" Leaving New York's never easy" (Michael Stipe)
Ever since I first visited New York City as a teenager it has drawn me in like a pin to a magnet. Even when it was not financial possible to visit, I was still drawn to the films and music that it delivered. In recent years I've been fortunate to return more frequently, and therefore when it was suggested that we should plan a trip to celebrate my retirement from teaching, New York City was the obvious choice of venue.
The trip was planned to coincide with both some New York Knicks home games and the opening of an exhibition to the life and work of Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia. Having visited before I felt that this tripshould allow us to explore parts of the city not immediately on the tourist route. Anyway with a hotel a short walk from Times Square, the centre of town was never far away.
I am always left with the feeling that nobody cooks at home in New York, restaurants and take aways always seem to overwhelmingly outnumber food stores. Spoilt for choice but determined to experience everything from the local deli for breakfast to the delight of Junior's cheesecake.
Although watching the Knicks was my main focal point, for the first time I planned a visit to the theatre. Like London most Broadway theatres play safe showing musicals that attract the crowds. However I wanted to see a show , not available in London and with at lease some level of message. After some research I chose "Memphis". It deals with the racial segregation in music in the South during the 1950s. The acting,music and dance ensured that attention never wandered from the stage. The theatre built in earlier times provided everything except legroom.
While away Arsenal played AC Milan in the Champions League. Now the less said about the game the better, but it gave us the opportunity to travel downtown to visit 14th Street East the home of the Blind Pig . This bar is home to Arsenal NYC. It was mid afternoon and over 200 fans gathered to watch the game , beer flowed,food was served and a fair selection of Arsenal songs were sung. The bar was well decked out with Arsenal memorabilia. Shame that the manager failed to get in extra bar staff, but you can't have it all.
New York is a walking city, I love exploring it on foot and inevitably recount when I've seen this site in a particular film. A trip to the Guggenheim allowed us to explore the Upper East Side and likewise a visit to the Museum of New Yoek allowed us to explore the West Side overlooking Central Park. In downtown it was so easy to move about. On Saturday a friend visited us from Pennsylvania and we were able to see NYC from a taxi cab, something I've not experienced at length before. Sitting next to and engaging the driver in conversation I discovered that the old yellow cabs are being phased out, and the new vehicles are hybrid.
Without doubt my favourite walk is from City Hall over the Brooklyn Bridge, it's a walk that has helped me overcome my fear of bridges/heights; it also permits a great view of lower Manhattan. At the end of it a short walk into Brooklyn and a diner where I made a wonderful Burrito, a fine reward.
Leaving New York early morning, the shuttle bus came at 4am, the last thing I expected was a further tour, but the driver had pick ups in Greenwich Village, Chinatown and the Lower East side. After a week I felt we had gone someway to exploring the parts of NYC where many tourists never tread. I'd seen the Knicks in the Garden, replenished my wardrobe, visited an excellent art gallery, eaten more than I should, and seen the Bruce exhibition. No surprise that I fell asleep soon after take off on the way home.
Ever since I first visited New York City as a teenager it has drawn me in like a pin to a magnet. Even when it was not financial possible to visit, I was still drawn to the films and music that it delivered. In recent years I've been fortunate to return more frequently, and therefore when it was suggested that we should plan a trip to celebrate my retirement from teaching, New York City was the obvious choice of venue.
The trip was planned to coincide with both some New York Knicks home games and the opening of an exhibition to the life and work of Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia. Having visited before I felt that this tripshould allow us to explore parts of the city not immediately on the tourist route. Anyway with a hotel a short walk from Times Square, the centre of town was never far away.
I am always left with the feeling that nobody cooks at home in New York, restaurants and take aways always seem to overwhelmingly outnumber food stores. Spoilt for choice but determined to experience everything from the local deli for breakfast to the delight of Junior's cheesecake.
Although watching the Knicks was my main focal point, for the first time I planned a visit to the theatre. Like London most Broadway theatres play safe showing musicals that attract the crowds. However I wanted to see a show , not available in London and with at lease some level of message. After some research I chose "Memphis". It deals with the racial segregation in music in the South during the 1950s. The acting,music and dance ensured that attention never wandered from the stage. The theatre built in earlier times provided everything except legroom.
While away Arsenal played AC Milan in the Champions League. Now the less said about the game the better, but it gave us the opportunity to travel downtown to visit 14th Street East the home of the Blind Pig . This bar is home to Arsenal NYC. It was mid afternoon and over 200 fans gathered to watch the game , beer flowed,food was served and a fair selection of Arsenal songs were sung. The bar was well decked out with Arsenal memorabilia. Shame that the manager failed to get in extra bar staff, but you can't have it all.
New York is a walking city, I love exploring it on foot and inevitably recount when I've seen this site in a particular film. A trip to the Guggenheim allowed us to explore the Upper East Side and likewise a visit to the Museum of New Yoek allowed us to explore the West Side overlooking Central Park. In downtown it was so easy to move about. On Saturday a friend visited us from Pennsylvania and we were able to see NYC from a taxi cab, something I've not experienced at length before. Sitting next to and engaging the driver in conversation I discovered that the old yellow cabs are being phased out, and the new vehicles are hybrid.
Without doubt my favourite walk is from City Hall over the Brooklyn Bridge, it's a walk that has helped me overcome my fear of bridges/heights; it also permits a great view of lower Manhattan. At the end of it a short walk into Brooklyn and a diner where I made a wonderful Burrito, a fine reward.
Leaving New York early morning, the shuttle bus came at 4am, the last thing I expected was a further tour, but the driver had pick ups in Greenwich Village, Chinatown and the Lower East side. After a week I felt we had gone someway to exploring the parts of NYC where many tourists never tread. I'd seen the Knicks in the Garden, replenished my wardrobe, visited an excellent art gallery, eaten more than I should, and seen the Bruce exhibition. No surprise that I fell asleep soon after take off on the way home.
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