New York City: Top 10 ... in no particular order! ( April 20-27, 2013)
Jun 30th, 2013, 02:53 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
New York City: Top 10 ... in no particular order! ( April 20-27, 2013)
The Story ...
Last summer, DH proposed that we take a trip to celebrate my 60th birthday. It was decided that New York City in April would be the perfect place to mark this milestone birthday. Well, it's certainly better than a large cake with many candles!
New York City: Top 10 ... in no particular order!
Number 10: The Warwick New York Hotel - Avenue of the Americas at 65 West 54th Street (www.warwickhotels.com)
Attractive public areas with old-world details. Excellent customer service from the front desk, concierge, restaurant & lounge - professional, helpful, friendly.
Our room was located on the 23rd floor. It was a spacious, light-filled room with a king-sized bed and a comfortable sitting area. It had a wrap-around stone terrace with views up & down West 54th Street! We could walk out in the morning to assess the weather and again in the evening to gaze at the amazing city views. If the weather had been warmer, it would have been lovely to sit on the terrace and enjoy a drink! We could hear very little street noise from the 23rd floor. The occasional siren was just enough to remind us that we were in NYC where life goes on all around us!
We selected the Warwick's 'Bed & Breakfast' plan. Breakfast in Murals on 54th consisted of a buffet of cereals, baked goods, fruit, yoghurt, cold cuts & cheeses, hot items such as French toast, eggs, sausage & bacon. Such variety! Fresh squeezed orange juice and delicious coffee were served at the table! It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, we certainly had a good start to each morning!
The Warwick was well-situated for many of the sights we planned to see. Two subway stations were located about 3 blocks away from the hotel. Needless to say, we put our walking shoes to the test for the entire week!
Next: Number 9 - iconic buildings & landmarks ...
Last summer, DH proposed that we take a trip to celebrate my 60th birthday. It was decided that New York City in April would be the perfect place to mark this milestone birthday. Well, it's certainly better than a large cake with many candles!
New York City: Top 10 ... in no particular order!
Number 10: The Warwick New York Hotel - Avenue of the Americas at 65 West 54th Street (www.warwickhotels.com)
Attractive public areas with old-world details. Excellent customer service from the front desk, concierge, restaurant & lounge - professional, helpful, friendly.
Our room was located on the 23rd floor. It was a spacious, light-filled room with a king-sized bed and a comfortable sitting area. It had a wrap-around stone terrace with views up & down West 54th Street! We could walk out in the morning to assess the weather and again in the evening to gaze at the amazing city views. If the weather had been warmer, it would have been lovely to sit on the terrace and enjoy a drink! We could hear very little street noise from the 23rd floor. The occasional siren was just enough to remind us that we were in NYC where life goes on all around us!
We selected the Warwick's 'Bed & Breakfast' plan. Breakfast in Murals on 54th consisted of a buffet of cereals, baked goods, fruit, yoghurt, cold cuts & cheeses, hot items such as French toast, eggs, sausage & bacon. Such variety! Fresh squeezed orange juice and delicious coffee were served at the table! It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, we certainly had a good start to each morning!
The Warwick was well-situated for many of the sights we planned to see. Two subway stations were located about 3 blocks away from the hotel. Needless to say, we put our walking shoes to the test for the entire week!
Next: Number 9 - iconic buildings & landmarks ...
Jun 30th, 2013, 09:29 PM
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 9: iconic buildings & landmarks ...
There are so many buildings & landmarks that are instantly recognizable & associated exclusively with NYC. The architectural styles & varying sizes of buildings make an interesting street-scape. As first-time visitors, we were in awe as we walked the city streets, starting in midtown ...
Radio City Music Hall stands on the corner of 6th Avenue & West 50th Street. Its art deco exterior is stunning! There were line-ups to go in for guided tours as well as for the NFL draft which were being held there! At night, the lights of the iconic marquee illuminated the entire corner!
Rockefeller Center is a conglomerate of buildings situated around Rockefeller Plaza. We went into the GE Building and up to the Top of the Rock Observatory for stunning views of the city. It was a lovely day, too nice to stay indoors for long. So, after a quick stop at one the eateries on the lower floor and a hurried walk by some of the stores, we headed out to the busy plaza.
The two stone lions guarding the entrance of the New York City Library provided a photo-op for many, including me! Inside, the spaces are of grand dimensions and are occupied by hushed reading rooms connected by expansive halls. There was a special exhibit of Mary Cassatt prints called Daring Methods.
St Patrick's Cathedral is undergoing extensive restoration. Still, we could get a sense of its scale & grandeur.
Grand Central Terminal was bustling with commuters, travelers and visitors like us who were there to see the grand interior!
The Ed Sullivan Theater is the ground floor theater of a brown brick office building which holds the venerable radio & TV studio. Those of us who are of a 'certain age' will remember the Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, What's My Line?, To Tell the Truth and Password which were produced there. This is now where The Late Show with David Letterman is filmed. We seemed to pass by the Ed Sullivan Theater often on our way back to the hotel at night!
Fifth Avenue Stores: High-end shops & department stores. Beautiful window displays, artfully arranged. The exteriors of some buildings were attractive such as Elizabeth Arden and Cartier which others like Michael Kors had interesting adornments! We strolled through the main floor of Bergdorf Goodman with its exquisite interior! We also gazed at Trump Tower from across the street. (Although technically not a store, I understand there are expensive boutiques inside!)
There are so many buildings & landmarks that are instantly recognizable & associated exclusively with NYC. The architectural styles & varying sizes of buildings make an interesting street-scape. As first-time visitors, we were in awe as we walked the city streets, starting in midtown ...
Radio City Music Hall stands on the corner of 6th Avenue & West 50th Street. Its art deco exterior is stunning! There were line-ups to go in for guided tours as well as for the NFL draft which were being held there! At night, the lights of the iconic marquee illuminated the entire corner!
Rockefeller Center is a conglomerate of buildings situated around Rockefeller Plaza. We went into the GE Building and up to the Top of the Rock Observatory for stunning views of the city. It was a lovely day, too nice to stay indoors for long. So, after a quick stop at one the eateries on the lower floor and a hurried walk by some of the stores, we headed out to the busy plaza.
The two stone lions guarding the entrance of the New York City Library provided a photo-op for many, including me! Inside, the spaces are of grand dimensions and are occupied by hushed reading rooms connected by expansive halls. There was a special exhibit of Mary Cassatt prints called Daring Methods.
St Patrick's Cathedral is undergoing extensive restoration. Still, we could get a sense of its scale & grandeur.
Grand Central Terminal was bustling with commuters, travelers and visitors like us who were there to see the grand interior!
The Ed Sullivan Theater is the ground floor theater of a brown brick office building which holds the venerable radio & TV studio. Those of us who are of a 'certain age' will remember the Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show, What's My Line?, To Tell the Truth and Password which were produced there. This is now where The Late Show with David Letterman is filmed. We seemed to pass by the Ed Sullivan Theater often on our way back to the hotel at night!
Fifth Avenue Stores: High-end shops & department stores. Beautiful window displays, artfully arranged. The exteriors of some buildings were attractive such as Elizabeth Arden and Cartier which others like Michael Kors had interesting adornments! We strolled through the main floor of Bergdorf Goodman with its exquisite interior! We also gazed at Trump Tower from across the street. (Although technically not a store, I understand there are expensive boutiques inside!)
Jul 1st, 2013, 06:18 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 8: the views ...
We chose a clear, sunny morning to go to The Top Of The Rock. The line-up was a reasonable 30-minute wait. Moving people to the elevators and through security was done efficiently. From way, way up (67th-69th floors), we could see all around - Central Park, the East and Hudson Rivers and beyond. The views were amazing! The Viewfinder Map which we bought with our entry tickets was helpful for identifying buildings & places below us. It was great to see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building from this vantage point! In the small gift shop, I bought some vintage-style postcards of the Top of the Rock.
We chose a clear, sunny morning to go to The Top Of The Rock. The line-up was a reasonable 30-minute wait. Moving people to the elevators and through security was done efficiently. From way, way up (67th-69th floors), we could see all around - Central Park, the East and Hudson Rivers and beyond. The views were amazing! The Viewfinder Map which we bought with our entry tickets was helpful for identifying buildings & places below us. It was great to see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building from this vantage point! In the small gift shop, I bought some vintage-style postcards of the Top of the Rock.
Jul 1st, 2013, 11:00 AM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 7: memorials & parks ...
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial was a deeply moving experience. We paused along side & gazed into the two memorial pools. We read the names engraved on the walls of people whose lives were lost that day. It was quieting, thought-provoking & sad. The Survivor Tree was in full bloom. It seemed to embody the story of survival & resilience.
Tip: We pre-booked our Visitor Passes on-line (www.911memorial.org) for a small fee. We opted for printable e-tickets. We skirted very long line-ups for shorter line-ups.
It was a cold, gray morning and we wondered if this was really the day to be going to Battery Park. We put on multiple layers under our jackets and rode the E train to the World Trade Center stop. From there, we walked to Battery Park in the drizzly rain. We could barely see the outline of the Statue of Liberty through the low clouds that hung over the harbour. I took photos just to show that we were there. I bought postcards later! Also, no boat ride to Staten Island for us - too cold!
In contrast, it was a sunny Saturday morning when we went to Central Park! The park was filled with families and people involved in a variety of activities: strolling, jogging, picnicking, riding in horse-drawn buggies, playing baseball, going to the zoo! Magnolia trees were in bloom and multi-coloured tulips filled garden beds. It was lovely! We managed to walk through only a small section of Central Park.
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial was a deeply moving experience. We paused along side & gazed into the two memorial pools. We read the names engraved on the walls of people whose lives were lost that day. It was quieting, thought-provoking & sad. The Survivor Tree was in full bloom. It seemed to embody the story of survival & resilience.
Tip: We pre-booked our Visitor Passes on-line (www.911memorial.org) for a small fee. We opted for printable e-tickets. We skirted very long line-ups for shorter line-ups.
It was a cold, gray morning and we wondered if this was really the day to be going to Battery Park. We put on multiple layers under our jackets and rode the E train to the World Trade Center stop. From there, we walked to Battery Park in the drizzly rain. We could barely see the outline of the Statue of Liberty through the low clouds that hung over the harbour. I took photos just to show that we were there. I bought postcards later! Also, no boat ride to Staten Island for us - too cold!
In contrast, it was a sunny Saturday morning when we went to Central Park! The park was filled with families and people involved in a variety of activities: strolling, jogging, picnicking, riding in horse-drawn buggies, playing baseball, going to the zoo! Magnolia trees were in bloom and multi-coloured tulips filled garden beds. It was lovely! We managed to walk through only a small section of Central Park.
Jul 1st, 2013, 12:57 PM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 6: museums ...
Museum of Modern Art: We headed directly to the 5th floor to see the paintings & sculptures from 1880's to 1940's. It was an amazing collection which included the works of Paul Cezanne, Salvadore Dali, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Freda Kahlo & Gustav Klimpt. The paintings & sculptures on the 4th floor covered the 1940's to 1980's and featured Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollack, Andy Warhol, Edvard Munch and others. We spent some time in the lovely sculpture garden and ended our visit in MoMA's gift shop.
Guggenheim: Frank Lloyd Wright's landmark building was amazing to see. We enjoyed viewing the work of primarily French & post-impressionists in the Thannhauser's Collection (permanent). There was a special exhibit: Gutai - Splendid Playground, Japan's avant-garde collective of the post-war era. There was a huge installation suspended above the central lobby and we could view it as we made our way up the spiral walkway - interesting!
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Because of the vastness of this museum, we decided to limit our visit to the European paintings from 1230 to 1800 and the American Wing. Highlights included the Remington bronzes & Tiffany designs. We saw the impressive Robert Lehman collection of European drawings & decorative arts of the 14th-20th centuries. We spent two half-days on just that portion of the museum! There was just not enough time, days nor energy to see more ... though we managed to stop for a peek in the museum store! Expensive lunches in the American Wing Café on both days.
Museum of Modern Art: We headed directly to the 5th floor to see the paintings & sculptures from 1880's to 1940's. It was an amazing collection which included the works of Paul Cezanne, Salvadore Dali, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Freda Kahlo & Gustav Klimpt. The paintings & sculptures on the 4th floor covered the 1940's to 1980's and featured Roy Lichtenstein, Jackson Pollack, Andy Warhol, Edvard Munch and others. We spent some time in the lovely sculpture garden and ended our visit in MoMA's gift shop.
Guggenheim: Frank Lloyd Wright's landmark building was amazing to see. We enjoyed viewing the work of primarily French & post-impressionists in the Thannhauser's Collection (permanent). There was a special exhibit: Gutai - Splendid Playground, Japan's avant-garde collective of the post-war era. There was a huge installation suspended above the central lobby and we could view it as we made our way up the spiral walkway - interesting!
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Because of the vastness of this museum, we decided to limit our visit to the European paintings from 1230 to 1800 and the American Wing. Highlights included the Remington bronzes & Tiffany designs. We saw the impressive Robert Lehman collection of European drawings & decorative arts of the 14th-20th centuries. We spent two half-days on just that portion of the museum! There was just not enough time, days nor energy to see more ... though we managed to stop for a peek in the museum store! Expensive lunches in the American Wing Café on both days.
Jul 1st, 2013, 01:41 PM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 5: entertainment ...
Old Jews Telling Jokes: We booked tickets on-line two months in advance for this off-Broadway show. It was playing at the intimate Westside Theatre on West 43rd Street & 9th Avenue. It was an entertaining 85 minutes of jokes & stories (from birth to death) told by an ensemble cast of 5 talented actors. We giggled, chuckled and laughed out loud throughout the show! What fun!
Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall - Celebrating Duke Ellington: What a fantastic evening of American jazz performed by Winton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the beautiful Rose Theater! We booked these tickets on-line in February.
Kinky Boots: We decided to forego spending valuable holiday time in a long line at TKTS for same-day tickets to Kinky Boots. Instead, we bought (full-priced) tickets at the Al Hirschfeld Theater box office for that night.
Our seats were high up in the mezzanine but we had good sight lines to the stage. From the opening number, we knew that this was going to be a high energy, visually eye-popping performance! Cyndi Lauper's 'voice' resonated in the music & lyrics throughout the show. Kinky Boots was FANTASTIC!
Lesson learned: Book tickets in advance to avoid wasting time and possibly being disappointed. Yes, I would have be disappointed if we were not able to get tickets to see Kinky Boots.
Old Jews Telling Jokes: We booked tickets on-line two months in advance for this off-Broadway show. It was playing at the intimate Westside Theatre on West 43rd Street & 9th Avenue. It was an entertaining 85 minutes of jokes & stories (from birth to death) told by an ensemble cast of 5 talented actors. We giggled, chuckled and laughed out loud throughout the show! What fun!
Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall - Celebrating Duke Ellington: What a fantastic evening of American jazz performed by Winton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in the beautiful Rose Theater! We booked these tickets on-line in February.
Kinky Boots: We decided to forego spending valuable holiday time in a long line at TKTS for same-day tickets to Kinky Boots. Instead, we bought (full-priced) tickets at the Al Hirschfeld Theater box office for that night.
Our seats were high up in the mezzanine but we had good sight lines to the stage. From the opening number, we knew that this was going to be a high energy, visually eye-popping performance! Cyndi Lauper's 'voice' resonated in the music & lyrics throughout the show. Kinky Boots was FANTASTIC!
Lesson learned: Book tickets in advance to avoid wasting time and possibly being disappointed. Yes, I would have be disappointed if we were not able to get tickets to see Kinky Boots.
Jul 2nd, 2013, 07:04 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 4: shopping ...
As a consummate shopper at home, it is strange that shopping is very low on my list of must-do's while on holidays! (There are so many better things to do & see!) That said, I did have a one or two stores I wanted to check out. So did DH!
Century 21 is a large designer discount department store. I scoured 3 floors looking for a jacket and/or a blazer. It was fun to try on garments that were wildly expensive ... even on sale! Some of the designs were tres avant garde and it was challenging to figure out how to wear them! I did find a stylish BCBG Maxazria rain jacket which will be totally practical for Vancouver weather. (I would also find it useful on a gray drizzly day in NYC later in the week!)
While Chantecaille (skincare/makeup) is sold exclusively at Holt Renfrew in Canada, it is carried in three stores in NYC: Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman & Barney's. I was on a quest for a cheek blush colour not in stock in my local store. The beauty advisor at Bloomingdale's was most helpful.
We stopped at De La Concha where DH bought some cigars. This handsome shop also had a fine selection of pipes, accessories and a smoking lounge. It was an interesting shop to look through.
Shopping at The Metropolitan Museum Art Store at Rockefeller Center was a much more pleasant experience than at the museum itself. Nicely laid out store. Fewer people. I was fascinated by the costume jewelry because the designs are based on actual pieces from the museum's collections. I decided to support the Met by signing up for a membership as well as making a few purchases!
As a consummate shopper at home, it is strange that shopping is very low on my list of must-do's while on holidays! (There are so many better things to do & see!) That said, I did have a one or two stores I wanted to check out. So did DH!
Century 21 is a large designer discount department store. I scoured 3 floors looking for a jacket and/or a blazer. It was fun to try on garments that were wildly expensive ... even on sale! Some of the designs were tres avant garde and it was challenging to figure out how to wear them! I did find a stylish BCBG Maxazria rain jacket which will be totally practical for Vancouver weather. (I would also find it useful on a gray drizzly day in NYC later in the week!)
While Chantecaille (skincare/makeup) is sold exclusively at Holt Renfrew in Canada, it is carried in three stores in NYC: Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman & Barney's. I was on a quest for a cheek blush colour not in stock in my local store. The beauty advisor at Bloomingdale's was most helpful.
We stopped at De La Concha where DH bought some cigars. This handsome shop also had a fine selection of pipes, accessories and a smoking lounge. It was an interesting shop to look through.
Shopping at The Metropolitan Museum Art Store at Rockefeller Center was a much more pleasant experience than at the museum itself. Nicely laid out store. Fewer people. I was fascinated by the costume jewelry because the designs are based on actual pieces from the museum's collections. I decided to support the Met by signing up for a membership as well as making a few purchases!
Jul 2nd, 2013, 01:36 PM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 3: restaurants ...
Here are a few of the restaurants we enjoyed in our Midtown neighbourhood or nearby:
For dinner:
Marseille - 630 9th Avenue @ 44th Street - French
www.marseillenyc.com
Basso56 - 235 West 56th @ Broadway - Italian
www.basso56.com
Toloache50 - 251 West 50th Street, between 8th Avenue & Broadway - Mexican
www.toloachenyc.com
P.J. Clarke's - 915 3rd Avenue @ 55th Street - pub grub
www.pjclarkes.com
For lunch:
Jing Fong - 20 Elizabeth Street, between Baynard & Canal Streets - Chinese dim sum (served on carts)
Molly's Pub & Restaurant, Shebeen - 287 3rd Avenue, between East 22nd & 23rd Streets - pub grub
Here are a few of the restaurants we enjoyed in our Midtown neighbourhood or nearby:
For dinner:
Marseille - 630 9th Avenue @ 44th Street - French
www.marseillenyc.com
Basso56 - 235 West 56th @ Broadway - Italian
www.basso56.com
Toloache50 - 251 West 50th Street, between 8th Avenue & Broadway - Mexican
www.toloachenyc.com
P.J. Clarke's - 915 3rd Avenue @ 55th Street - pub grub
www.pjclarkes.com
For lunch:
Jing Fong - 20 Elizabeth Street, between Baynard & Canal Streets - Chinese dim sum (served on carts)
Molly's Pub & Restaurant, Shebeen - 287 3rd Avenue, between East 22nd & 23rd Streets - pub grub
Jul 2nd, 2013, 03:48 PM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 2: neighbourhoods ...
One day, we took a circuitous subway route with transfers from Midtown to Nolita! Fortunately, a kind young man directed us to the correct line and we made our way directly from there. In Nolita, we found attractive streets, interesting shops, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral and John Fluevog's shoe store on the corner of Mulberry & Prince. (Local boy does well!)
Next, we wandered over to Little Italy and Soho. If only the day was not so cold! We would have enjoyed a more extensive, leisurely look through these neighbourhoods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we navigated our way along crowded streets of Chinatown, we were bombarded by the sights, sounds and aromas of this vibrant neighbourhood. Merchants' wares spilled onto the sidewalks in front of crammed shops. Shoppers were busy buying groceries. Curious tourists checked out the selection of unusual dried goods in bins.
We went to Jin Fong, a huge second-floor Chinese restaurant on Elizabeth Street for lunch. Servers pushed carts of dim sum from table to table. Not many of our local restaurants serve dim sum on carts any more. So, this was a fun, tasty experience!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
For us, Time Square was a place we passed through rather than a destination. It was most impressive at night with the lights of the billboards & marquees illuminating the area.
One day, we took a circuitous subway route with transfers from Midtown to Nolita! Fortunately, a kind young man directed us to the correct line and we made our way directly from there. In Nolita, we found attractive streets, interesting shops, St. Patrick's Old Cathedral and John Fluevog's shoe store on the corner of Mulberry & Prince. (Local boy does well!)
Next, we wandered over to Little Italy and Soho. If only the day was not so cold! We would have enjoyed a more extensive, leisurely look through these neighbourhoods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we navigated our way along crowded streets of Chinatown, we were bombarded by the sights, sounds and aromas of this vibrant neighbourhood. Merchants' wares spilled onto the sidewalks in front of crammed shops. Shoppers were busy buying groceries. Curious tourists checked out the selection of unusual dried goods in bins.
We went to Jin Fong, a huge second-floor Chinese restaurant on Elizabeth Street for lunch. Servers pushed carts of dim sum from table to table. Not many of our local restaurants serve dim sum on carts any more. So, this was a fun, tasty experience!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~
For us, Time Square was a place we passed through rather than a destination. It was most impressive at night with the lights of the billboards & marquees illuminating the area.
Jul 3rd, 2013, 09:29 AM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 674
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like you had a great time. But, please, it's Times Square. It is named for The New York Times, whose headquarters building (before two subsequent moves westward) still stands (though heavily "camouflaged") at the southern end of this world-famous space. It was built there at about the turn of the 20th century to facilitate newspaper distribution by means of the then-new subways.
Jul 3rd, 2013, 09:56 AM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Number 1: NYC angels ...
The Story ...
It was our first day in NYC. While crossing Park Avenue at West 54th Street, I caught my foot on the curb of the median and took a tumble! It was mostly due to inattention. Fatigue after a long overnight flight probably played a factor as well. I went down so quickly that my husband was not able to 'save' me. I hit my left knee, right elbow and right cheek. My spectacles took the brunt of the impact to my face and they ended up quite wonky.
At that moment, there happened to be a fire truck stopped at the traffic light. It came around and blocked all the vehicles on 54th Street! Suddenly, there was DH on my left and a fire fighter on my right helping me up and together, they walked me over to the edge of a raised planter on which I sat. Another fire fighter asked whether I had blacked out before my fall. Another wanted to know if I required an ambulance. A fourth fire fighter returned to the truck and brought me an ice pack for my face. A kind passer-by retrieved my specs. It was determined that I was a little banged up but overall, I was okay. I was also just a bit embarrassed by all the attention! We thanked everyone for their help and concern. The fire fighters departed in Ladder Truck #2. I hobbled off with DH closely by my side.
We located the optical shop which we had passed earlier on West 55th Street. I explained my 'sad' story to the optician and she was able to adjust my eye glasses so that they were wearable. She would not accept a fee for her service. I had met another angel in NYC!
Back at the hotel, ice packs for my knee & elbow plus Advil from Duane Reade soothed the soreness. This would become an afternoon routine for the rest of the week.
My mishap may have slowed me down but it certainly did not put a damper on our trip! We had a FANTASTIC time!
The Story ...
It was our first day in NYC. While crossing Park Avenue at West 54th Street, I caught my foot on the curb of the median and took a tumble! It was mostly due to inattention. Fatigue after a long overnight flight probably played a factor as well. I went down so quickly that my husband was not able to 'save' me. I hit my left knee, right elbow and right cheek. My spectacles took the brunt of the impact to my face and they ended up quite wonky.
At that moment, there happened to be a fire truck stopped at the traffic light. It came around and blocked all the vehicles on 54th Street! Suddenly, there was DH on my left and a fire fighter on my right helping me up and together, they walked me over to the edge of a raised planter on which I sat. Another fire fighter asked whether I had blacked out before my fall. Another wanted to know if I required an ambulance. A fourth fire fighter returned to the truck and brought me an ice pack for my face. A kind passer-by retrieved my specs. It was determined that I was a little banged up but overall, I was okay. I was also just a bit embarrassed by all the attention! We thanked everyone for their help and concern. The fire fighters departed in Ladder Truck #2. I hobbled off with DH closely by my side.
We located the optical shop which we had passed earlier on West 55th Street. I explained my 'sad' story to the optician and she was able to adjust my eye glasses so that they were wearable. She would not accept a fee for her service. I had met another angel in NYC!
Back at the hotel, ice packs for my knee & elbow plus Advil from Duane Reade soothed the soreness. This would become an afternoon routine for the rest of the week.
My mishap may have slowed me down but it certainly did not put a damper on our trip! We had a FANTASTIC time!
Jul 3rd, 2013, 10:03 AM
#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good for you not letting a little fall (I'm kidding - I've taken several, and they're NO FUN) get you too down. I had a motorcycle accident in Juans les Pins and lest I ruin everyone else's fun, after recovering from the shock (seriously) and cleaning up and bandaging the wound (road rash), I let someone else drive my bike, and got on the back of someone else's and continued to Cannes for the day. I bought myself a lovely plate in Antibes as compensation for my misery! I still love the plate 9 years later.
Jul 3rd, 2013, 10:19 AM
#17
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You are right that New Yorkers are the best! They have an image of being tough, but are truly some of the kindest people in the world. A few weeks ago my Dad took a similar tumble to yours as we were walking in the parking lot to the Mets game. From the family walking near us to the staff at Citifield, people could not have been more kind or helpful. One more reason to love NY!
Jul 3rd, 2013, 08:35 PM
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
bspielman: Sorry about the typo! Of course, it's Times Square. I try to catch errors as I proofread but obviously I missed this one! Thanks for the historical tidbit about the naming of Times Square.
sf7307: It's often mishaps as these (mine & yours) that make good stories ... after the fact! ;-) Thanks for sharing yours!
Fra_Diavolo: We loved NYC - the sights, the energy, the people! We will definitely go back!
msteacher: Hope your father is fine. It is wonderful to know that there are kind folks who are ready to help ... and did!
sf7307: It's often mishaps as these (mine & yours) that make good stories ... after the fact! ;-) Thanks for sharing yours!
Fra_Diavolo: We loved NYC - the sights, the energy, the people! We will definitely go back!
msteacher: Hope your father is fine. It is wonderful to know that there are kind folks who are ready to help ... and did!
Jul 4th, 2013, 05:34 AM
#19
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry to correct - but Park ave is EAST whatever street. The dividing line is Fifth Ave - east of that is E whatever and west of that is W whatever. Very important to remember - since the street numbers start at 1 on crosstown streets on both sides of Fifth Avenue.
Jul 4th, 2013, 06:26 AM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,209
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nytraveler: Ah, I get it! Must have been the 'bump' to my head! In other words, it should read: While crossing Park Avenue at East 54th Street, I caught my foot ...
Appreciate the correction!
Appreciate the correction!
