Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
26 August, 2012
16 August, 2012
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: some words
I'd visited NY twice before but never managed to get properly off Manhattan. Or indeed above Central Park. No excuse this time.
If you are going to go to the Statue of Liberty you really must also go to the Ellis Island Museum. She has all the landmark status, but the Museum is much more interesting. And leave time. It is a day's outing and we could easily have spent more time at Ellis Island.
Oh, and get the free audio guide - it really won't be the same without. They do a children's version as well as the adult version.
The Statue of Liberty was what you know, only closer. Currently you can't get right up to her as they are doing some restoration but there she is, and there is a detailed talk with clips and quotes and so forth telling you about her history and what she means to people. It isn't as jingoistic as Mount Rushmore thankfully.
Ellis Island is quite another experience. This was the gateway to America for much of the early 20th century. I hadn't realised that operations didn't start until 1892 so my own ancestors, who moved to Texas, didn't travel through here. But Tom has a 3x great uncle who arrived in 1909 (we checked the lists online when we got home) and it was something to imagine him, leaving his family and arriving alone from the West Midlands and climbing the stairs as we did into the great hall above.
The museum itself is short on artifacts but has wonderful photographs, is well laid out, taking you through the immigration process, and the audio is superb. First person accounts abound bringing the whole experience alive. Ellis Island was the busiest port of entry and some 40% of US citizens can trace their family back to the museum.
History is messy and the history of the US is no exception. At the same time that the Lakota Sioux were being driven from their lands in the Black Hills and forced onto spartan reservations, Europeans were arriving in New York, leaving and in some cases fleeing, poverty and oppression. And racism was evident in the process as the Chinese and Japanese were treated very differently, and as the US authorities attempted to engineer the make up of its future population along racial grounds. And sexism too abounded. Women could not enter the US alone until after World War II, the assumption being that they could not support themselves. Children under 16 travelling alone after 1907, were returned to their home country. There were heartbreaking stories of people being turned away but actually the vast majority of arrivals were allowed entry.
In a sense our travels from west to east have been a journey through time. From the first missionaries of California, in the 17th century, from Spain, via the explorations of Lewis and Clark and the experiences of the Native Americans in the West and further east until we reach New York and the huge rush of immigration of the 20th century. One aspect of our journey which I have loved is the way that everything has linked together, echoes of previous stopping points are found all along our route. While the travellers of the past arrived first at Ellis Island, it was one of our last stopping points, and we have seen some of what they might expect.
There is a staircase out of the hall after you have been processed. The stairs either side are for those let in, the middle for those being sent home. We walked down the middle but willingly, unlike those whose steps we followed.
If you are going to go to the Statue of Liberty you really must also go to the Ellis Island Museum. She has all the landmark status, but the Museum is much more interesting. And leave time. It is a day's outing and we could easily have spent more time at Ellis Island.
Oh, and get the free audio guide - it really won't be the same without. They do a children's version as well as the adult version.
The Statue of Liberty was what you know, only closer. Currently you can't get right up to her as they are doing some restoration but there she is, and there is a detailed talk with clips and quotes and so forth telling you about her history and what she means to people. It isn't as jingoistic as Mount Rushmore thankfully.
Ellis Island is quite another experience. This was the gateway to America for much of the early 20th century. I hadn't realised that operations didn't start until 1892 so my own ancestors, who moved to Texas, didn't travel through here. But Tom has a 3x great uncle who arrived in 1909 (we checked the lists online when we got home) and it was something to imagine him, leaving his family and arriving alone from the West Midlands and climbing the stairs as we did into the great hall above.
The museum itself is short on artifacts but has wonderful photographs, is well laid out, taking you through the immigration process, and the audio is superb. First person accounts abound bringing the whole experience alive. Ellis Island was the busiest port of entry and some 40% of US citizens can trace their family back to the museum.
History is messy and the history of the US is no exception. At the same time that the Lakota Sioux were being driven from their lands in the Black Hills and forced onto spartan reservations, Europeans were arriving in New York, leaving and in some cases fleeing, poverty and oppression. And racism was evident in the process as the Chinese and Japanese were treated very differently, and as the US authorities attempted to engineer the make up of its future population along racial grounds. And sexism too abounded. Women could not enter the US alone until after World War II, the assumption being that they could not support themselves. Children under 16 travelling alone after 1907, were returned to their home country. There were heartbreaking stories of people being turned away but actually the vast majority of arrivals were allowed entry.
In a sense our travels from west to east have been a journey through time. From the first missionaries of California, in the 17th century, from Spain, via the explorations of Lewis and Clark and the experiences of the Native Americans in the West and further east until we reach New York and the huge rush of immigration of the 20th century. One aspect of our journey which I have loved is the way that everything has linked together, echoes of previous stopping points are found all along our route. While the travellers of the past arrived first at Ellis Island, it was one of our last stopping points, and we have seen some of what they might expect.
There is a staircase out of the hall after you have been processed. The stairs either side are for those let in, the middle for those being sent home. We walked down the middle but willingly, unlike those whose steps we followed.
13 August, 2012
08 August, 2012
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
I LOVE the Met. It's like the British Museum, Tate, V & A and National Gallery rolled into one. In a gorgeous building which goes on and on and keeps giving you new treasures.
I love the Met so much I joined as an Associate member and went three times.
A sampling of the treasures we loved:
All things Egyptian especially William the blue hippo (Lottie) and the truly amazing models of Egyptian life from a tomb and the statues of Hatshepsut and the temple.
The Rembrandts. And the Hals portraits. And a magnificent Brueghal. And the portrait of Lavoisier and his wife.
The Spanish courtyard which seems almost secret hidden down corridors and suddenly found.
The room of Singer Sargents - can he paint me please? him or Gainsborough or possibly Modigliani. And another of room of Paul Klee. And another of Cezannes (more wonderful apples amongst other things.)
Incredible Benin brasses. Sadly by the time we found this collection my kids were dead on their feet and starting to grumble. So merely glimpsed but loved.
The Schiaparelli/Prada special exhibition which was packed with older ladies who lunch poring over the detailing. The girls and I had a great hour doing impossible window shopping.
Pollocks and Warhols and Twomblys (Twomblies?) and an Anselm Kiefer as striking as the one that made an impression on me in Des Moines.
I could go on. The Museum does. It is amazing and wonderful and probably my favourite museum in the world. Even Lottie loved it (because of William).
I love the Met so much I joined as an Associate member and went three times.
A sampling of the treasures we loved:
All things Egyptian especially William the blue hippo (Lottie) and the truly amazing models of Egyptian life from a tomb and the statues of Hatshepsut and the temple.
The Rembrandts. And the Hals portraits. And a magnificent Brueghal. And the portrait of Lavoisier and his wife.
The Spanish courtyard which seems almost secret hidden down corridors and suddenly found.
The room of Singer Sargents - can he paint me please? him or Gainsborough or possibly Modigliani. And another of room of Paul Klee. And another of Cezannes (more wonderful apples amongst other things.)
Incredible Benin brasses. Sadly by the time we found this collection my kids were dead on their feet and starting to grumble. So merely glimpsed but loved.
The Schiaparelli/Prada special exhibition which was packed with older ladies who lunch poring over the detailing. The girls and I had a great hour doing impossible window shopping.
Pollocks and Warhols and Twomblys (Twomblies?) and an Anselm Kiefer as striking as the one that made an impression on me in Des Moines.
I could go on. The Museum does. It is amazing and wonderful and probably my favourite museum in the world. Even Lottie loved it (because of William).
07 August, 2012
Queens Museum of Art, NY
Thanks to my friend Moriah (I say this a lot, because Moriah is wonderful and knows so many interesting places to go to and things to do).
Anyway, as I was saying, thanks to my friend Moriah, the girls and I set off one particularly hot and sunny day, for Queens (G to 7 which is an L train and thus more fun and less smelly than the subway). We were heading to the Queens Museum of Art to see the Panorama of New York.
First we had a picnic in the park in front of this fabulous fountain - from the World's Fair of 1964-5 and I think featured in the first Men In Black.
The Museum also has a scale model of the water system of New York state - sorry forgotten the geographical term, but it's basically a landscape model including all the rivers etc.
And lastly but definitely not least there was an excellent and interesting exhibit on art from the Caribbean. It was grouped by theme rather than period so that old paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries appeared next to contemporary art and installations. It was very refreshing to see so much, to me, unknown work.
Anyway, as I was saying, thanks to my friend Moriah, the girls and I set off one particularly hot and sunny day, for Queens (G to 7 which is an L train and thus more fun and less smelly than the subway). We were heading to the Queens Museum of Art to see the Panorama of New York.
First we had a picnic in the park in front of this fabulous fountain - from the World's Fair of 1964-5 and I think featured in the first Men In Black.
And into the Museum for some cool art - temperature and quality. The highlight for the girls was certainly the panorama which is a scale model of the whole of New York, built at the time of that World's Fair. There's a raised walkway around it, some of it glass so that you can see the model under your feet. They update it when they need to, though the World Trade Center Towers won't be removed until the new complex is built.
The Museum also has a scale model of the water system of New York state - sorry forgotten the geographical term, but it's basically a landscape model including all the rivers etc.
And lastly but definitely not least there was an excellent and interesting exhibit on art from the Caribbean. It was grouped by theme rather than period so that old paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries appeared next to contemporary art and installations. It was very refreshing to see so much, to me, unknown work.
17 July, 2012
01 July, 2012
Where are we?
I think I may have to take up creating personalized holidays or something. Because seriously, I am good at this. Or lucky, or something. I have found some fantastic places to stay. And this apartment in Brooklyn is no exception. Actually the apartment is small, comfortable and thankfully has both air conditioning and a garden. But it's not glam or anything. In this case it's all about location.
We are staying just north of McCarren Park in Greenpoint on the edge of Williamsburg. It's the first city since SF, we've stayed in where we've been able to shop at local grocers and have no clue where the nearest supermarket is. Our neighbourhood is a mixture of Polish and hip, which reminded me of Hackney where we used to live in London. We are close to the subway, restaurants, a park, boutiques, pretty much anything you want. And people. Very close to lots of people. In the streets. In their neighbouring apartments. On the subway. It's the first city I've been to in the US where you think "now this is a city." It is huge and dirty and busy and diverse and noisy and smelly and alive and exciting. People do not say hello to you in the street. They don't even smile if you do something nice like hold a door for them or make space or something. I don't mind. Reminds me of London. And I love it.
Although, I can definitely see why I left London eventually and that there will be a certain amount of relief to get back to our quiet Welsh valley.
In the meantime, we are living in Brooklyn, visiting or in Tom's case working in Manhattan, and feeling very lucky.
We are staying just north of McCarren Park in Greenpoint on the edge of Williamsburg. It's the first city since SF, we've stayed in where we've been able to shop at local grocers and have no clue where the nearest supermarket is. Our neighbourhood is a mixture of Polish and hip, which reminded me of Hackney where we used to live in London. We are close to the subway, restaurants, a park, boutiques, pretty much anything you want. And people. Very close to lots of people. In the streets. In their neighbouring apartments. On the subway. It's the first city I've been to in the US where you think "now this is a city." It is huge and dirty and busy and diverse and noisy and smelly and alive and exciting. People do not say hello to you in the street. They don't even smile if you do something nice like hold a door for them or make space or something. I don't mind. Reminds me of London. And I love it.
Although, I can definitely see why I left London eventually and that there will be a certain amount of relief to get back to our quiet Welsh valley.
In the meantime, we are living in Brooklyn, visiting or in Tom's case working in Manhattan, and feeling very lucky.
Arriving in New York
I love New York. I've loved New York since the first moment I saw the Manhattan skyline lit up one October evening in 1994, driving into town from La Guardia. I may have loved it longer than that. It was inevitable that this would be our last stop en route. We did think of heading north to Boston for a week or two at the end. But decided to extend our time in New York instead. And when we got here, we decided that all the weekend trips we'd planned may not happen either. We are going to Washington DC soon. And I'm hoping to set up a weekend in Philadelphia with friends too. But for the rest, we are staying put.
We drove here from Batavia, NY having been allowed back into the US (always relieved when that happens!) and stayed the night in upstate NY. Our route took us down through rolling hills, pretty farmland, into woods that seemed to coat Philadelphia and New Jersey. There were so many trees in New Jersey that I'm not sure anyone lives there apart from in Newark, as there wasn't really any other sign of habitation.
And then Newark appeared and beyond, New York. And the driving got WAY more challenging than it had ever been the entire way across the States. Give me a herd of bison to navigate my way through over the traffic into Manhattan, any day. We went wrong at least twice, and emerged onto streets with familiar names like Canal and Broadway and Delancey. All I can say is that driving across Manhattan is not for the faint-hearted. It makes Hyde Park Corner seem like a country road. Thankfully people weren't driving fast because there were way too many of them to do that. But they were driving aggressively with lots of honking and I was trying to see where the hell we were heading to, and Tom was trying to work out which lane to be in and not to hit anyone or be hit, or honked at. And by the time we got to Brooklyn, we were both of the opinion that the car had to go ASAP. That was before we discovered the lack of parking in Brooklyn, the twice-weekly street cleaning, and the road works and film crews adding to the problem.
We drove here from Batavia, NY having been allowed back into the US (always relieved when that happens!) and stayed the night in upstate NY. Our route took us down through rolling hills, pretty farmland, into woods that seemed to coat Philadelphia and New Jersey. There were so many trees in New Jersey that I'm not sure anyone lives there apart from in Newark, as there wasn't really any other sign of habitation.
And then Newark appeared and beyond, New York. And the driving got WAY more challenging than it had ever been the entire way across the States. Give me a herd of bison to navigate my way through over the traffic into Manhattan, any day. We went wrong at least twice, and emerged onto streets with familiar names like Canal and Broadway and Delancey. All I can say is that driving across Manhattan is not for the faint-hearted. It makes Hyde Park Corner seem like a country road. Thankfully people weren't driving fast because there were way too many of them to do that. But they were driving aggressively with lots of honking and I was trying to see where the hell we were heading to, and Tom was trying to work out which lane to be in and not to hit anyone or be hit, or honked at. And by the time we got to Brooklyn, we were both of the opinion that the car had to go ASAP. That was before we discovered the lack of parking in Brooklyn, the twice-weekly street cleaning, and the road works and film crews adding to the problem.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)