Journal #4: The Elegant Eastside

The Elegant Eastside

            When I got on the train this morning, it began to drizzle. The clouds were dark and I just got finished telling Maria that I was happy that I bought my raincoat and umbrella. Maria and I met everyone else in Penn Station. Damian and Mike proceeded to tell us that we were going to trench through the rain and make the best of our adventure. I mean a little rain can’t hurt anyone right?

            We began to make out way down 42^nd street. It was hot and humid and to tell you the truth I was hoping for a LITTLE rain (shhhuuushh). Our first stop was at the New York Public Library. In the front of the library there are two famous marble lions. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia named them Patience (south side) and Fortitude (north side). He gave them these names for virtues for the struggling public during the Depression (BG, 208). The library mounts brilliant exhibitions on literary, artistic, and historical subjects in Gottesman Hall on the ground floor and also upstairs in the smaller galleries (BG, 207).

 When we entered into the hall, it was covered in marble. Can you imagine how much that must of cost? The ceilings were magnificent, with different colors and textures that lined the room. It truly was breath taking. We then entered into the main reading room, this room has a collection of over 30, 000 reference books (BG, 208). We all were asked to sit down and write a HIKU poem based on our feelings on the library. “The ceilings above…Captivate and draw you in…The books of Unknown…” My second poem states “The mysterious…it surrounds the world as is…The world of the books.” While in the library I learned that the collection of books developed from two private libraries, the Astor and Lenox libraries (BG, 208). The marble, elaborate ceilings, and wide staircases really had me in awe and I hope that I will be able to study there next year for the nursing boards.

            We then made our way to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. My family and I always visit this church around Christmas time and it never gets old. This church is truly outstanding, from the outside structure to the inside décor, it's unbelieveable. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral was one of the two major churches in 1828 in New York City. The other major church was Saint Peter’s (BG, 254). When I walked into the church, I was happy that I was finally able to view a service. I am a practicing Catholic and have always wanted to experience what it would be like. I know that the church is a large tourist site, but the people who are looking at the church during the service are very distracting. I lit a candle and prayed for my family, classmates, animals, and friends. I asked god to keep up safe through our journey and thanked him for the wonderful life he has given me.

            Our next stop was 53^rd street. There were so many interesting and unique stores including Tiffany and Co., FAO Schwarz, Louis Vitton, BCBG, Gucci and many more. By this time it had started to poor! I guess I got what I asked for. I was thankful for my raincoat and umbrella that I grabbed before I left the house. My feet were soaking wet, but that was expected. We made our way into FAO Schwarz. FAO Schwarz was founded by Frederick August Otto Schwarz and his brothers in Baltimore around1862. It is known as the oldest toy store (and most expensive) in the United States. This store is every child’s dream. I was greeted with Spiderman and thought to myself “This is going to be a good time.”  There is a different toy and piece of candy for everyone who enters FAO Schwarz. There are stuffed animals, a dinosaur room, a Hello Kitty room, a dedication to Harry Potter, and an entire isle dedicated to magic show tricks. The class started to pig out on candy and Mike was nice enough to buy the entire class a little taste of what the store has to offer.  For $16 dollars a bag, the candy better be worthy!

            We then ventured to the Plaza hotel. I was kind of was embarrassed by the way I looked. It was this big ritzy place and I was soaking wet from head to toe. Mike informed us that even though it looks really expensive, the food there is reasonable. The Plaza Hotel offers 282 guest rooms, including 182 suites. It had the largest square footage of any other hotel in the city! Betsy Johnson, a clothing designer, designed a room in zebra print in one of the largest rooms the hotel has to offer. One day, when I am a successful nurse, I would like to spend a night or two at this beautiful and striking hotel.

            Our next stop was Central Park. We passed the horse and carriages. The horses were standing out in the rain, cold and wet. I don’t think being the animal lover I am, could ever take one of those carriage rides. At this point, not only was it pouring, but the winds started to pick up as well. As a class, we said hell to the rain and kept on chugging through. In 1844, a poet by the name of William Cullen Bryant wanted a public park. The architecture and population was taking over the city. He wanted a place where he could escape city life. In 1856, the city bought the park for $5 million dollars (Holy cow!).The park was intended for the relief of the working class. The Greensward Plan (1858) by Olmsted and Vaux was chosen. This plan would emphasize the importance of the picturesque landscape that was there (BG, 280-281). About 25 million people visit this park each year, which obviously takes a toll on the land. The Central Park Conservancy is a not-for-profit group that maintains the park and keeps it up to date and clean (BG, 281).We also ended up at the Belvedere Castle. Although we may have been lost at this point, it was interesting to find out the history of the castle. The Belvedere Castle  was “Originally designed in 1865 by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould. The Belvedere Castle was intended to be a Victorian Folly, a fantasy structure that provides a great backdrop and views, but without a real intended purpose.”  We passed the Central Park Zoo, which was torture because I wanted to go inside. I was able to see the sea lions that were swimming around in their tanks. We finally made it through Central Park and took a break for lunch. We all went to this inexpensive BBQ place. I had chicken fingers and fries and it just hit the spot after walking in the rain all day.

            The last Stop was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is known to be the largest art museum in the world. The building “Occupies 1.5 million square feet and its collections include more than 2 million objects (BG, 326).” We then made our way through the Modern and Contemporary art wing. Mike and Damian educated us on all the different artists and what each one of them had to offer throughout time. I took a great interest in Jackson Pollock, because he painted with feelings. His drip art became famous and I really could see his raw emotion through his art work. I learned that he did not paint with brushes, but rather with objects in order to allow different types of textures. We then made our way into the Arica, Oceania, and the Americas art. The art was very unique to the culture and captured by eye. The galleries devoted to African art offer and array of exquisitely wooden sculptures (BG, 334). After I visit the African gallery, it was time to go home.

            Even though it was pouring rain today, I tried to make best of the situation. The City is an interesting place and just because I’m wet doesn’t mean I’m not going to have a good time. Today’s story is definitely one that I will be telling my friends and fellow classmates. Even though it rained, it was still better than sitting in the class room and we all got a really good laugh out of it.

Journal #3: The Bold and Beautiful Brooklyn

Bold and Beautiful Brooklyn

            My alarm clock awoke me to a beautiful sun shining out my window. I was excited because Mike told me that as long as the sun was shining we were going to Cony Island. I wanted to experience Brooklyn and see exactly what it has to offer. I was especially excited for the roller coaster, hot dogs, and games that were waiting for me in the theme park.  Brooklyn is a place that I never really thought of visiting before this class. I’ve only associated Brooklyn as a place where my dad once worked and the home to the Brooklyn Bridge. I was ready to start my second adventure with an open mind and a good pair of walking shoes.

            We all arrived at Penn Station ready to start our journey. We jumped on the Q train for a very long, but amusing ride to the thrilling Cony Island. I was amazed to have learned that not only does the Q train run to Stillwell Avenue, but the D, F, and N train do as well (BG, 491).  Even though the train ride was long, it was a great time to get to know one another. As a class, we were warming up to the idea of spending the next couple of weeks together. As I stepped off the train, my stomach was in knots. It was the kind of feeling I get whenever I go to Hershey Park, Six Flags, or Adventure Land. Unfortunately, the Cony Island Exhibition Center was closed, but mike did a great job explaining the significance of this amazing place in Brooklyn. The Dutch settled Cony Island, naming it Konijn Eiland, after the type of rabbits that were found there (BG, 492). The Golden age of Cony Island was in the 20^th century, when three outstanding amusement parks opened their doors. The Steeplechase Park (1897), Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904), all offered a variety of entertainment for children and adults of all ages (BG, 492). We proceeded to walk down the boardwalk and admire the beach before us. The boardwalk and beaches attracted many people in the 1920’s and 30’s. By the 1940’s, the crowds started to become smaller because of “the rise of the automobile, the development of air-conditioning, and the policies of Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, who built parks and beaches that would lure people to more salutary forms of entertainment” (BG, 492). Mike then told us that we had an hour to explore on our own.

 I decided to ride the Cyclone, play some games, grab a Nathan’s Famous hot dog, and walk the boardwalk. I walked towards Luna Park and felt like a five year old child. I thought to myself “I need more than one hour!” Kids were screaming, parents were laughing, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I seriously feel that Luna Park does not get the recognition that it deserves. It may be an old amusement park, but people love their old grandparent’s right? Haha… I always heard stories that the park was run down and nothing special to visit, but this trip definitely proved everyone wrong.

There were games, rides, food, and people of all different ages. I bought my ticket for the Cyclone and was excited to ride in the very first row. As old as this roller coaster is, it still made my stomach flip, my hair flew, and I screamed with my friend beside me. The Cyclone was built in 1927 by Vernon Keenan and Harry Baker. The coaster has an eighty five foot drop and runs at sixty miles per hour, which made my heart beat a thousand times a minute! Some people still consider it to be the standard to which all other roller coasters are compared by. The Parachute Jump (not operating), Cyclone, and Wonder Wheel are all rides that are landmarked and cannot be destroyed (BG, 492). It was amazing to think that I just rode on one of those rides! Now it was time to play some games! I played whack a mole, shoot the target, and the horse races. The games were kind of expensive, but I was in Luna Park and it was worth every penny. I even won the horse race game (how ironic?). Next, it was time to get something to eat. I wanted to get a hot dog at Nathan’s Famous, a desirable hot dog stand that was founded in 1916 at 1316 surf avenue, which is now know was Stillwell Avenue (PG, 492). As I was walking, I wanted to go see the mounted horses. Luckily, I had a classmate that was willing to go with me. To my surprise, the police officer riding the horse knew my father! The officer even let me sit on his horse. Even though this was not planned on the trip, it was so cool.

 It seems like NYC is a small world, considering I met one person who knows my father out of the thousands of people who were there that day. We started to make our way to Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, but the line was just too long, and we needed to meet Mike in five minutes. Unfortunately, I had to skip on the hot dog and make my way back on the boardwalk. The boardwalk was beautiful and reminded me of Long Beach. There were people biking, roller skating, and jogging all along the pathway and many different types of vendors. As we made our way back to the meeting point, I became really depressed that we did not have more time to spend here. I understand that this trip is only going to give us a little taste of what Cony Island has to offer, but I wanted more. I will definitely be visiting Cony Island with my friends in the near future. The City of New York Parks and Recreation puts it perfectly by stating “Whether you’re a beach bum or a thrill-seeker with a day off, Cony Island is the perfect getaway.”

            Our next stop was Brooklyn Heights. We visited the Transit Museum, which was much more interesting then I planned,

because it is a real subway. The Museum was opened in 1976 for the bicentennial celebrations and ended up becoming extremely popular with the public (PG, 468). The Museum consists of two floors and has exhibits on trains, buses, bridges and tunnels. It also shows a variety of tickets booths and tickets stubs, which have evolved throughout time.

 On what was the former Court St station, there are examples of different types of cars that have traveled since 1904 (BG, 468). It was very interesting to walk into all of the old subway cars and to see how they have evolved throughout time.

I actually loved the subway car that was made in 1916. It is very comfortable and more inviting then the cars that are made today. It seems that the trains have become more modernized throughout the years with the use of different types of fabrics and materials. Train builders should take notes from people back then.

The museum also taught me about how the tunnels were made for the subways. Although dynamite was able to make pathways for where the tracks would go, it also can become very dangerous. I learned that on October 24, 1903, a disaster occurred in the Washington Heights tunnel. Ten people died after a dynamite blast loosened rock and killed the people underneath. After this disturbing event, more safety precautions were instituted in the making of the subways. There are now subway precautions and rules that are instituted for the workers and passengers of the subway. Even though the museum is based off of subways, it was nice to be able to sit in the buses and ticket booths and see what it is like to be on the other side. It was interesting to see how all the train cars have evolved throughout the years. It is another museum that I hope I can visit with my nephews, who are obsessed with Thomas the train.

            From the Transit Museum, we continued on to get lunch. My classmates and I ate at this cute pizzeria, which was really good. The price was reasonable and I always associated ridiculous prices with the city. We had just about a half an hour to eat before we were on to our next venture. After lunch, we walked and walked and walked and walked through Brooklyn Heights, learning history on each one of the buildings. I learned that Brooklyn Heights is known as the borough of churches, because there is a church on almost every corner. It was also considered New York’s first suburb and became its first designated historic district in 1965 (BG, 466).  We saw the Church of the Saviour, which really was an exquisite church. “Some of the windows are by the Tiffany Studios" (BG, 471). We also learned about the Brownstone and how unique it is to the buildings in the city. Before the 1830’s, most of the buildings were constructed with either brick or wood. Many materials were available, such as marble, but they all were too expensive. By the mid-19^th   century, the middle class wanted a more refined look.

 The brownstone was available in New Jersey and Connecticut, which made it easily accessible. This was the beginning of how the Brownstone entered the architectural era. There were many beautiful churches, but they were surrounded by buildings. I feel that they would be even more striking if we were able to see all the sides of the church. The architecture of the churches is breath taking and you can truly see how much religion meant to the people during that time. We eventually made it to DUMBO, Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Mike explained to us how DUMBO was a home for artists of all kind because there were enough studios to accompany all of them. The atmosphere of DUMBO has changed a bit because of the pricy rise in the apartments. Still, there are gorgeous art studios, delicious places to eat, and an ice cream shop that we all stopped in. As we walked on, I saw that there was a merry go round.

 For two dollars a ride, I had to go. I felt like a little kid again. The ice cream shop we stopped in, Jacques Torres Chocolate shop, offers a variety of ice cream flavors and is perfect for the traveling DUMBO tourist. I would recommend the vanilla. It’s traditional, but so good!

            Finally, we made it to the Brooklyn Bridge! This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The bridge opened on May 25, 1883. It was considered one of the wonders of the world. It is known as the largest suspicion bridge in existence.

This bridge was able to employ 4,000 people at the time. It took 14 years to make, costing a shocking $15 million dollars (BG, 464). The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge took just about 14 years to makeThe Brooklyn Bridge stretches at 5,989 feet between Brooklyn and Manhattan, making it much easier for people to travel to different parts of the city.

 The view was unbelievable. As I was crossing the bridge, I could not help but think that it was an amazing Idea to build different paths for people to drive, bicycle and walk across. I was happy to have completed the bridge because my mom used to walk it five days a week when she was in nursing school. Here i was now, on the bridge, in nursing school, trying to complete the same dream she did. I give her so much credit now, considering this was not a short bridge. At the end, mike dismissed us and explained how to get home. I was happy to get to Penn Station, where I could sit in the train car with my feet up and my head back!

            Today I learned that Brooklyn is a miraculous place. Today’s trip changed my entire outlook on what I thought Brooklyn was about. The culture and architecture had me at a loss of words. Because I went into today’s class with an open mind, I was able to learn more about Brooklyn then I ever would in a classroom. I can’t wait until next week, when we start a new journey and learn even more beyond the textbooks!

Journal #2: The Quixotic Queens

            My alarm woke me at 7:00 am this morning. I had all of my clothes picked out the night before and made sure I bought a rain coat. I looked out the window hoping for sunny skies, but to my disappointment there were only clouds. Even though the day started off cloudy I was ready for this experience. I knew this class was going to be the highlight of my summer and no cloudy day was going to rain on my parade! Maria and I arrived at the Valley Stream train station to catch a 9:18 am train to Penn Station. It was an early start, but I don’t know my way around Penn Station  and definitely did not want to be late. So, I grabbed a bite to eat and met all of my classmates. Mike and Damian met us in front of the ticket window at Penn Station. Mike informed us of what we were going to do for the day and then we were off to our adventure.

            As a class we all boarded the 7 subway train. This train was labeled as the international express because it ran through various ethnic communities (BG, 493). This was exciting for me because I rarely take the subway when I am in the city. I was always afraid I would take the wrong train or get off at the wrong stop. Thank goodness this class will help me learn the subway lines better. We then arrived at Willet’s point and were able to see Citi Field. As I got off the train, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. I kept up with the class; I didn’t get lost, and made it to the first destination. As we walked into the gorgeous Flushing Meadow Park, I realized I stuck out like a sore thumb. Mike proceeded to tell us that this part of the city was predominantly Hispanic. Flushing Meadow Park serves as a field for Latin and South American Soccer and also hosts games for Dominican Softball. As I walked through the park I admired how beautiful it really was. The park had stunning flowers and trees that lined the walkway. It was amazing to think that this park used to be salt marshes at one time. By the 1920’s loads of trash was piled on the swamp until 1939-40, when Robert Moses transformed the marshland into the grounds for the World’s Fair (BG, 497). I then made my way past the incredible Unisphere. The Unisphere was absolutely breath taking, as it stood 12 stories high, 120 ft in diameter, and 700,000 lbs of stainless steel (BG, 497). The beautiful structure represented “Man’s Achievements on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe (BG, 497).” I could have stood there all day long compiling thoughts of how hard it probably was to build this structure and how much time went into the idea. It really was magnificent. We then made our way into the Queens Museum of Art. We walked into a room where we were able to look at the Watershed Relief map. This showed the city’s water supply system. Our tour guide educated me that a watershed is when the water flows to the lowest point, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and eventually the ocean. This is how NYC gets its water supply. I was surprised to find out NYC uses 1.1 billion gallons of water a day. I was also intrigued on the fact that NYC is 1 of 4 major cities that does not have to do much to clean their water. The only element that is added to the water is chlorine. As the water flows through the Hudson valley, it becomes purified and is one of the cleanest sources of water a city can get. We then made our way to the Panorama. Robert Moses ordered that an architectural model of the city be made for the 1964 World’s Fair. The Panorama contained 895,000 buildings, before 1992 when it was updated. It contained every building constructed in each of the five boroughs (BG, 498). The Panorama was exquisite. It was like a smaller version of NYC in one room. Every body of water, structure, and building was right on point and put specifically in its own place. It was remarkable that the Panorama has stayed in such great condition since 1964.

            On our way back through the city, we walked through Jackson Heights. I was relieved to find out we were having Lunch. Mike proceeded to tell us that we were having Indian food. I was really interested in trying this new cuisine, since I have never eaten it before. I fell in love with the spiciness of the food. Every bite was a different taste. The chicken melted in your mouth and the yogurt was perfect to ease the strength of the other foods. Although I did not try the goat, I expanded my horizons and definitely would eat it again if I had the chance.

            We then made our way to Astoria. I was excited because we were visiting the Queens Museum of the Moving Image. The title of the museum baffled me, because I didn’t really know what the museum was all about. When I saw the movies on the wall, it all started to make sense. The Queens Museum of the Moving Image helps to educate and inform people on the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. I was perplexed to find that The Museum of the Moving Image was one of the biggest tourist attractions in Queens (PG,499). I guess it would make sense to have this specific museum in Queens, since Astoria was the center of the film making industry before WWII (PG,499). My favorite part of the museum was the sound room. It showed how to add different voices to different characters on the screen. I was able to be the voice of the pig in the movie Babe. I was also able to see how different faces were made for certain movies, such as the Elephant Man.       It was also interesting to see the different types of guns they used in Men and Black. If it hadn’t been for this class I would have never known that this museum was in Queens, and I probably would have never been able to experience it. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side and we were not able to visit Long Island City. I hope that we will be able to visit the 5Pointz at some point during the class. If not, I will definitely be visiting on my own to understand the art of graffiti. At this point Mike dismissed the class and my adventure of the “Quixotic Queens” was over.

            Around 8:30 pm Maria and I sat on the train back to Valley Stream. On our way back, all I could think about was the fact that I am 22 years old and have never even thought to visit any of these places. In one day I have experienced more of Queens then I ever have. I truly know now that this class will be like no other. It has already broadened my thoughts on NYC and I’m excited to see what the Brooklyn adventure will be like on Thursday.

Journal #1: My attitude, beliefs, and feelings towards New York City

            After twenty two years of being on this earth, it is still hard to believe that the greatest city in the nation is in my backyard of Long Island. Every year my mom would buy tickets to go see a Broadway musical around Christmas time. Of course she had to buy the buy one get one free tickets, in order for my family of six to see the show. It is tradition to stop and see Saint Patricks’ Cathedral, the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, and the lighting of the Christmas tree.  In one aspect, my attitude towards NYC is close minded, because this has always been my image of NYC. I think of the horns of the taxi cabs beeping, the clip clop of the horses on Fifth Avenue, and the homeless people at Penn Station. I realize this is not all that NYC has to offer. After reading the syllabus, I honestly did not know that there were so many sites and places to visit. I never associated Brooklyn and Queens to be part of what I thought was NYC. I can’t wait to dig deeper into NYC and see what it really has to offer        

            I want to appreciate the architecture and the history of the cathedrals, monuments, and structures that stand in the city. When I think of architecture, the Statue of Liberty, Freedom Tower, and the Empire State building are the structures that stand out in my mind. I hope that this class will help me to explore “the less popular” buildings and their significance to NYC.

            I know that there are many famous restaurants that the city has to offer. When I walk through city there are countless options of culturally diverse food. I personally love to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp and Serendipity because they take dining to a whole new experience.        

Walking down the streets of NYC I see people of different fashions and styles. The vibe of NYC gives people the right to dress and act in a way where they can express themselves. When I attend a Broadway show, I’m in awe of the costumes and makeup of all the characters. The actors make you feel as if you’re part of the show. While attending a concert or game at Madison Square Garden, I think of all the famous people who have performed there. I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be a performer, like Lady Gaga, who performs on a NYC stage. It’s hard to believe such a beautiful park is in the middle of a metropolitan area. Who would ever think Central Park, a place with beautiful green gardens and scenic lake, would be in the middle of this busy city!

            I am walking into this class with an open mind. I want to experience every aspect of NYC. I want to be able to take the subway and be confident that I am on the right train. NYC has so much to offer and I know this class will help me to understand every borough and become educated on what the Big Apple truly has to offer!