journal 2
the wild westside: 10/4/13
Although today was our first October class, the morning's weather and forecast predictions made it feel like the first day all over again. With an anticipated high of about 80 degrees, I decided that I would be bold and wear shorts and a t-shirt instead of my usual jeans despite the possibility of an evening storm. Keeping the rain in mind, today I made sure to pack a sweatshirt, umbrella, and rain poncho (courtesy of Joe), but thankfully the weather held out and our day wasn't ruined by the storm - until the end of course. The rest of my morning continued as usual with a 9:50 shuttle ride to the train station and a 10:11 am train with Joe into the city. Upon arriving in Penn Station Joe and I went through our usual routine of stopping at the bathroom, but this week rather than stop at Dunkin' Donuts before the ride in, we made it a point to stop in Penn Station and were seriously disappointed when the cashier wouldn't accept my gift card. After walking back to our class meeting spot we were almost immediately greeted by Mike and Meritta and then we were on our way.
Our class started with a walk from Penn Station over to Broadway where we could very visibly see the recent development of pedestrian zones. Broadway is the only avenue that actually runs diagonally through the city touching both the east and west sides, and because of its unique nature, it results in odd and unusual shaped blocks in the middle of Times Square that cause relatively unfit traffic jams. Since traveling by car in the city is already a struggle, the pedestrian zones have been created as a means to encourage people to travel on foot rather than by car and ultimately they hope to encourage a more "people-friendly" environment. It seems more than obvious that the decrease in space available for driving and parking upsets drivers, but pedestrians seem to be in favor of the change since these zones provide a comfortable space to walk without the hassle of the road. Personally I think having pedestrian zones are a good thing, but I have to wonder if it is ultimately resulting in MORE traffic since cars have less space to work with.
As we approached west 40th street we stopped briefly in a pedestrian zone to discuss Times Square. Before 1904, Times Square was known as Longacre Square and was populated with horse exchanges, carriage factories, stables, and blacksmiths' shops. In 1904 however, the New York Times invaded the area and the publisher persuaded the city to rename the area in honor of his newspaper (BG p. 217). Times Square was then and still is extremely popular for its theater district, but before it had the chance to really prosper the area went through an unfortunate struggle. Mike explained to us that in the late 60s and early 70s Times Square entered a period of decline when its character changed to less than welcoming as it was full of drugs, prostitution, and pornography. In the 1980's the area began to turn around and once Mayor Giuliani was in office, the area was really cleaned up and turned into a tourist friendly environment.
As we approached west 40th street we stopped briefly in a pedestrian zone to discuss Times Square. Before 1904, Times Square was known as Longacre Square and was populated with horse exchanges, carriage factories, stables, and blacksmiths' shops. In 1904 however, the New York Times invaded the area and the publisher persuaded the city to rename the area in honor of his newspaper (BG p. 217). Times Square was then and still is extremely popular for its theater district, but before it had the chance to really prosper the area went through an unfortunate struggle. Mike explained to us that in the late 60s and early 70s Times Square entered a period of decline when its character changed to less than welcoming as it was full of drugs, prostitution, and pornography. In the 1980's the area began to turn around and once Mayor Giuliani was in office, the area was really cleaned up and turned into a tourist friendly environment.
Continuing our journey through Times Square, we stopped on west 45th street in a small section in front of a building where Meritta discussed how buildings can be made taller if it is done for the purpose of preserving public space. Ironically, this building was very familiar to me because I briefly interned this past year at an office inside of it! Eventually we made our way over to 6th avenue, also called Avenue of the America's, where we entered the GE building. The GE building is the first building that was constructed in Rockefeller Center (built in 1933) and over the years its most notable tenants have been General Electric and NBC (BG p. 248). Although the building is made with a flat top, it still represents an Art Deco architectural style, which can also be seen by the black and gold patterns that make up the inside floors. To keep the architecture of Rockefeller Center the same, all of the buildings surrounding the Plaza are made from the same Art Deco style. Before leaving the building to view the plaza and skating rink, Mike quickly made note of the large mural on the lobby wall and ceiling. This was originally done by Diego Rivera, but Rockefeller was extremely disappointed with his Marxist representation of society and quickly had it torn down with a new mural put up titled "Progress." After looking outside at the site of the Christmas Tree and skating rink, we had about a 10 minute break where Joe, Mike and I took the time to visit the NBC store. I have been to the NBC building many times before including a taping of Jimmy Fallon, the Top of the Rock viewing, the NBC studios tour, and of course the Christmas Tree, but the store has always been one of my favorite parts. Being that Joe and I always watch The Office and F.R.I.E.N.D.S together I really enjoyed looking at all of the show's merchandise (though slightly overpriced) and overall enjoyed the environment of the building.
Our next stop of the day was the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). In 1929, Abby Rockefeller, Lillie Bliss, and Mary Sullivan founded a small museum in rented space on 5th avenue near 57th street to honor modern art. Their small collections and exhibits proved to be a wonderful success, and in 1923 the museum moved to its present location which was donated to the founders by John D. Rockefeller Jr (BG p. 260). MoMA is considered to have one of the world's best collections of 19th and 20th century art, with 6 floors of outstanding artwork by some of the world's most renowned artists. We began our tour by looking at some extremely famous pieces such as Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup Collection, Seurat's pointillism of the France Harbor, Monet's Starry Night and Water Lillie's, and lastly some pieces by Picasso and Mondrian. I particularly enjoyed seeing Monet's Starry Night because it was extremely cool to see the original image of something I have seen replicated so many times before. Moving on we viewed a lot of art work created by post World War 2 artists from New York. We stopped to see Jackson Pollock's work that essentially looked like splatter paint, which I learned was his way of expressing anger, turmoil, upset, and possibly the struggle with alcoholism and other psychological disorders. Pollock's artwork was one of my favorites to see as well because I feel like although his work seems simple to create with random strokes of a brush, the message it conveys is really so powerful and I think that everyone can relate to it in their own way. From here we viewed other pieces by Rauschenberg, then images that were inspired by pop culture, known as Pop Art, and finally an exhibit that was all based of off sounds before leaving. Today's visit to the museum was extremely interesting to me because when I was in elementary school, I created a book full of my own creations that replicated artists like Mondrian, Picasso, Monet, and Seurat. Being that I had done artworks of my own that were similar to these images, it really interested me to see the originals of what my art teacher had taught me about so many years ago.
Upon exiting the museum we were told it was time for lunch where we would be eating at a Thai restaurant called Yum Yum 2 in Hell's Kitchen. Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is an area of the city that stretches from the Hudson River to 8th avenue from west 34th to 57th street. During the mid 19th century this area attracted large groups of immigrants such as the Irish, and its proximity to the Hudson River and the railroad attracted slaughterhouses, gas plants, and factories that provided jobs for these immigrants (BG p. 226). Like most other places we have visited, Hell's Kitchen has undergone gentrification and it is obvious by the construction of upscale amenities that are changing the image of the neighborhood. While the rest of the class enjoyed a meal at Yum Yum 2, Joe, Mike and I decided to play it safe and stick with our usual packed lunch. Taking this time as an opportunity to relax, we walked a few block towards west 49th street where we enjoyed our peanut butter and jellies while resting in a McDonald's. Around 3:00 we met back up with the group were we headed to Times Square and took the 1 train to west 110th street, also known as Cathedral Parkway, in Morningside Heights.
Upon exiting the museum we were told it was time for lunch where we would be eating at a Thai restaurant called Yum Yum 2 in Hell's Kitchen. Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is an area of the city that stretches from the Hudson River to 8th avenue from west 34th to 57th street. During the mid 19th century this area attracted large groups of immigrants such as the Irish, and its proximity to the Hudson River and the railroad attracted slaughterhouses, gas plants, and factories that provided jobs for these immigrants (BG p. 226). Like most other places we have visited, Hell's Kitchen has undergone gentrification and it is obvious by the construction of upscale amenities that are changing the image of the neighborhood. While the rest of the class enjoyed a meal at Yum Yum 2, Joe, Mike and I decided to play it safe and stick with our usual packed lunch. Taking this time as an opportunity to relax, we walked a few block towards west 49th street where we enjoyed our peanut butter and jellies while resting in a McDonald's. Around 3:00 we met back up with the group were we headed to Times Square and took the 1 train to west 110th street, also known as Cathedral Parkway, in Morningside Heights.
After getting off of the subway we walked a few blocks until we met up with Jim who would be giving us a tour of both Morningside Heights and Harlem. Before beginning the tour we stopped at the Hungarian Pastry Shop where Phil, the shop owner, invited us to hang angel paintings outside of the store over the sidewalk. These paintings are meant to represent ever lasting love and are hung outside of the shop as a means of spreading peace and love to all who pass. After posing for a few pictures we made our way across the street where we stopped in the Cathedral Close to discuss the history of Morningside Heights as well as the amazing cathedral we saw before us. Before the Revolutionary War, Morningside Heights was like the rest of New York; mostly farmland. Eventually, this particular area became a cultural, intellectual, and spiritual center of the city when sights such as St. John the Divine, Columbia University, and St. Luke's Hospital were built (BG p. 417). Today we had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, which was built in the 1890's by the Episcopalean church. Since the beginning of its construction, architects experienced several periods of monetary distress where funding the project became difficult. Evidently, towers on the west side of the church were never actually completed and in 2001 a fire destroyed the unfinished north transept, damaging part of the church to an un-reparable state (BG p. 420). Before moving on to our next stop we took a few minutes to go inside and see the cathedral for ourselves, and I was completely blown away by the architecture, stained glass windows, and overall structure that the inside was made of.
From the cathedral we made our way over to Columbia University. Columbia, originally known as King's college, was first founded as a gentlemen's college to instruct youth in the learned languages and in the liberal arts and sciences. Early students of the college were Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, and in 1857 the college moved uptown to a site formerly owned by an asylum for the death and dumb. In 1897 the college moved to its present location and as of 1902 has been considered one of the most prestigious colleges in the country (BG p. 427). Part of our Columbia tour included a quick break on the steps of the library to play a New York Trivia game where Mike gave away the bracelet he bought on last weeks trip. Additionally we walked through the campus chapel before leaving the property and entering Morningside Park. Being that Molloy is such a small school I was in awe of the campus and its grandiose buildings but I think that if I went to a school that large I would truly feel lost.
A few minutes later we arrived in Morningside Park, which occupies about 30 acres of land including a cliff of Manhattan schist which leads down into Harlem. This park originally had a reputation for danger in the 1930s but by 1981 Columbia undergrads founded the Friends of Morningside Park which fought for the return of the park to its original state (BG p. 426). After walking down about 120 steps to Harlem (thankfully not up the steps like originally planned), we began our tour of the area at 116th street and 8th avenue (Frederick Douglas Blvd). Although Harlem has been given the reputation of being a dangerous area of the city, it is currently undergoing the gentrification process which is helping its image appear cleaner and safer. During our tour of Harlem we visited the Harriet Tubman Memorial and the Apollo Theater. The Harriet Tubman Memorial is located near St. Nicholas Avenue and depicts a large statue meant to honor her effort of freeing the slaves via the underground railroad. The Apollo Theater, another Harlem landmark, first opened as a theater for whites only, eventually plunged in the 1970s and turned into just a movie theater, and today is a not-for-profit foundation that is run like a traditional theater with a variety of performances (BG p. 440). Although we had other places to see in Harlem, around 5:45 the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down, which ultimately cut our class shorter than usual. Thankfully we were right next to a subway entrance that would take us back to Penn Station, so as a class we escaped the rain and got on the next 3 train to take us home.
The subway to Penn was fairly crowded but rather quick and put Joe and I in Penn Station just in time to catch the 6:10 train back to Rockville Centre. Since we ended so early we decided not to stay for an off peak train and instead paid the extra $5.00 to get us home earlier than usual. Although our class was cut short due to rain, I'm really glad the weather held out for us to enjoy the majority of our day. Overall I really enjoyed all of today's sites and am looking forward to visiting the areas of lower Manhattan next week!
A few minutes later we arrived in Morningside Park, which occupies about 30 acres of land including a cliff of Manhattan schist which leads down into Harlem. This park originally had a reputation for danger in the 1930s but by 1981 Columbia undergrads founded the Friends of Morningside Park which fought for the return of the park to its original state (BG p. 426). After walking down about 120 steps to Harlem (thankfully not up the steps like originally planned), we began our tour of the area at 116th street and 8th avenue (Frederick Douglas Blvd). Although Harlem has been given the reputation of being a dangerous area of the city, it is currently undergoing the gentrification process which is helping its image appear cleaner and safer. During our tour of Harlem we visited the Harriet Tubman Memorial and the Apollo Theater. The Harriet Tubman Memorial is located near St. Nicholas Avenue and depicts a large statue meant to honor her effort of freeing the slaves via the underground railroad. The Apollo Theater, another Harlem landmark, first opened as a theater for whites only, eventually plunged in the 1970s and turned into just a movie theater, and today is a not-for-profit foundation that is run like a traditional theater with a variety of performances (BG p. 440). Although we had other places to see in Harlem, around 5:45 the skies opened up and the rain came pouring down, which ultimately cut our class shorter than usual. Thankfully we were right next to a subway entrance that would take us back to Penn Station, so as a class we escaped the rain and got on the next 3 train to take us home.
The subway to Penn was fairly crowded but rather quick and put Joe and I in Penn Station just in time to catch the 6:10 train back to Rockville Centre. Since we ended so early we decided not to stay for an off peak train and instead paid the extra $5.00 to get us home earlier than usual. Although our class was cut short due to rain, I'm really glad the weather held out for us to enjoy the majority of our day. Overall I really enjoyed all of today's sites and am looking forward to visiting the areas of lower Manhattan next week!
lower manhattan & captivating chelsea: 10/11/13
As I woke up this morning all I could focus on was the chance that our day would be a wet one filled with heavy rain and cold winds. Since the forecast predicted over a 50% chance of rain, I made sure to come today fully prepared with extra socks (just to be safe in case my shoes got soaked), an umbrella, and a rain poncho. To properly start our day Joe and I followed our usual routine by taking a 9:50 shuttle from Molloy, stopping at Dunkin Donut's to enjoy our morning treat of Pumpkin and Blueberry Cake doughnuts, and taking the 10:11 train into Penn Station. Although the skies looked like they were ready to open and soak the city, we lucked out and only experienced a heavy but brief drizzle for about 20 minutes during the afternoon. As we arrived in Penn Station and met with the class, we were greeted by Mike, Meritta, and Don, one of the other core professors, who would have been joining us on our trip if our schedule became compromised by the rain. After quickly discussing the plans and what changes would be made, we headed to the subway that would take us downtown.
The day began with a quick and comfortable ride on the 2 train downtown to Park Street. After exiting the subway station we briefly stopped to look at the Woolworth building which is located in the financial district. The Woolworth Building is located at 233 Broadway street and was considered the tallest building in the world at the time of its completion. However, the Chrysler building assumed the responsibility of being the world's tallest building when it was built in 1930, but the Woolworth is still considered one of the most intricate and detailed skyscrapers. The attention to detail can be awarded to Woolworth himself who personally picked out several of the buildings fixtures and architectural pieces, and when it was officially opened Reverand S. Parkes Cadman stated that the building inspired feelings too deep for tears and labeled it "The Cathedral of Commerce" (BG p. 79). From here our first major stop of the day was New York City Hall where we were strictly let in in groups of 6 as we proceeded through a security booth to check our bags. Here we were led by our tour guide Deirdre who brought us through the parts of City Hall we were able to access. We learned from Deidre that when the area originally called Amsterdam was populated enough to be considered its own city, a tavern not too far from the current city hall was chosen as the meeting place for the "city officials." Since then other city halls have been built and refurbished for events such as George Washington's inauguration, and in 1802 the current city hall was established. Deidre explained that the building is designed in a federal style using corinthian pillars on the steps and balcony and roman arches above some of the windows. Though the building also resembles some French Renaissance architecture, it is primarily a neoclassical influenced design. When we first entered the building we talked for a little bit about the George Washington statue and inside architecture before moving upstairs to the governors room and meeting room. When we entered the governors room we were specifically told not to touch or sit on any of the furniture since it is extremely historical and valuable. Our primary focus in this room was to discuss all of the portraits of historical figures including many of New York's mayors and U.S Presidents. In 1790 the Common Council commissioned John Trumbull to paint a portrait of George Washington and George Clinton and since they were done so well, he was continuously asked to complete more. The portraits of these two individuals specifically are the largest in the room and were designed to depict them at the height of their power (BG p. 85). I have never been to City Hall before but I am very interested in historical studies such as U.S history so seeing the inside of this building and the rooms where many famous presidents and officials sat and gave speeches was extremely interesting to me.
After our very informative tour of city hall we walked down Broadway where we saw many sites such as St. Paul's Chapel. St. Paul's is Manhattan's only remaining colonial church and was built as a subsidiary chapel of Trinity Church for worshipers who lived too far uptown to make it to Wall Street. The chapel was primarily used by British officers as a place of worship, but in society today it serves as a temporary 9/11 memorial where people can leave messages and other items on the outside fence and inside exhibits (BG p. 77). From here we headed to the actual site of the towers for the 9/11 memorial where we quickly surpassed the hundreds of visitors waiting since we had a group pass. After going through a slightly more intense security checkpoint we made our way into the memorial where we had about 20 minutes to look around and observe the sights. The site of the memorial is at the site of Ground Zero and is formally called "Reflecting Absence." It was designed by Michael Arad and Peter Walker who recreated the footprints of the two towers as pools of water with a museum off to the side to remember the events surrounding the attacks (BG p. 62). Joe and I came here this summer so I am familiar with the memorial but I enjoyed being able to come and see it again. My favorite part of the memorial is the survivor tree, which is a tree that is still thriving today even after the attacks took place. I like to think of it as a symbol of strength that says even in the worst of times we have the capability to survive, move forward, and rebuild what we've lost. I would have liked to see the museum but since it isn't open yet I will have to come back and visit at a later date.
Our next stop of the day was Zuccotti Park where we briefly discussed the recent protest, Occupy Wall Street, that took place there. After passing through we found ourselves at Trinity Church where we stopped to examine the inside and churchyard. The churchyard is a 2 acre plot of land located in the financial district. The church is known for housing some of the oldest and most historical graves such as Richard Churcher (from 1681), Alexander Hamilton and William Bradford (BG p. 66). Here is where we experienced some of the heaviest rain of the day but it was nothing that could stop us from continuing our tour.
Our next stop of the day was Zuccotti Park where we briefly discussed the recent protest, Occupy Wall Street, that took place there. After passing through we found ourselves at Trinity Church where we stopped to examine the inside and churchyard. The churchyard is a 2 acre plot of land located in the financial district. The church is known for housing some of the oldest and most historical graves such as Richard Churcher (from 1681), Alexander Hamilton and William Bradford (BG p. 66). Here is where we experienced some of the heaviest rain of the day but it was nothing that could stop us from continuing our tour.
From Trinity Church we headed to Wall Street where we stopped to discuss the Stock Exchange and the Federal Hall National Memorial (the original New York City Hall). When put into perspective Wall Street is actually a small street that is only about a third of a mile long running between Broadway and the East River. Since the New York Stock Exchange arrived here in 1903, the street has become synonymous with New York's financial industry. However, like many other parts of the city, Wall Street is entering a period where many of the 20th century commercial buildings are being converted to residential developments (BG p. 64). Unfortunately we were unable to take a tour of Federal Hall National Memorial today since it was closed due to the government shut down. In fact, the government shut down also affected another stop on our tour, the National Museum of the American Indian, so some or our experience was again cut short.
As we continued to walk through the financial district we stopped to view the famous bull statue, known as Charging Bull, which is said to the symbol of Wall Street. After, we walked through the Bowling Green where we had the chance to spend about 5 minutes shopping in a small flea market outside of the Alexander Hamilton Custom House.
Our last stop of the day before lunch was a quick stop in Battery Park. The name Battery Park is meant to recall a row of cannons that defended the original fort and stood near the present sidewalk west of the Custom House. This is a 23-acre park on the edge of the harbor that when close enough allows visitors to see spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Governors Island, and Ellis Island (BG p. 46). Within Battery Park Meritta pointed out the destroyed sphere from the World Trade Center and she explained that there is currently a debate about whether or not it should be moved back to its original site.
Before breaking for lunch we first had to take the subway from Rector Street to 14th street where we walked a few blocks before making it the Chelsea Market. Chelsea Market is an indoor shopping area that provides tons of shops full of food, wine, kitchen, wares, flowers, and more. It was once the site of the Nabisco factory, but in 1995 it was officially transformed into the market we saw (BG p. 186). The inside of the market actually reminded me a little bit of the inside of Mohegan Sun! Although we had many options for food, Joe, Mike and I stuck to our typical peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ended up sitting on a bench outside of the 10th avenue exit since the inside was severely lacking seating arrangements.
As we continued to walk through the financial district we stopped to view the famous bull statue, known as Charging Bull, which is said to the symbol of Wall Street. After, we walked through the Bowling Green where we had the chance to spend about 5 minutes shopping in a small flea market outside of the Alexander Hamilton Custom House.
Our last stop of the day before lunch was a quick stop in Battery Park. The name Battery Park is meant to recall a row of cannons that defended the original fort and stood near the present sidewalk west of the Custom House. This is a 23-acre park on the edge of the harbor that when close enough allows visitors to see spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Governors Island, and Ellis Island (BG p. 46). Within Battery Park Meritta pointed out the destroyed sphere from the World Trade Center and she explained that there is currently a debate about whether or not it should be moved back to its original site.
Before breaking for lunch we first had to take the subway from Rector Street to 14th street where we walked a few blocks before making it the Chelsea Market. Chelsea Market is an indoor shopping area that provides tons of shops full of food, wine, kitchen, wares, flowers, and more. It was once the site of the Nabisco factory, but in 1995 it was officially transformed into the market we saw (BG p. 186). The inside of the market actually reminded me a little bit of the inside of Mohegan Sun! Although we had many options for food, Joe, Mike and I stuck to our typical peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and ended up sitting on a bench outside of the 10th avenue exit since the inside was severely lacking seating arrangements.
Around 4:00 we met back up as a group and headed to the beginning of the High Line in Chelsea. The High Line is the site of an old freight train that starts at Gansevoort Street and ends at west 30th street although there are plans to extend it to 34th street. It is a 13 mile viaduct that was built strictly for freight trains between buildings and even right through them. During the 1950s however, rail freight lost popularity to trucking but since no one wanted to pay demolition costs the tracks were left to rust away (BG p. 188). Eventually a group of people realized the potential it had to be used as public space and was therefore turned into what it was today. I am also familiar with this area because about 3 years ago I walked the trail with my family when they came in from San Francisco. It was pretty similar to what I remembered but just like the 9/11 memorial, I was glad to experience it again since I am older and can appreciate it more.
Our last task of the day was to go gallery hopping through Chelsea beginning near Chelsea Piers. I would have liked to visit Chelsea Piers since I have never been there before and have heard pretty good things about it, but since we didn't that just means I will have to go back! One particular gallery I liked was titled Post Culture 9.7.13-10.26.13 by Elizabeth Dee. I particularly liked this gallery because its displays were made out of typical everyday items such as window blinds and costume jewelry. This was very interesting to me because it shows how items you wouldn't ordinarily use for art can be turned into something that conveys meaning. Another gallery I liked was one done by Lyons Wier that depicted several pieces that seemed to portray the same individual in every picture. I especially liked this gallery for two reasons - one because the landscaping of each picture was things I really liked (beaches, mountains, weather patterns, etc), but also because each image featured what seemed to be an individual moving in slow motion through a course of events at different locations. I thought it was so interesting how he chose to depict the same individual in every picture and I really enjoyed seeing how the simple things like walking through snow and swimming through waves were depicted. Our gallery hopping concluded with a stop into about five other galleries and a quick stop at Printed Matter which is a book store that sells books written by artists. A book I found interesting was titled "Negative Space" and included a variety of abstract images that were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. I liked this book because it took true telescopic images and turned them to color and it also caused me to question what life is really about; it made me think of all the possibilities and opportunities that are out there waiting to be made into something yet people often overlook and waste it. While many people in the class thought gallery hopping was going to be boring, I on the other hand thought this was a really good experience for us to have because it is another way of life that many of us are unfamiliar with.
The day concluded with Joe, Mike and I walking across the High Line to its end at west 30th street and then heading to Penn Station where we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a train home. While the rest of the class chose to walk back on the streets, we decided it would be beneficial for us to experience the High Line in its entirety since it was something most of us hadn't done before. I was really glad that the weather held out for today being that today's class ended up to be my favorite of them all. Hopefully we are able to escape the rain one more time next week and conclude our course with another great day. I can't believe there is only one class left but I am certainly ready to make the best of it.
The day concluded with Joe, Mike and I walking across the High Line to its end at west 30th street and then heading to Penn Station where we only had to wait about 10 minutes for a train home. While the rest of the class chose to walk back on the streets, we decided it would be beneficial for us to experience the High Line in its entirety since it was something most of us hadn't done before. I was really glad that the weather held out for today being that today's class ended up to be my favorite of them all. Hopefully we are able to escape the rain one more time next week and conclude our course with another great day. I can't believe there is only one class left but I am certainly ready to make the best of it.
immigrant new york: 10/18/13
This morning started just like any other although today I woke up feeling a bit sentimental since it is the last time I will be waking up for our class. Like usual, Joe and I first headed to Molloy for the shuttle which got us to the Rockville Centre train station at exactly 10:00 am just as expected. Once again the weather forecast predicted a beautiful day which meant we would be finishing the course without ever being severely rained on! As we waited for the train, Joe and I made our routine stop to Dunkin' Donuts and at about 10:15 we were settled and on our way to Penn Station. Arriving in the city sooner than usual, we made sure to take our time stopping at the bathroom and then took a leisurely walk over to our meeting spot. Once Mike and Meritta arrived we talked briefly about our day and we were told we would be getting a small surprise later in the afternoon. After taking attendance Mike left it up to the class to figure out where we had to go in order to get on the right subway, and shortly after that we left Penn Station as a class for the last time.
We started the day by taking the F train on 6th avenue to Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. In the 18th century much of the Lower East Side belonged to the city's wealthiest landowners; the Rutgers family and the De Lancey family. By 1850 however, the area was beginning to feel the pressure of a new immigrant population and many of the original homes and businesses were knocked down to create tenements in order to accommodate housing needs. The majority of immigrants coming into this area were of Irish and German decent, but by 1965 a new population of Latino and East Asian immigrants began to emerge which replaced many of the old immigrants who had either moved on or couldn't afford to live anymore (BG p. 119).
We started the day by taking the F train on 6th avenue to Delancey Street on the Lower East Side. In the 18th century much of the Lower East Side belonged to the city's wealthiest landowners; the Rutgers family and the De Lancey family. By 1850 however, the area was beginning to feel the pressure of a new immigrant population and many of the original homes and businesses were knocked down to create tenements in order to accommodate housing needs. The majority of immigrants coming into this area were of Irish and German decent, but by 1965 a new population of Latino and East Asian immigrants began to emerge which replaced many of the old immigrants who had either moved on or couldn't afford to live anymore (BG p. 119).
Our first stop of the day was the Essex Street market. This market was created in 1940 in order to provide the pushcart peddlers a place to sell their products. Around this time Mayor La Guardia had insisted that all pushcart peddlers remove themselves off the street, so in order for them to remain in business they moved into this "confined" area (BG p. 123). While we waited for Jim, who would be our walking tour guide for the day, Mike and Meritta gave us about 15 minutes to take a look around. The market was very interesting to see because it was like nothing I have ever seen before. There were so many options for food (and very diverse options at that), but I was particularly attracted to the bakery and candy section. Although everything looked great, I resorted to eating my Dunkin Donuts' blueberry muffin for my morning snack instead.
After leaving the market we had a brief classroom meeting where we discussed the final course requirements as we waited for Jim to join us. Since we were standing about a block away from the Williamsburg Bridge, Mike gave us a brief history of why the bridge was once used. A nick name for the bridge is the Jews highway since many of the Jewish immigrants once used it as a way to quickly escape the Lower East Side and head to Brooklyn. A common characteristic of the tenements in this area was that there was no easy disposal of garbage or a working bathroom. As a result, most tenement residents threw their waste and garbage out the windows and into the street causing the area to be dirty, smelly, and unsanitary. Since this was so, many of the immigrants chose to leave the area and used the Williamsburg Bridge to do so.
After leaving the market we had a brief classroom meeting where we discussed the final course requirements as we waited for Jim to join us. Since we were standing about a block away from the Williamsburg Bridge, Mike gave us a brief history of why the bridge was once used. A nick name for the bridge is the Jews highway since many of the Jewish immigrants once used it as a way to quickly escape the Lower East Side and head to Brooklyn. A common characteristic of the tenements in this area was that there was no easy disposal of garbage or a working bathroom. As a result, most tenement residents threw their waste and garbage out the windows and into the street causing the area to be dirty, smelly, and unsanitary. Since this was so, many of the immigrants chose to leave the area and used the Williamsburg Bridge to do so.
After meeting up with Jim we officially began our walking tour of the Lower East Side. Our first stop on the tour was the Economy Candy Store, which is possibly the most famous candy store in New York City. This store was like heaven for any candy lover being that it had the largest assortment of candy I have ever seen. Although everything looked so appetizing I found myself walking out of the store empty handed - I guess I will just have to come back! Following the candy store we stopped several times to view all of the apartment buildings that are changing the nature of the Lower East Side. Specifically, under the Williamsburg Bridge we discussed the term "projects" which refers to the city's attempt to provide adequate housing to lower income and poor families. Additionally, Jim explained that the J and Z trains are the two that run above the Williamsburg Bridge and since the rapper Jay-Z lived around this area, he used those two letters to create his stage name. Our next stop on the tour was the Bialystoker Synagogue. This synogauge was built in 1826 and was originally known as the Willett Street Methodist Episcopal Church (which is evident by its Methodist architecture). Around 1905 the Jewish congregation from Bialystok bought the building and converted it into a synagogue (BG p. 123). We didn't have the chance to see the inside but I really enjoyed the architecture of the outside, especially the stained glass windows.
From the synagogue we made our way to the Hillman Houses on Grand Street. Directly across the street Jim pointed out a building where Jewish women go to be purified before they get married - I believe he called this a "mitzvah house." From here we ended up at the Henry Street Settlement (1827). A settlement house is a place where people who desire to live in a certain area can come for help to assimilate into the society. Essentially, these houses were created so that immigrants could have a place to go where workers devoted their time to helping them adjust to a new city life (BG p. 125). Our next stop was St. Theresa's church. Jim explained that this is considered to be the third oldest Roman Catholic Church and an interesting fact is that the clock on the top of the tower is quite possibly the oldest and longest running clock in the city. From here we walked to our last stop of the tour which was the Eldridge Street Synagogue. Jim explained that this building is a preservation success story in itself since it has been completely restored from the destruction it experienced about 20 years ago. This synagogue was founded by Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews and in its early years was the grandest synagogue on the Lower East Side. At one point it was said to have attracted so many worshippers on high Holy Days that the police were actually called to control the crowd (BG p.120). Again, we did not get the chance to go inside but its outside architecture allowed me to infer that the inside was probably just as beautiful if not nicer.
From the synagogue we made our way to the Hillman Houses on Grand Street. Directly across the street Jim pointed out a building where Jewish women go to be purified before they get married - I believe he called this a "mitzvah house." From here we ended up at the Henry Street Settlement (1827). A settlement house is a place where people who desire to live in a certain area can come for help to assimilate into the society. Essentially, these houses were created so that immigrants could have a place to go where workers devoted their time to helping them adjust to a new city life (BG p. 125). Our next stop was St. Theresa's church. Jim explained that this is considered to be the third oldest Roman Catholic Church and an interesting fact is that the clock on the top of the tower is quite possibly the oldest and longest running clock in the city. From here we walked to our last stop of the tour which was the Eldridge Street Synagogue. Jim explained that this building is a preservation success story in itself since it has been completely restored from the destruction it experienced about 20 years ago. This synagogue was founded by Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews and in its early years was the grandest synagogue on the Lower East Side. At one point it was said to have attracted so many worshippers on high Holy Days that the police were actually called to control the crowd (BG p.120). Again, we did not get the chance to go inside but its outside architecture allowed me to infer that the inside was probably just as beautiful if not nicer.
After concluding our walking tour we were given our surprise which was the opportunity to head down Canal Street and experience all of the shops that are found there. Canal Street marks the southern boundary of SoHo and represents a lot of Chinese culture (BG pg. 109). This is where consumers can find almost any designer handbag or sunglasses for inexpensive prices (though the majority of times they are knock-offs). I have never been to Canal Street before but many of my friends used to talk about it like it was the best place on earth when it came to shopping. Mike and Meritta gave us about 45 minutes to explore the area and the rest of China Town on our own. Joe, Mike and I ended up walking to Mulberry Street where we found ourselves in the middle of Little Italy - the smell of Italian food was so overwhelming that it made me wish we ate lunch there!! After exploring the area for a few minutes we started walking back down Canal Street to Allen Street where we met the class at Congee Village for lunch. As we walked back through China town I got a bit nervous that we would be eating in a small "backwoods" restaurant like the ones that seemed to take over most of the streets. However, I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived in front of Congee Village and saw that it was a much nicer, cleaner, and bigger restaurant than I expected - this certainly made me feel better about the food we would be eating!
Throughout the semester, Joe, Mike and I have opted out of eating at the exotic restaurants we have been taken to. However, this week I was talked into trying the Chinese food since both Joe and Mike agreed that they would eat it. While I am not one to usually try new things and am not really a Chinese food fan in the first place, I will admit that the sesame chicken was actually really good and I was glad that I chose to eat with the class for the last time.
Throughout the semester, Joe, Mike and I have opted out of eating at the exotic restaurants we have been taken to. However, this week I was talked into trying the Chinese food since both Joe and Mike agreed that they would eat it. While I am not one to usually try new things and am not really a Chinese food fan in the first place, I will admit that the sesame chicken was actually really good and I was glad that I chose to eat with the class for the last time.
After lunch we walked directly around the block where we went to the Tenement Museum. The museum is actually a former tenement that was used by immigrants in the 1900s. In 1988, the museum was founded in order to preserve the heritage and history of the immigrants who lived on the Lower East Side (BG p. 122). Here we were split up into two groups and taken inside the tenement by one of the museum's educators. My group stayed with Meritta for this tour and we were led collectively by Ruth. We started the tour in what seemed like a makeshift lobby where Ruth gave an extensive yet very interesting history about immigration and the tenements on the Lower East Side. Ruth explained that this particular tenement was built in 1863 by Lucas Glockner (a German immigrant). She also explained to us what life was like for immigrants when they first came to America and she briefed us on the process they had to go through once they arrived at Ellis Island. When the immigrants came to America, they typically came by boat which unfortunately proved to be tight, cramped, and in many cases unhealthy. In 1890 Ellis Island was designated as the official receiving station for immigrants with 13 year old Annie Moore being the first immigrant to be admitted into the city. Unfortunately, five years after its opening Ellis Island's immigrant station burned down destroying the majority of records from 1855-1890 (BG p. 39)
Before actually seeing what the apartments looked like, Ruth told us we would be role playing for this tour so as a group we decided that we would be an immigrant family from Italy. After doing so she asked for volunteers to be the mom and dad which Joe and I volunteered to do - I had NO idea we would actually have to act, I thought it was just kind of a hypothetical situation so I was certainly surprised when we entered the apartment and actually had to be part of a performance! Before this all took place Ruth first gave us some background information on the Confino family and specifically the daughter Victoria who we would be "meeting" later. The Confino family was actually one of the families who once inhabited these tenements and the stories we later learned from Victoria were true to the time period and situation which they lived in. After about 20 minutes of talking we headed to the apartment our "family" would be checking out and were greeted by the one and only Victoria who was there to tell us all about the life we were about to live. Although I am not the acting type I really, really enjoyed this tour. Since it was so interactive I really felt like I learned a lot and I would have to say this was my favorite tour of the semester. "Victoria" taught us all about what it would be like to have a large family cramped in such a small space and she also taught us what we would have to do for work and school so that we could afford the $28 a month that it cost to live there. Since I am interested in this type of history, this tour was especially exciting to me and I would absolutely recommend anyone to come here for the experience.
After leaving the Tenement Museum our group waited for Mike and the rest of the class before we had our final group discussion. When we met back up we talked for a few minutes about what we liked and disliked about the class as well as what we would change if we took the class again. While it was nice that the day ended early, I really was quite sad to say our final goodbyes to Mike and Meritta being that this has been the best class I have taken at Molloy thus far. Once we officially ended the class, Joe, Mike and I walked a few blocks to the F train which would take us back to Penn Station. Arriving at Penn Station earlier than usual, Joe and I hopped on a 5:51 train even though it meant we would have to change at Jamaica - something we both have never done before. The switch was actually surprising easy and while we waited for our connecting train we actually got to witness some police action on one of the other tracks which was pretty cool. Additionally, even though we were taking a peak train home and had an off peak ticket the conductor was super nice and spared us the extra fee which was the perfect ending to a great day. It's going to feel so weird not coming to the city next Friday and I'm really going to miss this class. This was one of the best learning experiences I have had, both for practical and theoretical knowledge, and I am so grateful that Molloy offers such a wonderful course!
Before actually seeing what the apartments looked like, Ruth told us we would be role playing for this tour so as a group we decided that we would be an immigrant family from Italy. After doing so she asked for volunteers to be the mom and dad which Joe and I volunteered to do - I had NO idea we would actually have to act, I thought it was just kind of a hypothetical situation so I was certainly surprised when we entered the apartment and actually had to be part of a performance! Before this all took place Ruth first gave us some background information on the Confino family and specifically the daughter Victoria who we would be "meeting" later. The Confino family was actually one of the families who once inhabited these tenements and the stories we later learned from Victoria were true to the time period and situation which they lived in. After about 20 minutes of talking we headed to the apartment our "family" would be checking out and were greeted by the one and only Victoria who was there to tell us all about the life we were about to live. Although I am not the acting type I really, really enjoyed this tour. Since it was so interactive I really felt like I learned a lot and I would have to say this was my favorite tour of the semester. "Victoria" taught us all about what it would be like to have a large family cramped in such a small space and she also taught us what we would have to do for work and school so that we could afford the $28 a month that it cost to live there. Since I am interested in this type of history, this tour was especially exciting to me and I would absolutely recommend anyone to come here for the experience.
After leaving the Tenement Museum our group waited for Mike and the rest of the class before we had our final group discussion. When we met back up we talked for a few minutes about what we liked and disliked about the class as well as what we would change if we took the class again. While it was nice that the day ended early, I really was quite sad to say our final goodbyes to Mike and Meritta being that this has been the best class I have taken at Molloy thus far. Once we officially ended the class, Joe, Mike and I walked a few blocks to the F train which would take us back to Penn Station. Arriving at Penn Station earlier than usual, Joe and I hopped on a 5:51 train even though it meant we would have to change at Jamaica - something we both have never done before. The switch was actually surprising easy and while we waited for our connecting train we actually got to witness some police action on one of the other tracks which was pretty cool. Additionally, even though we were taking a peak train home and had an off peak ticket the conductor was super nice and spared us the extra fee which was the perfect ending to a great day. It's going to feel so weird not coming to the city next Friday and I'm really going to miss this class. This was one of the best learning experiences I have had, both for practical and theoretical knowledge, and I am so grateful that Molloy offers such a wonderful course!
impressions of New York: the end
For the past seven weeks I have had the pleasure of participating in Molloy College’s Gotham: The New York Experience core class. Like I said in my initial impressions journal, I have been to the city on numerous occasions but mostly for recreational purposes. Throughout this class I have learned more about the city than I would have ever learned in a classroom setting and I saw parts of the city and five boroughs I never knew existed. I never thought I would learn so much and see as much as we did in only seven classes, but I am truly thankful that I did.
As the class comes to an end my perceptions of the city have changed tremendously. I no longer think of the city as a scary and dangerous place and I realize that I viewed it this way simply because I didn’t know much about it. I used to be extremely intimidated by the subway system and overload of pedestrians fighting against the traffic, but now that I understand how simple the subway actually is and have learned proper city etiquette, I realize that the city is not so intimidating after all. Although I still think that I will never live in the city, after visiting places like Greenwhich Village I realize there are so many places that do not have the same “city” feel as one would expect and if I had to (and could afford it) I wouldn’t be opposed to trying out the area. After taking this class I have truly learned to appreciate all of what the city has to offer and I look forward to being able to share my experiences with friends and family in the future.
As the class comes to an end my perceptions of the city have changed tremendously. I no longer think of the city as a scary and dangerous place and I realize that I viewed it this way simply because I didn’t know much about it. I used to be extremely intimidated by the subway system and overload of pedestrians fighting against the traffic, but now that I understand how simple the subway actually is and have learned proper city etiquette, I realize that the city is not so intimidating after all. Although I still think that I will never live in the city, after visiting places like Greenwhich Village I realize there are so many places that do not have the same “city” feel as one would expect and if I had to (and could afford it) I wouldn’t be opposed to trying out the area. After taking this class I have truly learned to appreciate all of what the city has to offer and I look forward to being able to share my experiences with friends and family in the future.
Thinking back on all of the adventures we went on this semester, I honestly cannot pick out a favorite place or section of the city. Every one of our destinations, be it a museum, monument, memorial, or walking tour was extremely valuable and exciting in its own way. I am so appreciative of the work Mike and Meritta put in to plan out seven of my most exciting city experiences and I hope that the rest of my classmates appreciate having the opportunity to take this class just as much as I do.
In the future I plan on visiting the city much more often than I do now. This class has inspired to me to come into the city on my own time and use all of the knowledge and skills I have gained in this course to get around and visit new places. Whenever I used to think of the city I immediately pictured the craziness of Penn Station and Times Square, but now I realize there are so many more places to go and visit that are quaint, calm, and more geared towards my personality. Although I am sad to see the class end, I am excited to go back and spend more time at the places we have visited and experience even more of the city than I already have.
In the future I plan on visiting the city much more often than I do now. This class has inspired to me to come into the city on my own time and use all of the knowledge and skills I have gained in this course to get around and visit new places. Whenever I used to think of the city I immediately pictured the craziness of Penn Station and Times Square, but now I realize there are so many more places to go and visit that are quaint, calm, and more geared towards my personality. Although I am sad to see the class end, I am excited to go back and spend more time at the places we have visited and experience even more of the city than I already have.