Journals 5-9
5. El Barrio & Midtown East
Finally, Saturday! I can hear the choir singing HALLELUJAH. With the commencement of exam taking and the overbearing stress of studying and clinical, the only class I look forward to is CORE. In a way, the eight hours away from home and my books forces me to enjoy myself while roaming the streets of New York City and learning of its history. Today's itinerary included East Harlem and ultimately, Midtown East based on a majority vote.
Having developed in the late 19th century, East Harlem AKA Spanish Harlem, or perhaps more informally known as, "El Barrio" is located in the uptown area of Manhattan. To get there, we took about two or three subways from Penn Station, I'm not exactly sure; after the first subway we take, I am always completely lost! Walking up the stairs from the subway, I took one good look at my surroundings and I knew I was not where I usually visit when I travel into the city. The air smelled of home cooking and I could not have been any more excited to be in East Harlem. Today, it has one of the largest Latino communities in the country which is evident as soon as you step foot into that side of town and despite changes demographically, the neighborhood preserves its Latino flavor (ENY, 161). As I've learned from this course, all of New York City consisted of farmland and East Harlem was no different in the mid-19th century. It wasn't until 1880 when an elevated train service was created by the Italians that this area began to develop and apartment buildings, "projects" for immigrants were constructed. Some of these projects can be seen today, and are very common in El Barrio which I was able to see. The projects were built and designed by none other than the infamous, Robert Moses. Today, these high rise dwellings are specifically for low income people (ENY, 162).
After World War I, in the early 1900s, a mass influx of Puerto Ricans began hence the name, "El Barrio". My mom was born in Puerto Rico and my brother and I, have always been taught to embrace our Hispanic culture; from eating and cooking Puerto Rican food, to learning and speaking Spanish, I am very proud to be part Puerto Rican. (WEPA!!) Therefore, I was particularly excited to be visiting this area that I hadn't previously visited. Anyway, to back track; these new immigrants were poor and the large housing projects essentially concentrated crime. In the 1960s and 70s, East Harlem was very dangerous with its high rates of poverty, unemployment, crime and drug infestation. But, that did not stop Puerto Ricans, and later Nuyoricans, from bringing in their culture and traditions to East Harlem. In fact, their legacy is commemorated to this day via outdoor murals. Following Puerto Rican immigrants were immigrants from other parts of the world. However, as of late gentrification has been occurring causing a spike in housing prices and more white professionals moving in. What does that mean for East Harlem? It would be disappointing if the end result were to be the disintegration of its multicultural flavor (ENY, 162).
Our first stop was the Carver Houses, a housing project of 13 buildings intended for low income residents completed in 1958. It was named after African-American scientist, George Washington Carver (ENY, 162). Daniel Patrick Moynihan, an American politician and sociologist once stated that by concentrating all of these people into one building, all sorts of problems will develop and sure enough, it did. Furthermore, he said, if you mix people of different socioeconomic groups the poor can get an example from the middle class which has some validity to it. Walking through the projects I saw Hispanic and African-American families, no white people and very little green space. In my mind, I thought about how can these kids who live in these projects run around and not have to worry about something bad happening. I have a decent sized backyard and it just amazes me how differently these people live. But, anyway next stop: the Museum of the City of New York.
I was taken back by its beauty upon walking inside. The museum had strings of lights hanging from the ceiling in the center of the lobby that created star-like shapes no matter which way you looked at it, and white marble flooring that carried throughout even onto the spiral staircase; I was very impressed. Founded in 1923, the museum's focus is on New York's history, "its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation." However, it was not always at this location. In 1932, the museum moved to its current location, the City footing the bill for its move and the museum's Georgian Revival building (ENY, 163). We walked up a different set of stairs that had quotes plastered onto the walls, one that Mike pointed out and was my favorite was by John Adams in 1774. It goes: "They talk very loud, very fast, and altogether. If they ask you a question, before you can utter three words of your answer, they will break out upon you again, and talk away," which I find to be very accurate. Funny how even back in 1774, New Yorkers had the same demeanor. We took a look at a few oil canvas paintings that depicted areas like Washington Square and Wall Street in the 19th century. We then watched a 22 minute film titled "Timescapes" that provided a brief history lesson on the city of New York. It struck me how the city has evolved in its entirety, unrecognizable to the people of the 19th century. Then, behind a set of glass doors was an exhibition of artifacts like Tiffany and Co. vases and elaborate brushes and jewelry from people that gained wealth through "immigration, industrialization, and urbanization" during the Guilded Age (thanks Lee!). We didn't have time to view anything else at this museum and so we made our way half-way down the block to El Museo del Barrio.
This museum was unlike any other that I have ever been to, with salsa music playing, and vibrant paint on the walls! Located on what is known as "Museum Mile," it is here that we met Lucas, AKA Luke Nephew from the Peace Poets. He was energetic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and funny all in one; he was awesome! Before we made out trek onto the streets of El Barrio, we each introduced ourselves and used an adjective to describe how we felt. I used excited because I truly was. This museum was founded in 1969 by Puerto Rican activists from East Harlem seeking to preserve their cultural heritage (ENY, 163). Luke said that one of the activists, Raphael Montanez Ortiz used a box and put a few items in it that represented the Puerto Rican culture and from there, his idea blossomed and became what is today, from a box to an entire building dedicated to providing Latino history, history that is oftentimes overlooked. Our first stop was in front of a vacant lot, on the wall there was a quote in chalk by street artist, De La Vega who is known for writing philosophical quotes in the streets, this one read "Realiza tu sueno, Become your dream," three words yet so powerful and inspirational. Luke mentioned that a lot of the vacant lots have become community gardens, "invitations" to anyone who wants to take a second and just look. Some of the murals he further pointed out were, a mural dedicated to Rev. Pedro Pietri (founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe), and the "Spirit of East Harlem" mural created in 1978 that gave off such a positive vibe of unity and what it means to be a community. Another community garden that we stopped in front of but couldn't go in because it was locked was the Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden, in its center a fountain shaped like fallopian tubes called "Seed of Growth" designed by Lina Puerta. Behind the fountain was the "Soldaderas" mural which depicts Frida Kahlo (a Mexican artist) and Julia de Burgos (a Puerto Rican poet) with their hands and hearts intertwined. This is art with meaning, not the nonsense we saw last week in Chelsea!
On our tour with Luke we came across two men on two different occasions who were behooved to just chime in and discuss their lives in East Harlem, both of them filled with pride. One of them in particular fit Adams' quote perfectly, he would not stop talking, Luke would try to subtly thank him and have him go on his merry way but he just wanted to talk about his neighborhood and yet so many people are intimidated to walk these streets. It boggles my mind. We ended our tour off at the Justo Botanica. Of course I had heard of Botanicas but had never been to one and what better Botanica to visit than one that has been running since the 1930s, East Harlem's oldest Botanica. Jorge Vargas, the owner was nice enough to give us a little history of his spiritual shop and mentioned that despite financial struggles he has managed to move around to keep his shop in business. On display, among other spiritual articles he had a picture of himself with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, two of Puerto Rico's very own. I was intrigued by all of his items and although Mike would be raffling a knowledge bracelet I knew I wouldn't win so I decided to buy the last one. Other girls in the class wanted it but maybe it's because we shared a Puerto Rican link that he sold me his last one, and I bought a similar one for my brother which he absolutely loved. I will definitely be paying a visit again one day soon with my family.
By this time it was lunch time but before we decided to eat, Gabby and I made our way down to 106 and Park to visit the Graffiti Wall of Fame. I was primarily driven to visit the wall because my brother had been texting me non-stop to go and take a picture of it. Founded in 1980 by activist "Sting Ray" Rodrigues, it is the only place in New York where graffiti art can be publicly and legally showcased and it changes every year or so (ENY, 163). It was definitely worth visiting. Then it was time to eat, Gabby and I decided to eat at Lechonera Tropical & Grill, a restaurant suggested by Luke. Puerto Rican cuisine at its finest. I had chuleta frita con arroz amarillo y habichuelas, it was to die for! For $6 I got a huge plate full that I couldn't even finish. I also had a batida de coco, a coconut beverage will complete any Puerto Rican dish! Two thumbs up.
It was nice to then burn off some calories by walking around the Upper Park. Across from El Museo del Barrio is one of the many entrances to Central Park. This one in particular is grandiose, the Vanderbilt Gate its entry. This gate was made in Paris in 1894 originally standing in front of the Vanderbilt Mansion, it was later donated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney to New York City and placed here (ENY, 150). It was beautiful, so beautiful that a newlywed couple (1 of 4 that we saw in one day) was taking pictures in front of it. This gate leads to a six acre Conservatory Garden, created in 1937 as a means of providing employment. The garden is divided into three formal gardens, English, French and Italian inspired. The Italian garden is the one we saw first, followed by the French garden which has the Three Dancing Maidens fountain and the last, the English garden with the Francis Hodges Burnett Memorial fountain. All of which were alluring. We then came to the Central Park Reservoir which was filled with algae (poor ducks!), nonetheless it was breathtaking but unnatural as Mike said (ENY, 151). We all then sat on the Manhattan Schist to decide what we would do for the rest of the afternoon, our options were to walk through Central Park, visit the MET or go to Grand Central and Midtown East. Fortunately, I chose Midtown West as did the majority of the class. So we hopped on a subway and were off to Grand Central Terminal.
Wow, is all I have to say about Grand Central. Completed in 1913, it took ten years and eighty million dollars to create this Beaux Arts masterpiece. The entire concourse is more than two football fields length, in its center the world famous four-faced brass clock that you can spot in many movies. With the ceiling 120 feet high, you will notice blue-green astrological paintings created by French artist, Paul Helleu showing God's perspective of the constellations (ENY, 133-134). Impressively crowded yet immaculate, it makes Penn Station look like a "piece of shit" times 10000000. We then ventured onward towards the Chrysler Building known for its art-deco style and automobile motif that resembles the hood of a car. Mike mentioned that the elevators, made of woods and marble imported from Africa are the most beautiful elevators in the city but unfortunately, the lobby was closed and security would not let us in (ENY, 136-137). Next, the G.E. Building which has a salmon colored brick facade used to complement St. Bartholomew's Church which was the venue for yet another bride. The G.E. building is notable for its limestone spires meant to represent radio waves, its lobby with marble walls and sunburst decorations which we were fortunate enough to view (ENY, 137). The Seagram Building was our second to last stop, built in 1958 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In order to avoid having to put a setback design, Ludwig built a plaza 90 feet from the building line which is the only impressive aspect of this particular building (ENY, 139). Last, but certainly not least by any means was our visit to the Waldorf Astoria. Walking into this hotel, I definitely felt like I did not belong. Everyone was dressed up and looked dapper and here I was with jeans, and my bright coral colored jacket. This hotel opened in 1931 at the height of the Great Depression, at the time it was the largest and tallest in the world (ENY, 138). Mike made us all go to the bathroom, stating it was the most beautiful bathroom in all of NYC and I haven't been to a lot of buildings in NYC but, he has and I was blown away. With a chandelier in the center as soon as you walk in, a set of stairs leading to individual bathroom stalls tucked away like closets I was in awe. In awe of a bathroom, I thought I'd never say that! I did take a monogrammed paper towel, I mean why not right? It's not like I took a piece of the chandelier.
Class was finally dismissed and we decided to walk back to Penn which I didn't mind. Another successful day in New York City!
P.S. While sitting on the Manhattan Schist in Central Park I noticed that the newest building in East Harlem with luxury rentals had a sign at the top with a number to call for pricing. I had my mom call and she was told that 1 bedroom apartments START at $4,595 a month and 2 bedroom apartments START at $6,795 monthly; gentrification!
Finally, Saturday! I can hear the choir singing HALLELUJAH. With the commencement of exam taking and the overbearing stress of studying and clinical, the only class I look forward to is CORE. In a way, the eight hours away from home and my books forces me to enjoy myself while roaming the streets of New York City and learning of its history. Today's itinerary included East Harlem and ultimately, Midtown East based on a majority vote.
Having developed in the late 19th century, East Harlem AKA Spanish Harlem, or perhaps more informally known as, "El Barrio" is located in the uptown area of Manhattan. To get there, we took about two or three subways from Penn Station, I'm not exactly sure; after the first subway we take, I am always completely lost! Walking up the stairs from the subway, I took one good look at my surroundings and I knew I was not where I usually visit when I travel into the city. The air smelled of home cooking and I could not have been any more excited to be in East Harlem. Today, it has one of the largest Latino communities in the country which is evident as soon as you step foot into that side of town and despite changes demographically, the neighborhood preserves its Latino flavor (ENY, 161). As I've learned from this course, all of New York City consisted of farmland and East Harlem was no different in the mid-19th century. It wasn't until 1880 when an elevated train service was created by the Italians that this area began to develop and apartment buildings, "projects" for immigrants were constructed. Some of these projects can be seen today, and are very common in El Barrio which I was able to see. The projects were built and designed by none other than the infamous, Robert Moses. Today, these high rise dwellings are specifically for low income people (ENY, 162).
After World War I, in the early 1900s, a mass influx of Puerto Ricans began hence the name, "El Barrio". My mom was born in Puerto Rico and my brother and I, have always been taught to embrace our Hispanic culture; from eating and cooking Puerto Rican food, to learning and speaking Spanish, I am very proud to be part Puerto Rican. (WEPA!!) Therefore, I was particularly excited to be visiting this area that I hadn't previously visited. Anyway, to back track; these new immigrants were poor and the large housing projects essentially concentrated crime. In the 1960s and 70s, East Harlem was very dangerous with its high rates of poverty, unemployment, crime and drug infestation. But, that did not stop Puerto Ricans, and later Nuyoricans, from bringing in their culture and traditions to East Harlem. In fact, their legacy is commemorated to this day via outdoor murals. Following Puerto Rican immigrants were immigrants from other parts of the world. However, as of late gentrification has been occurring causing a spike in housing prices and more white professionals moving in. What does that mean for East Harlem? It would be disappointing if the end result were to be the disintegration of its multicultural flavor (ENY, 162).
Our first stop was the Carver Houses, a housing project of 13 buildings intended for low income residents completed in 1958. It was named after African-American scientist, George Washington Carver (ENY, 162). Daniel Patrick Moynihan, an American politician and sociologist once stated that by concentrating all of these people into one building, all sorts of problems will develop and sure enough, it did. Furthermore, he said, if you mix people of different socioeconomic groups the poor can get an example from the middle class which has some validity to it. Walking through the projects I saw Hispanic and African-American families, no white people and very little green space. In my mind, I thought about how can these kids who live in these projects run around and not have to worry about something bad happening. I have a decent sized backyard and it just amazes me how differently these people live. But, anyway next stop: the Museum of the City of New York.
I was taken back by its beauty upon walking inside. The museum had strings of lights hanging from the ceiling in the center of the lobby that created star-like shapes no matter which way you looked at it, and white marble flooring that carried throughout even onto the spiral staircase; I was very impressed. Founded in 1923, the museum's focus is on New York's history, "its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation." However, it was not always at this location. In 1932, the museum moved to its current location, the City footing the bill for its move and the museum's Georgian Revival building (ENY, 163). We walked up a different set of stairs that had quotes plastered onto the walls, one that Mike pointed out and was my favorite was by John Adams in 1774. It goes: "They talk very loud, very fast, and altogether. If they ask you a question, before you can utter three words of your answer, they will break out upon you again, and talk away," which I find to be very accurate. Funny how even back in 1774, New Yorkers had the same demeanor. We took a look at a few oil canvas paintings that depicted areas like Washington Square and Wall Street in the 19th century. We then watched a 22 minute film titled "Timescapes" that provided a brief history lesson on the city of New York. It struck me how the city has evolved in its entirety, unrecognizable to the people of the 19th century. Then, behind a set of glass doors was an exhibition of artifacts like Tiffany and Co. vases and elaborate brushes and jewelry from people that gained wealth through "immigration, industrialization, and urbanization" during the Guilded Age (thanks Lee!). We didn't have time to view anything else at this museum and so we made our way half-way down the block to El Museo del Barrio.
This museum was unlike any other that I have ever been to, with salsa music playing, and vibrant paint on the walls! Located on what is known as "Museum Mile," it is here that we met Lucas, AKA Luke Nephew from the Peace Poets. He was energetic, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and funny all in one; he was awesome! Before we made out trek onto the streets of El Barrio, we each introduced ourselves and used an adjective to describe how we felt. I used excited because I truly was. This museum was founded in 1969 by Puerto Rican activists from East Harlem seeking to preserve their cultural heritage (ENY, 163). Luke said that one of the activists, Raphael Montanez Ortiz used a box and put a few items in it that represented the Puerto Rican culture and from there, his idea blossomed and became what is today, from a box to an entire building dedicated to providing Latino history, history that is oftentimes overlooked. Our first stop was in front of a vacant lot, on the wall there was a quote in chalk by street artist, De La Vega who is known for writing philosophical quotes in the streets, this one read "Realiza tu sueno, Become your dream," three words yet so powerful and inspirational. Luke mentioned that a lot of the vacant lots have become community gardens, "invitations" to anyone who wants to take a second and just look. Some of the murals he further pointed out were, a mural dedicated to Rev. Pedro Pietri (founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe), and the "Spirit of East Harlem" mural created in 1978 that gave off such a positive vibe of unity and what it means to be a community. Another community garden that we stopped in front of but couldn't go in because it was locked was the Modesto "Tin" Flores Garden, in its center a fountain shaped like fallopian tubes called "Seed of Growth" designed by Lina Puerta. Behind the fountain was the "Soldaderas" mural which depicts Frida Kahlo (a Mexican artist) and Julia de Burgos (a Puerto Rican poet) with their hands and hearts intertwined. This is art with meaning, not the nonsense we saw last week in Chelsea!
On our tour with Luke we came across two men on two different occasions who were behooved to just chime in and discuss their lives in East Harlem, both of them filled with pride. One of them in particular fit Adams' quote perfectly, he would not stop talking, Luke would try to subtly thank him and have him go on his merry way but he just wanted to talk about his neighborhood and yet so many people are intimidated to walk these streets. It boggles my mind. We ended our tour off at the Justo Botanica. Of course I had heard of Botanicas but had never been to one and what better Botanica to visit than one that has been running since the 1930s, East Harlem's oldest Botanica. Jorge Vargas, the owner was nice enough to give us a little history of his spiritual shop and mentioned that despite financial struggles he has managed to move around to keep his shop in business. On display, among other spiritual articles he had a picture of himself with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, two of Puerto Rico's very own. I was intrigued by all of his items and although Mike would be raffling a knowledge bracelet I knew I wouldn't win so I decided to buy the last one. Other girls in the class wanted it but maybe it's because we shared a Puerto Rican link that he sold me his last one, and I bought a similar one for my brother which he absolutely loved. I will definitely be paying a visit again one day soon with my family.
By this time it was lunch time but before we decided to eat, Gabby and I made our way down to 106 and Park to visit the Graffiti Wall of Fame. I was primarily driven to visit the wall because my brother had been texting me non-stop to go and take a picture of it. Founded in 1980 by activist "Sting Ray" Rodrigues, it is the only place in New York where graffiti art can be publicly and legally showcased and it changes every year or so (ENY, 163). It was definitely worth visiting. Then it was time to eat, Gabby and I decided to eat at Lechonera Tropical & Grill, a restaurant suggested by Luke. Puerto Rican cuisine at its finest. I had chuleta frita con arroz amarillo y habichuelas, it was to die for! For $6 I got a huge plate full that I couldn't even finish. I also had a batida de coco, a coconut beverage will complete any Puerto Rican dish! Two thumbs up.
It was nice to then burn off some calories by walking around the Upper Park. Across from El Museo del Barrio is one of the many entrances to Central Park. This one in particular is grandiose, the Vanderbilt Gate its entry. This gate was made in Paris in 1894 originally standing in front of the Vanderbilt Mansion, it was later donated by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney to New York City and placed here (ENY, 150). It was beautiful, so beautiful that a newlywed couple (1 of 4 that we saw in one day) was taking pictures in front of it. This gate leads to a six acre Conservatory Garden, created in 1937 as a means of providing employment. The garden is divided into three formal gardens, English, French and Italian inspired. The Italian garden is the one we saw first, followed by the French garden which has the Three Dancing Maidens fountain and the last, the English garden with the Francis Hodges Burnett Memorial fountain. All of which were alluring. We then came to the Central Park Reservoir which was filled with algae (poor ducks!), nonetheless it was breathtaking but unnatural as Mike said (ENY, 151). We all then sat on the Manhattan Schist to decide what we would do for the rest of the afternoon, our options were to walk through Central Park, visit the MET or go to Grand Central and Midtown East. Fortunately, I chose Midtown West as did the majority of the class. So we hopped on a subway and were off to Grand Central Terminal.
Wow, is all I have to say about Grand Central. Completed in 1913, it took ten years and eighty million dollars to create this Beaux Arts masterpiece. The entire concourse is more than two football fields length, in its center the world famous four-faced brass clock that you can spot in many movies. With the ceiling 120 feet high, you will notice blue-green astrological paintings created by French artist, Paul Helleu showing God's perspective of the constellations (ENY, 133-134). Impressively crowded yet immaculate, it makes Penn Station look like a "piece of shit" times 10000000. We then ventured onward towards the Chrysler Building known for its art-deco style and automobile motif that resembles the hood of a car. Mike mentioned that the elevators, made of woods and marble imported from Africa are the most beautiful elevators in the city but unfortunately, the lobby was closed and security would not let us in (ENY, 136-137). Next, the G.E. Building which has a salmon colored brick facade used to complement St. Bartholomew's Church which was the venue for yet another bride. The G.E. building is notable for its limestone spires meant to represent radio waves, its lobby with marble walls and sunburst decorations which we were fortunate enough to view (ENY, 137). The Seagram Building was our second to last stop, built in 1958 by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In order to avoid having to put a setback design, Ludwig built a plaza 90 feet from the building line which is the only impressive aspect of this particular building (ENY, 139). Last, but certainly not least by any means was our visit to the Waldorf Astoria. Walking into this hotel, I definitely felt like I did not belong. Everyone was dressed up and looked dapper and here I was with jeans, and my bright coral colored jacket. This hotel opened in 1931 at the height of the Great Depression, at the time it was the largest and tallest in the world (ENY, 138). Mike made us all go to the bathroom, stating it was the most beautiful bathroom in all of NYC and I haven't been to a lot of buildings in NYC but, he has and I was blown away. With a chandelier in the center as soon as you walk in, a set of stairs leading to individual bathroom stalls tucked away like closets I was in awe. In awe of a bathroom, I thought I'd never say that! I did take a monogrammed paper towel, I mean why not right? It's not like I took a piece of the chandelier.
Class was finally dismissed and we decided to walk back to Penn which I didn't mind. Another successful day in New York City!
P.S. While sitting on the Manhattan Schist in Central Park I noticed that the newest building in East Harlem with luxury rentals had a sign at the top with a number to call for pricing. I had my mom call and she was told that 1 bedroom apartments START at $4,595 a month and 2 bedroom apartments START at $6,795 monthly; gentrification!
6. The MoMa, Thai Cuisine & Morningside Heights
Rain, rain go away. Come again another day. And just like that, the rain was gone. Well, not really. The morning was gloomy and wet, with an 80% chain of rain ALL day. But, that did not stop me! I saw the high probability of rain for Saturday so, I made the best of it and decided to go shopping for a new rain jacket Friday evening with my mom and even bought an umbrella to match. With my rain jacket on, my umbrella packed in my purse, and my rain boots; I was ready to go! But, I could already hear everyone complaining and annoyingly whining in my head; "Why couldn't class be cancelled? I don't want to walk in the rain. I'm gonna get all wet. I'm tired. I wanna go home." I wish I had the guts to say: "SHUT UP! If you're going to complain about how tired you are and about the weather every Saturday, why did you sign up for this class? Your negativity ruins it for the people who actually want to be here!" But, I don't have the guts and since you, Mike are the only one reading this I will vent to you. :)
Without further ado, our day began on a subway trek to the Museum of Modern Art. Considered to be one of the most important and influential museums of modern art in the world, it was interesting to say the least. Home to works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, the original idea for the museum came from John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Initially, the museum was located at 730 Fifth Avenue at 57th street, today that address is of the Crown Building but back then it was the Heckscher Building. After lack of funding and moving around, Rockefeller donated the land which is where the Museum of Modern Art currently stands. The museum was originally designed in 1939, it was a huge success, so much so that the construction of new wings became necessary in 1964 followed by another 858 million dollar expansion in 2004 (ENY, 122). When we arrived at the museum, holy guacamole; I had no idea this is what so many people do on a rainy day. It was PACKED! About 45 minutes was dedicated to people standing on a really long line to check in their bags. And may I just add, Mike handed out tickets but no one even collected it. With the amount of people there, I probably could've weaved my way in and nobody would've even noticed.
Our first stop was the Robert Gober exhibit. If I had to choose one word to describe what I saw it would be, disturbing. Was this Gober guy on drugs, or some escapee from an insane asylum who was chronically demented? I saw: female and male genitalia wallpaper, hairy male genitalia on display in a glass case as if it was a golden ring or some rare diamond, a beheaded, crucified Jesus Christ whose nipples were squirting water like a fountain, plastic/mannequin-like children legs burning in a fireplace, AND the worst of it all was a video playing of a man using a mechanical saw to cut off a deer's antlers! What twisted, sick person thought this was ART?! I am an animal lover, like I wrote in my blurb about me, I have 26 pets and I love each and every single one of them. I also hate to see animals in pain, homeless, or being tortured; it breaks my heart into a million pieces so to have seen this deer having its antlers cut off in cold blood, I wanted to cry. ROBERT GOBER, whoever you are; you need some serious help and the many other people who think this is art!
We then moved on to a different floor with works like Starry Night by Van Gogh. I remember being in about 3rd grade and having to paint my very own replica of Van Gogh's Starry Night so that was pretty cool to see. During the time of Starry Night's creation, artists were becoming subjective, expressing their own emotional states which is evident when viewing these art pieces. I also saw huge murals of Jackson Pollock's famous drip paintings which was awesome! For art history last semester I had to write a research paper on an artist during the Abstract Expressionism movement and it just so happened to be Jackson Pollock, and as soon as I walked into that room I knew it was his art. For just a few moments I felt like a smart, snobby art lover just because I knew who Pollock was and could point out his work. Then we looked at some works by Robert Rauschenberg who would create physical combines and often times used objects from the trash to create his pieces. Mike mentioned that everyone loves pop artists because they take different aspects of popular culture and whimsically play with them like the painting of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol, among other works. After that, it was enough of the museum and it was time to eat! Thai was on the menu.
Yum Yum 2 was the name of the restaurant. Catchy name. I had the Thai fried rice because I am very boring. It was pretty good but I gave most of it to Jimmy who gladly ate it. Because the Thai food wasn't really cutting it for me I decided to try the cookie shop Mike talked about which was right around the corner in this area famously known as Hell's Kitchen. At one point, this area was one of the poorest, most crime ridden areas of 19th century New York. Today, it is known for being filled with some of the most affordable eateries. Back in 1960s, it was filled with gangs and the many different immigrants who did not get along, violence would erupt constantly which led to the inspiration for the musical West Side Story. However, as with most areas in NYC gentrification hit and it is quite attractive now (ENY, 122-123). But, going back to the cookie shop; oh my God, they were heaven sent! I had Schmakary's funfetti cookie which was a sugar cookie filled with rainbow sprinkles topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting, and the pumpkin spice cookie which had raisins and a vanilla cream cheese icing (the pumpkin spice I tried my best to save to share with my mom and brother but I ate a piece way before I got to them). From there we made our way through Times Square, also known as "The Crossroads of the World" but very briefly (ENY, 117). We took a subway from there to head on over to Morningside Heights.
Morningside Heights, originally called Vanderwater's Heights has some of the city's most impressive architecture and I was very much in awe. We began our walk by the Riverside Park which is approximately four miles long alongside the Hudson River, I was disappointed we didn't walk through it but then came the highlight of the day. At the General Grant National Memorial we met our tour guide, Jim and I believe his wife who was the former Dean of Nursing at a college. This huge memorial, tomb site is where you will find President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia entombed. Originally, when Grant died of throat cancer in 1885 his body was temporarily entombed in Morningside Park but a competition for a more dignified memorial won by John Duncan is the reason for this elaborate tomb that stands today. The tomb is built of white granite and has a dome at top. According to Jim, President George Washington at one point considered this site to be the capital. Pretty interesting. Instead, this tomb today serves as the backdrop for many public events and the backdrop for wedding photos which was the case today. Now for the highlight of the day, the most beautiful bride with the most gorgeous wedding dress and stunning bridesmaid dresses were taking pictures here. Jim was talking but in all honesty, all I wanted to do was stare at the bridal party, sorry Jim.
This couple had just gotten married at the Riverside Church, the tallest church in the United States built in 1927. This church funded in part by John D. Rockefeller Jr., $10 million shocker (sarcasm intended). This Gothic Revival church also has the largest carillon in the world (ENY, 172). The intricate architecture from the outside was enough for me to say, I want to get married here one day. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside but I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. Perhaps some day I will be the one taking pictures in front of Grant's Memorial. I can dream, can't I? Moving on, we took a stroll through Barnard College, the all women's school within the confines of Columbia University with graduates including Martha Stewart and Joan Rivers. It was a beautiful campus, then again pretty much anything looks better than good ole Molloy. Then it was off to Columbia University. Wow, is all I have to say. Designed by (our favorite pervert) White, McKim and Mead it was breathtaking. It felt like another world, you would never think you're smack right in the center of such a busy city as you walk through the campus. Columbia is actually where television was invented, and its graduates include nine supreme court justices, three of which were chief justices, President Obama attended for a portion of his career and most baseball players in the U.S. have graduated from Columbia. We took a seat on the famous steps where many other Columbia students were just hanging out, these steps were beautiful! I would've never thought I'd refer to a set of steps as beautiful but they truly are. We also made a pit stop at the library which was designed by White and had the largest dome in the U.S. for some time (ENY, 170). Following our pit stop we walked over the Amsterdam Avenue overpass which supposedly on a clear day you can see all the way to Ellis Island. Then we walked to the Morningside Park which had an incredible view. Again, too bad we couldn't walk through it. The park sits on a cliff made up of Manhattan Schist and in the 1960s and 70s it was very dangerous to walk through the park, but today not so much. At one point, Columbia University with all its money had intentions of creating a gym on this very terrain but many protested and the plans were cancelled (ENY, 173).
Almost done. We walked past Mount Sinai Saint Luke's Hospital, a hospital which was quite attractive from the outside and stood out to me of course, I'm a nursing major I always find hospitals interesting. This particular hospital was headed by a nurse for many years. In fact, it is the only hospital in New York City to have been headed by a nurse. If only nurses could head hospitals, the world would be a much better place (haha). Another fun fact was that this hospital also housed tuberculosis patients by putting them on the porches. Pretty interesting. Up next, the Children's Sculpture Garden where we found the Peace fountain sculpted by Gregg Wyatt in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Episcopalian Diocese of New York. It is 40 feet high and is meant to depict the triumph of good over evil. It was unveiled to the public in 1985 and was quite controversial with its biblical, scientific, and animal imagery (ENY 168). Looking at it, I understood why it was so controversial, it was strange. Last, but certainly not least, Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It is the largest Gothic-style cathedral in the world by volume able to fit 3000 worshippers and spanning a length of over 600 feet. From the outside it didn't look like much, all run down but the inside is a completely different story. Construction on this church began in 1892 but, it has never been completed. It is only two-thirds finished and it is estimated to take at least 100 years and more than $100 million to complete (ENY, 167-168). Unfortunately, it seems gentrification might be getting in the way and luxury apartments will soon replace it. It is a damn shame because I was blown away by its interior. With Chinese inspired sculptures in its center, 55 foot tall granite columns at its altar, eight different chapels within, and small impressive statues of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein and more, it left me in awe. We were taken into a room which held the urns of numerous people, Jim said it costs $2000 to have your ashes places in the marble wall; I think it's a bargain!
Overall, it was a great day in the city and I was stunned by the churches we visited, the MoMa left an everlasting impression on me, I think I found the church at which I will get married at and the college I hope my future children will attend, and I tried Thai food. It doesn't get any better than that!
Rain, rain go away. Come again another day. And just like that, the rain was gone. Well, not really. The morning was gloomy and wet, with an 80% chain of rain ALL day. But, that did not stop me! I saw the high probability of rain for Saturday so, I made the best of it and decided to go shopping for a new rain jacket Friday evening with my mom and even bought an umbrella to match. With my rain jacket on, my umbrella packed in my purse, and my rain boots; I was ready to go! But, I could already hear everyone complaining and annoyingly whining in my head; "Why couldn't class be cancelled? I don't want to walk in the rain. I'm gonna get all wet. I'm tired. I wanna go home." I wish I had the guts to say: "SHUT UP! If you're going to complain about how tired you are and about the weather every Saturday, why did you sign up for this class? Your negativity ruins it for the people who actually want to be here!" But, I don't have the guts and since you, Mike are the only one reading this I will vent to you. :)
Without further ado, our day began on a subway trek to the Museum of Modern Art. Considered to be one of the most important and influential museums of modern art in the world, it was interesting to say the least. Home to works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, the original idea for the museum came from John D. Rockefeller Jr.'s wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. Initially, the museum was located at 730 Fifth Avenue at 57th street, today that address is of the Crown Building but back then it was the Heckscher Building. After lack of funding and moving around, Rockefeller donated the land which is where the Museum of Modern Art currently stands. The museum was originally designed in 1939, it was a huge success, so much so that the construction of new wings became necessary in 1964 followed by another 858 million dollar expansion in 2004 (ENY, 122). When we arrived at the museum, holy guacamole; I had no idea this is what so many people do on a rainy day. It was PACKED! About 45 minutes was dedicated to people standing on a really long line to check in their bags. And may I just add, Mike handed out tickets but no one even collected it. With the amount of people there, I probably could've weaved my way in and nobody would've even noticed.
Our first stop was the Robert Gober exhibit. If I had to choose one word to describe what I saw it would be, disturbing. Was this Gober guy on drugs, or some escapee from an insane asylum who was chronically demented? I saw: female and male genitalia wallpaper, hairy male genitalia on display in a glass case as if it was a golden ring or some rare diamond, a beheaded, crucified Jesus Christ whose nipples were squirting water like a fountain, plastic/mannequin-like children legs burning in a fireplace, AND the worst of it all was a video playing of a man using a mechanical saw to cut off a deer's antlers! What twisted, sick person thought this was ART?! I am an animal lover, like I wrote in my blurb about me, I have 26 pets and I love each and every single one of them. I also hate to see animals in pain, homeless, or being tortured; it breaks my heart into a million pieces so to have seen this deer having its antlers cut off in cold blood, I wanted to cry. ROBERT GOBER, whoever you are; you need some serious help and the many other people who think this is art!
We then moved on to a different floor with works like Starry Night by Van Gogh. I remember being in about 3rd grade and having to paint my very own replica of Van Gogh's Starry Night so that was pretty cool to see. During the time of Starry Night's creation, artists were becoming subjective, expressing their own emotional states which is evident when viewing these art pieces. I also saw huge murals of Jackson Pollock's famous drip paintings which was awesome! For art history last semester I had to write a research paper on an artist during the Abstract Expressionism movement and it just so happened to be Jackson Pollock, and as soon as I walked into that room I knew it was his art. For just a few moments I felt like a smart, snobby art lover just because I knew who Pollock was and could point out his work. Then we looked at some works by Robert Rauschenberg who would create physical combines and often times used objects from the trash to create his pieces. Mike mentioned that everyone loves pop artists because they take different aspects of popular culture and whimsically play with them like the painting of Marilyn Monroe by Andy Warhol, among other works. After that, it was enough of the museum and it was time to eat! Thai was on the menu.
Yum Yum 2 was the name of the restaurant. Catchy name. I had the Thai fried rice because I am very boring. It was pretty good but I gave most of it to Jimmy who gladly ate it. Because the Thai food wasn't really cutting it for me I decided to try the cookie shop Mike talked about which was right around the corner in this area famously known as Hell's Kitchen. At one point, this area was one of the poorest, most crime ridden areas of 19th century New York. Today, it is known for being filled with some of the most affordable eateries. Back in 1960s, it was filled with gangs and the many different immigrants who did not get along, violence would erupt constantly which led to the inspiration for the musical West Side Story. However, as with most areas in NYC gentrification hit and it is quite attractive now (ENY, 122-123). But, going back to the cookie shop; oh my God, they were heaven sent! I had Schmakary's funfetti cookie which was a sugar cookie filled with rainbow sprinkles topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting, and the pumpkin spice cookie which had raisins and a vanilla cream cheese icing (the pumpkin spice I tried my best to save to share with my mom and brother but I ate a piece way before I got to them). From there we made our way through Times Square, also known as "The Crossroads of the World" but very briefly (ENY, 117). We took a subway from there to head on over to Morningside Heights.
Morningside Heights, originally called Vanderwater's Heights has some of the city's most impressive architecture and I was very much in awe. We began our walk by the Riverside Park which is approximately four miles long alongside the Hudson River, I was disappointed we didn't walk through it but then came the highlight of the day. At the General Grant National Memorial we met our tour guide, Jim and I believe his wife who was the former Dean of Nursing at a college. This huge memorial, tomb site is where you will find President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia entombed. Originally, when Grant died of throat cancer in 1885 his body was temporarily entombed in Morningside Park but a competition for a more dignified memorial won by John Duncan is the reason for this elaborate tomb that stands today. The tomb is built of white granite and has a dome at top. According to Jim, President George Washington at one point considered this site to be the capital. Pretty interesting. Instead, this tomb today serves as the backdrop for many public events and the backdrop for wedding photos which was the case today. Now for the highlight of the day, the most beautiful bride with the most gorgeous wedding dress and stunning bridesmaid dresses were taking pictures here. Jim was talking but in all honesty, all I wanted to do was stare at the bridal party, sorry Jim.
This couple had just gotten married at the Riverside Church, the tallest church in the United States built in 1927. This church funded in part by John D. Rockefeller Jr., $10 million shocker (sarcasm intended). This Gothic Revival church also has the largest carillon in the world (ENY, 172). The intricate architecture from the outside was enough for me to say, I want to get married here one day. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside but I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. Perhaps some day I will be the one taking pictures in front of Grant's Memorial. I can dream, can't I? Moving on, we took a stroll through Barnard College, the all women's school within the confines of Columbia University with graduates including Martha Stewart and Joan Rivers. It was a beautiful campus, then again pretty much anything looks better than good ole Molloy. Then it was off to Columbia University. Wow, is all I have to say. Designed by (our favorite pervert) White, McKim and Mead it was breathtaking. It felt like another world, you would never think you're smack right in the center of such a busy city as you walk through the campus. Columbia is actually where television was invented, and its graduates include nine supreme court justices, three of which were chief justices, President Obama attended for a portion of his career and most baseball players in the U.S. have graduated from Columbia. We took a seat on the famous steps where many other Columbia students were just hanging out, these steps were beautiful! I would've never thought I'd refer to a set of steps as beautiful but they truly are. We also made a pit stop at the library which was designed by White and had the largest dome in the U.S. for some time (ENY, 170). Following our pit stop we walked over the Amsterdam Avenue overpass which supposedly on a clear day you can see all the way to Ellis Island. Then we walked to the Morningside Park which had an incredible view. Again, too bad we couldn't walk through it. The park sits on a cliff made up of Manhattan Schist and in the 1960s and 70s it was very dangerous to walk through the park, but today not so much. At one point, Columbia University with all its money had intentions of creating a gym on this very terrain but many protested and the plans were cancelled (ENY, 173).
Almost done. We walked past Mount Sinai Saint Luke's Hospital, a hospital which was quite attractive from the outside and stood out to me of course, I'm a nursing major I always find hospitals interesting. This particular hospital was headed by a nurse for many years. In fact, it is the only hospital in New York City to have been headed by a nurse. If only nurses could head hospitals, the world would be a much better place (haha). Another fun fact was that this hospital also housed tuberculosis patients by putting them on the porches. Pretty interesting. Up next, the Children's Sculpture Garden where we found the Peace fountain sculpted by Gregg Wyatt in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Episcopalian Diocese of New York. It is 40 feet high and is meant to depict the triumph of good over evil. It was unveiled to the public in 1985 and was quite controversial with its biblical, scientific, and animal imagery (ENY 168). Looking at it, I understood why it was so controversial, it was strange. Last, but certainly not least, Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It is the largest Gothic-style cathedral in the world by volume able to fit 3000 worshippers and spanning a length of over 600 feet. From the outside it didn't look like much, all run down but the inside is a completely different story. Construction on this church began in 1892 but, it has never been completed. It is only two-thirds finished and it is estimated to take at least 100 years and more than $100 million to complete (ENY, 167-168). Unfortunately, it seems gentrification might be getting in the way and luxury apartments will soon replace it. It is a damn shame because I was blown away by its interior. With Chinese inspired sculptures in its center, 55 foot tall granite columns at its altar, eight different chapels within, and small impressive statues of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein and more, it left me in awe. We were taken into a room which held the urns of numerous people, Jim said it costs $2000 to have your ashes places in the marble wall; I think it's a bargain!
Overall, it was a great day in the city and I was stunned by the churches we visited, the MoMa left an everlasting impression on me, I think I found the church at which I will get married at and the college I hope my future children will attend, and I tried Thai food. It doesn't get any better than that!
7. Immigrant New York
The second to last week of this New York City experience; someone pinch me! Where has the time gone? It feels like it was just yesterday that we were exploring "Quixotic Queens" or even before that, sitting down at orientation. But, before I carry on, I will leave the remainder of my thoughts for my final journal; therefore, "...to be continued." Having to cancel last week's class because of the inclement weather was a bummer but, I was super excited to pick up where we left off in our adventures to now explore, the Lower East Side. However, it was not without a sacrifice. A 10am visit to the Tenement Museum called for a meeting at Penn Station at 9am, which meant a 7:28am train out of Babylon. Now, I am no stranger to viewing the sunrise because I am usually up anyway because of nursing but, standing on that platform at 7am was especially enlightening; the view of the sunrise bursting into shades of pink and orange was a breathtaking start to an adventurous day.
Located in the southeastern part of Manhattan are the booming immigrant communities of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy (ENY, 65). New York City is the prime example of the term "melting pot." One can pretty much find a person from any part of the entire world just by walking its streets. This fact is particularly evident in the area we visited today. Immigrants have been pouring in since the mid-19th century from places like Ireland and Germany; all these individuals escaping the disasters of their homeland. In order to truly grasp this concept, what better way then to visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum? But first, it was off to the subway and briefly stopping at the Essex Street Market.
In the early 20th century, Essex Street was overrun by pushcart vendors. In 1933, mayor LaGuardia made an effort to do away with the pushcarts that were contributing to unsanitary conditions in the area. As a resort, LaGuardia had markets like the Essex Street Market take the place of these pushcarts that were then banned. However, because of the high renting costs in the indoor markets, many of them were forced to close because they no longer could afford it (ENY, 67). Walking into the market, I only had time to stop at one stand which was like a mini supermarket with very affordable prices (8 limes for $1! Fruit bowls for $2!). What was surprising was the fact that this particular stall was run by Hispanics, either Puerto Rican or Dominican (with a few more minutes of talking I would've been able to tell). But, twenty minutes went by very quickly and it was off to our next stop.
Upon arriving at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum we broke up into two groups. I was a part of Lee's group guided by our fabulous educator, whose name I cannot seem to remember; nonetheless, she was great! Our tour today would be of the 4th floor which was home to the Moore family, a family of Irish descent. The tenement itself was constructed in 1863 by a Prussian immigrant. Today, it serves as a time capsule and offers a glimpse into the life of the immigrant families who resided in this building many years ago (ENY, 67). Our tour began in the outdoor space of its address at 97 Orchard Street. Here we got some insight. The building is constructed using a 5-4-3-2-1 layout. In other words, the building is 5 stories tall, with 4 apartments on each floor consisting of 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (not built until 1905) and 1 front room. Outside, at our first stop one can find four out-houses which were meant to serve about 100 people; gross! Unfortunately, what is even more gross is the fact that the people who lived here would have to bathe at a public bath house paying 3 cents for a 5 minute shower often just once a week; that's insane! While outside we also looked at some illustrations from Harper's Weekly, one in particular was of women hand-washing their clothes in an area similar to one we were standing in. Looking closely at the image one can make out a muscular woman who has her own wash basin. This woman is said to be German, who were seen as stronger, and capable unlike the Irish who were perceived as monkeys, non-human, and inferior. In this picture one can spot another woman with the face of a monkey; an Irish woman. What strikes me is the fact that this image is a prime example of discrimination and is evidence that it has and continues to exist.
Moving on, we headed upstairs to the fourth floor and can I just say I was out of breath by the time we reached the top. We walked into a rather small space with peeled walls, rotting wood; it looked as old as it was. We gathered into a room that contained some items that have been found over the years. Among these items were empty shampoo containers, a toothbrush without its bristles, and a lice comb, all indications of these individuals' attempts of achieving cleanliness. We were told that there have been 50+ layers of paint, 21 layers of wallpaper, etc. which reveals that lots of people have lived here. In 1900, it is believed that approximately six to twelve people lived in each apartment; each apartment is only about 325 square feet! Also in this room, you can see some childish drawings and the name Ruth Katz. After some research, turns out that the Katz family were one of the last families to have lived here before the entire building's eviction in 1935. We then proceeded into the next room where we heard some music. The first song we listened to called, "Thousands are Sailing" was written in the 1840s and is an Irish ballad with a slow tempo, sounding mournful, which was not uncommon. The second song was, "No Irish Need Apply" which contained the lyrics of a frustrated Irish man who cannot find a job anywhere because at the time, nobody wanted to hire an Irish person. For this reason, most Irish men were working in the service or as day laborers. At the end of the song, despite his frustration he proclaims his pride of being Irish. The final song, "Swill Milk No. 2" served as a public service announcement to those purchasing this hazardous so called "milk" which claimed the lives of many. In fact, during this time, the child of an immigrant was 10 times more likely to die before the age of 1, just like the Moores' daughter, Agnes. The final stop of this tenement tour was of an apartment that was meant to represent the apartment of the Moore family (a refurbished room). The museum itself was founded in the year 1988 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994 (a year after I was born!) (ENY 66-67). Overall, I enjoyed it very much and would love return in the near future.
Following the conclusion of the Tenement Museum tour we further broke down into four groups to follow the instructions of a "scavenger hunt" through Chinatown for about an hour. There were 5 of us in a group, and thankfully we had Freddy who is New York City savvy. I had visited Canal Street but never really walked on the side streets of Chinatown so I was excited. What stood out to me the most was the radical change one street made. We went from an average Manhattan street to a street crowded with Asian people, building after building with Chinese symbols; it felt like I was in a different country! Chinese immigrants have been coming to the United States since 1868 when the U.S. and China established diplomatic relations. Many of them came to New York and settled in the areas around Mott Street (where we visited today) bringing with them their culture, and traditions particularly to this neighborhood where it remains prevalent. Back in the 1880s, there were said to be about 10,000 Chinese immigrants in New York (that number has since drastically increased), most of them male. The influx of Chinese immigrants continues to boom helping comprise the 55 block area it does today (ENY 72-73). At one point on our hunt, I remember looking to the block right of me and seeing a sign that read, "Welcome to Little Italy" while standing on a block that consisted only of Chinese people; truly incredible. Along Canal Street we decided to walk into a Chinese supermarket, if you will. Here, every single item was translated in Chinese. From meat and produce to candy and Asian religious figurines; it was definitely not a Shoprite! Onwards, we visited the Eastern States Buddhist Temple where one can find figurines and such with the smell of incense that filled the air. A little strange but I saw bowls of food placed in front of Buddha-like statues. Maybe it belonged to the workers there and they were letting their food cool off, but more probable is that maybe it was to "feed" the statues. So, that was pretty cool. We also stopped at Vivi Bubble Tea (didn't go in) and the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory which had many customers, all with different flavors. At the end of our scavenger hunt we decided to stop at Cafe Bustelo. We had passed by numerous people promoting this pop-up shop offering free coffee, free snacks, and a free hang-out spot to socialize while charging your phone. One of the promoters told us they were holding this event to see if the shop would be successful if permanently located in the area. After a quick snack and coffee stop, it was off to eat at the Congee Village Restaurant.
As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, I am a boring person. I am a chicken nuggets and french fries kind of gal, however I very much enjoy the occasional visit to the Chinese buffet and take-out from the Chinese food places in my area. But, I should've known, this was not your ordinary Chinese take-out. With no boneless ribs or pork fried rice in sight, I decided to try the fried rice that was served which tasted just like the Thai fried rice I had just a couple of weeks ago which I did not absolutely love. I also tried the house special chicken which I'm sorry Mike but it was terrible! I have never had such salty chicken in my life. Overall, the restaurant was beautifully decorated, the style of serving was cool, but will I return? Probably not. After everyone was done eating, it was time for another tour with the intelligent, Jim.
This walking tour would continue to cover the Lower East Side giving us further insight on the immigration component of this area. The Lower East Side is the heart of immigration. The Irish coming first, because of the potato famine back in Ireland. The Jews coming second escaping the pogroms. There were two types of Jews, the Ashkenazi from Russia, and the Sephardic from Spain and North Africa. Prominently the Sephardic Jews, heavily settled this area. Despite both groups being Jewish, they were very much different with really nothing but their faith in common (ENY, 66-67). By 1900, the Lower East Side was the most densely populated area with 700-1000 people per acre. However, at one point this area was nothing but three farms: Rutgers, Delancey, and Stuyvesant. It wasn't until the 1830s that this area began to develop especially developing in the 1870s, following the creation of the elevated railroads. Our first stop of the walking tour was the University Settlement located on Rivington Street, where Eleanor Roosevelt once taught dance. Here we learned that this Settlement Movement was brought upon because people believed that the best way to help others was to live in the tough neighborhoods and educate the ones residing in the area. Jim also spoke to us about the Sarah Roosevelt Park where an estimated 20,000 African American slaves are said to be buried. On a much lighter note, it was off to Economy Candy. This candy store first opened in 1937 and remains in business housing thousands upon thousands of pieces of candy; candy that I hadn't seen since I was a little girl (ENY, 67). After that, we walked on over to the federal style church, Bialystoker Synagogue which was founded in 1865 by Jews, but was originally a Methodist church built in 1826 composed of the infamous, Manhattan Schist (ENY, 68). We walked through some projects complexes (typical of low-income, immigrant areas of Manhattan) before stopping in front of this building that was converted into a mikvah into 1941. Here young Orthodox Jewish ladies would get a ritual cleanse to purify themselves after menstruation using rainwater. Before this building became a mikvah, it was the Arnold Toynbee House of the Grand Street Settlement (reason for the ATH) which was the first settlement in the world, meant to help Jewish immigrants assimilate into American society (ENY, 68). Then we headed to the Henry Street Settlement (a nursing major's dream come true). The Henry Street Settlement was founded by Lillian Wald, a young nursing student in 1903. The purpose of this settlement was to bring nursing care into the community. This building was a donation made by banker, Jacob Schiff. With Schiff's help, Wald was able to initiate the first Visiting Nurse Service (ENY, 69). Wald is truly a giant in the Nursing world. Our final stop of the walking tour was the Eldridge Street Synagogue. It is quite comical to find a synagogue located in Chinatown but when it was built in 1887, the neighborhood was very much comprised of Jews. In the 19th century, many Jewish people worshipped here but as more and more Jews were replaced by Asians, less and less worshippers would come causing it to close. However, in 1986, a non-profit group campaigned for its repair and in 2007, after 20 years of restoration, it is now a museum (ENY, 72).
In conclusion, it was nice to experience this area of New York that I wasn't quite familiar with and that I will be attempting to re-visit with my family. After class ended, my day was far from over. For over 45 minutes, Gabby, Jimmy and I went on a Brazilian root hunt which was ultimately unsuccessful. We then took the N train to Herald Square and walked on over to Penn Station where I met up with my family. Because of some construction on the LIRR, the next train wasn't for another hour. After an hour, we pushed our way through the mob of people also taking the LIRR Babylon branch train. My family wanted to stop at the Resorts World Casino in Jamaica and so we did. A Little Caesar's pizza later, we took the shuttle bus on over to the casino. After about an hour, I had had enough; I was exhausted. To our surprise, when we arrived at Jamaica we were told there would be no more trains to Babylon! I wanted to cry and punch someone in the face. We were then advised to take the bus which was the alternative because of the LIRR construction. By this time it was 9pm, it would be hours before we finally reached Babylon. Fortunately, someone told us the Montauk train would make an express stop Babylon. Express to Babylon? It was as if God had answered my prayer. We took a route I had never been on before but we finally arrived at Babylon and I made it back to my bed by 11:45pm. And with that, my Saturday was finally over!
The second to last week of this New York City experience; someone pinch me! Where has the time gone? It feels like it was just yesterday that we were exploring "Quixotic Queens" or even before that, sitting down at orientation. But, before I carry on, I will leave the remainder of my thoughts for my final journal; therefore, "...to be continued." Having to cancel last week's class because of the inclement weather was a bummer but, I was super excited to pick up where we left off in our adventures to now explore, the Lower East Side. However, it was not without a sacrifice. A 10am visit to the Tenement Museum called for a meeting at Penn Station at 9am, which meant a 7:28am train out of Babylon. Now, I am no stranger to viewing the sunrise because I am usually up anyway because of nursing but, standing on that platform at 7am was especially enlightening; the view of the sunrise bursting into shades of pink and orange was a breathtaking start to an adventurous day.
Located in the southeastern part of Manhattan are the booming immigrant communities of the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy (ENY, 65). New York City is the prime example of the term "melting pot." One can pretty much find a person from any part of the entire world just by walking its streets. This fact is particularly evident in the area we visited today. Immigrants have been pouring in since the mid-19th century from places like Ireland and Germany; all these individuals escaping the disasters of their homeland. In order to truly grasp this concept, what better way then to visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum? But first, it was off to the subway and briefly stopping at the Essex Street Market.
In the early 20th century, Essex Street was overrun by pushcart vendors. In 1933, mayor LaGuardia made an effort to do away with the pushcarts that were contributing to unsanitary conditions in the area. As a resort, LaGuardia had markets like the Essex Street Market take the place of these pushcarts that were then banned. However, because of the high renting costs in the indoor markets, many of them were forced to close because they no longer could afford it (ENY, 67). Walking into the market, I only had time to stop at one stand which was like a mini supermarket with very affordable prices (8 limes for $1! Fruit bowls for $2!). What was surprising was the fact that this particular stall was run by Hispanics, either Puerto Rican or Dominican (with a few more minutes of talking I would've been able to tell). But, twenty minutes went by very quickly and it was off to our next stop.
Upon arriving at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum we broke up into two groups. I was a part of Lee's group guided by our fabulous educator, whose name I cannot seem to remember; nonetheless, she was great! Our tour today would be of the 4th floor which was home to the Moore family, a family of Irish descent. The tenement itself was constructed in 1863 by a Prussian immigrant. Today, it serves as a time capsule and offers a glimpse into the life of the immigrant families who resided in this building many years ago (ENY, 67). Our tour began in the outdoor space of its address at 97 Orchard Street. Here we got some insight. The building is constructed using a 5-4-3-2-1 layout. In other words, the building is 5 stories tall, with 4 apartments on each floor consisting of 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (not built until 1905) and 1 front room. Outside, at our first stop one can find four out-houses which were meant to serve about 100 people; gross! Unfortunately, what is even more gross is the fact that the people who lived here would have to bathe at a public bath house paying 3 cents for a 5 minute shower often just once a week; that's insane! While outside we also looked at some illustrations from Harper's Weekly, one in particular was of women hand-washing their clothes in an area similar to one we were standing in. Looking closely at the image one can make out a muscular woman who has her own wash basin. This woman is said to be German, who were seen as stronger, and capable unlike the Irish who were perceived as monkeys, non-human, and inferior. In this picture one can spot another woman with the face of a monkey; an Irish woman. What strikes me is the fact that this image is a prime example of discrimination and is evidence that it has and continues to exist.
Moving on, we headed upstairs to the fourth floor and can I just say I was out of breath by the time we reached the top. We walked into a rather small space with peeled walls, rotting wood; it looked as old as it was. We gathered into a room that contained some items that have been found over the years. Among these items were empty shampoo containers, a toothbrush without its bristles, and a lice comb, all indications of these individuals' attempts of achieving cleanliness. We were told that there have been 50+ layers of paint, 21 layers of wallpaper, etc. which reveals that lots of people have lived here. In 1900, it is believed that approximately six to twelve people lived in each apartment; each apartment is only about 325 square feet! Also in this room, you can see some childish drawings and the name Ruth Katz. After some research, turns out that the Katz family were one of the last families to have lived here before the entire building's eviction in 1935. We then proceeded into the next room where we heard some music. The first song we listened to called, "Thousands are Sailing" was written in the 1840s and is an Irish ballad with a slow tempo, sounding mournful, which was not uncommon. The second song was, "No Irish Need Apply" which contained the lyrics of a frustrated Irish man who cannot find a job anywhere because at the time, nobody wanted to hire an Irish person. For this reason, most Irish men were working in the service or as day laborers. At the end of the song, despite his frustration he proclaims his pride of being Irish. The final song, "Swill Milk No. 2" served as a public service announcement to those purchasing this hazardous so called "milk" which claimed the lives of many. In fact, during this time, the child of an immigrant was 10 times more likely to die before the age of 1, just like the Moores' daughter, Agnes. The final stop of this tenement tour was of an apartment that was meant to represent the apartment of the Moore family (a refurbished room). The museum itself was founded in the year 1988 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994 (a year after I was born!) (ENY 66-67). Overall, I enjoyed it very much and would love return in the near future.
Following the conclusion of the Tenement Museum tour we further broke down into four groups to follow the instructions of a "scavenger hunt" through Chinatown for about an hour. There were 5 of us in a group, and thankfully we had Freddy who is New York City savvy. I had visited Canal Street but never really walked on the side streets of Chinatown so I was excited. What stood out to me the most was the radical change one street made. We went from an average Manhattan street to a street crowded with Asian people, building after building with Chinese symbols; it felt like I was in a different country! Chinese immigrants have been coming to the United States since 1868 when the U.S. and China established diplomatic relations. Many of them came to New York and settled in the areas around Mott Street (where we visited today) bringing with them their culture, and traditions particularly to this neighborhood where it remains prevalent. Back in the 1880s, there were said to be about 10,000 Chinese immigrants in New York (that number has since drastically increased), most of them male. The influx of Chinese immigrants continues to boom helping comprise the 55 block area it does today (ENY 72-73). At one point on our hunt, I remember looking to the block right of me and seeing a sign that read, "Welcome to Little Italy" while standing on a block that consisted only of Chinese people; truly incredible. Along Canal Street we decided to walk into a Chinese supermarket, if you will. Here, every single item was translated in Chinese. From meat and produce to candy and Asian religious figurines; it was definitely not a Shoprite! Onwards, we visited the Eastern States Buddhist Temple where one can find figurines and such with the smell of incense that filled the air. A little strange but I saw bowls of food placed in front of Buddha-like statues. Maybe it belonged to the workers there and they were letting their food cool off, but more probable is that maybe it was to "feed" the statues. So, that was pretty cool. We also stopped at Vivi Bubble Tea (didn't go in) and the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory which had many customers, all with different flavors. At the end of our scavenger hunt we decided to stop at Cafe Bustelo. We had passed by numerous people promoting this pop-up shop offering free coffee, free snacks, and a free hang-out spot to socialize while charging your phone. One of the promoters told us they were holding this event to see if the shop would be successful if permanently located in the area. After a quick snack and coffee stop, it was off to eat at the Congee Village Restaurant.
As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, I am a boring person. I am a chicken nuggets and french fries kind of gal, however I very much enjoy the occasional visit to the Chinese buffet and take-out from the Chinese food places in my area. But, I should've known, this was not your ordinary Chinese take-out. With no boneless ribs or pork fried rice in sight, I decided to try the fried rice that was served which tasted just like the Thai fried rice I had just a couple of weeks ago which I did not absolutely love. I also tried the house special chicken which I'm sorry Mike but it was terrible! I have never had such salty chicken in my life. Overall, the restaurant was beautifully decorated, the style of serving was cool, but will I return? Probably not. After everyone was done eating, it was time for another tour with the intelligent, Jim.
This walking tour would continue to cover the Lower East Side giving us further insight on the immigration component of this area. The Lower East Side is the heart of immigration. The Irish coming first, because of the potato famine back in Ireland. The Jews coming second escaping the pogroms. There were two types of Jews, the Ashkenazi from Russia, and the Sephardic from Spain and North Africa. Prominently the Sephardic Jews, heavily settled this area. Despite both groups being Jewish, they were very much different with really nothing but their faith in common (ENY, 66-67). By 1900, the Lower East Side was the most densely populated area with 700-1000 people per acre. However, at one point this area was nothing but three farms: Rutgers, Delancey, and Stuyvesant. It wasn't until the 1830s that this area began to develop especially developing in the 1870s, following the creation of the elevated railroads. Our first stop of the walking tour was the University Settlement located on Rivington Street, where Eleanor Roosevelt once taught dance. Here we learned that this Settlement Movement was brought upon because people believed that the best way to help others was to live in the tough neighborhoods and educate the ones residing in the area. Jim also spoke to us about the Sarah Roosevelt Park where an estimated 20,000 African American slaves are said to be buried. On a much lighter note, it was off to Economy Candy. This candy store first opened in 1937 and remains in business housing thousands upon thousands of pieces of candy; candy that I hadn't seen since I was a little girl (ENY, 67). After that, we walked on over to the federal style church, Bialystoker Synagogue which was founded in 1865 by Jews, but was originally a Methodist church built in 1826 composed of the infamous, Manhattan Schist (ENY, 68). We walked through some projects complexes (typical of low-income, immigrant areas of Manhattan) before stopping in front of this building that was converted into a mikvah into 1941. Here young Orthodox Jewish ladies would get a ritual cleanse to purify themselves after menstruation using rainwater. Before this building became a mikvah, it was the Arnold Toynbee House of the Grand Street Settlement (reason for the ATH) which was the first settlement in the world, meant to help Jewish immigrants assimilate into American society (ENY, 68). Then we headed to the Henry Street Settlement (a nursing major's dream come true). The Henry Street Settlement was founded by Lillian Wald, a young nursing student in 1903. The purpose of this settlement was to bring nursing care into the community. This building was a donation made by banker, Jacob Schiff. With Schiff's help, Wald was able to initiate the first Visiting Nurse Service (ENY, 69). Wald is truly a giant in the Nursing world. Our final stop of the walking tour was the Eldridge Street Synagogue. It is quite comical to find a synagogue located in Chinatown but when it was built in 1887, the neighborhood was very much comprised of Jews. In the 19th century, many Jewish people worshipped here but as more and more Jews were replaced by Asians, less and less worshippers would come causing it to close. However, in 1986, a non-profit group campaigned for its repair and in 2007, after 20 years of restoration, it is now a museum (ENY, 72).
In conclusion, it was nice to experience this area of New York that I wasn't quite familiar with and that I will be attempting to re-visit with my family. After class ended, my day was far from over. For over 45 minutes, Gabby, Jimmy and I went on a Brazilian root hunt which was ultimately unsuccessful. We then took the N train to Herald Square and walked on over to Penn Station where I met up with my family. Because of some construction on the LIRR, the next train wasn't for another hour. After an hour, we pushed our way through the mob of people also taking the LIRR Babylon branch train. My family wanted to stop at the Resorts World Casino in Jamaica and so we did. A Little Caesar's pizza later, we took the shuttle bus on over to the casino. After about an hour, I had had enough; I was exhausted. To our surprise, when we arrived at Jamaica we were told there would be no more trains to Babylon! I wanted to cry and punch someone in the face. We were then advised to take the bus which was the alternative because of the LIRR construction. By this time it was 9pm, it would be hours before we finally reached Babylon. Fortunately, someone told us the Montauk train would make an express stop Babylon. Express to Babylon? It was as if God had answered my prayer. We took a route I had never been on before but we finally arrived at Babylon and I made it back to my bed by 11:45pm. And with that, my Saturday was finally over!
8. Lower Manhattan & Hipster Williamsburg
I can't believe it, the final class and what better way to end such a phenomenal Gotham experience than with Lower Manhattan. Lower Manhattan is where it all began for New York City and I was beyond excited to site see this historical area.
According to Mike, we did things a bit backwards. Therefore, we commenced our journey in Battery Park City. Prior to 1967, this neighborhood was non-existent. Up until the late 1950s it was a body of water filled with piers which served as a trading port. However, by the 1960s most of the piers became abandoned and dilapidated which in turn gave Governor Nelson Rockefeller the idea of creating a 90-acre planned community to be built near the city's financial district. This community would be made possible with the use of landfill excavated from the World Trade Center site. Upon completion of this community, it was considered to be the best piece of real estate because of the harbor, and to this day it is very much desirable. Anyway, our first line of business was to visit the Robert Wagner Park, named after Robert Wagner Jr., Mayor of New York from 1954-1965 and to the south, Battery Park (ENY, 60). With a clear blue sky and spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; it was breathtaking! Crowded with tourists and natives, it was definitely a hot spot and I don't mean an Optimum WiFi source. In the park we stopped in front of Fritz Keonig's 22 ton Sphere that once stood in front of the Twin Towers and despite the 9/11 attack, it was damaged but not destroyed. It now stands tall in the Robert Wagner Park as a representation of resiliency, the resiliency of New Yorkers after the attack. We also walked through Castle Clinton which was built before the War of 1812 and became New York City's first aquarium, then relocated to Coney Island. Castle Clinton was named after Mayor DeWitt Clinton and was originally called the West Battery. It served as a fort and stood in about 35 feet of water, then as an immigrant depot station in 1855. It is impressive that it still stands today. Not too far off was Luis Sanguino's 1973 statue, "The Immigrants" dedicated to the eight million people who passed through Castle Clinton's immigrant depot. The statue which points to the struggles that immigrants faced upon beginning their new lives in America includes, a freed African slave, a priest, a worker, and a Jew. I found this statue to be particularly remarkable because thousands of immigrants continue to flee to America and they all face the same struggles decades later (ENY, 56-57). That wraps up Battery Park, it was off to the Fraunces Tavern Museum.
At the Fraunces Tavern Museum we were lectured on the "nuts and bolts" of the building considered to be Manhattan's oldest. The Fraunces Tavern Museum is historically important because it was here that George Washington gave his farewell address to his army on December 4th, 1783. According to our enthusiastic tour guide, Washington chose this particular building as opposed to a religious space because of its communal and unified location in the long room. However, the only proof we have of this event is what is written in Benjamin Tallmadge's memoirs of 1830. In fact, his actual memoirs are on display on the third floor of this museum. To give us a sense of the building, our tour guide explained the layout as follows: the bottom floor was the communal/bar area in which people would come to find out what was going on in the world, the second floor contained private dining rooms including the long room where Washington allegedly gave his farewell address, the third floor is where Samuel Fraunces (a renowned chef) lived along with his family, and the attic contained rooms for the servants (typical). Originally built in 1719 by wealthy merchant Stephen Delancey, it is arguably Manhattan's building as well as the biggest fake (ENY, 55). Some believe it is the biggest fake because having undergone three different fires inflicted upon by cannon balls from the American Revolution, it has been through lots of reconstruction. However, it does not take away from the fact that it was built on the first original landfill and was right on the water. Continuing with our tour, we visited the Map room which contained a number of maps dating back to the 18th century, the Flag room filled with numerous flags all different in style depending on the maker's interpretation, the Long room, and then the restaurant on the main level which was extremely pricey ($40 a plate? For $40 I can get a deal and eat at all the buffets I want in Las Vegas for 24 hours!). Overall, I thought the tour was great because the guide was upbeat and really knew her stuff but was not boring which was definitely a plus.
Up next, we walked through Bowling Green Park which is named after the game of bowls that was played by the British during colonial times. It was a very small park filled with puddles, and in the middle of it was a fountain in commemoration of the completion of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842 (ENY, 54). From here, we walked across the street and stopped in front, rather, behind the Charging Bull which is a 3.5 ton, 16 foot long bronze statue created by New York City artist Arthuro Di Modico after Black Monday (ENY, 53). Today, many tourists visit the bull and if you're lucky, you might even get a ball picture (Mike says if you rub the bronze testicles it will bring good luck; I passed up the opportunity). It was also here where we got a little lecture on Broadway. Broadway is known as the "Canyon of Heroes" because it served as the setting for many parades following huge events like Charles Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic (ENY, 53). By this time, everyone was complaining (no surprise there) that they were hungry so it was off to find some food. To get there, we walked through a beautiful park/boardwalk with spectacular views of I believe, New Jersey (?). Of course, I could not miss the photo op and took a million pictures and sent them to my brother who was that much more jealous. It was a much longer walk than I anticipated but, I did not mind because the views were very distracting. We finally arrived at the Brookfield Place food court which was very elegant and evidently expensive. With options ranging from slightly expensive to very expensive, I decided to try Dos Toros, Spanish for Two Bulls. It was Mexican food and I must say, it was very tasty. I had carnitas (pulled pork) with yellow rice, and black beans with a mandarin flavored Mexican soda, Jarritos (small pitchers). Yummy yummy in my tummy. After sitting down for a few minutes, allowing the food to digest, we then proceeded to the highly anticipated 9/11 Memorial.
The 9/11 Memorial is located in the heart of the Financial District, also home to Wall Street and the city's most important financial institutions. On September 11th, 2001, all of New York City and America at large was impacted by the terrorist attack that devastatingly claimed the lives of too many. Located in the area where the Twin Towers once stood is the 9/11 Memorial which opened in 2011 and was the result of a competition that had 5,201 submissions. A 13 member jury decided on a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker called "Reflecting Absence." With two one acre pools marvelously situated in the footprints of the Twin Towers, it is truly stunning and moving. 30 foot waterfalls, the largest manmade waterfalls in America descend into a center void and the names of the hundreds of victims are inscribed around the edges. I had been wanting to visit this memorial since it was in the making and to have finally gotten the chance to do so fills me with a sense of accomplishment. Seeing the many people gathered around each waterfall, and zoning every noise out but the sound of the waterfalls was such a calming, and almost overwhelming experience. Standing there I just kept replaying the day in my mind; I was in third grade and I still remember it so vividly. It is hard to believe thirteen years have gone by. Aside from the 9/11 Memorial, I also got the chance to be up close and personal with a building I had always seen from afar, the "Freedom Tower." Standing at 1,776 feet (1776, Independence Day, how ironic and clever), it is now the tallest building in the United States and the fourth tallest in the world, for now at least. Also, I unfortunately did not get to take a picture but I did see the "Survivor Tree." This Callery pear tree was planted at the original World Trade Center site in the 1970s and was badly burned by the attack but it miraculously survived, was nursed back to health, and in 2010 was planted in the memorial plaza. It stands out today because it has numerous anchors holding it in place (ENY, 48-49). After about fifteen minutes, it was time to move onto our next stop: St. Paul's Chapel.
Walking through St. Paul's Chapel's cemetery, I noticed the majority of the gravestones were not legible understandably so, they are from the 18th century and as we were standing in the cemetery, Mike started talking about the chapel and I had no idea what he was talking about or where to look. Turns out it was the building in front of me covered in sheets and scaffolds. This chapel was designed by Thomas McBean out of Manhattan Schist and completed in 1766. It is New York's only intact (well, sort of) pre-Revolutionary War Church surviving the great fire of 1776 and the 9/11 attack thanks to a sycamore tree which is said to have deflected the debris. It is also in this chapel where George Washington worshipped (ENY, 46-47). Interesting. From here, one could also see Mike's favorite building, the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building was designed by none other than McKim, Mead and our favorite pervert, White. At the top of this multi-style building stands a 20-foot tall gilded statue, "Civic Fame" created by Adolph Weinman. This statue is of a barefoot female standing on a copper ball, holding a five-pointed crown symbolizing the five boroughs. It is the third largest statue in New York City and even from afar is quite impressive, it is no wonder why it is Mike's favorite building at the moment. As we walked closer to it, I realized we were in the same place where our class began, the Civic Center and it gave me a nostalgic feeling knowing this class was coming to an end.
Our final lecture was given by the lovely Lee on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse. This courthouse was built between 1861 and 1881 by William "Boss" Tweed, one of New York's notoriously corrupt politicians. In simple terms, a big, fat, greedy man. Although it was a courthouse for many years, today it serves as the headquarters for the New York City Department of Education (ENY, 46). And with that, our last class came to an end. Given the choice to be boring and go home, or be adventurous and visit Hipster Williamsburg I chose: HIPSTER WILLIAMSBURG, oh yeah! For once, I was not boring.
To arrive at Williamsburg, Mike gave us yet another option: by subway or over the Williamsburg Bridge. I without a doubt wanted to cross over the famed Williamsburg Bridge for two reasons: to rub it in my brother's face because he has been wanting to longboard over it for years, AND because I've already walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and walking over the Williamsburg would leave me with the Manhattan Bridge to complete the BMW. Thankfully, my classmates decided to put aside their complaints of exhaustion and majority ruled: over the Williamsburg Bridge we went. The Williamsburg Bridge began construction in 1896 and opened on December 19th, 1903 setting the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world. With each tower 333 feet in length and containing 3,048 tons of steel, it was awesome, for lack of a better term (ENY, 197). In fact, I enjoyed crossing over this bridge better than the Brooklyn Bridge. Perhaps I am being biased because it was a beautiful day and the sun was just beginning to set. But, I enjoyed viewing all the graffiti which I strongly believe gives it its distinct character and makes it that much more charming and appealing. After what seemed like a very long time, we finally made it over the Williamsburg Bridge into the town of Williamsburg. In the 17th century, this area was a farming community for the Dutch. Hard to believe with all the hipsters that now roam its streets. For some time it was its own city, but then became a part of Brooklyn. After the completion of the bridge, many new immigrants were able to live in the tenements in Williamsburg which is why the bridge became known as the "Jews Highway." In the 1970s it became nothing but a slum, but then came the artists and gentrification. Gentrification, stronger than ever continues to persevere in this area with luxury apartments along the East River selling for millions of dollars (ENY, 196-197). We stopped at a park off of 11th Street that had the most beautiful views of Manhattan and the East River and what made it that much more perfect was the sunset. As Mike said, I could have just died right then and there and I would have been content with my last view. Well, not really, I hadn't seen my family all day so I had to go back home, I could not die just yet, not before my 21st birthday. But, it was definitely an everlasting impression of my last site of the course. After we sulked in the beauty of the park, the class wanted to go to the Brooklyn Brewery. Honest to God, I have never had a drink or have smoked in my entire life and I was a bit apprehensive but I gave in to peer pressure. However, God must have been watching over me because the class decided to leave the Brooklyn Brewery to find a different spot on Bedford Avenue, where all the nightlife is. I had, had enough and I just wanted to go back home.
Jimmy, Gabby, Shannon and I said our goodbyes to the rest of the class and it was off to the L train to make our way back to Penn. Arriving at Penn, we had 5 minutes to catch the next train and we made it. This was it, this was the end. I do not know when I will return to Penn but I do hope it is very soon. I have had such an incredible experience visiting the different parts of New York City that my only wish is to continue exploring the city in my backyard.
I can't believe it, the final class and what better way to end such a phenomenal Gotham experience than with Lower Manhattan. Lower Manhattan is where it all began for New York City and I was beyond excited to site see this historical area.
According to Mike, we did things a bit backwards. Therefore, we commenced our journey in Battery Park City. Prior to 1967, this neighborhood was non-existent. Up until the late 1950s it was a body of water filled with piers which served as a trading port. However, by the 1960s most of the piers became abandoned and dilapidated which in turn gave Governor Nelson Rockefeller the idea of creating a 90-acre planned community to be built near the city's financial district. This community would be made possible with the use of landfill excavated from the World Trade Center site. Upon completion of this community, it was considered to be the best piece of real estate because of the harbor, and to this day it is very much desirable. Anyway, our first line of business was to visit the Robert Wagner Park, named after Robert Wagner Jr., Mayor of New York from 1954-1965 and to the south, Battery Park (ENY, 60). With a clear blue sky and spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; it was breathtaking! Crowded with tourists and natives, it was definitely a hot spot and I don't mean an Optimum WiFi source. In the park we stopped in front of Fritz Keonig's 22 ton Sphere that once stood in front of the Twin Towers and despite the 9/11 attack, it was damaged but not destroyed. It now stands tall in the Robert Wagner Park as a representation of resiliency, the resiliency of New Yorkers after the attack. We also walked through Castle Clinton which was built before the War of 1812 and became New York City's first aquarium, then relocated to Coney Island. Castle Clinton was named after Mayor DeWitt Clinton and was originally called the West Battery. It served as a fort and stood in about 35 feet of water, then as an immigrant depot station in 1855. It is impressive that it still stands today. Not too far off was Luis Sanguino's 1973 statue, "The Immigrants" dedicated to the eight million people who passed through Castle Clinton's immigrant depot. The statue which points to the struggles that immigrants faced upon beginning their new lives in America includes, a freed African slave, a priest, a worker, and a Jew. I found this statue to be particularly remarkable because thousands of immigrants continue to flee to America and they all face the same struggles decades later (ENY, 56-57). That wraps up Battery Park, it was off to the Fraunces Tavern Museum.
At the Fraunces Tavern Museum we were lectured on the "nuts and bolts" of the building considered to be Manhattan's oldest. The Fraunces Tavern Museum is historically important because it was here that George Washington gave his farewell address to his army on December 4th, 1783. According to our enthusiastic tour guide, Washington chose this particular building as opposed to a religious space because of its communal and unified location in the long room. However, the only proof we have of this event is what is written in Benjamin Tallmadge's memoirs of 1830. In fact, his actual memoirs are on display on the third floor of this museum. To give us a sense of the building, our tour guide explained the layout as follows: the bottom floor was the communal/bar area in which people would come to find out what was going on in the world, the second floor contained private dining rooms including the long room where Washington allegedly gave his farewell address, the third floor is where Samuel Fraunces (a renowned chef) lived along with his family, and the attic contained rooms for the servants (typical). Originally built in 1719 by wealthy merchant Stephen Delancey, it is arguably Manhattan's building as well as the biggest fake (ENY, 55). Some believe it is the biggest fake because having undergone three different fires inflicted upon by cannon balls from the American Revolution, it has been through lots of reconstruction. However, it does not take away from the fact that it was built on the first original landfill and was right on the water. Continuing with our tour, we visited the Map room which contained a number of maps dating back to the 18th century, the Flag room filled with numerous flags all different in style depending on the maker's interpretation, the Long room, and then the restaurant on the main level which was extremely pricey ($40 a plate? For $40 I can get a deal and eat at all the buffets I want in Las Vegas for 24 hours!). Overall, I thought the tour was great because the guide was upbeat and really knew her stuff but was not boring which was definitely a plus.
Up next, we walked through Bowling Green Park which is named after the game of bowls that was played by the British during colonial times. It was a very small park filled with puddles, and in the middle of it was a fountain in commemoration of the completion of the Croton Aqueduct in 1842 (ENY, 54). From here, we walked across the street and stopped in front, rather, behind the Charging Bull which is a 3.5 ton, 16 foot long bronze statue created by New York City artist Arthuro Di Modico after Black Monday (ENY, 53). Today, many tourists visit the bull and if you're lucky, you might even get a ball picture (Mike says if you rub the bronze testicles it will bring good luck; I passed up the opportunity). It was also here where we got a little lecture on Broadway. Broadway is known as the "Canyon of Heroes" because it served as the setting for many parades following huge events like Charles Lindberg's solo flight across the Atlantic (ENY, 53). By this time, everyone was complaining (no surprise there) that they were hungry so it was off to find some food. To get there, we walked through a beautiful park/boardwalk with spectacular views of I believe, New Jersey (?). Of course, I could not miss the photo op and took a million pictures and sent them to my brother who was that much more jealous. It was a much longer walk than I anticipated but, I did not mind because the views were very distracting. We finally arrived at the Brookfield Place food court which was very elegant and evidently expensive. With options ranging from slightly expensive to very expensive, I decided to try Dos Toros, Spanish for Two Bulls. It was Mexican food and I must say, it was very tasty. I had carnitas (pulled pork) with yellow rice, and black beans with a mandarin flavored Mexican soda, Jarritos (small pitchers). Yummy yummy in my tummy. After sitting down for a few minutes, allowing the food to digest, we then proceeded to the highly anticipated 9/11 Memorial.
The 9/11 Memorial is located in the heart of the Financial District, also home to Wall Street and the city's most important financial institutions. On September 11th, 2001, all of New York City and America at large was impacted by the terrorist attack that devastatingly claimed the lives of too many. Located in the area where the Twin Towers once stood is the 9/11 Memorial which opened in 2011 and was the result of a competition that had 5,201 submissions. A 13 member jury decided on a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker called "Reflecting Absence." With two one acre pools marvelously situated in the footprints of the Twin Towers, it is truly stunning and moving. 30 foot waterfalls, the largest manmade waterfalls in America descend into a center void and the names of the hundreds of victims are inscribed around the edges. I had been wanting to visit this memorial since it was in the making and to have finally gotten the chance to do so fills me with a sense of accomplishment. Seeing the many people gathered around each waterfall, and zoning every noise out but the sound of the waterfalls was such a calming, and almost overwhelming experience. Standing there I just kept replaying the day in my mind; I was in third grade and I still remember it so vividly. It is hard to believe thirteen years have gone by. Aside from the 9/11 Memorial, I also got the chance to be up close and personal with a building I had always seen from afar, the "Freedom Tower." Standing at 1,776 feet (1776, Independence Day, how ironic and clever), it is now the tallest building in the United States and the fourth tallest in the world, for now at least. Also, I unfortunately did not get to take a picture but I did see the "Survivor Tree." This Callery pear tree was planted at the original World Trade Center site in the 1970s and was badly burned by the attack but it miraculously survived, was nursed back to health, and in 2010 was planted in the memorial plaza. It stands out today because it has numerous anchors holding it in place (ENY, 48-49). After about fifteen minutes, it was time to move onto our next stop: St. Paul's Chapel.
Walking through St. Paul's Chapel's cemetery, I noticed the majority of the gravestones were not legible understandably so, they are from the 18th century and as we were standing in the cemetery, Mike started talking about the chapel and I had no idea what he was talking about or where to look. Turns out it was the building in front of me covered in sheets and scaffolds. This chapel was designed by Thomas McBean out of Manhattan Schist and completed in 1766. It is New York's only intact (well, sort of) pre-Revolutionary War Church surviving the great fire of 1776 and the 9/11 attack thanks to a sycamore tree which is said to have deflected the debris. It is also in this chapel where George Washington worshipped (ENY, 46-47). Interesting. From here, one could also see Mike's favorite building, the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building was designed by none other than McKim, Mead and our favorite pervert, White. At the top of this multi-style building stands a 20-foot tall gilded statue, "Civic Fame" created by Adolph Weinman. This statue is of a barefoot female standing on a copper ball, holding a five-pointed crown symbolizing the five boroughs. It is the third largest statue in New York City and even from afar is quite impressive, it is no wonder why it is Mike's favorite building at the moment. As we walked closer to it, I realized we were in the same place where our class began, the Civic Center and it gave me a nostalgic feeling knowing this class was coming to an end.
Our final lecture was given by the lovely Lee on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse. This courthouse was built between 1861 and 1881 by William "Boss" Tweed, one of New York's notoriously corrupt politicians. In simple terms, a big, fat, greedy man. Although it was a courthouse for many years, today it serves as the headquarters for the New York City Department of Education (ENY, 46). And with that, our last class came to an end. Given the choice to be boring and go home, or be adventurous and visit Hipster Williamsburg I chose: HIPSTER WILLIAMSBURG, oh yeah! For once, I was not boring.
To arrive at Williamsburg, Mike gave us yet another option: by subway or over the Williamsburg Bridge. I without a doubt wanted to cross over the famed Williamsburg Bridge for two reasons: to rub it in my brother's face because he has been wanting to longboard over it for years, AND because I've already walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and walking over the Williamsburg would leave me with the Manhattan Bridge to complete the BMW. Thankfully, my classmates decided to put aside their complaints of exhaustion and majority ruled: over the Williamsburg Bridge we went. The Williamsburg Bridge began construction in 1896 and opened on December 19th, 1903 setting the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world. With each tower 333 feet in length and containing 3,048 tons of steel, it was awesome, for lack of a better term (ENY, 197). In fact, I enjoyed crossing over this bridge better than the Brooklyn Bridge. Perhaps I am being biased because it was a beautiful day and the sun was just beginning to set. But, I enjoyed viewing all the graffiti which I strongly believe gives it its distinct character and makes it that much more charming and appealing. After what seemed like a very long time, we finally made it over the Williamsburg Bridge into the town of Williamsburg. In the 17th century, this area was a farming community for the Dutch. Hard to believe with all the hipsters that now roam its streets. For some time it was its own city, but then became a part of Brooklyn. After the completion of the bridge, many new immigrants were able to live in the tenements in Williamsburg which is why the bridge became known as the "Jews Highway." In the 1970s it became nothing but a slum, but then came the artists and gentrification. Gentrification, stronger than ever continues to persevere in this area with luxury apartments along the East River selling for millions of dollars (ENY, 196-197). We stopped at a park off of 11th Street that had the most beautiful views of Manhattan and the East River and what made it that much more perfect was the sunset. As Mike said, I could have just died right then and there and I would have been content with my last view. Well, not really, I hadn't seen my family all day so I had to go back home, I could not die just yet, not before my 21st birthday. But, it was definitely an everlasting impression of my last site of the course. After we sulked in the beauty of the park, the class wanted to go to the Brooklyn Brewery. Honest to God, I have never had a drink or have smoked in my entire life and I was a bit apprehensive but I gave in to peer pressure. However, God must have been watching over me because the class decided to leave the Brooklyn Brewery to find a different spot on Bedford Avenue, where all the nightlife is. I had, had enough and I just wanted to go back home.
Jimmy, Gabby, Shannon and I said our goodbyes to the rest of the class and it was off to the L train to make our way back to Penn. Arriving at Penn, we had 5 minutes to catch the next train and we made it. This was it, this was the end. I do not know when I will return to Penn but I do hope it is very soon. I have had such an incredible experience visiting the different parts of New York City that my only wish is to continue exploring the city in my backyard.
8.5 Pre- 21st Birthday
Coming home is undoubtedly my favorite part of Saturday's CORE class. My family never fails to be waiting atop the platform as my train pulls in. Only this time, it was a bit different. I know my family well enough to tell when they are hiding something and sure enough, my intuition was right. We went down a different set of stairs than we usually do and there it was; it is the small things that matter most. I truly am blessed to have such an incredible family and I can never thank them enough for all that they do. My Mom, Dad, and Brother are my prized possessions, and most sacred in my life. I am who I am today because of them and this 21st Birthday, like all my birthdays prior is a reminder of exactly that, and how lucky I am. Thank you Mommy, Papi and Ricky.
Coming home is undoubtedly my favorite part of Saturday's CORE class. My family never fails to be waiting atop the platform as my train pulls in. Only this time, it was a bit different. I know my family well enough to tell when they are hiding something and sure enough, my intuition was right. We went down a different set of stairs than we usually do and there it was; it is the small things that matter most. I truly am blessed to have such an incredible family and I can never thank them enough for all that they do. My Mom, Dad, and Brother are my prized possessions, and most sacred in my life. I am who I am today because of them and this 21st Birthday, like all my birthdays prior is a reminder of exactly that, and how lucky I am. Thank you Mommy, Papi and Ricky.
9. The End
"All good things must come to an end," and this urban experience is one I will treasure forever. I've seen things I never would have, tasted food I never could have imagined, and I've visited places that have left an everlasting impression on me; all thanks to this four credit course offered at Molloy College. Although I must add, this experience was that much more enjoyable because of our instructors, Magnificent Mike and Lovely Lee; without them, this class would be nothing.
When I signed up for this course I had this biased, stereotypical view of New York City. "It's crowded, dirty, congested, and boring." Don't get me wrong, after having taken this class I still think it is extremely crowded, quite dirty (in some places) and very congested. But, it is far from boring with its endless attractions. I was one of those that only viewed Manhattan as New York City. "Oh, I'm going into the City today," and I would be going to primarily Midtown. If I was going to Queens, I would say "I'm going to Queens" not the City and it is a common misconception that many people have. Maybe it is because I had this fixed idea that there was only fun stuff to see and do in Manhattan or, maybe it was that when you think of a city you think of skyscrapers, and the majority of them are in fact in Manhattan. Boy was I wrong! From Queens, to Brooklyn, to Manhattan (unfortunately not the Bronx), there is just a long list of things one can do for all different occasions. I honestly, did not know what I was signing myself up for. Yes, I knew there would be lots of walking which I was 100% okay with because a little cardio won't hurt anyone, and I knew I would be visiting places I never have, but I enjoyed it so much more than I EVER possibly could have imagined.
I went museum hopping, which I enjoyed some more than others. Museums in Queens, El Barrio, Brooklyn, and of course Manhattan. I ate Thai, Chinese, and Indian cuisine. My family still can't get over it! I have always been a chicken nuggets and french fries kind of girl, we can go to the fanciest restaurant and I will still order chicken nuggets and french fries. I go to the Chinese buffet and I go for the same things every single time, it never fails. So to have walked into this class with an open mind and willing to try different foods, I am surprised in myself and actually quite proud. I visited places like El Barrio, Williamsburg, and Flushing; places I probably never would have, had I not taken this class. I walked over the Brooklyn Bridge AND the Williamsburg Bridge; my mission now is to get across the Manhattan Bridge, but these are two bridges you see and hear about it in movies all the time and I, Evelyn Argudo walked across them! I finally got to see the Freedom Tower up close. I had always seen it from afar, watched a dozen documentaries on its construction, have pictures on my phone of its silhouette in the skyline but, never got around to seeing it like right there, and the 9/11 memorial. I live on Long Island, an hour and a half away from the city by train, and there are people from all over the world who have seen these places before me. But, I finally have. If that were not enough, I also got the opportunity to have a class with the two best instructors at Molloy College. I enjoyed having them as my instructors so much that I worked my final semester's schedule at Molloy around Mike's Friday philosophy class and I am really looking forward to it; the meditation and all. The enthusiasm and intelligence of Mike and Lee shines right through and makes them such distinguishable professors. Lastly, I met people in my class who I had never even seen on campus. I know, pretty hard to believe considering how teeny tiny Molloy's campus is. Two people in particular I became very close to. I developed friendships with Gabby and Jimmy; two awesome individuals that I hope despite not having this class anymore, that we can continue to be friends. Without them, I don't think I could have survived these six weeks of class because everyone else (with the exception of a select few) annoyed the living daylights out of me. Whoops, did I just say that? I sure did! Somebody should have told them to stop acting like babies a looooong time ago. I, of course would never say it to their faces (haha!).
In conclusion, I am very thankful to have had this experience and it is with a heavy heart that I must now say goodbye to it all, including my journal writing. But, I can move on with my life having created memories that will last me a lifetime and looking forward to revisiting these places with my family in the near future.
"All good things must come to an end," and this urban experience is one I will treasure forever. I've seen things I never would have, tasted food I never could have imagined, and I've visited places that have left an everlasting impression on me; all thanks to this four credit course offered at Molloy College. Although I must add, this experience was that much more enjoyable because of our instructors, Magnificent Mike and Lovely Lee; without them, this class would be nothing.
When I signed up for this course I had this biased, stereotypical view of New York City. "It's crowded, dirty, congested, and boring." Don't get me wrong, after having taken this class I still think it is extremely crowded, quite dirty (in some places) and very congested. But, it is far from boring with its endless attractions. I was one of those that only viewed Manhattan as New York City. "Oh, I'm going into the City today," and I would be going to primarily Midtown. If I was going to Queens, I would say "I'm going to Queens" not the City and it is a common misconception that many people have. Maybe it is because I had this fixed idea that there was only fun stuff to see and do in Manhattan or, maybe it was that when you think of a city you think of skyscrapers, and the majority of them are in fact in Manhattan. Boy was I wrong! From Queens, to Brooklyn, to Manhattan (unfortunately not the Bronx), there is just a long list of things one can do for all different occasions. I honestly, did not know what I was signing myself up for. Yes, I knew there would be lots of walking which I was 100% okay with because a little cardio won't hurt anyone, and I knew I would be visiting places I never have, but I enjoyed it so much more than I EVER possibly could have imagined.
I went museum hopping, which I enjoyed some more than others. Museums in Queens, El Barrio, Brooklyn, and of course Manhattan. I ate Thai, Chinese, and Indian cuisine. My family still can't get over it! I have always been a chicken nuggets and french fries kind of girl, we can go to the fanciest restaurant and I will still order chicken nuggets and french fries. I go to the Chinese buffet and I go for the same things every single time, it never fails. So to have walked into this class with an open mind and willing to try different foods, I am surprised in myself and actually quite proud. I visited places like El Barrio, Williamsburg, and Flushing; places I probably never would have, had I not taken this class. I walked over the Brooklyn Bridge AND the Williamsburg Bridge; my mission now is to get across the Manhattan Bridge, but these are two bridges you see and hear about it in movies all the time and I, Evelyn Argudo walked across them! I finally got to see the Freedom Tower up close. I had always seen it from afar, watched a dozen documentaries on its construction, have pictures on my phone of its silhouette in the skyline but, never got around to seeing it like right there, and the 9/11 memorial. I live on Long Island, an hour and a half away from the city by train, and there are people from all over the world who have seen these places before me. But, I finally have. If that were not enough, I also got the opportunity to have a class with the two best instructors at Molloy College. I enjoyed having them as my instructors so much that I worked my final semester's schedule at Molloy around Mike's Friday philosophy class and I am really looking forward to it; the meditation and all. The enthusiasm and intelligence of Mike and Lee shines right through and makes them such distinguishable professors. Lastly, I met people in my class who I had never even seen on campus. I know, pretty hard to believe considering how teeny tiny Molloy's campus is. Two people in particular I became very close to. I developed friendships with Gabby and Jimmy; two awesome individuals that I hope despite not having this class anymore, that we can continue to be friends. Without them, I don't think I could have survived these six weeks of class because everyone else (with the exception of a select few) annoyed the living daylights out of me. Whoops, did I just say that? I sure did! Somebody should have told them to stop acting like babies a looooong time ago. I, of course would never say it to their faces (haha!).
In conclusion, I am very thankful to have had this experience and it is with a heavy heart that I must now say goodbye to it all, including my journal writing. But, I can move on with my life having created memories that will last me a lifetime and looking forward to revisiting these places with my family in the near future.