“There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.”—Simone de Beauvoir
Day 1
Off we went to celebrate Anika's 16th birthday, and what better place than in Manhattan, NYC! Read on to learn more about visiting Manhattan, NYC in the summertime.
Everything I know about Manhattan, NYC, is usually derived from T.V. or movies. After seeing something I like, I want to see it in person to absorb it with all of my senses. With so many scenes created using parts of Manhattan as a set, I often experience deja-vu while walking about. The description and photos of the historic Chelsea neighborhood, located midtown on the west side, strongly appealed to me. It reminded me of 'You've Got Mail', even though most of the movie wasn't filmed in this area. I love the row of townhouses with stairs leading up to the front door, and trees lining the homey, residential streets. Our hotel, INNSiDE by Melia New York Nomad was the perfect modern pairing with the historical Chelsea neighborhood.
When I planned this trip I kept in mind the sights that each traveling partner expressed to see. My choice was Washington Square Park, in the heart of Greenwich Village, a place I had yet to visit on previous trips and the time slot allocated was our first evening. I wanted to see old men playing chess and people dancing, listen to the laughter of children running through the spray fountains and casually run into a celebrity. We didn't get lost exactly - it was more like bad information. When the front desk clerk gave us directions to take the subway to Washington Square Park, I knew it didn't sound right, but as I get lost easily, I just followed his advice. Thus, our quaint experience at the park was cut short and we were left in the dark, as the sun had set by the time we arrived, not to mention the hunger pangs we were all experiencing.
Washington Square Park is a large park filled with greenspace, a fountain for all to enjoy, chess/game tables, a toddler park and a big kid park, play hills, dog runs, a stage, and the Washington Square Arch. There is a public bathroom located at 49-57 Washington Square S. If you are on the Hop On Hop Off bus you will see the Washington Square Arch from the bus. To visit this area you need to get off at stop #7, and walk back to see it. It's not very convenient - it's a better idea to take the subway.
Day 2
The best way to begin a day is with coffee! Cafe Grumpy - Chelsea, was the perfect place to do just that. Located near our hotel, at 224 West 20th St., on a quiet (for Manhattan) street, Cafe Grumpy is idyllic. Not knowing there was a garden out back, we sat, instead, on the benches out front, enjoying the slow moving process from 'grumpy girl' to 'get up and go girl'. At least, that description applies to me, as it does every morning.
Maryleah's pick was to see the Statue of Liberty so we took the subway to Battery Park, located at the most southern point of Manhattan. The only way to see the Statue of Liberty National Monument or visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum is by ferry, so you have to buy tickets. After researching and discovering that one can board the Staten Island ferry for free in order to see the Statue of Liberty, we were going to choose that option in order to save money, but when we observed the packed ferry and how far away it sailed from the monument, we opted out. Instead, we purchased tickets at the Statue City Cruises official ticket office located inside Castle Clinton in Battery Park. (Scroll to the bottom of this blog to see the funniest blooper photo of Tas that had us in stiches!)
Be careful of where you purchase ferry tickets. Buy online from the official website - Statue City Cruises OR go to Castle Clinton located in Battery Park, to buy in person. Buying in person is not recommended as it is 'first come first serve', but if you have to buy in person, arrive early! Read below for a warning taken from the official website:
Official ticket selling agent - Statue City Cruises:
"Warning: Beware Third Party Ticket Vendors There are many aggressive, unauthorized ticket sellers who will try to sell tickets to the Statue of Liberty near Battery Park in NYC. These individuals will often try to scam people through misrepresentation and over-charging. We highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance. The only on-site location to purchase authorized tickets is the Statue City Cruises official ticket office inside Castle Clinton in Battery Park. Plan ahead if possible, and avoid these scammers selling overpriced and/or fake tickets. Advanced tickets can be purchases online at the above link or By Phone: 1-877-LADY-TIX (877-523-9849) or 201-604-2800."
As we had planned to take the free ferry, we had to walk over, instead, to the Statue City Cruises ticket office inside Castle Clinton in Battery Park. Our wait time was not bad, as we had arrived early. You could see the crowds encroaching like a colony of ants. There's not much you can do to avoid crowds as the Statue of Liberty monument is as popular as the Eiffel Tower.
There are a lot of interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty monument:
The monument was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site
Although made out of copper, the statue is the color green because of the process of oxidation
Lady liberty (the statue) is actually a Roman liberty goddess.
In her right hand she proudly holds a torch, a symbol of enlightenment.
The official name of the statue is 'Liberty Enlightening the World'.
In her left hand she holds a tablet of law, which is dated July 4, 1776, the date of American Independence.
The current torch is copper, but the flame is covered in 24K gold.
Chains, which lay near her feet, represent the abolition of slavery and can only be seen from an aerial view.
The seven spikes on the statue's crown represents the seven seas and the seven continents.
Lady Liberty faces southeast, welcoming people as they enter the harbor.
You can climb 354 steps up to the crown, but the torch has been closed to the public ever since the Black Tom explosion on July 30, 1916. Tickets to climb to the crown are available at www.statuecruises.com. I have yet to do this.
From Battery Park we ventured north to see the One World Trade Center up close. You can purchase One World Observatory tickets here: https://www.oneworldobservatory.com/en-US/ . We did not purchase tickets, choosing instead to explore on the ground.
The photo above is part of the 9/11 Memorial - a moving memorial built to honor and remember the lives lost due to the attack on September 11, 2001 when two planes flew into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, another plane hitting the Pentagon and a final plane crashing into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It also honors the six people who perished during the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Strikingly, the twin memorials are in the original location of the twin towers. All of the names of the people who perished are inscribed on the perimeter of each pool and I found it an emotional experience to see this tribute.
Below the twin memorial pools lies the museum, where you will find the history of both the 9/ll attacks and the 1993 World Trade Center through an inspiring permanent collection, which includes a FDNY recovered firetruck, the story of the attacks, their aftermath, and the people who experienced these events, as well as touring exhibitions.
Continuing our journey north, we strolled along the streets, shopping steadily, which was Tas's choice of events, until we reached Little Italy. Dining at La Mela is like going home for dinner. You know you're getting old when you return from using the bathroom and the cute waiter is hitting on your daughters, racing off as soon as he sees you.
Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge is a free event, which a lot of people know about as the bridge was packed! Still, it was a great spot for photos.
Day 3
Anika's choice of events was Central Park. In order to see the most of the park, we rented bikes from Central Park Bicycle Shop located on 208 W 89th Street. Riding around the perimeter of the park was recommended so we energetically embarked on this adventure. What we didn't expect, though, was the 6.1 mile distance of the full loop. After tackling the big hill in the northern section I was ready to give up. Eventually, I got off my bike and walked. Maryleah, Anika and Tas were no longer in sight. But once I finally caught up I could see Tas in the distance collapse off her bike and stomp away from it - like mother, like daughter!
Central Park is 843 acres comprising of green space, bodies of water, a zoo, statues, T.V and movie filming locations, events, restaurants, playgrounds, historical landmarks, a performing arts theatre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, baseball fields, basketball courts, pools, butterfly gardens and much more. One can easily spend days here.
On our last evening we behaved like tourists in Times Square.
Day 4
The Chelsea neighbourhood has so many more things to see and do, like the Chelsea Market, the Highline park, many art galleries, shops and places to eat, as well as, the Chelsea Studio. The Rachel Ray show is filmed here with a live audience. Getting tickets, though, is not simple, but I tried. You fill in a form on their webpage and then are emailed with tickets and a date. As the date can not be changed and you can not make a request, our chances were slim. I didn't even hear from them until months after I submitted a form.
Tips on visiting Manhattan, NYC in the summertime:
1. If you are coming to NYC more than once, stay in a different area each time so it's easier and more convenient to enjoy that area.
2. If you are only visiting NYC once, stay in a central location in Manhattan - yes, there are affordable places to stay and the subway is easy to navigate.
3. Don't be afraid to drive to NYC - even though it's congested, a lot of hotels offer parking or there are numerous underground lots. Park and leave it there for your duration. It's simple to navigate the subway - and this advice is coming from someone who always gets lost!
4. Check out the website www.tvtaping.com for information on how to be part of a live audience for a TV show.
5. Where possible, book in advance for everything.
Helpful Websites:
NYC subway maps: https://new.mta.info/maps
New York City tourism website: https://www.nycgo.com/
NY National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/fees.htm
NY National Park Service information on visiting the Statue of Liberty: https://www.nps.gov/stli/planyourvisit/get-the-facts.htm
Official ticket vendor for Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island- Statue Citycruises: https://www.cityexperiences.com/new-york/city-cruises/statue/
Location of Statue Citycruises office in Castle Clinton, in Battery Park: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Castle+Clinton+National+Monument/@40.7034401,-74.018991,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c25a104bf906a1:0x51da08909d2f87b5!8m2!3d40.7034401!4d-74.0168023
9/11 Memorial and Museum: https://www.911memorial.org/visit/memorial
Central Park Conservancy: https://www.centralparknyc.org/
Central Park Bicycle Shop: https://www.centralparkbicycleshop.com/
Central Park bike map: https://assets.centralparknyc.org/pdfs/maps/Central_Park_Bike_Map.pdf
Citi Bike (NYC's bike share system): https://www.citibikenyc.com/about
Free Tours by Foot: https://freetoursbyfoot.com/central-park-movie-and-tv-tour/
Live Audience tickets and information: https://www.tvtaping.com/
Comments