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Wednesday, October 26, 2011
"Memory Lane"

Sunday, October 23, 2011
"Grand Finale"
As we walked through China Town, we visited interesting art galleries, and attracted the attention of the local residents. They thought we were tourists, how embarrassing!
Next Stop: 97 Orchard St.
Visiting the Tenement Museum was an awesome experience."This museum, a former tenement, was
greatly diverse in character.
http://www.tenement.org/ has great tenement information.
3rd stop: Tom & Jerry's in NOLITA.
Just as the others, Day 7 was a great adventure! Saying goodbye to my group
was sad, but tiramisu and cappuccino in Little Italy made me feel a whole lot better.
Friday, October 14, 2011
" Complex Emotions "


The Gothic style interior of Trinity Church is very beautiful. Above the altar is a vibrant stained glass window depicting Jesus, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. Gorgeous Gothic arches are seen throughout the church. The church even houses a museum.
Next stop: Zuccitti Park- OccupyWall Street.

and am not quick to believe the hearsay. I hope that the protest can maintain its focus, and not deviate from the cause. USA Today posted a good article in yesterday's paper: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-10-16/occupy-wall-street-protests-spread/50797274/1
We walked over to the the Federal Hall National Memorial, the birthplace of American government. Due to the protest, the entrance at 26 Wall Street was barricaded. We entered through Pine St. It was awesome to visit the place where our first president was inaugurated.


This building is a beautiful example of Greek Revival Style architecture. Although we were not able to see the heroic statue of George Washington on the front steps, we were able to see the gorgeous interior. The massive Corinthian columns and ornate ceiling of the rotunda were impressive. It was cool to stand before the stone on which George Washington stood. A peculiar visitor began meditating and chanting before this stone. What would George say? To learn more about the first Capitol of the United States, visit: http://www.nps.gov/feha/historyculture/inaugural-balcony.htm



I tried to ignore my hunger pangs while visiting the Irish Hunger Memorial. The authentic Famine-era cottage and the path lined with native Irish plants were very nice. The memorial contains stones from all the different counties in Ireland. I remember studying about the Great Irish Famine, and how it led many Irish to emigrate. I was not aware that there were 1 1/2 million lost to famine related death and the Diaspora. I enjoyed visiting this memorial in Battery Park City.
The New York Times wrote "for nearly 25 years, the Poets House has been an anchor for poets and poetry lovers" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/books/25poetry.html. Our entire class enjoyed a poetry experience here. My selection, Filtered Images: Women Remembering Their Grandmothers was excellent!
Our walk from downtown to Chelsea was eternal! Maybe it was because I had dressed for rain, and it turned out to be 70 degrees and sunny. Or maybe it was because I was starving, but I felt like I'd been walking for days when I sat down at Chelsea Market. I ate my pasta and stretched my legs. The sweet taste of relief, thank you Jesus! "In 1995 the former Nabisco factory reopened as the Chelsea Market, whose ground floor is filled with shops offering high-quality food, wine, kitchen wares, and flowers" (BG, p.186). Chelsea Market is pretty cool, but also pricey.
Friday, October 7, 2011
"East Side Exploration"


As a Colombian-American, I'm ashamed to admit that today was the first time I'd ever been in SpaHa. I am glad to say that I was very pleased with the experience. Our tour guide, Meghan, was excellent. She highlighted the quote written outside El Museo del Barrio that read "the museum is a school, the artist learns to communicate, and the public learns to connect."Although I had never thought of a museum as a school, it made perfect sense. Through art, an artist expresses himself, enabling the public to heighten their awareness, and grow in understanding. I loved this quote! Through Meghan we learned that El Museo was a product of 1960's cultural activism, and it's dedicated to Latino and Caribbean art. It is largely representative of the "barrio" and committed to celebrating culture. "Located at the edge of Spanish Harlem or 'El Barrio', El Museo was founded in 1969 by community activists, teachers, and artists, mainly Puerto Ricans"(BG, p.376). Walking through el barrio was interesting. There were an abundance of NYC housing complexes, and nice looking brown stones in close proximity. The people were very friendly, and invited us into their community gardens. While I didn't consider the graffiti hall of fame great, I was fascinated by the mural named "Spirit of East Harlem." Its authentic depiction of the community, stereotypes included, was awesome! El Museo's collection was pretty cool too. My favorite was a painting by Christian Curiel. It portrayed a young group hanging out on a stoop, an activity that's so typically "city." I loved it!
Next stop: food for our souls. Lunch at El Paso was fantastic and cheap! I ordered a burrito with guacamole, and it was delicious. The staff was great, the restaurant sat all of us, and everyone was satisfied with their meal. We stuffed our faces, and still had enough time for a siesta. I do intend to return soon, and try a few other dishes on their menu.

The short film, Timescapes, was nice. It took us through the history of New York, from a Dutch settlement to its modern day greatness. I enjoyed it very much.
The Conservatory Garden was very peaceful and pretty. I can just imagine how vibrant and beautiful it must be when the flowers start to blossom. I will definitely visit again in the Spring. Trekking through the park was exhaustingly fun! We started at E. 105th St and ended at W. 72nd St. Since it appeared that the majority of Central Park joggers were older than me, I dared not complain. Although I loved the lake, fountain, and great photo ops, I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon!
Saving the best for last: Strawberry Fields. It is dedicated to the memory of the musician John Lennon, and is named after a Beatles song. "Strawberry Fields Forever, one of Lennon's most popular songs, took its title from the name of a Liverpool Orphanage, though the lyrics in fact have hallucinogenic overtones. The title of another famous song 'Imagine,' is inscribed in the center of a black and white pavement mosaic"(BG, p. 292). The lyrical content of this song is reflective of Lennon's beliefs, "Imagine all the people sharing all the world...nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too...no need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man...you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY0COX0gcyw&feature=related
Sadly, Lennon's life was taken prematurely, but this anthem of peace has kept him alive in the hearts of millions. Happy Birthday John!
Friday, September 30, 2011
"West Side Charm"



The art scheme in the interior of the Rockefeller Center lobby was quite impressive. Professor Don mentioned that all of the art commissioned for Rockefeller Center was focused on the progress of man and new frontiers. My favorite of all was titled "American Progress," and painted in 1933 by Jose Maria Sert. It depicts men constructing modern America. His work is magnificent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_G5D66uP2M
"Between the early 1890's and the end of his life in 1926, Monet was preoccupied with several series of paintings of the pond in his garden at Giverny" (BG, p. 265). Professor Don explained Impressionism, and highlighted the reflection of plant life, natural light, and clouds on the surface of the water. Claude Monet's Water Lilies mural with its brilliant use of color, and soothing scene, put me in a place of great tranquility.

Founded in 1658, Nieuw Haarlem attracted Dutch farmers and wealthy merchants. "In 1837 the New York and Harlem Railroad reached out along Park Avenue from City Hall to the Harlem River, opening the area for development, but simultaneously raising a barrier between the east and west sides of Harlem and creating a strip of blight where factories, squatters' shacks, and tenements quickly sprang up (BG, p.437). While eastern Harlem became home to many immigrants, western Harlem attracted middle class German-Americans. Harlem, divided by race and class, was united by Jazz. By the 1920's Harlem had become a mecca for African American musicians, artists, writers, and poets, and the Harlem Renaissance was an expression of their culture through every art form. "The Depression devastated Harlem, revealing the poverty behind the glittering exterior" (BG, p. 438). Depression-Era Harlem saw a surge in crime and violence. Overcrowded Harlem had higher levels of poverty and illness than other areas, and at the root of this was racism. "During the civil rights era of the 1950's and 1960's, Harlem was a focus of political and social activity" (BG, p.438). The heightened racial tension and social issues shaped the civil rights movement in Harlem. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/forum/february98/harlem2.html. In the late 1990's, the northward spread of gentrification in Manhattan reached Harlem (BG). While many welcome change and see it as good for the neighborhood, some have conflicting emotions. While walking through the streets of Harlem, I did see sharp contrast in such close proximity. It's hard to imagine these two worlds peacefully coexisting.

http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/riverside_church_nyc/index.html. The church was immense, and its exterior was quite impressive. As we walked past Riverside Church, we were greeted by charming NYC Firemen. We then walked over to General Grant National Memorial. It was closed to the public, and seizing the opportunity, we took pictures with the friendly "Beefcake" firemen. This NY Experience class just gets better and better!
Last stop: Columbia University Campus
The grounds are beautiful. Constructed in Roman Classical Style, the Low Memorial Library was extraordinary. While sitting on its steps, we viewed the majestic plaza, and guessed at the tuition rates. "Columbia University, one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most respected of all North American universities, is known for its professional schools- medicine, law, business, education, journalism, and architecture- and for the School of General Studies, where adults of any age can work toward degrees" (BG, p.427). Ivy league education comes with a hefty price tag, including room and board, it's a whopping $70,124 per annum! Yikes! It makes Molloy look a whole lot better!
Friday, September 23, 2011
"Sopping Wet at the Met"




"A good booke is the precious life blood of a master spirit embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life." We stopped at St. Patrick's Cathedral after leaving the library. It is the masterpiece of Archbishop John Hughes and American architect James Renwick (1879). It is "the seat of the Roman Archdiocese of New York, a famous city landmark and a symbol of the success in New York of its immigrant Irish Catholic population" ( BG, p. 254). I have visited this beautiful cathedral on many occasions, and the feeling of peace one experiences upon entering, is unparalleled.Those who can't visit in person are able to take a virtual tour: http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/ Tiffany & Co on 57th Street was spectacular! "It was founded by Charles L. Tiffany (1812-1902)" (BG, p. 272). The display cases contained resplendent jewelry. I could have spent the whole day there. The girls and I were gleaming like children in a candy store. Our last stop was the legendary toy store, FAO Schwarz. We were greeted at the entrance by Bobby, the toy soldier. This store is designed to appeal to the kid in all of us. With its candy store, $25k barbie foosball, and its dance on piano, indulgence and diversion were the central themes. Move over Hanks, here I come! We all had a blast! |
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