Today, we decided to do 'free' - a rare thing in New York City. We took the subway into Manhattan and went to Bryant Park, and the famous New York City Public Library, and had lunch at Grand Central Station.
I got my picture taken with a 'lion' (either Patience or Fortitude - so named by Fiorello LaGuardia, famous New York City Mayor during the depression. The library is probably the most recognized public library in the world, and we were so fortunate to see it during it's 100 year anniversary. The cornerstone for the library was laid in 1902, but it wasn't completed until 1911. It's first major benefactor was John Jacob Astor, and the entrance hall is called 'Astor Hall'. The architecture is very impressive like everything else built during this time period, and the marble floors were so hard that when it opened all the employees were issued rubber soled shoes.
The library has a thrilling centennial exhibition showcasing parts of its collection, Today we saw an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, a score in Beethoven's handwriting, the first Gutenberg Bible printed on a movable type printing press, Charles Dicken's letter opener (the end of which was the PAW OF HIS DEAD PET CAT), one of Martin Luther King's original letters from the Birmingham jail, a first edition score of the Star Spangled Banner, Charlotte Bronte's portable writing desk, 5000 year old cuneiforms, side by side with a laptop computer. There were so many great objects, and the exhibition was free!
We strolled down the street in sweltering heat today - thank heaven this isn't July - to Grand Central Station for lunch and saw more impressive architecture. It's still a functioning train station but is also has the most sophisticated food court I've ever seen - no McDonald's or Burger King here, but rather individually owned boutique restaurants and carry outs. We actually ate the NYC version of Mexican food today which was good, but not Tex-Mex. Grand Central Station is marble, marble and more marble. Even the doors on the stalls in the bathrooms looked like marble.
This part of NY is very vital with lots of people, lots of commerce, lots of shopping and lots of food. In some ways it seems to epitomize New York City more than Times Square does to me. Here are the pictures - you be the judge
https://picasaweb.google.com/jalyss1/NewYorkCityPublicLibraryBryantParkGrandCentralStation?authkey=Gv1sRgCIHixMHNpv2Xbg#
1 comment:
There is a spot (or maybe more than one) in Grand Central, (one of the train hallways), where you can talk or whisper to the WALL and a person across the walkway can hear you very clear! I think,... if I am remembering right? Of course its hard to find a spot where there aren't a million people. You should ask at the station. Betty Reisch
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