The Enchanting Eastside

Our first class in Manhattan began with the Metropolitan Museum of Art on 82nd street.It is considered to be one of the largest and most comprehensive art museums in the world (Blue Guide 326). It also contains over 2 million items in its collections, and attracts upwards of 5 million visitors per year (Blue Guide 326). At first, the idea of going to a museum was not of interest to me because I'm not interested in art nor museums for that matter. As i entered the building and began my tour, i knew that i was going to enjoy my time there. The museum was filled with exquisite pieces by several New York artists. Even though some of the pieces there were hard to understand, i could still feel the artists' passion and emotion behind the pieces. As we moved our way through the museum and exploring, we had the opportunity to see an exhibition that depicted Andy Warhol and his impact on contemporary art. The exhibition was called " Regarding Warhol:  Sixty Artists, Fifty Years". It depicted 45 of his original pieces with 100 works in various media by 60 artists that were inspired by him. One section  that stood out to me from this exhibition was the " queer studies" because it shows that Warhol was a fearless artist who was not afraid to break new grounds in representing issues of sexuality and gender. After the exhibition, we were left to explore a section of the museum on our own. What interested me were the Japanese armors. Arms and armor contains weapons that range from simple arrowheads to elaborate ceremonial jewel-encrusted swords” (BG p.341)

 

After the Met, we ventured to Central Park to see the boat pond. the lake, Strawberry Fields, and Dakota.Central is the heartland of Manhattan, 843 acres set aside for the recreation of New Yorkers and visitor alike (BG p.279). I have heard of Central Park but i never had the opportunity to experience it. Other from the smell of the horses, i enjoyed going through the park and seeing everyone interacting with each other, riding their bikes, people taking wedding pictures, and the family picnics. As we exploring Central Park, we made our way to Strawberry Fields; it was created in honor of John Lennon,  songwriter, singer and member of The Beatles, who was assassinated in the courtyard of the nearby Dakota Apartments in 1980 (BG p.290). While there, we saw a Chinese woman kneeling on her knees in a circle having a tea ceremony. At first i was confused because i did not know what it was until this guy came over to explain to us that the purpose being this was to bring awareness so that we take care of our environment and appreciate  what is around us. I thought there was a good message behind it. After walking through the Strawberry Fields and stopping by the Dakota apartments, we split up to go eat and a few of us decided to go dine at BBQ; i really enjoyed my food.

  The remainder of our tour took us down to Fifth Avenue,which is considered to be one of the most opulent shopping streets in the world . We breezed through the Plaza Hotel. This is no longer a hotel anymore; in the past 20 years the hotel has changed owners several times and undergone $400 millions dollars in renovations (BG  p.273). The Plaza Hotel looked so beautiful, i have never seen anything like that; there were people having dinner and from the looks of it i can tell that it is an expensive place. Next we visited the infamous toy and candy store, FAO Schwartz. I think i've been there before because it looked familiar; i did not get any candy inside but just going in there made me feel like i was in a movie or a big kid. We passed by Bergdorf Goodman's and  and went inside Tiffany's to see where people do their shopping( the jewelry looked beautiful and expensive), and stop to check out the Fred F. French Building,  one of the city's first skyscrapers. We then stopped at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I did not know a church with such great architecture existed like that in New York. It felt as if it was something i would see in Paris.

Our last stop was going to be at be the New York Public Library to see the Main Reading Room but we got there at the same time they were about to close so our journey ended early. Overall i enjoyed the day and explored a lot.

Bodacious Breuckelen

Today started our second week of exploration which took place in the borough of Brooklyn. The day began with a ride on the Q train to Coney Island.  Although the future of the beautiful amusement park is uncertain, it survives as an archetype of American honky-tonk- the birthplace of the hot dog and home of the world’s most terrifying roller coaster (BG, 492).  It was settled by the Dutch, who named it Konijn Eiland after the rabbits they found there (BG, 492).I’ve never been to Coney Island before let alone explore Brooklyn in depth. I did not know what to expect but as we were walking towards the beach, a sense of calmness came over me. As I was walking, I noticed all the people walking around enjoying the weather as if they have no care in the world or any worries. Being there and experiencing that feeling made me feel like I was a tourist in a different country; the view was so beautiful. We got to explore Coney Island on our own, so me and fellow classmates made our way over to the flea market and splurged on jewelry, sunglasses, etc for cheap prices with no tax!. After our little shopping, we made our way back to the boardwalk to head towards the F train for our next stop Brooklyn Heights.

Our next exploration site was the New York Transit Museum. This unused subway station was inaugurated in 1976 and is run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. It includes exhibits on buses, bridges, tunnels, but its emphasis is on the subway (BG, 468). As we got off the F train and we were walking down the steps of the museum, I thought to myself “why are we getting on a train again” then came to find out that it was once a subway station. We got a tour of the museum and I was amazed to find out how the subway system was constructed and how hard the workers worked even in unsafe conditions. After the tour, we went ahead and explored and looked at how the buses and trains were back then. Some of the trains looked better than those of today mainly because of the comfortable seats and the humorous ads on the wall of the train. Other exhibits include fare collection devices,from an early wooden ticket chopper to a fullbody turnstile known as " iron maiden"(BG,468).
  After the museum, we then proceeded to viewing another one of Brooklyn Heights historical place, the Brooklyn Historical Society. It was founded in 1863 as the Long Island Historical Society( BG,472). Inside the society, there is a library, a museum,and an educational center dedicated to Brooklyn history and culture. Inside looked different from any museum that i have been to; the architecture and style was different from modern days. We had the opportunity to have a tour of the museum and learned about the history of Brooklyn. We then made our way towards Clinton St and walked to Montague St, the neighborhood's main commercial street. The street was named after Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (BG,472).
 After the museum we made our way to the Brooklyn Bridge, one of New York's iconic landmark. As we were walking towards the bridge and looking up at all the little details everything from the cables and the structures of the bridge, i was hesitant to go on there because some of the parts looked rusty and i thought to myself " i do not want to walk on there and something happens". When the bridge first opened on May 25,1883, it was the largest bridge arching 1,595 ft across the East River ( BG, 464). Looking up at the bridge i thought i would never make it up there as i started to get tired and my feet started to hurt. When i got on the bridge, i was amazed that i can also the Manhattan and the Williamsburg bridge. The view was so beautiful, something i had never experienced before. As we were walking and taking in the beautiful air, we stopped to take pictures and observed the other pedestrians either those walking or those riding their bicycles. Everyone should cherish the bridge as a treasure because if it was not for it and the 4,000 people who took 14 years to build it,then anyone wishing to cross the East River would have to take the Fulton Ferry( BG,464)

   

Quixotic Queens

September 7th 2012 is the day that I embark on my Gotham journey; a journey that awaited me with lots of walking even though I was warned. My day began with the clicking sound of my alarm clock at 7:30 am just so that I will be on time for  the first day of class. As I was getting ready to leave my house at 9:30am, I received a call from Dr. Russo to tell me that it was quite alright if I meet him at Citifield since I already live in queens. I departed my house and went to my friend's house and from there we took the 7 train to Citifield.  I had never taken the 7 train and I was surprised of how it looked because it was not like the typical E train that I am used to taking. Being on the train made me feel like either I was in a different country or I was a tourist. I am guessing it was because of the orange seats and the way the seats were arranged ( something I am not used to seeing on the E train). 

7 Train

   My friend and I arrived at Citifield and waited on our professor and the rest of the students to find out what the day had in store for us. As we were walking through Citifield towards Flushing Meadow Park, I could feel the hot beaming sun on my face and I know I was not the only one because everyone walking either had protective wears such as sunglasses, hats,umbrellas,ect and suddenly I ask myself " what did I get myself into? it is too hot to be walking". After walking in the hot sun we finally made it to our first destination, Flushing Meadow Park. I was relieved to be able to sit down and have some fresh air. As we got settled down, Dr. Russo and professor Meritta gave us some interesting facts on Flushing Meadow Park such that the park was once named " Corona Ash Dumps" because it was filled with ashes from coal burning furnaces. The park became what it is today primarily because of  Robert Moses, a park commissioner who saw great potential cleaned up the park for the 1939 World Fair. The World Fair came to life as a way to allow people to come together and explore each others cultures, inventions, and advancements (http://queens.about.com/cs/parks/a/flushing_park.htm).

Us making our way to the beautiful unisphere

Panorama of New York City

            After learning about the history of the park, we came upon the unisphere which represent global independence. The unisphere stood 140 feet high and 120 feet high in diameter with water surrounding it(http://queens.about.com/cs/attractions/p/Unisphere.htm). I never knew that this place existed and from as soon as I saw it, I was amazed from the rings around it  down to the water trickling on the ground; it was a site to remember and the water definitely cooled me down from the sun. Soon after seeing the beautiful view of the unisphere, we walked inside the Queens museum of art. I am not a big fan of  museums because they  do not interest me but I was fascinated to learn that the museum was the first home of the United Nations and that it houses the Panorama, which was built by a group of architects for the New York's World Fair or 1964. The model represent all of 5 boroughs of New York City  and every building built before 1992 with every little detail. I was stunned of how well put together the panorama was because back then there was no internet so these people had to rely on each other and use their smarts to make sure that they executed everything to the  smallest detail.

           

 

the AMAZING Mango Lassi

Yummy

After all this walking, I looked at the time and saw that it was only 1:45pm. It felt like we've been walking and exploring for hours. I could not focus and all I could think was FOOD. When we took the train to go to Jackson Heights and Dr. Russo said that we were going to eat at an Indian buffet, I was so happy. As soon as I got inside, I did not even waste a minute to help myself. My first plate consisted of rice, curry goat, chicken, and beans along with a drink called Mango Lassi. Must I say yum yum! but it did not stop there because I went back for a second plate. I knew that there was going to be more walking to come and that means more calories burning so I was going to fill up my belly as much as I can and I LOVED IT!. After I finished eating, the ITIS started to kick in and I did not think that I was going to be able to walk any longer; all I wanted to do was find someone to crash but I that could not happen I was destined to explore what Astoria had in store for us.

            We arrived at Astoria via the R train from Roosevelt Avenue. Astoria was predominantly a Greek community in the 1980s. During the 1990s, they accounted for less than half of its population. Other ethnic groups such as, Colombians, Chinese, Guyanese, and Koreans, Ecuadorians, Romanians, Indians, Filipinos, and Dominicans also settled in the area (http://www.astoria.org/astoria-history.html). As we headed down Steinway St, Astoria, we came across New York City's only museum dedicated to the art,history,technology,and techniques involved in making films. Now as I said before, museums do not interest but today Museum of the Moving Image proved different.  This museum was the true "Hollywood" back in 1920s as it was a major institution for film productions. Our first stop in the museum was the 3rd floor and as soon as I got there I was intrigued with all the displays and the history behind them. I got to see the different techniques used to make sounds, effects, music since technologies were not available back then as they are today. I also saw pieces used from different movies such as, The Mask, The Exorcist, Men in Black 3, and the list goes on. Overall it was a beautiful site, not your typical museum.

 Our last stop of the day was Long Island City. As we arrived in LIC, our first site viewing was MoMA PS1. It is the oldest school and largest contemporary art institution in the United States. We didn't actually go inside nor see much so I wasn't interested in LIC until we made our way to 5Pointz: The Institute of Higher Burnin. The Institute is an outdoor exhibit where graffiti artists from all over the world can come and display their art. The artists who choose to paint just come in with their work and paint and it is free of charge. I think this is an amazing idea because as we all know graffiti is not allowed and if someone is caught he or she will pay fines so to have a place where one can come and express his or herself without fear is incredible!.  As the day was coming to an end, we walked over to Gantry Plaza State Park where we sat down and reflect about the day. As much as my feet hurt from wearing those Converse, the day was worth it. I learned so much about my borough that I did not even know existed.

  

           

My views on New York City

When I think of New York City, I think of the city of the concrete jungle; it is fast pace, gritty, cut throat, wonderful, and  magical. To live here, you have to go with the flow or get out our way; everyone is always on the go and no one is going to sit there and hold your hand. Frank Sinatra said it best  "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere" From the Bronx to Staten Island this 5 borough powerhouse excited millions far and wide, and I'm so glad to call myself a New Yorker. It's the city that never sleeps, there is no place like it. Where can you get a slice of pizza and a good beer at 3o'clock in the morning besides the Big Apple?. What I love most about New York is that it is diverse;since so many people migrate here no one can feel left out ,there is always a place for you. Born and raised in Haiti, my New York City was  based on what I heard from other people and what I saw from movies. I imagined that New York was this big place with green grass, clean streets and yellow taxis ( almost like a tennis court) but when I came to the U.S it was different from what I had envisioned.

The first time I went into Manhattan was to watch the " Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway. Prior to that , I had never visited Manhattan since I was new to the country. My first impression was " wow there is a lot going on, I am finally getting to see everything I saw on television". The smell of the New York hotdog, the artist filling each corner, people taking pictures and others rushing to their final destinations. Although I was very young, I  understood  that this is what the real NYC was about. Living in the suburbs of Queens, I had never previously experienced the fast pace lifestyle of Manhattan. Where as in Queens, nobody is outside walking and taking pictures, it is very quiet and routine, something totally different from what I experienced that night. I was amazed of how busy the streets were and how huge the buildings are. It seemed like everyone in the city that day had a mission in mind and by the end of the day all missions must be accomplished.

My second visit to Manhattan was during my second semester at Molloy in 2009. Raymond Catapano from Trio took a group of us there on a cold winter morning. When we arrived in the city, it was freezing cold but that did not matter because the day was so eventful that we forgot that it was freezing cold. The first place we visited was  Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. It was so much fun seeing all the waxes of the celebrities and political figures; it was eerie of how the statues resembled the real people. We took pictures and even impersonated them. Afterwards, we went to go watch a movie in 3D. I was amazed by it because it felt like I was in the movie and I could feel everything that was happening.

From my experiences, I feel like New York has a lot to offer and not many people take advantages to explore. Instead of exploring what is already right there at their foot, they would rather go to another place. I am one of the many people that needs to explore more; I am a simple and more of a home type person. I don't really like being in big crowds nor do I like a lot of noise but I am hoping that this class will open up my mind and I get to experience things that I had never known before.