Journals 1
Impressions of New York
I have lived in Nassau County for my whole life, just a short distance from New York City, and I can honestly say that I do not know New York City as well as I would like to. I have family in Italy and when they came to visit the first place they wanted to see was New York City. I brought them to see typical spots that most tourist would go see but unfortunately I did not have enough knowledge to show them much more. I did not have the knowledge of how to navigate through the city by using the subways. I am also not very good with directions and the streets of New York City are a little confusing to navigate through. Ever since then I have been interested in expanding my knowledge of the city and what it has to offer.
I have traveled to New York City many times in the past. Each of those times it was usually to see a Broadway show or to see the Christmas tree around Christmas time. I am comfortable getting to the places I have already been to but I feel unsure about other places that I haven't traveled to. I believe this city has a lot to offer and I have not experienced enough of it. I have never been a fan of going to the city but I have been a fan of how beautiful it is. I think the things that turn me off the most about the city is the amount of people, the hassle to get there, and the fact that I am not great with directions and I will probably get lost. I have been given the impression that it is hard to navigate through the city, so I am taking this class to prove to myself that it is not difficult and that I am able to find my way through the city with ease while experiencing new and exciting things.
I love that the city offers many different things for all types of people. All cultures are a part of this fabulous city and it is amazing to see how the cultures blend together. When I think of the city I think of the beautiful scenery, buildings, and art. I have been to the MOMA with an art class and it was fascinating to see all of the beautiful art work. I have seen the typical tourist spots of the city and I am ready to branch out and see different parts of the city. I think I looking forward to seeing the Brooklyn bridge the most. I have seen pictures of the bridge many times and I have always wanted to see it. I hope to gain new experiences from this course while truly learning new things about New York City that I never knew and enjoying myself in the process.
I have lived in Nassau County for my whole life, just a short distance from New York City, and I can honestly say that I do not know New York City as well as I would like to. I have family in Italy and when they came to visit the first place they wanted to see was New York City. I brought them to see typical spots that most tourist would go see but unfortunately I did not have enough knowledge to show them much more. I did not have the knowledge of how to navigate through the city by using the subways. I am also not very good with directions and the streets of New York City are a little confusing to navigate through. Ever since then I have been interested in expanding my knowledge of the city and what it has to offer.
I have traveled to New York City many times in the past. Each of those times it was usually to see a Broadway show or to see the Christmas tree around Christmas time. I am comfortable getting to the places I have already been to but I feel unsure about other places that I haven't traveled to. I believe this city has a lot to offer and I have not experienced enough of it. I have never been a fan of going to the city but I have been a fan of how beautiful it is. I think the things that turn me off the most about the city is the amount of people, the hassle to get there, and the fact that I am not great with directions and I will probably get lost. I have been given the impression that it is hard to navigate through the city, so I am taking this class to prove to myself that it is not difficult and that I am able to find my way through the city with ease while experiencing new and exciting things.
I love that the city offers many different things for all types of people. All cultures are a part of this fabulous city and it is amazing to see how the cultures blend together. When I think of the city I think of the beautiful scenery, buildings, and art. I have been to the MOMA with an art class and it was fascinating to see all of the beautiful art work. I have seen the typical tourist spots of the city and I am ready to branch out and see different parts of the city. I think I looking forward to seeing the Brooklyn bridge the most. I have seen pictures of the bridge many times and I have always wanted to see it. I hope to gain new experiences from this course while truly learning new things about New York City that I never knew and enjoying myself in the process.
Journal 1: Queens
Today we started off by exploring the architecture of Midtown East. The first stop to visit was Grand Central Terminal. It was amazing to see how different and beautiful this train station is compared to Penn Station. It was interesting to find out that Penn Station used to be just a beautiful as Grand Central Terminal. The original Pennsylvania Station was built in 1910 by McKim, Mead, and White. (ENY, pg 30) It was a major controversy when the city decided to tear town the original Penn Station. Many fought to save the beautiful station but ultimately in the end demolition proceeded and the underground Penn Station that we have today was created. (ENY, pg 30) By looking at the picture of the original station I believe it was a terrible idea to tear it down to build a station that is underground. The original station brought beauty to the city and was more attractive to look at than what is displayed there today. Grand Central Terminal is a beautiful sight to see and it is a memorable train station. Penn Station is not memorable and it feels dirty and unorganized.
The next stop was to the Chrysler building. I have always seen this building but I never went inside to actually experience it. Not only is this building beautiful from the outside but it was also beautiful on the inside. An important thing that I learned about this building that I never knew was that the top of the building was actually designed to look like a Chrysler car. It was also interesting to learn that some buildings, such as this one, were built set back. This was done because then the streets of New York City would not have any sunlight. So the architects that designed this building, and many like it, built the building on different levels as it continued to higher. As we continued on our day we made a stop at the Daily News Building. The one thing that stood out to me from this building is the large globe in the middle of the lobby. Around the perimeter of the globe there were specific parts of the United States and the measurements of how far each destination is from New York City. It was fun to see how far away different places are from New York City.
We then went to see a European architectural style building, the Seagram Building. This building is different from the others because it is just a plain flat building that has no designs or excitement to it. The outside was just a plain black flat surface and it had two beautiful waterfalls surrounding the building. This building was not exciting to see but I do not think it takes away from the city. I think this building looks clean and organized. The Waldorf Astoria was the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen. The designs on the floor of the lobby and the ceiling of the lobby are one of a kind and are fascinating to see. I have added my favorite picture from the Waldorf Astoria, it is the clock that was placed in the middle of the lobby. It was gorgeously detailed and it had significant leaders of our nation on it as well. Of all the beautiful aspects that the Waldorf Astoria has to offer, I believe this was the most intriguing and amazing to see.
Today we started off by exploring the architecture of Midtown East. The first stop to visit was Grand Central Terminal. It was amazing to see how different and beautiful this train station is compared to Penn Station. It was interesting to find out that Penn Station used to be just a beautiful as Grand Central Terminal. The original Pennsylvania Station was built in 1910 by McKim, Mead, and White. (ENY, pg 30) It was a major controversy when the city decided to tear town the original Penn Station. Many fought to save the beautiful station but ultimately in the end demolition proceeded and the underground Penn Station that we have today was created. (ENY, pg 30) By looking at the picture of the original station I believe it was a terrible idea to tear it down to build a station that is underground. The original station brought beauty to the city and was more attractive to look at than what is displayed there today. Grand Central Terminal is a beautiful sight to see and it is a memorable train station. Penn Station is not memorable and it feels dirty and unorganized.
The next stop was to the Chrysler building. I have always seen this building but I never went inside to actually experience it. Not only is this building beautiful from the outside but it was also beautiful on the inside. An important thing that I learned about this building that I never knew was that the top of the building was actually designed to look like a Chrysler car. It was also interesting to learn that some buildings, such as this one, were built set back. This was done because then the streets of New York City would not have any sunlight. So the architects that designed this building, and many like it, built the building on different levels as it continued to higher. As we continued on our day we made a stop at the Daily News Building. The one thing that stood out to me from this building is the large globe in the middle of the lobby. Around the perimeter of the globe there were specific parts of the United States and the measurements of how far each destination is from New York City. It was fun to see how far away different places are from New York City.
We then went to see a European architectural style building, the Seagram Building. This building is different from the others because it is just a plain flat building that has no designs or excitement to it. The outside was just a plain black flat surface and it had two beautiful waterfalls surrounding the building. This building was not exciting to see but I do not think it takes away from the city. I think this building looks clean and organized. The Waldorf Astoria was the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen. The designs on the floor of the lobby and the ceiling of the lobby are one of a kind and are fascinating to see. I have added my favorite picture from the Waldorf Astoria, it is the clock that was placed in the middle of the lobby. It was gorgeously detailed and it had significant leaders of our nation on it as well. Of all the beautiful aspects that the Waldorf Astoria has to offer, I believe this was the most intriguing and amazing to see.
Next we went to explore Roosevelt Island. We arrived at Roosevelt Island by traveling by Tramway. It was so much fun to see the city from up above! Not only was the ride over to Roosevelt Island beautiful but the island itself was gorgeous as well. My favorite part of this island was the pathway leading up to the end of the island. The view was phenomenal and it was a relaxing to walk and to look at the beautiful views at the same time.
The museum of the Moving Image in Queens was very interesting. I was able to see different types of movie costumes, masks, and props. This museum celebrates the history and art of movie-making and this museum is the spot in Queens that attracts the most tourists. (ENY, pg 147) I can see why this would be so popular because you are able to see behind the scenes things, see how the movie came into action, and how the movies or even television shows were created. Personally, my favorite thing to see in this museum was the costume and mask from the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. That was always a favorite movie of mine when I was growing up, so to see the actual costume and mask in person was really cool and very funny.
Our final destination for the day was Long Island City. It was so amazing to see the transformation that Long Island City is going through. It was interesting to be on one side of Long Island City and have it be less modern or organized and then move a couple blocks down and see new homes, buildings, and parks. Although we were in the same place, as I continued to walk further through Long Island City I felt as though I kept changing locations because the scenery was so different. The view was gorgeous and so peaceful. Long Island City, overall, was beautiful and it was a great spot to end our first day.
Journal 2: Brooklyn
Our second adventure was in Brooklyn! The first of our stops for the day was at Coney Island. Coney Island has the distinction of being one of the United States' earliest and most prominent seaside resort communities. (ENY, 115) Its original name was Conyne Eylandt. This means Rabbit Island. (ENY, 116) What I learned about this island is that at one point it was in fact an island but over time it became a peninsula. This was a fact about Coney Island that I did not know. In the past Coney Island was not thought of as the most beautiful place or the best place to hangout at or vacation at. This happened because after the war the fortunes of Coney Island declined dramatically and more people were more interested in going to more appealing beaches. These beaches include beaches on Long Island such as Jones Beach. (ENY, 116) As time went on and as renovations occurred, Coney Island has become more desirable to the public. We were given one hour to roam around and enjoy ourselves. I really enjoyed the boardwalk. It was full of fun games, rides, and it had a great view of the beach! I had an original Nathan's hotdog for the first time, and it was delicious! Unfortunately, we had very cloudy weather in the beginning of the day so the sights were not as beautiful as the could have been. Although we did not have a perfectly sunny day, it was still a beautiful sight to see.
Our second adventure was in Brooklyn! The first of our stops for the day was at Coney Island. Coney Island has the distinction of being one of the United States' earliest and most prominent seaside resort communities. (ENY, 115) Its original name was Conyne Eylandt. This means Rabbit Island. (ENY, 116) What I learned about this island is that at one point it was in fact an island but over time it became a peninsula. This was a fact about Coney Island that I did not know. In the past Coney Island was not thought of as the most beautiful place or the best place to hangout at or vacation at. This happened because after the war the fortunes of Coney Island declined dramatically and more people were more interested in going to more appealing beaches. These beaches include beaches on Long Island such as Jones Beach. (ENY, 116) As time went on and as renovations occurred, Coney Island has become more desirable to the public. We were given one hour to roam around and enjoy ourselves. I really enjoyed the boardwalk. It was full of fun games, rides, and it had a great view of the beach! I had an original Nathan's hotdog for the first time, and it was delicious! Unfortunately, we had very cloudy weather in the beginning of the day so the sights were not as beautiful as the could have been. Although we did not have a perfectly sunny day, it was still a beautiful sight to see.
Another activity for the day that stood out to me was the Transit Museum. This museum is located in a subway station that is no longer used. It is dedicated to the history of mass transportation in New York. (ENY, 125) This museum opened in 1976 and was a great attraction that New Yorkers not only enjoyed, but appreciated. (ENY, 125) The museum is historical and interactive. I was so amazed to see the pictures that this museum provided of all of the workers involved in the making of the subway system. Each picture told a different story and when hearing about them you can picture what it would have been like for the workers who were constructing these systems. They took so much time and effort to create the subway system and it is still standing and fully functioning today. That is the one part that truly amazes me. You are able to sit inside many various types of trains that have come into existence throughout the years. As you walk along the path of all of the subway cars you are able to, in a way, go back in time and experience what life would have been like to travel on the subway in each of those time periods. My favorite cars were the older ones that were dated back to the 1900's or 1920's. It was amazing to see how the style has changed so much and how different subway travel was back then . It was so interesting to see all of the different trains throughout the years.
Our final destinations for the day were the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, DUMBO, and the Brooklyn Bridge. All of these sights have personally been something that I have been eager to see for the longest time. I have a friend who walked along the Brooklyn Bridge not too long ago and said that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Ever since then I have been wanting to see the bridge. As I was walking onto the promenade for Brooklyn Heights I already could tell that this would be an absolute beautiful thing. Construction was being done below the promenade but it was still gorgeous. It has a perfect view of the bridge and you can actually see the Statue of Liberty (very small of course)! According to ENY, pg 128, in 1953 Robert Moses built the BQE and destroyed the neighborhood. Outraged New Yorkers started a preservation movement that is still in effect today. From the promenade we made our way down to DUMBO, which mean Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. The view here, just like the view from the promenade, was spectacular. We were able to see Jane's Carousel. This a carousel that is enclosed in a very expensive glass box that overlooks the Manhattan Bridge. We had a perfect view of the Manhattan Bridge and I even got a great picture on the rocks in front of the bridge (thanks Mike!) When I was sitting there watching the view I felt very relaxed and I enjoyed this location very much. Our final destination was the Brooklyn Bridge, something that I have been eager to see for a long time! The sun finally came out on this cloudy day just as we began to walk across the bridge. This made for great pictures! I agree with my friend that this was definitely a beautiful sight to see. It was so nice to walk alongside this view and to just enjoy my surroundings. It was a great opportunity to get a great view of the buildings of the city and it was a fun and relaxing way to end our day.
Journal 3: The Village
Our day started off in Chelsea today. Chelsea was named by Thomas Clark who named the land he purchased after the town in London where he is from. (ENY,pg93) As SoHo began to become a popular and fashionable place the art galleries that were once located there could no longer afford the rents that needed to be paid so they moved to Chelsea as a result. (ENY, pg 93) Since the galleries were moving into Chelsea, it began to become a prestigious center of the New York art world. (ENY, pg 94) From this came the High Line. The High Line is an elevated garden that is now a popular tourist attraction. The High Line also led to the creation of upscale buildings and hotels that surround the elevated freight line. (ENY, pg 94) This is a part of the city that has a lot of renovations but also is home to a lot of important up and coming art galleries. One building that we saw on the High Line that stood out to me was called the IAC building. Frank Gehry, who was the architect, wanted to give the illusion as if you were on a ship when you were looking at the building. To me it looked like a large block of ice which cloudy or foggy windows. We also passed the Standard High Line Hotel. Although it as very new building that was just constructed, the architectural style that the architect was going for was a style that was more popular in the 1960's. This style is the European style. He did this because he wanted the building to fit in with its surroundings. After the High Line we explored some art galleries. Some galleries I preferred more than others. I think my favorite piece of art work from all others was the three ponytail one. It made me smile and laugh. I did not understand it very well but I really enjoyed seeing the ponytails move.
After Chelsea we arrived in Greenwich Village. In the 19th century the village was considered the suburbs of Ne w York City. (ENY, pg 99) "Was a resort of those who could afford it, an exclusive and beautiful country region where anyone with a full purse could go to court health and rest among the trees and fields and river breezes." (ENY, pg 99) The Village's population grew larger when more people began to move farther away from the city when there was an outbreak of cholera and yellow fever. (ENY, pg 99) Just wondering around the Village was fun and cool. We had lunch in the Village and I loved seeing all of the places to shop and to explore. Washington Square Park was another beautiful stop in our day. I finally go to see Stanford White's Washington Arch. I have never seen this in person before, only in pictures. I was so pretty to see the detail up close and it felt like I was somewhere foreign when I was looking at that.
My absolute favorite part of this class so far was the Merchant's House. I loved learning about the family and what they did for everyday activities in the house. I was so fascinated to realize that this family actually lived in this home and used all of the furniture and children grew up here. To see the actual furniture, beds, and clothes that the family really used in their real lives was so interesting. As the tour guide was telling us about each room and telling us some stories about the family I was so curious to learn more. From the outside the house does not look that large, but when you go in it is so much larger than it seems! The part I found the most interesting was that the women and men in that time period were not allowed to enter the parlor area not dressed properly or perfectly. In that area it was considered bad manners to adjust any clothing or fix your hair. They would have to go upstairs to the bedrooms to adjust themselves and make sure they were perfectly presentable. Once the men were done dressing themselves they would wait at the steps for the women and then the women would then be escorted downstairs by the men into the parlor. That to me was so fascinating. It seems like so much work to be so perfect for one room. I know I do not make sure to look any different for different rooms in my home. It was so interesting to learn about the way that this family lived. The tour guide also mentioned that the family had servants. These servants were usually Irish immigrants around the ages of 16-40. The servants would stay on the fifth, and last, floor of the house. They would be up way before the family was up and go to bed way after the family went to bed. These women would get paid about $1 a week for their services. They would usually save that money because they did not need to spend it on expenses such as rent, food, or clothing because all of that was provided by the family. To me, this was the most interesting part of the day and so far the best part of the class. I was truly interested and genuinely enjoyed this tour.
My absolute favorite part of this class so far was the Merchant's House. I loved learning about the family and what they did for everyday activities in the house. I was so fascinated to realize that this family actually lived in this home and used all of the furniture and children grew up here. To see the actual furniture, beds, and clothes that the family really used in their real lives was so interesting. As the tour guide was telling us about each room and telling us some stories about the family I was so curious to learn more. From the outside the house does not look that large, but when you go in it is so much larger than it seems! The part I found the most interesting was that the women and men in that time period were not allowed to enter the parlor area not dressed properly or perfectly. In that area it was considered bad manners to adjust any clothing or fix your hair. They would have to go upstairs to the bedrooms to adjust themselves and make sure they were perfectly presentable. Once the men were done dressing themselves they would wait at the steps for the women and then the women would then be escorted downstairs by the men into the parlor. That to me was so fascinating. It seems like so much work to be so perfect for one room. I know I do not make sure to look any different for different rooms in my home. It was so interesting to learn about the way that this family lived. The tour guide also mentioned that the family had servants. These servants were usually Irish immigrants around the ages of 16-40. The servants would stay on the fifth, and last, floor of the house. They would be up way before the family was up and go to bed way after the family went to bed. These women would get paid about $1 a week for their services. They would usually save that money because they did not need to spend it on expenses such as rent, food, or clothing because all of that was provided by the family. To me, this was the most interesting part of the day and so far the best part of the class. I was truly interested and genuinely enjoyed this tour.