.
East of the Park: 06/13/2013
We started today by going to the Museum of the City of New York. We watched "a 25-min film [that] gives an overview of the city's growth from its beginnings as a struggling settlement to the present" (BG pg. 376). Much of what we saw in the film directly relates to what we have already learned, or will learn about the city of New York. We were also able to walk through replica's of homes. Aside from the replica, the museum also had a variety of dollhouses, like the one in the photo below to the left. There were also different styles of clothes we were able to see and compare to one another. The photo below to the right shows the clothing designs that I found to be the most interesting.
I really like graffiti art, so I loved the "graffiti hall of fame" we saw (shown to the left). This "hall of fame" was started by an artist known as Stingray. Our tour guide explained that new paintings are done every year, and that artists come from all over the world to add to it. He also made a statement that really stuck with me. He said, "if we don't imagine it, we can't create it." Walking down further, we came across a colorful mural that looked like children would like it (shown to the right). I was surprised to find out that it was actually designed by the children of the area themselves. The children being part of the creativeness gave them the opportunity to represent themselves in the community. |
Luke also showed us the mural above. He told us that it is called the “spirit of Harlem.” It was interesting to learn that each painting of a person is an image of someone whom the artists had seen in real life. It is also important to note that the people have a story about them that the artist learned about when meeting them.
As the conclusion of the tour, Luke performed one of his poems for us about a woman on the D train.
Click HERE to watch Luke's performance!
Click HERE to watch Luke's performance!
I joined many of my classmates for lunch at a Mexican restaurant called El Paso. I never expected to find fantastic Mexican food in East Harlem.
After lunch we went to see the Northern part of Central Park. According to the Blue Guide, Central Park's history began "in 1844 [when] poet William Cullen Bryant (among others) began calling for a public park, observing that commerce was devouring great chunks of Manhattan and the population sweeping over the rest" (pg. 280). Something interesting that I read was that the park was designed based off of a competitions which was won by Olmsted and Vaux for their Greensward Plan (1858) (BG pg. 280). The park is a beautiful place to visit when wanting to take a stroll, It's also a great place to take dogs for walks! We saw many breeds of dogs throughout our walk. Many people go to Central Park, "about 25 million people visit the park each year, which takes a toll on the landscape and facilities " (BG pg. 281). I learned that the park is preserved and taken care of by the "not-for-profit Central Park Conservancy, founded in 1980" (BG pg. 281).
Along our walk, we stopped at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Unfortunately, the museum was close to closing by the time we arrived. However, we were able to visit the "Punk Exhibit" which featured different and eccentric clothing styles. Pictures were not allowed to be taken, but I would have loved to have photos of the outfits that caught my eye the most, like the dresses that looked as if they were made from trash bags.
We were supposed to have a tour of the museum, led by Don, but were unable to since the museum was about to close by the time we started. We were able to get some history of, and see paintings (both above) by Vincent van Gogh. According to Don, the painting of the shoes is one of the most important paintings created by van Gogh.
We were supposed to have a tour of the museum, led by Don, but were unable to since the museum was about to close by the time we started. We were able to get some history of, and see paintings (both above) by Vincent van Gogh. According to Don, the painting of the shoes is one of the most important paintings created by van Gogh.
Our next destination was Strawberry Fields. The "entrance is called Strawberry Fields to honor John Lennon, the songwriter, singer, and member of The Beatles, who was assassinated in the courtyard of the nearby Dakota Apartments in 1980" (BG pg. 290). The man in the photo to the right, Gary, claims to be the mayor of Strawberry Fields. He told us the history of Strawberry Fields, and all about Lennon's room at the Dakota. He also used flowers to created the design, in the photo to the left, to look like a peace sign. An interesting fact I learned about the Dakota was that it got its' name because of how isolated it was, like North Dakota was at that time period.
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