MUSEUM

New York Historical Society

The New York Historical Society was for us a relatively unknown museum.  It has an 18 minute movie that is a wonderful introduction for any visitor to New York City.  It is immediately adjacent to the American Museum of Natural History.

The museum owns a wonderful collection of Audubon paintings.

The description and this globe were spectacular.

The development of the atomic bomb was known as the "Manhattan Project."

The display shows the various sites around New York City where materials were gathered and stored, research occurred, and the scientists prepared for the move to Los Alamos for creation of the first nuclear explosion.

Interestingly, one of the sites in New York used in the Manhattan Project is immediately across the street from where we go to church at Marble Collegiate.

SACRED MUSIC IN SACRED PLACES

Saint Thomas Concerts
Mass in B Minor
J. S. Bach

Yale Schola Cantorum
Juilliard Orchestra

MADISON PARK

Below is a recent installation of Public Art in Madison Square Park.  We love the park and go there for burgers at The Shake Shack.

Today has been a beautiful day.

The venerable, always busy, Shake Shack.

THEATER

West Side Theater
Old Jews Telling Jokes

http://www.oldjewstellingjokesonstage.com/

LINCOLN CENTER

Juilliard
Paul Hall

Steven Lin
Piano

Several weeks ago Carolyn and I were leaving a performance at Juilliard.  The performance venues at Juilliard are primarily in the same building in the same area.  We went that evening to hear a horn performance in a smaller venue and walked past the larger Paul Hall as we were leaving.  Inside Paul Hall we could hear some really beautiful piano playing.  We entered Paul Hall and listened to a solitary young man practicing on the stage in an empty room.  He was exceptional.

Tonight we went to hear him perform in a filled to capacity Paul Hall.  We were about 15 yards from him and able to see both the keyboard and his face.  Amazingly, it was free to attend!  It was a wonderful way to see and hear an extremely talented young pianist.  I promise that this young man is going to succeed in his career.

Steven Lin was spectacular.  Hearing him is fundamental to why we moved to New York City.

Here is a video that shows him in Japan playing through the earthquake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEtVwY77gPw

A site specificallly about Steven Lin.

http://www.concertartists.org/artist/steven-lin

CENTRAL PARK & MORE

Today we walked completely through Central Park from the north to the south.  Before I share some pictures and videos, though, I want to make some comments and share a picture or two.

I believe the initial frenzy and ecstasy we've shown in finally being in New York City is beginning to moderate to an easier pace of focusing on simply living in New York City. Upon arrival here we were so excited and anxious to do and see everything we could on a daily basis.  Over the past week we've had several days of just relaxing and getting our chores done.

I've kept away from sharing restaurants and food since we've been here.  Don't think we haven't enjoyed good food on a daily basis, though.  An example was earlier this week after we both went to the dentist and needed a place for lunch.  We found a quiet restaurant, Rossini's, in the neighborhood by the dentist and enjoyed a great lunch.

Good food abounds!

A topic I have talked about is the blossoming of Spring.  I think there are more tulips in New York City than there are in Holland!

We've tried to walk every day.  Some days it's one hour and some days we're out for up to five hours.  Most of our long walks have been in Central Park.  It's wonderful!

The plan today was to make sandwiches at home and picnic in Central Park.

We started with bacon, courtesy of Joe Krier, and built from there.  There were fresh items such as lettuce and tomatoes, they're just not in the picture.

Our pattern to this time has been to enter Central Park from the south.  Today, we wanted to ride the subway to the north part of the park and walk south.  That required a subway ride from Greeley Plaza  at 32nd street to 110th street and Central Park West.

The gentleman on the bar is in his 70s and is swinging all over that bar.  He goes upside down, sideways, and does things I've never been able to do.

  

NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION?

I present this for you to figure out what's happening.  It is absurd!  Those we talked to presented themselves as agents of the New York City Department of Transportation. 

As I think about it, it was some group's effort at Public Art.  All the people we talked to "held character" and stayed serious with their story.  But at the time of our first viewing, it was startling as to how goofy this world might be.

A young lady interviewed me but I never saw any identification or any sign of governmental authority.

I don't know.

You view and make up your mind.

WALKING!

Here are many pictures that tell of our afternoon and evening of walking.  It's lengthy, but it's what we did and saw.

We first walked up to Bryant Park.

Ping Pong in Bryant Park with an attendant.

Well... A prayer station.

The reading room attendant at Bryant Park.

The Reading Room at Bryant Park.

A wedding at St Patrick's Cathedral.

 Versace on 5th Avenue

Central Park

Sedimentary striations in bedrock.

French Navy Sailors

 Wine on the terrace at the close of the day.  We walked about 3 miles in total.