August 20th, 2015

24 Hours, New York City, The High Line, City Park, Friends of the High Line, Walk it, Jog It, Love It!!

Walking the High Line meant that my friend, Cindi, and I would be walking all those “indispensables” New York City has to offer…from Str-eat food to fine dining, and a few cocktails along the way.

The High Line is a New York City Park, maintained and supported by the Friends of the High Line, http://www.thehighline.org.

In 1934 as part of the West Side Improvement Project, the High Line opened to trains.  It was designed to go through the center of blocks, rather than over the avenue, carrying goods to and from Manhattan’s largest industrial district.

In 2002-2003 the High Line’s preservation and re-use began.

In 2005-2006, the City accepted ownership of the High Line which was donated by CSX.  The groundbreaking was celebrated in April, 2006.

On September 21, 2014 the third and northernmost section of the park, the High Line at the Rail Yards, opened to the public, with a celebration for a successful 15 years of advocacy to preserve the entire structure.  For more info., please visit http://www.thehighline.org/visit/#/access.

The High Line is open from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m.  There are public tours on Tuesday and Saturday from May through September.  Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10 a.m.  The location?  Gansevoort St. entrance, on the High Line at Gansevoort St.  More info?  Please call 212-500-6035.

Along the way you will see the Hudson on one side and the City on the other.

While visiting check the landscaping, and the railroad ties that are still seen and have been preserved on purpose throughout the walk.

It was a little hot last Sunday but you can take your shoes off and cool off.

Plenty of benches to take a break and the trees are now grown, giving shade on hot summer days.  You will also find vendors selling cool refreshments….one of my favorites the Shaved Ice or Piraguas as they are called in Puerto Rico

The Mural…Love Is The Answer

You can’t miss it.  Portraying Albert Einstein’s literal words.  The street art is by Bansky, known for his social and political art commentaries that pop up around NYC.

Come Build With Us…The Collectivity Project will be at the High Line until September 30th from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.  This is an installation of 2 tons of white LEGO bricks that features an imaginary cityscape conceived and designed by the public.  Visitors are welcomed to play with the installation, building and rebuilding the structures over time.  More info?  Please visit http://www.art.thehighline.org.

So, if you are visiting the Big Apple, this is a must do activity!!

Have a good one…TTYL

September 10th, 2012

“The Little Chapel that Stood”, Trinity Church, St. Paul’s Chapel, 9/11, New York

I cannot believe that it has already been 6 months since I last visited New York with my cousins.  New York did look so good.

Some things never change…street food…the horse drawn carriages, its people.  Everyone rushing from one place to another.  Not us, we were on vacation time.

Towards the end of our stay we decided that we better go down to the 9/11 Memorial and see if, by chance, we could get in.  That was not to be.  The line wrapped around to get the tickets that were going to be available for the day.

We could get into the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site, though.

At the time this site was an exhibit.  Plenty to see.  The flag made out of all the names of the victims of 9/11.  You could also see pieces of what would eventually go into the Memorial.

Across this preview site and also across from where the Twin Towers stood is a magnificent historic church.

Courtesy of Leo Sore/Trinity Wall Street

It is called St. Paul’s Chapel.  The address is: 211 Broadway, between Fulton St. & Vesey St.  In March they were doing some renovations; plenty of people were going inside.

St. Paul’s Chapel opened its doors in 1766.  Trinity Church was founded in 1697.  It is an Episcopal parish and home to St. Paul’s Chapel.  St. Paul’s Chapel is also Manhattan’s oldest public building. George Washington worshiped at this chapel after his inauguration.

It is known as “The Little Chapel that Stood” because nothing happened to this chapel; most buildings around it were damaged when the Twin Towers came down.  Plenty of debris all around its surroundings, though.  It also survived the Great Fire of 1776.

St. Paul’s Chapel had a purpose on 9/11.  It opened its doors to all 9/11 recovery workers.  It was a place to get round-the-clock care, food, shelter, counseling and worship.

St. Paul’s Chapel became a place of peace, rest and reconciliation.

We went inside to see the Exhibit “Unwavering Spirit”.  Everyone visiting was quiet.  It was total peace. All of us were deep in thought.

Many of the exhibit pieces were left by recovery workers, police, and doctors.

Visitors too could leave something behind.

St. Paul’s Chapel is very active.  To know more about it, please visit http://www.saintpaulschapel.org.

If you would like to see a 9/11 Timeline, please visit http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/features/911-timeline.

If you get the chance, please do visit.  Then, go out back where the cemetery is located.  You will be overcome with deep feelings.  It is that kind of place; a sanctuary.

Never forget, right?  Talk to you later.

Note:  Information for this post was taken from the St. Paul’s Chapel website and a few other internet sites.