Last Bite of the Big Apple

About a month ago, we spent our last day in NYC. Pause a moment for a sigh. On Wednesday night we discussed what we wanted to do with our last few hours in the Big Apple. Our flight wasn't until 9:00 pm, but we'd have to leave Marissa's apartment at 5 to make sure we found a cab during rush hour to take us to the airport. Plus, it was an international flight, so we wanted to arrive a little earlier than usual. That left us with a good half day to do any last minute sightseeing...

We decided no trip to NYC is complete without visiting at least one museum. So, we headed for the MoMA! Jeff's not a big museum person, so I wasn't sure how long we'd last. As I walked around and listened to the audio guides of various paintings, Jeff had my camera and took pictures of his favorite ones. My favorites were Monet's Water Lilies. I loved their colors!!! Those of you who were in my class last year, you know we studied France for the Randall Olympics. Remember that Elias had to research Monet... I actually got to see some of his famous Water Lilies paintings! I sat at the bench and just stared at the huge paintings that took up 3 walls. It made me even more excited to be in Paris and see more of his beautiful work! 

On the 4th floor, we saw a copy of Van Gogh's Starry Night, which also made me more excited about our upcoming trip to Amsterdam! I was surprised. We had already almost 2 and a half hours in the MoMa, and had only seen 2.5 floors...and Jeff hadn't complained yet! ;) We decided we still wanted to possibly squeeze in a Yankee Stadium Tour, so we left the MoMa and hightailed it to the subway to head to the Bronx. Yankee Stadium is in the Bronx neighborhood of NYC, which is why they are sometimes called the "Bronx Bombers" for their great hitting (all the home runs they hit). 

It was still the All-Star break, so there were no games scheduled for the day, and the area was fairly deserted. I can't imagine what it's like on game days in the summer humidity with everyone taking the 6; I'm sweating just thinking about it. Anyway, as soon as we stepped off the subway, we were greeted by the gigantic stadium that is Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, we hadn't planned ahead, and the next tour wasn't available until 2:30, which would have made us cut it too close to our departure time, so we couldn't tour the stadium. :( We walked around the Babe Ruth Concourse and chilled for a bit before jumping back on the subway. I was pretty disappointed. 

When we got back to Manhattan, we decided to try out 5 Guys Burgers for lunch, knowing that our next meal would be at the airport (or on the plane), and that the hamburgers just aren't the same in Spain. They were definitely delicious and filling!

I'm glad we planned extra time for traveling/checking in, because it definitely was more stressful than a typical flight. But we made it! We got to chill at the airport for a little while, and made last phone calls home since neither of us are using our phones in Spain. 

On board, we settled in with our goodies from Air Berlin: pillow, blanket, eye mask, ear plugs, socks (and a travel toothbrush/toothpaste), and tried our best to fall asleep for our red eye...

Farewell NYC...and USA. ¡¡¡Hasta Luego!!! 

Side note: the MoMA photos are curtesy of Jeff...

Picasso painting: Pablo Picasso was a famous Spanish artist who co-founded the Cubist Movement.  I'll see more of his work when we arrive to Spain! 

Dali: Salvador Dali was another famous Spanish artist who specialized in surrealist paintings. Again, I'll see more of his work in Spain!
The Persistence of Memory
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=79018

Monet! Claude Monet was a famous French artist, founder of Impressionist paintings. I'll write more about him in my Paris posts! 

Water Lilies! So, so, so beautiful! 

http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=80220

More Picasso, The Three Musicians
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=78630

Marc Chagell

Matisse, The Red Studio
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=78389

The painting below is supposed to be a picture of a soccer player's calf, what do you think? I like the colors and geometry of the painting! 

Umberto Boccioni's Dynamism of a Soccer Player (read the description above)

Van Gogh's Starry Night
http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=79802

Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Gate 6, off the 6 Subway Line

Looks Romanesque-- old, legendary, powerful, rich. This is actually the new Yankee Stadium, built in 2009. 

World Trade Center Memorial & Brooklyn Bridge

     Wednesday. Our last FULL day in NYC. We left the apartment earlier than usual, grabbed a bagel, and took the subway downtown to the Brooklyn Bridge. We sat and ate outside NYC City Hall before beginning our walk across the bridge. The walk was shorter than I thought it would be, but beautiful! I've gotten GREAT views of the bridge from rooftops and the water, and now I finally got to see it going across. Thankfully, it wasn't too hot yet since it was earlier in the day. We got some more great photos of the bridge! It's been my favorite thing to capture so far ;) When we got to Brooklyn, we considered going to the famous Grimaldi's for a slice of pizza... we had read online and there were a couple of articles that suggested it might have closed or moved locations, so we weren't even sure if it'd be worth it. Plus, we had to be back by 1pm for our World Trade Center Memorial Tour. So instead, we went to get ice cream from the Old Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory right at the base of the bridge (thanks for the suggestion, Mrs. Gomez!). As it happened, to get to the ice cream place, we walked right past Grimaldi's! It wasn't open, but there were people outside in line, so I'm assuming it was just too early for pizza. Anyway, the ice cream was delicious! We ate it as we rushed to catch a subway back to Manhattan. We were running late for our tour, so we were seriously booking it! Our feet were killing us!

     Eventually, we picked up our tickets and made it the World Trade Center Memorial Site Entrance. Once inside the Memorial, we walked around the 2 reflection pools, saw the Survivor Tree, and just sat and watched as they worked on building WTC 1 & WTC 4. It was a very somber atmosphere. Words can't describe it... I just sat on one of their benches and teared up thinking about what the city went through on 9/11. Being there in the shadows of the towers and knowing how devastating it was, how it changed so many things in the US...I just can't begin to fathom how such a bustling, loud city could just shut down and be so disconnected from everything for the next few days... The Reflection Pools --the twin towers footsteps--were big and beautiful with the waterfalls and inscribed names. I wish the Trident Museum was already open, and that the rest of the new towers were finished so that I could get the complete view. It's going to be AMAZING!!!!! 7 buildings, 4 of them taller, with WTC1 being the tallest at 1776 feet-- the tallest building in NYC and the United States. Seeing the elaborate plans for it made me feel proud to be an American-- we are resilient people! It's like the lyrics in Lee Greenwood's song, "Proud to be an American." He sings, "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free/And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me/And I gladly stand up, next to you, and defend her still today/'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land, God Bless the USA!"

     We left there, mostly because the trees they planted aren't full-grown and the sun was beating down on us! Jeff was feeling very dehydrated so we went in search of water. Then, we stopped by St. Paul's Church-- the subject of the book The Little Chapel that Stood (Remember it? I read it every year on 9/11!). Jeff rested as I walked around the chapel-- now a memorial site. The church opened in the 1700's and George Washington even came for service after his inauguration. It's stayed standing since then, and somehow survived the attack on the Twin Towers, even though it was right at their base. Immediately following 9/11, it was used as a gathering point/home base for volunteers, firemen, police. Police would work 12 hours, then come to the chapel to eat, change, and pass out on its pews before going back to work. Knowing the church's history and role from reading the book, and then seeing it in person, left me in awe. I had teared up at the Memorial, but I was full on CRYING as I walked around the chapel and read the letters that people had sent from around the world. It is inspiring and made me proud to know how people can truly come together in times of crisis. It was one of my favorite things I saw in NY!!!

     We both needed a physical and emotional break after the morning, so we decided to take a subway back uptown and catch another double-decker tour bus. We had been trying to eat at places that we didn't have in California, but I cheated and got a Jamba Juice! ;) I had to get my last fix before Spain!!! With Jamba Juices in hand, we got on another bus and did a tour of Uptown Manhattan-- starting at Central Park Southwest, seeing Yoko Ono & John Lennon's apartment, touring Columbia University, passing by Ulysses S. Grant's grave & the church Rockefeller Jr. dedicated to his parents, before reaching Harlem. In Harlem, we could see the difference in parks/playgrounds and apartment buildings. But it was daytime, and we were perfectly safe. We even got to pass by the Apollo Theater and Harlem Market that Malcolm X started. Finally, we reached Museum Mile on Central Park's Upper East Side, and we saw the Met & Guggenheim. It felt soooo good to just sit for almost 2 hours :) Except that it was still hot! 

Beautiful Brooklyn Bridge 

On our way to Brooklyn to get some ice cream!

WTC 1 from the Reflection Pools

The names were organized, and families of the victims could request that certain names be put together 

So sad to see all the names of people who died inscribed along the 2 large pools... this one even said, "...and her unborn child."

The Survivor Tree! It survived 9/11! 

The 2 Reflection Pools had 30 feet waterfalls on every side that cascaded down into a big black hole in the center of the pool...seemingly, into emptiness.

I would NOT want to be a worker having to go up/down that elevator to work on the building! They somehow even got a big crane to the top of it! Not my cup of tea.

St. Paul's Chapel!

One of the pews where the police or firemen came to rest/sleep after a 10-12 hour shift of trying to recover bodies. The scuff marks are from their boots that they were too tired to take off. 

I left a message on behalf of Randall, thanking everyone who helped after the 9/11 tragedy.

They replaced the pews with cots, and people from all over mailed teddy bears to provide the volunteers comfort at this horrible time; it worked.

People sent letters and mementos to the church; it became the unofficial memorial site for the rescuers. They saved over 250 boxes worth of stuff! 

343 symbolizes the number of firemen who died on 9/11

Police and firemen from all over the world bring their patch and leave it in this big collection to offer their support for NYPD and NYFD

I even found CHP! 

George Washington's Pew-- he sat here after his inauguration as the first President of the United States! The church was built in 1766!

Back on the double decker bus, this was the original subway station in NY

A Gothic Cathedral in NYC... there will be LOTS more in Europe!!!

Ulysses S. Grant's tomb-- he was the Northern General in the Civil War. President Abe Lincoln chose him to lead the troops, and he helped defeat the Confederate Army. General Robert E. Lee surrendered to him to end the war that ended slavery. 

The famous Apollo Theater in Harlem: one of the oldest (built in 1913) and most famous music halls in US history, especially known for its African American performers. Their famous amateur nights' motto is, "Where stars are born and legends are made!" People like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, and Jimi Hendrix have all launched their careers there. 

Duke Ellington statue in the Harlem side of Central Park-- Harlem is known for its Jazz! 

The MET Museum steps in the Upper East Side (a fancy neighborhood where Jackie Kennedy Onassis lived, and where the tv show Gossip Girl takes place)

NYC: Lady Liberty & Central Park

Day 3 was another FULL day! 

     We started by taking our first bus clear across the width of Manhattan, over to Pier 78 to hop onto a NY Sightseeing Cruise ship. Our tour guide was pretty entertaining and gave us great information about the different neighborhoods as we passed by them. He pointed out where different celebrities lived, showed us the helipad the president uses when he arrives, pointed out important buildings across the Hudson in NJ, and gave us good tips for places to eat around Manhattan that weren't tourist traps. But most importantly, the views of the skyline, the bridges, and the Statue of Liberty were amazing!!! Jeff was a great assistant and took pictures using my Canon point-and-shoot (my regular camera) while I used my Rebel T3i (the fancy camera), and he also helped me switch lenses on the fly as I needed :)

     After that, we walked to "Hell's Kitchen" on 9th Avenue where the tour guide said the food at every restaurant would be great. We grabbed sandwiches from the deli and continued our trek to Central Park for a picnic in the park. We made sure to enter Central Park from the Southeast entrance so that I could see the Plaza Hotel (where Kevin stays in Home Alone 2, remember?!?) and walk by the Central Park Zoo. I was starving at this point, so we stopped and set up our blanket at the first available "grassy" area (I'll explain the quotes in a bit). Jeff made a work call, and I took out my Kindle and read. It was perfect weather and just so relaxing! After about an hour, we decided to explore more of the park.

     Central Park is HUGE! Seriously huge. We spent the next 2-3 hours walking around it, and still only reached its halfway point (vertically). We walked down "The Mall" where there are caricature artists every few feet. We saw Sheep Meadow and Strawberry Fields and immediately regretted stopping to eat where we did. Compared to these lush grass areas, our picnic spot was rocky with sparse grass and not a great view of anything. Strawberry Meadows is where John Lennon's "Imagine" dedication spot is, across the street from his old apartment (where Yoko Ono still lives). We toured the Lake, where people were paddle boating, and we even saw a couple getting married in a small gazebo overlooking the lake (very random, I thought, for a Tuesday afternoon!). We ventured past The Ramble on our way to Belvedere Castle, overlooking the Turtle Pond. We passed the softball diamonds on the Great Lawn, and finally exited the Park at the Met on the upper east side. I couldn't believe how big the park was, right in the middle of Manhattan. So beautiful and peaceful! Alas, there weren't any celebrity spottings (I read in the magazines that celebrities visit Central Park often-- to run, walk, read, walk their dogs, eat ice cream, visit the zoo, etc.,).

     Once we had exited the Park, we took another bus towards Times Square to meet Marissa for dinner. It was rush hour, and the bus ride probably didn't save us much time, but definitely gave our feet a break! We ate dinner and then walked to Rockefeller Plaza for our Top of the Rock tour. We had decided to go up to the Top of the Rockefeller Center instead of going up to the top of the Empire State Building, mainly because it had an equally awesome view and it was a lot easier to get tickets! The whole Rockefeller Plaza is awesome! Marissa showed us where they put up the tree and lay down the ice-skating rink at Christmas. She told us about how ridiculously crowded it gets around Christmas. Radio City Music Hall was across the street. If we had more time, I would have loved to do the complete tour of the NBC studios and Radio City. Before we took the elevator up to the top, we passed a little exhibit about the Rockefeller family and how they had built the center/plaza. John Rockefeller meant to lease (rent) out the space, and one of its first tenants was supposed to be the Metropolitan Opera. But then the Stock Market crashed in October 1929, and the Opera pulled out. So instead, Rockefeller used his own money to build the area up. He was an extremely rich man!

     We rode the elevator up 70 floors (about 872 feet) to get amazing views of NYC at night. I'm so glad Marissa was with us because she was able to identify a lot of the buildings so that we knew what we were looking at! One thing that struck me was how bright everything was-- except for this huge black hole where Central Park was. Perspective-wise, I could also see how much taller the Empire State Building was compared to other skyscrapers, and I could tell that the new World Trade Center would be massive-- considering how tall it already appeared on the horizon and how far away it really was. We tried taking photos, but again, it's so difficult to hold the camera still without a tripod! (They didn't let you bring one up anyhow).

     We finally made our way back down and decided to walk through Times Square to experience it by night. It was just as crowded as it was during the day! And with all the lights from the billboards, it felt like it was daytime! 

     Finally, we reached the subway and made our way back to the apartment for some much needed rest! Enjoy the pics... I took sooo many of the Statue of Liberty, the NYC skyline, and Empire State Building... you can decide which is your favorite ;)

Skyline from the Hudson River...  

The new World Trade Center 1 will look awesome when it's done!

I can't get enough of the Brooklyn Bridge

NYC Skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground... the Twin Towers used to be here, too

Hello, Lady Liberty!
Our copper gift from France, given to the US in 1886 (100 years after our Declaration of Independence).
She's 151 feet tall, but from the ground to the top of the torch, it's 305 feet.
She represents freedom, and she welcomed the immigrants who arrived by boat from Europe.

The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza Hotel from the entrance of Central Park

we didn't go into the zoo, but we passed by it

John Lennon has a plaque here at Strawberry Fields because he lived across the street from the park

John Lennon's (from the Beatles)  Strawberry Fields memorial

Jeff's taller than the skyscrapers! haha!

Isn't Central Park beautiful? 

Belvedere Castle in Central Park:
it was built in 1869, as a Victorian folly (a decoration only).
It provides great views of Central Park and NYC, overlooking the Turtle Pond

Turtle Pond

Rockefeller Plaza: this is where they put the ice rink and Christmas Tree at Christmas

NBC Studios is here at 30 Rock (like the TV show!)
They also film Saturday Night Live and other shows here

Empire State Building, and the bluish building in the back is the new World Trade Center 1
By far, these are the 2 tallest skyscrapers in NY!

The dark part in the middle is Central Park-- where they don't have as many city lights! 

Times Square at night

We LOVE the NY Fire Department!!! Heros! 

Times Square is so bright, even at night!

More NYC skyline... amazing 

The Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island... nearby is Ellis Island, where immigrants had to stop and "check in" before being allowed to enter America officially.