Manhattan: The Big Apple not Just Concrete

New York City Consists of Bridges and Five Boroughs

There are five boroughs which make up NYC: Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Manhattan is an island with 20 bridges which allows the outer world to enter its eminent domain and leads you to the outer boroughs. Each bridge is different, most being built in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Circle Line Tours are a great way to see these bridges. From the Statue of Liberty to the home of the ‘Big O’ on Harry Met Sally, Manhattan has something for everyone’s pleasure. Manhattan consists of several different neighborhoods, each having its own unique flavor, yet blending together to create one of the most incredible cities America has to offer.

 

Liberty Enlightening the World was brainstormed and designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and completed on October 28, 1886 has overlooked the horrors of September 11, 2001, saw and inspired the entrance of many immigrants to Ellis Island is now witness to the new World Trade Center Buildings and the memorial pools. Prince performed a free concert in Bryant Park, Manhattan to a standing room only audience.

Pickwick Arms, a hotel in the heart of Manhattan, is reasonably priced with pod rooms for two and a sleek European décor. From the rooftop one can see spectacular glass and chrome buildings, coexisting alongside homes with charming rooftop gardens and patios, trees, grass, and quiet landscaped sanctuaries. Nature is important in this city of 7.5 million people.

“What most people don’t realize is that growing up here you spend most of your time outside enjoying walking, biking, and the splendor of the parks,” said Manhattan photographer, Liz Glasgow.

 

Concerts and Filming Aboun

Speaking of outside and parks, any day of the week you can attend at least one free concert. For instance, Prince played in Bryant Park one week day morning and completely filled the huge park. Many got up early to see him before going to their day jobs. Look at the top ten list of music and chances are at least two or three of them are giving a live performance at one of the parks.

Filming around the city is also big. One day while we photographed our way through Central Park, there were three major movies being filmed: Spider Man 3, The Brave One with Jodie Foster, and The Nanny Diaries with Scarlett Johannsson (a fairly usual day at the park). Plus, several commercial photo shoots were being conducted for major department stores.

Movies currently filming in Manhattan in September 2011 are: The 22, SVU, The Avengers, Group Hug, 2-2, Unforgettable, A Gifted Man, Pan Am, and the TV show Blueboods. Filming locations are West 26 and 27 Avenues, Grand Central Station, Central Park, Park Avenue between 33rd and 42nd Streets, Lenox Avenue and 120th and 121st Streets.

Tavern on the Green

Walking amongst the 843 acres at Central Park can make you thirsty. The perfect place to sit back, relax, and quench your thirst used to be Tavern on the Green, but sadly, it served its last drinks and meal on December 31, 2009.

Built in 1870, this Victorian Gothic study in architecture was the home for sheep and their shepherd. In 1934 the mayor decided it should become an eatery. The last restaurant to operate had gleaming crystal chandeliers which led you outside to the Garden Bar, where people enjoyed specialty drinks, an exquisite menu to suit your palate, and people to watch. You never knew who would be sitting next to you.

Currently it is a gift shop run by the city. Donald Trump has made an offer to invest $20 million into rebuilding the Crystal Room, but Mayor Bloomberg stated he has not yet made up his mind. He is also considering an offer from a burger place. Seriously…with the money issues New York is facing and the mayor is still thinking about what to do, seems a bit ridiculous. If Trump is able to re-open Tavern on the Green, it is definitely a must-do while visiting

Let’s hope the city decides to let the grandeur come back. Tavern on the Green was the second-highest grossing restaurant in the United States. It is also one of Manhattan’s icons.

Culture

Culture is part of what makes Manhattan sophisticated. In Manhattan alone there are over 110 theaters. Only the best shows survive here. Manhattan boasts a minimum of 87 museums, including the Metropolitan’s Cloisters Museum, the Guggenheim, Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Arts, as well as the Studio Museum in Harlem. Other notables are The Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Hall/Rose Museum, The Children’s Museum of the Arts, Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Central Park Zoo/Wildlife Gallery, to name a few.

The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum js commemorating the tenth Anniversary of 9-11 with a modest and poignant sunset ceremony at 6:30 p.m. near the Intrepid 9-11 Memorial at the end of Pier 86. The ceremony is free and open to anyone that would like to attend.

 

The Intrepid also has some other interesting shows, such as, Intrepid Hometown Heroes Contest, Yankees Radio Network Fan Fest, and The Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall. The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum describe The Dignity Vietnam Memorial Wall as a traveling, three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., standing 240-feet-long and eight-feet-high. It is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died or are missing in Vietnam. This visiting wall will be on display from November 7-21, 2011.

 

New York City sunset.

Sightseeing

You can also take a sunset cruise for a romantic evening, charter a large sailboat, the Schooner Adirondack, charter a yacht for six to 100 people, or take the Staten Island Ferry. There are so many ways to see the island from the water, including water taxis. You can even get to a Mets game, or Giants game with a water taxi and miss all of the traffic.

On the Circle Line Sightseeing Tour, you will get to observe the many different aspects of Manhattan with a narrated, three hour ride. Your guide will point out Nicole Kidman’s and Cher’s apartments, as well as homes of the old greats like Frank Sinatra, Greta Garbo and Katherine Hepburn. It is on this tour that you may be surprised by all the water activities available. Sailboats are plentiful. Kayakers and boaters enjoy the waterway, too. Plus, sunbathers abound in the parks and benches that flank the waterside.

SoHo (south of Houston Street) is home to many artists, as well as a Mecca for the latest fashion trends in clothing and home furnishings. SoHo borders Little Italy, a happy little district with some of the best Italian restaurants in the city. La Mela on historic Mulberry Street in Little Italy is a fun place to enjoy a meal. The delicious food is served family style or à-la-carte. Live entertainment, such as wandering musicians and a comedian make this a pleasurable experience.

Ground Zero

It is a surreal experience. Remnants of smoke stains and broken glass still remain with some buildings still being repaired. This is hallowed ground. But, more importantly, since the days of 9/11, the words rude and New Yorker no longer exist in the same sentence.

A local diver said it best, “After 9/11 New Yorkers pulled together. We became thoughtful of one another. To this day, for the most part, we have stayed a hospitable city. It forever changed us.”

And, it is true, New Yorkers’ seem less neurotic, road rage has declined drastically–the honking of horns is rarely heard, and many now stop to smell the roses. The pain caused by 9/11 was made bearable by the reaching out of hands, prayers, donations of time and money from people across the globe. The people who live in Manhattan understand, their tragedy was also our tragedy and that they do not mourn alone. Nor, do they have to build alone. People from around the United States assisted in details with the September 11 Memorial and competed to be chosen for the design of the new World Trade Towers.

Let’s Get to It

Manhattan is an incredible city. One where we mere mortals can play and immerse ourselves in a culture that somehow makes you feel like a better person for visiting. Hope you enjoy the Top Twenty Short List of Things to Do in Manhattan and the slide show below of Manhattan. Under the slide show is the weather in Manhattan and a map where you can put in the address to find locations of places of interest. Enjoy.