Atlantic City: ocean, emotion, and lots of promotion

I came back to work yesterday after two weeks of annual leave.  I had initially planned a “staycation” in New York but instead, I made a couple of impromptu trips interstate, including to Atlantic City in New Jersey.

Once I had battled the madness of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, my express bus trip to Atlantic City last Monday only took about 2.5 hours.  There isn’t much to see along the freeways between New York and New Jersey, but I was too excited to sleep or read, so I just stared out the window and watched the world go by.

Long before Atlantic City’s giant casinos came into view, we passed billboards advertising all sorts of gaming venues, fine dining restaurants, and entertainment options.  I was on the edge of my seat by this point, but I had also started to wonder whether two days would really be enough time to see everything.

I’m not much of a gambler – or at least not a lucky one – so my motivation for coming to Atlantic City had very little to do with the casinos per se.  I definitely wanted to see how Atlantic City compared to Las Vegas (which I absolutely love); but I was also keen to visit the town that inspired the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire”.

Both Atlantic City and Las Vegas have large casino hotels, fine dining options, and outlet shopping malls.  They both also offer high-quality entertainment events.  Michael Buble, Aerosmith, and even Queen will play at Atlantic City’s historical Boardwalk Hall this month.  Live music shows pop up at the beachside bars, and I loved the “Le Noir” theatre spectacular that I saw at the giant Harrah’s complex (think “Cirque de Soleil”, only sexier). 

 But where Las Vegas has the lush greenery, non-stop neon sparkle, and the absurd excess, Atlantic City has a beautiful beach, historical boardwalk, and a long tradition of being a family-friendly holiday and recreation destination by the sea.

 The Atlantic City boardwalk was the first of its kind in the United States and opened on 26 June 1870.  The boardwalk is still lined with many old, art-deco buildings that would have looked magical in their day.  Sadly they’ve now been re-purposed to house souvenir shops and fast food outlets.  If you want to buy an icecream, or you need a pair of sunglasses for 99 cents, you’re in luck.  Development progress and bad weather (including Super Storm Sandy in 2012) have played a part in redefining the look of the Atlantic City boardwalk, forcing the closure of some of the luxury hotels or literally washing away some of the iconic architectural treasures of the past.  But every now and again you see glimpses of old-time Atlantic City, such Fralinger’s, where you can buy original recipe sweet and chewy salt water taffy, which has been sold on the boardwalk since the 1880s.

Atlantic City remains justifiably proud that the Miss America Pageant started there about 70 years ago, and they’ve hosted it ever since.  Steel Pier has jutted off the boardwalk for decades and remains a drawcard for daredevils looking to enjoy sideshow amusements and roller coaster rides.  Garden Pier has the Atlantic City Historical Museum and Art Center, and the Abescon Lighthouse and the Atlantic City Aquarium are within relatively easy reach of the boardwalk.  Atlantic City may not be as bright and brassy as Vegas, but it’s not a sleepy town by any stretch of the imagination.

Throughout my stay, the Atlantic City sunshine was consistently fierce, and there is very little shade along the boardwalk.  I suspect this is intentional, because you’re probably meant to fend off sunstroke by seeking refuge in the air conditioned casinos.  What I didn’t realise until I got home is that Atlantic City also operates a Jitney mini-bus service that will take you to various places in the area so you don’t always have to walk.    Had I known about the Jitney during my holiday, I suspect I would have arrived places looking much less bedraggled.  Had I been a little braver, I might also have taken one of the push-carts/rolling chairs, which are pretty much strollers for grown-ups.   They go up and down the boardwalk and I really wanted to ride in one, but I was too chicken to haggle with the driver and set a price.  Lame, I know. 

Atlantic City is advertised to have amazing dining options but most of the top-shelf restaurants are actually closed on Mondays (and sometimes Tuesdays too).  Other than a truly amazing sub sandwich at the 60 year old, jam-packed White House Sub Shop (which rendered dinner unnecessary), as well as a predictably delicious watermelon margarita at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, I didn’t get to have any life-changing meals or cocktails.  I just visited at the wrong time of the week; perhaps I will get back to Atlantic City one weekend and remedy that.  And maybe then I’ll be brave enough to engage a rolling-chair driver to deposit me back at my hotel in style.

My new digital camera also got a bit of a workout in Atlantic City and you see my photo album here:

Post by The ABCs of NYC.

Transiting through the tenth circle of hell

Located just off Times Square at 8^th Avenue and 42^nd Street, the Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate bus services into and out of Manhattan.  It opened in 1950 and is currently the largest and busiest bus terminal in the United States.  There are 223 gates at the terminal, servicing about 8,000 buses and 225,000 passengers every weekday.

But what you can learn only from first-hand experience is that the Port Authority Bus Terminal is also the one place in all of Manhattan that can drive a sane, able-bodied person to the brink of a total nervous breakdown in almost no time at all. 

I discovered this for myself last week when, on the spur of the moment, I decided to take the Greyhound bus from Port Authority to Atlantic City in New Jersey for a mini-break.  My return bus fare was only $44 and I thought that was a real bargain.  It all seemed like such a wonderful and cost-effective adventure.

But first I had to catch the bus and that, dear friends, is where my adventure truly began.

When I emerged from the subway and entered the Port Authority slipstream, I saw a number of departure screens that informed me what gate my bus would ultimately leave from, but they didn’t give me any idea how to find the bus office to print my ticket in the first place.  In fact, signage that would be remotely helpful in any regard is either displayed sporadically, or not at all.  Everywhere I looked, rush-hour crowds swarmed the Terminal, and trying to find 30 seconds to clear my head and get my bearings was pretty much impossible. 

After long, frustrating minutes of dragging my suitcase around the Terminal, I was desperate to find an information booth, or even just someone official who looked like they might work in this crazy nightmare.

By some miracle of the universe, I actually found the Greyhound bus office all by myself.  As expected, the ticket agent was as broken-spirited as I was starting to feel, and he wordlessly printed my tickets for me.  With a listless wave of his hand, the ticket agent dismissed me and I made my way downstairs to the labyrinth of bus departure gates. 

When my eyes finally adjusted to the dim subterranean lighting, I encountered the most colourful cast of characters I’d seen in a long time (even by New York standards). 

Squealing children ran riot through the corridors.  Obese women had shoe-horned themselves into tank tops and short-shorts.  Beer-bellied, sweaty-chested men refused to button up their grimy cotton shirts.  A Chinese woman loudly screamed in rapid-fire Mandarin at anyone who dared to get too close to her.   

Oh God, was this the queue to Atlantic City?  I had never felt more inclined to abandon a holiday so quickly in my life. 

There are about twelve chairs in the entire downstairs waiting area, all located next to the bathrooms, which you can smell from at least 20 feet away.  To preserve whatever vestige of sanity that remained, I stood in the vicinity of my bus departure gate, trying not to stare at the motley crew of passengers that filled the departing buses. 

After what seemed like an eternity in the tenth circle of hell, it was finally time to board my and I got on the end of the queue.  I stood behind two lovely ladies who seemed to find great humour in the depressing chaos around me.  One of the ladies was fanning herself with her ticket and I noticed that she and her friend were actually booked on an afternoon departure from New York.  Fearing I might actually be in the wrong queue after all, I asked the ladies how they were able to get seats on the 11am departure.  They explained that because none of the Greyhound bus seats are actually assigned, it’s a first-come, first-served thing.  You’re actually welcome to line up and squeeze onto an earlier departure, if you arrive in time.  You don’t even go on standby or need to get a new ticket or anything – you just line up and if there’s a seat on-board, you can have it. 

It appears the early bird gets to worm their way out of the Port Authority Bus Terminal first. 

When I was finally in my seat, next to the window and alongside a lovely young mother and her (mercifully) sleeping baby, the journey to Atlantic City was uneventful and actually quite pleasant.  It just seems that for those of us interested in cutting interstate travel costs, Port Authority Bus Terminal is a necessary evil. 

But there is a happy ending to this story.  The Port Authority Board recently approved a $90 million makeover for the whole terminal.  There is rather widespread disagreement on how the funds will be spent, but if they can just improve the lighting, signage, seating, and quality of the toilets, interstate bus travel from the Port Authority Bus Terminal will be a much more pleasant experience for everyone.

Rescue me, take me in your arms

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (or NYMF) is an annual event dedicated to providing artists with affordable ways to stage professional theatre productions for fellow actors, industry leaders, and audiences.  Currently in its 10th year, NYMF is renowned in this City as a launching pad for new musical theatre productions, styles, and talents.

For the most part, NYMF productions are staged in theatres along 42nd Street.  Tickets are usually around $25 each, so they're much less expensive than a mainstream show. There is so much variety on offer too, so for producers and audiences alike, the NYMF is an excellent festival to experience.

The cast of "Rescue Rue"

I went along to my first NYMF production yesterday, the second-to-last performance of a great little musical called Rescue Rue, showing in the Pershing Square Signature Theater on West 42nd Street.  I've been to this theatre before and I've always really liked the venue, because there isn't a bad seat in the entire building.  The shows are usually short-runs but they're always thought-provoking and impressive productions.

Not that I needed any further incentive to see "Rescue Rue", but it is being stage-managed by my friend, Caskey Hunsader.  Caskey has worked on a lot of theatre productions in the past, both behind the scenes and onstage, but he is also the creator and star of the fantastic web series called "Fat Guy" and he also hosts the Broadway interview series, "Standing By".  It was great for me to be able to support Caskey's latest project in person.

Rue finds her "furever" family

"Rescue Rue" is inspired by a true story, and is a musical fairytale that features a little dog named Rue who is abandoned by her human owners and left to fend for herself.  In her lowest moments, Rue meets her Fairy Dogmother and makes a special wish to live happily ever after, whatever it might take to get there.  Rue's search for her "furever family" leads to a stint in the dog pound/shelter, where she meets some new canine friends who encourage her to stay optimistic and to keep her eye on the big prize.

Squish and Rue

What I especially loved about "Rescue Rue", and as you can see from these photos, is that the show borrows from the style of "Avenue Q" and has live actors doing puppeteering on stage.  The performances are so seamless that you find yourself watching the puppets and actually forgetting about the human performers.  The puppets are beautiful though - really great quality - and the 7 human actors who bring the show to life are all amazingly talented - excellent voice actors and singers, energetic dancers, and a great ensemble cast.

You might get the sense from this description that "Rescue Rue" is a show for kids, and you wouldn't be wrong.  But like most kids shows, the dialogue and humour works on two levels, so adults have just as much to gain from seeing the production.  Indeed, there were only a couple of kids in the audience yesterday, and even though you could hear them fidgeting in some parts, they were totally engaged in the plot, the songs, and they loved all the characters.

Real Rue meets Puppet Rue

And at the end of the show, the cast gathered just outside the theatre to meet the audience, and particularly to have photos with the kids.  The real-life Rue, who inspired the whole story, was also there and she was an absolute hit.  Such a placid and beautiful dog, quite content to meet her adoring fans.

I was also really pleased to learn that "Rescue Rue" staged a performance this morning particularly for kids with autism, for whom going to the theatre can often be an overwhelming experience.  That the production company and the cast made a special effort to make "Rescue Rue" accessible to these kids and their families is a real gift and makes the show all the more special.  This was part of the Autism Theatre Initiative and it's such a wonderful way to encourage kids and adults on the autism spectrum to get along to the theatre and enjoy a great performance.

I'm not sure what the future holds for "Rescue Rue" beyond the NYMF, but I thought it was a great show that deserves every success.

[With many thanks to the "Rescue Rue" team for letting me share these photos with you.]

Boston: it gives you more than a feeling

I have just come back from two days in Boston and it was just beautiful.  I worked out that it's the first time I've been to this great city in good weather.  The last three times I've been met with snow, high winds, and rain.  But having said that, every trip I've made to Boston so far has given me a fantastic holiday - there is something for everybody here, at any time of year you're fortunate enough to visit.

South Street Station, Boston

In a little over three hours, the Acela Express trains on Amtrak can get you from New York's Penn Station to the impressive South Street Station in Boston.  You can often get cheaper fares on some of the budget airlines of course (and I've flown them too), but generally speaking I like to travel by train, so I will always do that if I can.

This time around I came to Boston on the spur of the moment.  One of my oldest friends is a commercial airline pilot and he was flying into Boston and invited me to visit.  In one of life's happy accidents, given that I was on holidays already, I could make the mid-week trip without any problems.  My Amtrak train was 25 minutes late getting into Boston however, so I dragged my suitcase straight to Captain's hotel and met up with him and the flight crew for a few drinks at their hotel's Irish bar before they turned in for the evening.

The airline's hotel of choice is on the Boston waterfront, right by the super-modern and enormous Convention Center where, on previous visits, I've attended both a classy wine expo, and then a crazy motorcycle expo - with bonus beef jerky!  There must have been another convention in town this week, because hotel rates were astonishingly high at all the hotel properties on that side of the river.

Omni Parker House

Not to be deterred however, I used this as an excellent opportunity to splurge on a fantastic hotel room at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston's historical precinct.  Rooms here aren't cheap either; however, the hotel has been operating since 1855 which makes the Omni Parker House the oldest hotel in the United States and boy, has it seen some action over the years!  Charles Dickens, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson used to convene here for catch-ups, and Dickens wrote & gave his first public reading of "A Christmas Carol" here.  JFK hosted his bachelor party in the Hotel, and announced his candidacy for Congress here, several years before.  And John Wilkes Booth stayed here 11 days before he assassinated President Lincoln (and was allegedly sighted having target practice near the hotel during his stay).

The Omni Parker House chef also invented the state dessert of Massachusetts in the Hotel's kitchens.  It is called the Boston Cream Pie  and it's actually a cake, not a pie - but of course I had to have one during my visit.  Delicious!  I also made the somewhat fateful decision to enjoy the hospitality of the award-winning whiskey bar located in the hotel lobby, called The Last Hurrah.  They certainly know their way around the whiskey bottles, and they're very generous hosts, let me tell you.

I was nursing a somewhat sorry head early the following morning, when Captain met me at my hotel and we set off for our sight-seeing adventure.  I put Captain in charge of the map immediately, and we wandered over to the tourist drawcards of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, as well as the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre, and we did some souvenir shopping along the way.

The grave of Mary Goose, who
inspired the "Mother Goose" myth

History is everywhere you look in Boston, and nowhere is it more obvious than on the headstones in the Granary Burying Ground.  Founded in 1660, this is actually Boston's third oldest cemetery.  A lot of leading figures from the Revolutionary War era are buried here (as well as Mary Goose, who allegedly inspired the "Mother Goose" myth).  When we arrived, we were also lucky to meet Jimmy, a local resident who has prepared little manila folders of trivia for visitors to the site.  You borrow a copy of the folder when you walk in, and return it to Jimmy at the end.  The folder is an excellent resource to guide your walk around the site.  Just by reading the trivia that Jimmy has pulled together, you learn about the origins of the "skull and wings" motif that is popular on a lot of the gravestones you see (where age and weather has not worn away the writing).  Jimmy's folder also shows you the location of some significant graves on the site, including that of John Hancock (first signatory on the US Declaration of Independence), and also explains the history behind the imposing Franklin family cenotaph, which marks the spot where Benjamin Franklin's parents are buried.

Our walk from the Granary Burying Ground led us directly into Boston Common, a free public park spread out over almost 50 acres.  Kids were splashing around in the Tadpole Pool, where the water only comes up their ankles, and there was a popular playground and carousel getting a lot of attention too. Hard to believe that public hangings used to take place here (up until 1817) and livestock used to graze on the lush, green lawns until as recently as the early 1830s.  These days however, joggers and cyclists make full use of the many well-tended footpaths around Boston Common, and there are historical monuments and sculptures to look at along the way.

The swan boats in the Public Garden,
across from Boston Common

If you leave Boston Common and cross over Charles Street you come into the Public Garden, which was the first Botanical Gardens in the United States.  Here you'll find a tranquil duck pond where people and their kids were feeding the ducks, ducklings, and swans.  Continuing the bird theme, there is also a lake where tourists can ride on the famous swan boats, which have been around for about 130 years.  The boats are obviously only out in fine weather, so I got to see them for the first time on this visit.

All our walking around had worked up quite a thirst, so it was logical that we would call in to the famous Cheers bar.  If you're a fan of the TV show, as I am, you will definitely recognise that exterior shot. I indulged in a delicious icy-cold beer which went down a treat, and the gift shop isn't bad either.

At this point in the day I had been talking up a fantastic seafood restaurant that I felt we needed to visit for lunch.  Fortunately Captain's map-reading skills far exceed my own (but whose don't!?) and before long we pulled up to the wonderful Barking Crab restaurant, right on the Boston waterfront.

I came to this great little restaurant on my first visit to Boston and had my very first taste of clam chowder.  It must have made a real impression because I bought my cousin here on a subsequent visit, and I was really keen to share it with Captain too.  Fortunately he was quite taken with the rich and creamy clam chowder and the enormous Alaskan king crab legs, and my lobster roll was just the perfect meal for me.

Captain's flight out of Boston was later that evening, so we parted ways after our lunch and I headed over to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, which we could see from the Barking Crab.  I didn't buy a ticket to the Museum itself which I do regret, now that I've seen the website for the place.  But nevertheless, I did relax for a while in the Abigail Smith Tearoom upstairs, and I sampled three delicious teas - including the recreation of two varieties that had actually been dumped into the Harbour in the Boston Tea Party incident of 1773.  While I sipped the tea from my lofty vantage point, I could hear Museum visitors and the rowdy tour guides re-enacting Tea Party scenes, with frequent and resounding HUZZAHS!  This Museum is a definite must-see for history buffs and their families.

Left in charge of my own navigation from here, I trudged back over the bridge in the general direction of my Hotel, stopping off at the historical Old South Meeting House.  Given where I'd just come from, it was actually quite appropriate to call in there, as the Old South Meeting House was where the Boston Tea Party actually began.  Colonists used to gather there for public meetings that would challenge British rule.  As their gatherings grew larger, and anti-British sentiment grew more fervent, the American Revolution gathered steam.  There are a couple of really interesting display boards inside the museum, and even some shout-outs to the women who helped shape the Revolution, at a time when women were really just seen but not heard.  I was particularly taken by the gift shop downstairs, as well as the adjacent second-hand book store, where some books were only one dollar.  Bargain!

You wouldn't think it was possible to still be hungry after all the eating and beer-drinking I had done up until this point.  But clearly we have to get to know each other better because, frankly, there is always room for more food!

I was so proud of myself on Thursday evening, to consult my tourist map and actually get myself to The Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in the United States.  In fact, such was my excitement to find the place, I even high-fived the hostess upon my arrival.  Bless her heart, she didn't think I was weird at all.

The Union Oyster House has officially been operating as an oyster restaurant since 1826, but records suggest it was a dining establishment for at least 100 years before that.  The place is now a national historical landmark, for obvious reasons.  I came here on my most recent visit to Boston (a work trip) and dined like a queen in the upstairs dining room, where lucky patrons can still snag a seat in JFK's permanent booth.  This time around, however, I just needed a half-dozen local oysters, and an icy-cold beer to take the edge of my appetite.  Sitting at the tiny oyster-shucking bar just inside the front door, I had a lovely chat with a retired couple next to me, who are doing their "grey nomad" tour through the northeastern US, and had actually come back to the restaurant for the second night in a row.  We were clearly kindred spirits.

On previous trips to Boston, I've been to the beautiful Museum of Fine Arts; I've cheered the Celtics to basketball victory at the TD Garden; and I've done a tour of Fenway Park - home of the famous Red Sox.  I've also done a Samuel Adams brewery tour, which was a great way to see how the tasty local beverages are produced.  As so often happens, time was just too short to see these places again, but I would never hesitate to come back to this wonderful city.  Tourists call Boston "Bean Town" for the famous baked beans recipe that comes from here.  But can you believe I still haven't tried them?  Reason enough to come back, wouldn't you say?

If you want to see some more photos of my Boston adventure, please visit the link below:

Post by The ABCs of NYC.

Hugging the Hudson in the Sunday sun

The Fourth of July weekend closed out in spectacular fashion.  The weather on Sunday was especially beautiful but rather than bear the heat of the concrete jungle, I set myself the goal to basically "Hug the Hudson" and walk from my neighbourhood all the way along the westside of Manhattan down to Battery Park.  A distance of nearly 7 miles (11 kilometres)?  Piece of cake, right?

I set off around 11am and walked underneath the High Line, and past many of the art galleries of Chelsea, ending up at the intersection of 23rd Street and 12th Avenue (also known as the West Side Highway and also known as the Joe Di Maggio Highway).  This busy spot is also the gateway to the Chelsea Waterside Park and my closest entrance to the beautiful, 550-acre Hudson River Park.  If I hadn't been on a mission yesterday, I would definitely have brought my picnic blanket and book down and just sprawled on the lawns somewhere.  The lush, green grass has been well-tended in recent months, and it looked very inviting.  No surprises that they have outdoor cinema and even yoga classes here during the warmer months.

History was made not far from this entrance actually, because the survivors of the Titanic disaster were brought to nearby Chelsea Piers after their rescue at sea.  My walk yesterday took me past this amazing section of the City, now home to a state-of-the-art fitness facility, golf driving range, marina, bowling alley and more.  I took a bit of a detour from the runner/bike path and basically walked through the Chelsea Piers development and it is a really impressive place ("awesome" in the original sense of the word).

The midday sun was pretty fierce yesterday but there were still plenty of people getting their exercise, including a man who was doing squats with his girlfriend on his shoulders.  Show offs!  But having said that, there were just as many people lolling around on the grass, or sitting under the shade of giant trees and around the sculptures dotted along the paths.

Across from the NYC Department of Sanitation (administrative offices) is the new headquarters of the Whitney Museum of American Art which will formally relocate from the Upper East Side to this spot in 2015.  It’s not much to look at right now, but I suspect with some landscaping and modern signage it will end up looking great.  I’m sure it will be a real draw-card for the area too.

There are a number of playgrounds along the path, all fenced in so the kids are safe and a couple of the playgrounds even have a water feature/sprinkler, which the kids were very much enjoying yesterday.  You'll need to trust me on the quality of the playgrounds though, because I really didn’t want to linger too long and be that weird lady who takes photos of other people’s kids.  Having said that, I had no such qualms about hanging out to watch the dogs playing in the numerous dog parks along the route.  There is a lot of space for them to run and play, and they were really enjoying themselves yesterday.

Ahead on the horizon, I could see the Freedom Tower at One World Trade Center dominating the skyline and it was nice to see it get steadily bigger as my walk was coming to an end.   It's quite an iconic part of the skyline now.

With the serene Hudson River and the shoreline of New Jersey on your right, and the roar of Manhattan traffic on the Highway to your left, it can be tricky to work out how far you’ve come on the walk along the Island.  So I was pretty pleased to notice engravings on the ground that tell you what street you’re level with, so you can get your bearings.  Once the footpath signs had told me I had crossed over Houston Street and then Canal Street, I knew I was off my familiar grid, and I was rather pleased to be bypassing the web of nonsensical streets that make up Tribeca and the Financial District.

Rounding the corner into Nelson A Rockefeller Park (site of another popular playground and family picnic area), I could finally see the Statue of Liberty.   She was only tiny from where I was, but she was definitely out there in New York Harbour, and being hounded by the tourist-laden cruise boats that visit her every day.

There are a number of museums along this part of the Park (like the Museum of Jewish Heritage) and a couple of historical monuments too (including the Irish Hunger Memorial) but I didn’t want to detour too far from my mission to go sightseeing.  Plus, it was about this point in the journey that I’d started thinking about an ice-cold beer.  Of course this thought occurred to me pretty much at the same time as I passed the leafy patio area at PJ Clarke’sbar, which sits out the front of the large, glassed-in headquarters of AmericanExpress.  I pressed on, confident I would find a cold ale soon enough.

I thought my entrance into Battery Park, one of the oldest parks in the City, was going to be as simple as following the riverfront path all the way along, but it was not to be yesterday.  There are extensive renovations being done to Battery Park at the moment, including the establishment of a really cool urban farm.  From what I can tell, it has been set up to teach school kids about organic farming and where their food comes from.  It was all fenced off yesterday so I couldn’t poke around for a closer look.  Instead, I followed the plodding tourists around the construction site, along the walkway, and into Battery Park proper.

Battery Park was an important site in the early days of Manhattan.  It was here that the Dutch forces mounted their first “battery” of cannons to defend New Amsterdam.  Castle Clinton was constructed in anticipation of the war of 1812 but was later converted into the City’s first formal outdoor entertainment venue (and renamed the more genteel “Castle Garden”).   In 1896 it was again transformed into the New York Aquarium but these days, Castle Clinton (or Castle Garden) is basically a giant ticket booth for cruises to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, and I’d highly recommend you visit both sites.  There’s also a pretty good gift shop within the Castle walls, which I am glad I avoided yesterday because it was full of people. 

Speaking of which, the cruise boats were jam-packed yesterday and you couldn’t have got me on one of them for anything.  But while I marveled at the contortions being undertaken to fit everyone on board, I noticed there were sailboats and even acouple of tall ships and speedboats out in New York Harbour.  Now, that wouldn’t be such a bad way to cruise, would it?  Rather civilized, I should say, and definitely something to keep in mind for a future visit.

I stopped to take some photos of “The Immigrants” statue as well as the East Coast Memorial, which has the names of all 4,601 American WW2 servicemen who died during combat in the Atlantic Ocean engraved on it.

I contemplated buying a couple of yummy churros from the food vendors onsite but I ultimately decided against it.  I was too focused on making a beeline for the excellent Table Green Kiosk (there are actually two of them along this part of the Park).  Icy-cold beer in hand, I sat at one of the kiosk tables in the shade and read my book for a while all under the watchful gaze of Lady Liberty.  It was a very good day.

I was a bit snap-happy on this seven-mile walk, and you can see all my photos at the link below:

Post by The ABCs of NYC.

Going a little mad in the Flatiron District

New York is in the midst of the Fourth of July long weekend.  Fortunately we're having a respite from the hot, muggy weather that characterised the early part of last week and instead, we've been blessed with the most beautiful clear days and warm sunshine.

After a lazy start to my Saturday, I wandered up the street to one of my favourite spots in the city, Madison Square Park.  I love this place at any time during the year, but especially in summer.  The boughs of the old trees spread right out over you, and the leaves protect you from the heat of the blazing sun overhead.  Sit on any of the wooden benches dotted around the Park and you can watch the world go by.  Best of all, when the Madison Square Park Conservancy says it's okay to do so, you can take a picnic blanket and lay out on the cool, green grass that they have so lovingly tended throughout the year.

In summertime, Madison Square Park teems with life - not just of the human variety, but well-fed pigeons and fluffy squirrels too.  Dogs also make the most of the fine weather - dashing to and fro in Jemmy's Dog Run, which includes a special section so smaller breeds can play safely.

In fact, play seemed to be the order of the day today.  Kids of all ages were squealing in the playground, named in honor of NYPD Officer Moira Ann Smith, who served with distinction in the Flatiron neighbourhood but was killed  on September 11, as she fought to save the lives of others.

On the other side of the Park, hungry adults waited patiently in the ever-present line at Shake Shack, the original and easily the most popular of the chain's stores.  The Madison Square Park Shake Shack opened in 2004 and is still a neighbourhood fixture.  I am too impatient to line up for their burgers and fries, but I have to say I was pretty tempted to join the queue today and splash out for some frozen custard or similar icy treat.

Madison Square Park has been providing New Yorkers with a Midtown refuge for generations.  The Park is named in honour of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States, and the principal author of the US Constitution.  You would scarcely believe it now, but the area upon which Madison Square Park was built used to be swampy hunting grounds.  It was later developed as a public marketplace and then the site of an early iteration of Madison Square Garden.  The area of Madison Square was always a fashionable spot to be, even when Manhattan's growing population ultimately forced the city's businesses and residents to spread out and move further uptown.

The Park was ultimately re-landscaped in the late 1800s by Ignatz Pilat, a former assistant to Frank Law Olmstead, the impressively-bearded fellow who developed Central Park.  

Pilat's design for the new Madison Square Park incorporated some of the statues that still feature there, including the rather grim-looking Roscoe Conkling, a politician who served in both US Congress and the Senate.  Conkling collapsed in the Park during the awful blizzard of 1888.  He had insisted on walking home from his Wall Street office, refusing to pay a cab driver the admittedly extortionate fee of $50 to ferry him home safely.  

There's also a statue of Chester A Arthur, the 21st President of the United States (which we all know from having seen "Die Hard: With a Vengeance").  Arthur was only the second US President in history - other than George Washington - to take the Presidential oath in New York City.  After a failed bid at re-nomination, Arthur returned to New York City to practice law and died here years later.

There's also a rather impressive statue of Civil War hero, Admiral David Farragut which overlooks a small plaza and fountain (currently being repaired).  Farragut had a very impressive military career and remained on active duty for life (one of only 7 US Naval Officers to achieve this distinction).  Farragut is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx and this impressive sculpture was erected in the Park to celebrate his memory.

Continuing the wartime theme, there's also the Eternal Light Flagpole at the entrance of the Park, which commemorates the return of American soldiers in WW1.  The flagpole was dedicated in 1923, and was carefully restored in 2002.  There is a star-shaped lightbulb atop the flagpole which is illuminated each night, as a permanent reminder of the courage and sacrifice of the fallen and returned soldiers.

Amidst all this New York history, Madison Square Park also plays host to many modern events throughout the year, such as food and wine festivals, but also features bold art installations and public programs too.

Currently on display are three sculptures by American artist Rachel Feinstein.  Her exhibition is entitled Folly and the three large-scale works have been produced in a style that was popular in 18th & 19th Century architecture.  The large sculptures depict a house on a towering cliff; a hut; and a flying ship that is moored high in a tree.  The structures will remain in the Park until early September.

What I like the most about Madison Square Park is that the City really uses it.  Whether you're lining up for a burger and fries, or you're just kicking back with a coffee to appreciate the views of the Flatiron Building and the Empire State Building, Madison Square Park is a real refuge from the hustle-bustle of the city streets.  It's certainly one of the City's precious green spaces that I never tire of visiting.

As usual, this is just a small selection of the photos I took today (with my new digital camera - yay!).  You can view the whole album below:

Post by The ABCs of NYC.