Journals 5-9
5. Spanish harlem and Central park
Today we are experiencing East Harlem and Central Park. The weather was supposed to be rainy so I brought a raincoat and what do you know it didn't rain. Didn't matter anyway I was still looking forward to get the day started because this is the first class I didn't have to worry about my research paper being done. The day started off in Penn where I knew Mike would have a long day in store for us. The LIRR was supposed to be on strike by Sunday and if it was not resolved then we would have problems with our last week of classes, so instead we were going to do more today just incase the strike did occur.
Our first stop was going to be East Harlem, which is called El Barrio. “East Harlem also known as Spanish Harlem or, more colloquially, El Barrio”(Eny, 75). The way took three subways to get to this place and when we walked out of the subway I could smell the Spanish food in the air. “To get to East Harlem, take the 6 train to 103rd street and, upon exiting the station, walk west along 103rd street towards fifth” (Eny,76). We gathered around outside the subway and you could sense the atmosphere. There were people greeting each other on the street and hanging out almost everywhere you looked. The walk toward The Museum of the City of New York, which was our first stop, was very interesting. The walk changed my mind of what I though Harlem included, I always thought it was a run down neighborhood but I was wrong. The place was definitely not as bad as I thought.
At The Museum of the City of New York we would encounter a variety of works from graffiti artist. “The museum has changing exhibitions focused on the history of NYC, especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation” (Eny,77).The exhibit included graffiti art and pictures from different murals and spots where graffiti used to be. The one that stood out to me the most was the graffiti on the Subway trains. This was a picture of the train but I could not believe that someone could spray paint something so cool on the side of a train car. I’m sure it wasn't legal but if I was a cop and saw one of the people spraying the train car I probably would have let them go because it was a sick job that the guy did. There was also another interesting piece, which was graffiti crowned Jesus. The piece was eye popping once I saw it, I don't know if a priest would appreciate it but it stood out as a pretty cool art piece, and I’m not a big fan of art. The museum also housed a little theatre that showed a history film about he city of New York. The short 25-minute film was very informative and gave me a different view of how the city got to where it was today. There was also an exhibit that included tiffany products from different time periods, usually I wouldn't want to see any of it but the things that where there where awesome, plus what got me was that I know I was looking at like million dollar spoons, bowls, plates, and etc. Also we learned about Gustavino tile, and found out that many buildings and structures in the city were built using this method.
The next thing that was lined up for us was a tour guide, Luke, to take us around el barrio. This guy was my favorite guide so far. In the beginning he started us off with a poem that was pretty motivational. Then he made us introduce ourselves so we could et to know him a little bit. It was more interactive than the other guides, which I liked a lot. He took us to a few pieces/murals in the area and explained how many of them got there. Some of them included a mural of Rev. Pedro Pietri, Spirit of East Harlem, and to the Modesto “Tin” Flores Garden. The garden lot was originally vacant and a dumping ground converted by East Harlem resident Ernesto Tin Flores into a garden for the neighborhoods inhabitants. (Eny,78). One of the places he took us to was the bookstore, which was the first and only one in the area. It was full of Spanish books that would definitely appeal to the surrounding community. The owner of the store also gave to charity by helping deliver books to kids at the border. This was a nice little shop, which included opportunities to give back to the community by reading to little kids in their basement area. Our tour ended with us at what I’m assuming was a witch craft shop. Not to sure what to call it but it was full of remedies to supposedly help with all types of afflictions.
After the witch doctor, we got a chance to enjoy the food in the neighborhood at El Paso. It was a good lunch with good food, and of course a margarita or two. Nicole, Justine, and Casey convinced me to have what would be my first margarita and it was good except for the heavy amount of tequila in it, so thanks girls for introducing me to them.
After our meal we went to Central Park. I was looking forward to this because i have always seen it in so many movies and shows but I rarely go there, so I was excited to see what it really was. It was definitely no a disappointment. The scenery of the park was unbelievable and it was crazy that it was located in the middle of the city. My first though was wow one would never believe that you were in the middle of the busiest city of the world. It was loaded with beautiful scenes it looked like a scene out of a movie, no pun intended. There were small ponds/lakes that had great views of the city in the distance. The park amazed me with all the architectural works, and different statues. The best part of the park and also one of the last spots before we departed was the Bethesda Terrace. “The statue at top of the fountain known as Angel of the Waters, was created by Emma Stebbins in 1868, and is based upon the biblical story from revelations of an angel blessing the pool of Bethesda, giving it healing powers” (Eny,70). It was this centerpiece to the park, which was phenomenal this huge fountain with an angel shooting water, and in the background was the lake with people in boats; it was a very nice piece of scenery to end the day.
Our first stop was going to be East Harlem, which is called El Barrio. “East Harlem also known as Spanish Harlem or, more colloquially, El Barrio”(Eny, 75). The way took three subways to get to this place and when we walked out of the subway I could smell the Spanish food in the air. “To get to East Harlem, take the 6 train to 103rd street and, upon exiting the station, walk west along 103rd street towards fifth” (Eny,76). We gathered around outside the subway and you could sense the atmosphere. There were people greeting each other on the street and hanging out almost everywhere you looked. The walk toward The Museum of the City of New York, which was our first stop, was very interesting. The walk changed my mind of what I though Harlem included, I always thought it was a run down neighborhood but I was wrong. The place was definitely not as bad as I thought.
At The Museum of the City of New York we would encounter a variety of works from graffiti artist. “The museum has changing exhibitions focused on the history of NYC, especially its heritage of diversity, opportunity, and perpetual transformation” (Eny,77).The exhibit included graffiti art and pictures from different murals and spots where graffiti used to be. The one that stood out to me the most was the graffiti on the Subway trains. This was a picture of the train but I could not believe that someone could spray paint something so cool on the side of a train car. I’m sure it wasn't legal but if I was a cop and saw one of the people spraying the train car I probably would have let them go because it was a sick job that the guy did. There was also another interesting piece, which was graffiti crowned Jesus. The piece was eye popping once I saw it, I don't know if a priest would appreciate it but it stood out as a pretty cool art piece, and I’m not a big fan of art. The museum also housed a little theatre that showed a history film about he city of New York. The short 25-minute film was very informative and gave me a different view of how the city got to where it was today. There was also an exhibit that included tiffany products from different time periods, usually I wouldn't want to see any of it but the things that where there where awesome, plus what got me was that I know I was looking at like million dollar spoons, bowls, plates, and etc. Also we learned about Gustavino tile, and found out that many buildings and structures in the city were built using this method.
The next thing that was lined up for us was a tour guide, Luke, to take us around el barrio. This guy was my favorite guide so far. In the beginning he started us off with a poem that was pretty motivational. Then he made us introduce ourselves so we could et to know him a little bit. It was more interactive than the other guides, which I liked a lot. He took us to a few pieces/murals in the area and explained how many of them got there. Some of them included a mural of Rev. Pedro Pietri, Spirit of East Harlem, and to the Modesto “Tin” Flores Garden. The garden lot was originally vacant and a dumping ground converted by East Harlem resident Ernesto Tin Flores into a garden for the neighborhoods inhabitants. (Eny,78). One of the places he took us to was the bookstore, which was the first and only one in the area. It was full of Spanish books that would definitely appeal to the surrounding community. The owner of the store also gave to charity by helping deliver books to kids at the border. This was a nice little shop, which included opportunities to give back to the community by reading to little kids in their basement area. Our tour ended with us at what I’m assuming was a witch craft shop. Not to sure what to call it but it was full of remedies to supposedly help with all types of afflictions.
After the witch doctor, we got a chance to enjoy the food in the neighborhood at El Paso. It was a good lunch with good food, and of course a margarita or two. Nicole, Justine, and Casey convinced me to have what would be my first margarita and it was good except for the heavy amount of tequila in it, so thanks girls for introducing me to them.
After our meal we went to Central Park. I was looking forward to this because i have always seen it in so many movies and shows but I rarely go there, so I was excited to see what it really was. It was definitely no a disappointment. The scenery of the park was unbelievable and it was crazy that it was located in the middle of the city. My first though was wow one would never believe that you were in the middle of the busiest city of the world. It was loaded with beautiful scenes it looked like a scene out of a movie, no pun intended. There were small ponds/lakes that had great views of the city in the distance. The park amazed me with all the architectural works, and different statues. The best part of the park and also one of the last spots before we departed was the Bethesda Terrace. “The statue at top of the fountain known as Angel of the Waters, was created by Emma Stebbins in 1868, and is based upon the biblical story from revelations of an angel blessing the pool of Bethesda, giving it healing powers” (Eny,70). It was this centerpiece to the park, which was phenomenal this huge fountain with an angel shooting water, and in the background was the lake with people in boats; it was a very nice piece of scenery to end the day.
6.midtown and morningside heights
As always we started in Penn Station but this time we were not taking any subways to get to out first destination. But today Penn station was on our list of things to recognize. “The original Penn Station, built in 1910 by Mckim, Mead, and White was considered a masterpiece of Beaux Arts style and was revered as one of the most impressive buildings in NYC”(Eny, 30). Today it is no such an architectural achievement, there is nothing special about Penn except for Roses Pizza, and the original was way cooler. Today was also the first day back realizing that there would be no strike on the LIRR so we could breathe again knowing we would not have to stay later or drive to the city on a later date? Everything was back to normal and we were back to our schedule. First stop would be Rockefeller center.
Upon walking to Rockefeller center, we encountered Macys Department store, learning that “it Occupies the entire block between Broadway and 7th Ave and is the largest department store in the United States” (Eny, 31). After learning about Macys, we went to Times Square, which Mike is not the biggest fan of. But anyways we saw where the ball drops for New Years and the crowds of people that engulf Times Square. I think I’m with Mike on this one, nothing to special about Times Square, except that no traffic runs through it anymore. The area of Times Square was renamed Times Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved into a new skyscraper on 42nd street (Eny, 33).
Rockefeller center was very cool, I have been there multiple times because of the tree, but I never really went there in the summer time. The complex of buildings, that makes up the center, was constructed during the depression was one of the first architecturally coordinated developments in NYC and represents the pinnacle of Art Deco architecture and style in NYC (Eny, 37). Inside 30 rock was The NBC Studios, and a bunch of shops, wish I could have done some shopping cause I need a few things, but I could always go back. We saw the paintings on the walls inside that where phenomenal. They were paintings of biblical scenes with American influential characters in them, such as Abe Lincoln directing the building of the structure in the painting.
Next stop was to be MOMA or the Museum of Modern Art. I have always heard about this but never actually knew what was in it or even where it was. “MOMA houses an impressive collection of important works of art from 19th and 20th centuries (Eny, 39). Once we entered the complex I knew it was an important place just from the influx of people and security guards. Let me first state that Art and me do not mix, there are pieces out there that I just cant believe people admire, and pay millions of dollars for. But once I saw that there was a painting from Van Gough, Piccasso, Warhol, and Jackson Pollack I was pretty changed on my view of this place. The Pollack painting was pretty intense, it was an abstract painting, I think expressionistic art, that stood out like a sore thumb, but event though it looked like a bunch of ink splattered on a page, it eventually was clear to me that it was done in such a way that the painting was very well balanced in color scheme and where paint was put. I never saw painting in person by any of these artists, but once I encountered them I knew that I saw history that many people have not seen in person. MOMA was really cool; it really got my attention and changed my view of this museum. I will definitely be going back to check out more of the place because there was so much to see and so little time. It was also good having Damien there to explain each artists work and the types of art, he was really in touch with the paintings and understood where the artists where coming from.
For lunch we went through Hells Kitchen, "By the turn of the century, Hell's Kitchen was certainly one of the most dangerous communities in the United States, being controlled by various gangs that roamed the streets and later organized by crime" (Eny, 40). Eventually stopping at this place called Yum Yum for Thai food. The food was very good but a little scarce. After lunch we went to Morningside heights where we would meet our tour guide Jim.
Jim first talked about the gigantic Episcopalian church, which was called Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Where he told us that it was the largest church in the United States and largest gothic style in the world, we also learned that it has the biggest dome made of gustivino tile. “The first thing to note is the cavernous dimensions of the nave, which at 230 feet is the longest nave of any gothic church in the worlds” (Eny,82). He church was amazing and huge, not hard to believe that it is still being constructed today. Jim took us through Colombia’s campus which was awesome because this college is always a place where I wanted to attend and its seemingly impossible to get in but jims tour made me want to go there even more, maybe grad school, keep your fingers crossed. Just asked Gina she told me I was like a little kid walking around that place. After Colombia we went to General Grant National Memorial which was across the street from the school. The tomb was fascinating with designs all around the building as well as the tombs themselves. “The tomb is built of white granite and consist of a conical dome sitting atop a square base, you pass six Doric columns upon entering the memorial” (Eny, 85). As the joke goes who is buried at grants tomb, and the answer would be no body because he is not buried but rather contained in a mausoleum above ground.
The last part of our day was walking through Harlem where we saw the famous Apollo Theatre and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Office Building. This place was bustling with people. One could tell that it was definitely an African American Community, not just from the sheer amounts of African Americans, but rather the music that was being played next to Clayton’s office building. Harlem seemed like a crazy hip place, as Mike would say. The cool part about it was the community and interaction between the people in the streets. There was also a statue of Harriet Tubman, an influential part of African American Culture, in the middle of this traffic circle for everyone to see. “Tubman is showed with the faces of freed slaves on her flowing dress, her sense of determination indicated by the roots that she pulls as she strides” (Eny,90). The statue is full of motion and emotion.
Afterward we all took the subway back to Penn Station, which was about a -25-minute ride. Along the way we talked about the day and how fun it was. Now very tired I knew I had only two classes left and I was beginning to realize that I had seen so much of the city already, more than most people.
Upon walking to Rockefeller center, we encountered Macys Department store, learning that “it Occupies the entire block between Broadway and 7th Ave and is the largest department store in the United States” (Eny, 31). After learning about Macys, we went to Times Square, which Mike is not the biggest fan of. But anyways we saw where the ball drops for New Years and the crowds of people that engulf Times Square. I think I’m with Mike on this one, nothing to special about Times Square, except that no traffic runs through it anymore. The area of Times Square was renamed Times Square in 1904 when the New York Times moved into a new skyscraper on 42nd street (Eny, 33).
Rockefeller center was very cool, I have been there multiple times because of the tree, but I never really went there in the summer time. The complex of buildings, that makes up the center, was constructed during the depression was one of the first architecturally coordinated developments in NYC and represents the pinnacle of Art Deco architecture and style in NYC (Eny, 37). Inside 30 rock was The NBC Studios, and a bunch of shops, wish I could have done some shopping cause I need a few things, but I could always go back. We saw the paintings on the walls inside that where phenomenal. They were paintings of biblical scenes with American influential characters in them, such as Abe Lincoln directing the building of the structure in the painting.
Next stop was to be MOMA or the Museum of Modern Art. I have always heard about this but never actually knew what was in it or even where it was. “MOMA houses an impressive collection of important works of art from 19th and 20th centuries (Eny, 39). Once we entered the complex I knew it was an important place just from the influx of people and security guards. Let me first state that Art and me do not mix, there are pieces out there that I just cant believe people admire, and pay millions of dollars for. But once I saw that there was a painting from Van Gough, Piccasso, Warhol, and Jackson Pollack I was pretty changed on my view of this place. The Pollack painting was pretty intense, it was an abstract painting, I think expressionistic art, that stood out like a sore thumb, but event though it looked like a bunch of ink splattered on a page, it eventually was clear to me that it was done in such a way that the painting was very well balanced in color scheme and where paint was put. I never saw painting in person by any of these artists, but once I encountered them I knew that I saw history that many people have not seen in person. MOMA was really cool; it really got my attention and changed my view of this museum. I will definitely be going back to check out more of the place because there was so much to see and so little time. It was also good having Damien there to explain each artists work and the types of art, he was really in touch with the paintings and understood where the artists where coming from.
For lunch we went through Hells Kitchen, "By the turn of the century, Hell's Kitchen was certainly one of the most dangerous communities in the United States, being controlled by various gangs that roamed the streets and later organized by crime" (Eny, 40). Eventually stopping at this place called Yum Yum for Thai food. The food was very good but a little scarce. After lunch we went to Morningside heights where we would meet our tour guide Jim.
Jim first talked about the gigantic Episcopalian church, which was called Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Where he told us that it was the largest church in the United States and largest gothic style in the world, we also learned that it has the biggest dome made of gustivino tile. “The first thing to note is the cavernous dimensions of the nave, which at 230 feet is the longest nave of any gothic church in the worlds” (Eny,82). He church was amazing and huge, not hard to believe that it is still being constructed today. Jim took us through Colombia’s campus which was awesome because this college is always a place where I wanted to attend and its seemingly impossible to get in but jims tour made me want to go there even more, maybe grad school, keep your fingers crossed. Just asked Gina she told me I was like a little kid walking around that place. After Colombia we went to General Grant National Memorial which was across the street from the school. The tomb was fascinating with designs all around the building as well as the tombs themselves. “The tomb is built of white granite and consist of a conical dome sitting atop a square base, you pass six Doric columns upon entering the memorial” (Eny, 85). As the joke goes who is buried at grants tomb, and the answer would be no body because he is not buried but rather contained in a mausoleum above ground.
The last part of our day was walking through Harlem where we saw the famous Apollo Theatre and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Office Building. This place was bustling with people. One could tell that it was definitely an African American Community, not just from the sheer amounts of African Americans, but rather the music that was being played next to Clayton’s office building. Harlem seemed like a crazy hip place, as Mike would say. The cool part about it was the community and interaction between the people in the streets. There was also a statue of Harriet Tubman, an influential part of African American Culture, in the middle of this traffic circle for everyone to see. “Tubman is showed with the faces of freed slaves on her flowing dress, her sense of determination indicated by the roots that she pulls as she strides” (Eny,90). The statue is full of motion and emotion.
Afterward we all took the subway back to Penn Station, which was about a -25-minute ride. Along the way we talked about the day and how fun it was. Now very tired I knew I had only two classes left and I was beginning to realize that I had seen so much of the city already, more than most people.
7. lower manhattan
Today is the day I have been waiting for because I love the freedom tower and I knew we where heading downtown, towards the Financial district. We started at Penn and took a subway there. Upon getting out of the subway we came right up under the Freedom Tower but we were not going there yet. First stop was St Paul’s Church, which we learned was one of the oldest in Manhattan.
Saint Paul’s church was right next to The World Trade Centers when they where hit in 2001. “The chapel was designed by Thomas McBean in Georgian-style out of Manhattan schist and was inspired by the Church of St.- Martin-in-the-Fields in London. Completed in 1766, this is New York’s only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church. It’s also the oldest surviving church in Manhattan as well as the oldest building in continuous use in New York City”(Eny, 46). The only thing that saved the church from being destroyed was a very large tree in front of it. So people say it was divine that that happened but some speculate. Inside the church were a 9/11 memorial with pieces of the towers inside and numerous photographs of it. The images are kind of hard to look at because we all remember when it happened, I was only in second grade but I remember everything from that day, I even wrote a five page paper on it for my previous college based on pure memory. 9/11 is close to most New Yorkers and it brings back a sinking feeling when thinking about it. Anyway back to the church, the church was very nice inside; it did have an older “smell” to it. Inside was also the pew that George Washington used to sit in. Outside was also a bell that was given to New York by London.
After Saint Paul’s we went to see the Woolworth Building. The building was massive with a neo gothic style to it. “When it came time to build his corporate headquarters in Lower Manhattan, Woolworth was determined that it would rise higher than any other in the world” (Eny, 46). Another building we encountered was the City Hall of NYC. It was decorated in a federal style, which was pleasing to the eyes, but we learned that when it was built the back was made of boring brick, with no appeal at all. This was because at that time no one would have seen the back of the building because no one lived behind they’re to see it. We also sat on the steeps of the Tweed Courthouse. Built between 1861 and 1881, the Italianate style courthouse was designed by two of New Yorks most prominent 19th century architects- John Kellum and Leopold Eidlitz and has been called “ one of the city’s grandest and most important civic monuments” by New Yorks Landmarks Preservation Commission” (Eny, 45). We sat there for a while talking about the different architectural styles, as well as some of the people who built these structures. The next building we saw was the municipal building. This one was gigantic and its funny because at first I didn't realize what it was but once we went to see the gustivino tile built in one of the archways, I recognized what it was. A few years back I took the FDNY test and this is the building I took it in, little did I know then that it was the municipal building, and little did I know I was looking at gustavino tile above my head. “Constructed between 1907 and 1914, the Municipal Building is a combination of Roman, Italian Renaissance, and Classical styles that today is regarded as one of the city’s most monumental buildings” (Eny, 42). The building had views of the Woolworth building and Freedom Tower; from through the Arches of the Municipal Building, it was a great scene. The last building I will talk about is the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse. There we sat on the steps and talked about the burial site we were about to see next, we also attempted to take a picture of some of us making the MOLLOY sign, that I’m not sure was so good, but hey we tried. “The building was de- signed by Cass Gilbert and completed by his son, Cass Gilbert, Jr. in 1936. Originally known as the Foley Square Courthouse, in 2001 the building was renamed in honor of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who served as a judge in the building from 1961-1965” (Eny, 44).
The African American Burial Grounds where next. This site was exactly what it sounds like, a burial ground. But there is a story behind it. “From 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site, which at the time was outside the boundaries of the City of New York. Over time the burial ground was developed over and forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1991 during the construction of the Ted Weiss Building. In 2007 a memorial opened in the building to highlight the important role that African slaves played in the development of New York City” (Eny, 44). We watched a film about the life of slaves back then and how they buried the dead, it was actually very surprising to me that slaves where actually allowed to bury there dead because I feel like white people didn't consider them humans.
Next stop on this long day was my favorite The One World Trade Center, which I call the Freedom Tower. We saw the 9/11 Memorial, which was extravagant. I never actually saw the Memorials in person so this was a first. It was awesome to see that such a disaster was turned into an awesome memorial with all the names of the people that died written around the memorial. “The 9-11 Memorial, which opened in 2011, was the result of a competition launched by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in 2003. From 5,201 submissions, a 13 member jury selected a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker that was called “Reflecting Absence.” The memorial consists of two one-acre pools set in the footprints of the original Twin Towers. 30 foot waterfalls—the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States descend into the pools draining into a center void” (Eny, 49). This memorial was one of a kind, definitely had a huge impact on me, especially after seeing all the Firefighters names on the memorial because my dad worked with a lot of those guys because he was in the FDNY at the time too. I took a bunch of pictures of the Freedom Tower Which still is being completed.
The next place we went to was Battery park which we had lunch at. I am not sure about the name of the place we ate but it had a huge food court in it, it was sort of like a mall. The food was good but expensive but that's because we are near the financial district.
We walked through battery park passing the Police memorial honoring the police who died in the line of duty during the September 11th attacks. From there we walked to the ferry to get to Governors Island. At this point all I wanted to do was go to sleep because of all the walking, so luckily we had an hour and a half to explore the island and do whatever. Once we arrived there was two forts that George Washington used to command. It was interesting to see that the forts where still standing because they where built such along time ago. It was a very cool experience, especially when we went to the top of the fort and got the view of the whole city, and the Freedom Tower. After that we had our own time to do whatever, so guess what I did, I went to the hammocks and went to sleep, or at least tried. The hammocks were awesome, and really cool; I am definitely considering going back with some people and chilling there for the day. Governors island had to be the coolest place I went to through the whole city. It had great views, it was peaceful, and a really cool place to just hangout, which we had more time.
Once we got back off the ferry we headed toward Penn and went home. There was only one class left and we knew it was almost over, very sad.
Saint Paul’s church was right next to The World Trade Centers when they where hit in 2001. “The chapel was designed by Thomas McBean in Georgian-style out of Manhattan schist and was inspired by the Church of St.- Martin-in-the-Fields in London. Completed in 1766, this is New York’s only intact pre-Revolutionary War Church. It’s also the oldest surviving church in Manhattan as well as the oldest building in continuous use in New York City”(Eny, 46). The only thing that saved the church from being destroyed was a very large tree in front of it. So people say it was divine that that happened but some speculate. Inside the church were a 9/11 memorial with pieces of the towers inside and numerous photographs of it. The images are kind of hard to look at because we all remember when it happened, I was only in second grade but I remember everything from that day, I even wrote a five page paper on it for my previous college based on pure memory. 9/11 is close to most New Yorkers and it brings back a sinking feeling when thinking about it. Anyway back to the church, the church was very nice inside; it did have an older “smell” to it. Inside was also the pew that George Washington used to sit in. Outside was also a bell that was given to New York by London.
After Saint Paul’s we went to see the Woolworth Building. The building was massive with a neo gothic style to it. “When it came time to build his corporate headquarters in Lower Manhattan, Woolworth was determined that it would rise higher than any other in the world” (Eny, 46). Another building we encountered was the City Hall of NYC. It was decorated in a federal style, which was pleasing to the eyes, but we learned that when it was built the back was made of boring brick, with no appeal at all. This was because at that time no one would have seen the back of the building because no one lived behind they’re to see it. We also sat on the steeps of the Tweed Courthouse. Built between 1861 and 1881, the Italianate style courthouse was designed by two of New Yorks most prominent 19th century architects- John Kellum and Leopold Eidlitz and has been called “ one of the city’s grandest and most important civic monuments” by New Yorks Landmarks Preservation Commission” (Eny, 45). We sat there for a while talking about the different architectural styles, as well as some of the people who built these structures. The next building we saw was the municipal building. This one was gigantic and its funny because at first I didn't realize what it was but once we went to see the gustivino tile built in one of the archways, I recognized what it was. A few years back I took the FDNY test and this is the building I took it in, little did I know then that it was the municipal building, and little did I know I was looking at gustavino tile above my head. “Constructed between 1907 and 1914, the Municipal Building is a combination of Roman, Italian Renaissance, and Classical styles that today is regarded as one of the city’s most monumental buildings” (Eny, 42). The building had views of the Woolworth building and Freedom Tower; from through the Arches of the Municipal Building, it was a great scene. The last building I will talk about is the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse. There we sat on the steps and talked about the burial site we were about to see next, we also attempted to take a picture of some of us making the MOLLOY sign, that I’m not sure was so good, but hey we tried. “The building was de- signed by Cass Gilbert and completed by his son, Cass Gilbert, Jr. in 1936. Originally known as the Foley Square Courthouse, in 2001 the building was renamed in honor of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who served as a judge in the building from 1961-1965” (Eny, 44).
The African American Burial Grounds where next. This site was exactly what it sounds like, a burial ground. But there is a story behind it. “From 1690 to 1794 an estimated 20,000 free Africans and slaves were buried in a 6.6 acre burial ground on this site, which at the time was outside the boundaries of the City of New York. Over time the burial ground was developed over and forgotten until it was rediscovered in 1991 during the construction of the Ted Weiss Building. In 2007 a memorial opened in the building to highlight the important role that African slaves played in the development of New York City” (Eny, 44). We watched a film about the life of slaves back then and how they buried the dead, it was actually very surprising to me that slaves where actually allowed to bury there dead because I feel like white people didn't consider them humans.
Next stop on this long day was my favorite The One World Trade Center, which I call the Freedom Tower. We saw the 9/11 Memorial, which was extravagant. I never actually saw the Memorials in person so this was a first. It was awesome to see that such a disaster was turned into an awesome memorial with all the names of the people that died written around the memorial. “The 9-11 Memorial, which opened in 2011, was the result of a competition launched by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in 2003. From 5,201 submissions, a 13 member jury selected a design by architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker that was called “Reflecting Absence.” The memorial consists of two one-acre pools set in the footprints of the original Twin Towers. 30 foot waterfalls—the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States descend into the pools draining into a center void” (Eny, 49). This memorial was one of a kind, definitely had a huge impact on me, especially after seeing all the Firefighters names on the memorial because my dad worked with a lot of those guys because he was in the FDNY at the time too. I took a bunch of pictures of the Freedom Tower Which still is being completed.
The next place we went to was Battery park which we had lunch at. I am not sure about the name of the place we ate but it had a huge food court in it, it was sort of like a mall. The food was good but expensive but that's because we are near the financial district.
We walked through battery park passing the Police memorial honoring the police who died in the line of duty during the September 11th attacks. From there we walked to the ferry to get to Governors Island. At this point all I wanted to do was go to sleep because of all the walking, so luckily we had an hour and a half to explore the island and do whatever. Once we arrived there was two forts that George Washington used to command. It was interesting to see that the forts where still standing because they where built such along time ago. It was a very cool experience, especially when we went to the top of the fort and got the view of the whole city, and the Freedom Tower. After that we had our own time to do whatever, so guess what I did, I went to the hammocks and went to sleep, or at least tried. The hammocks were awesome, and really cool; I am definitely considering going back with some people and chilling there for the day. Governors island had to be the coolest place I went to through the whole city. It had great views, it was peaceful, and a really cool place to just hangout, which we had more time.
Once we got back off the ferry we headed toward Penn and went home. There was only one class left and we knew it was almost over, very sad.
8.lower east side
Today was our last day and we knew it. It was felt good to be done with most of the work but it was very sad knowing that I would never be in the same place with all these great people we had in the class. Mike told us not to have breakfast today because we where going to Kosars Bailys, but I had breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes for your information.
We arrived at Kosars Bailys and I did not have one just for the simple fact that I wasn't hungry. Mike tried to get me to eat one but I refused. We got the bagels, or Bailys and headed to a nearby park. What do you know once we arrived, Mike grabbed the Tofu spread instead of cream cheese, so guess who was chosen to go back and get it, Using there words “Muscles can you go back and swap it for cream cheese”. So I headed of, BY MYSELF, to go swap it out. I was a little worried because I do not trust myself walking around the city by myself, but I did it anyway, for the good of the people in the class. I of course got lost going down the wrong street and wound up in China Town. I knew I was lost so I attempted to get cream cheese from a local store, but the Chinese people in there had no idea what I was talking about and I couldn't find any. Once I stepped out of China town, I luckily saw a building area that I saw when I was sitting outside the Bailys store. So I found my way swapped out the cream cheese and headed back to the park. But it was still not over, While I was walking back a guy asked how much I benched and was trying to talk to me, I said I had to go and thanks for the compliments, I wont say what he said when I left him, but it went a little like Damn, so you're a big _____. You can use your imagination. Then right after that I spilt my orange juice all over my leg, because I didn't realize the cap was open. But whatever I laughed about it and brought them there cream cheese which they probably didn't need anymore because everyone looked like they where finished.
We met the tour guide Jim again and we went off on our tour of the lower east side. Today was a short day so we went through things pretty quickly. We saw St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, we did not go in but we learned about some of the details about it. “It was completed in 1829, the church was constructed out of Manhattan Schist in Georgian style with Gothic windows” (Eny, 69). We saw Seward park which was relatively big given the space of the surrounding community. I saw a full soccer field as well as other types of sporting fields and courts. “The park was named after William Seward, Governor of New York from 1839-1842 and later secretary of state during the Lincoln Administration” (Eny, 69). Walking through the east side still, we saw The Eldridge Synagogue, which was built in 1887 and was the first one in New York built by East European Jews (Eny, 71). We were walking so fast and where going through things so fast that it was very hard to take in what I was seeing. I know at one point in the tour we stopped by what used to be tenements, which we learned huge amounts of people would live in and it was crowded, dirty, and small. We did not go in one but we were told that rooms inside have no windows or any light coming in from the outside. So I could imagine living in one when they were actually in use. After the tour we went to get lunch at Congee Village, which was very nice.
This would be the final resting place for our class. All in all the food was great, we got to talk to Mike and Damian about the class experience, as well as a chance to talk to tour guide Jim. Jim was a great guy, he knew so much about the city it was crazy. I hope to see him around one day cause he was a good guy. Damian and Mike not so much. Nah you two where great, I loved you guys. Being good teachers/professors is one thing but you guys really tried to get to know us and you guys really know what you are talking about. Hope to see you guys around Molloy again, so we can talk again, all I could say is you guys where sick people to talk to and you guys where mad chill. When we left the place we where sad to say goodbye, it was very sad knowing we would not all be in the city together again, we had an amazing class and I will never forget it or any of the people that where in it. I hope to see all of them again someday whether it be in school or elsewhere.
We arrived at Kosars Bailys and I did not have one just for the simple fact that I wasn't hungry. Mike tried to get me to eat one but I refused. We got the bagels, or Bailys and headed to a nearby park. What do you know once we arrived, Mike grabbed the Tofu spread instead of cream cheese, so guess who was chosen to go back and get it, Using there words “Muscles can you go back and swap it for cream cheese”. So I headed of, BY MYSELF, to go swap it out. I was a little worried because I do not trust myself walking around the city by myself, but I did it anyway, for the good of the people in the class. I of course got lost going down the wrong street and wound up in China Town. I knew I was lost so I attempted to get cream cheese from a local store, but the Chinese people in there had no idea what I was talking about and I couldn't find any. Once I stepped out of China town, I luckily saw a building area that I saw when I was sitting outside the Bailys store. So I found my way swapped out the cream cheese and headed back to the park. But it was still not over, While I was walking back a guy asked how much I benched and was trying to talk to me, I said I had to go and thanks for the compliments, I wont say what he said when I left him, but it went a little like Damn, so you're a big _____. You can use your imagination. Then right after that I spilt my orange juice all over my leg, because I didn't realize the cap was open. But whatever I laughed about it and brought them there cream cheese which they probably didn't need anymore because everyone looked like they where finished.
We met the tour guide Jim again and we went off on our tour of the lower east side. Today was a short day so we went through things pretty quickly. We saw St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, we did not go in but we learned about some of the details about it. “It was completed in 1829, the church was constructed out of Manhattan Schist in Georgian style with Gothic windows” (Eny, 69). We saw Seward park which was relatively big given the space of the surrounding community. I saw a full soccer field as well as other types of sporting fields and courts. “The park was named after William Seward, Governor of New York from 1839-1842 and later secretary of state during the Lincoln Administration” (Eny, 69). Walking through the east side still, we saw The Eldridge Synagogue, which was built in 1887 and was the first one in New York built by East European Jews (Eny, 71). We were walking so fast and where going through things so fast that it was very hard to take in what I was seeing. I know at one point in the tour we stopped by what used to be tenements, which we learned huge amounts of people would live in and it was crowded, dirty, and small. We did not go in one but we were told that rooms inside have no windows or any light coming in from the outside. So I could imagine living in one when they were actually in use. After the tour we went to get lunch at Congee Village, which was very nice.
This would be the final resting place for our class. All in all the food was great, we got to talk to Mike and Damian about the class experience, as well as a chance to talk to tour guide Jim. Jim was a great guy, he knew so much about the city it was crazy. I hope to see him around one day cause he was a good guy. Damian and Mike not so much. Nah you two where great, I loved you guys. Being good teachers/professors is one thing but you guys really tried to get to know us and you guys really know what you are talking about. Hope to see you guys around Molloy again, so we can talk again, all I could say is you guys where sick people to talk to and you guys where mad chill. When we left the place we where sad to say goodbye, it was very sad knowing we would not all be in the city together again, we had an amazing class and I will never forget it or any of the people that where in it. I hope to see all of them again someday whether it be in school or elsewhere.
9. final impressions of new york
My impression of New York is totally different from when we first started. At the begging of the class I did not think my opinion of the city could be changed but I was wrong. Throughout the class I realized that I was seeing history all around me and that the city is not just a place of concrete and sidewalks but rather it is artwork in itself, from the people to the buildings, everything is so unique. The scenery is like no other, honestly blown away from the different places we went to like the BH promenade, Governors Island, and Gentry State Park. These places where so cool and had the best views of the city, I never even knew that it even existed, and I am no doubt heading back to these areas, those places where so sick. The city also gave me an appreciation for where I live. Because I saw so many tourists in the city and I realized that I was one too but I lived 50 minutes away from the coolest city in the world, people come across the world to come and see it and what for a week or two maybe, I literally can hop on a train at any point of the day and go there. This class changed my view but I still like home, on Long Island. With that being said I still would, if I had lots of money, have a house there especially in parts where it overlooks the city, literally there is nothing like it, everyone has to experience it.