The event I had been waiting for all summer, my holiday to
New York City finally arrived at the end of august. I went with my parents and
some of our family friends and it was an amazing experience. Into 5 days we
packed in an incredible amount, resulting in over 800 photos, so I will tell
you about my highlights of the trip and share with you some of my favourite
photos.
Sunday...
After beginning our day with a very big and delicious brunch
at B.B.King’s Blues Club, whilst watching the Harlem Gospel Choir perform, we
headed to the Rockefeller Centre. We chose a good day to go up Rockefeller as
the weather was settled and the blue skies created the perfect backdrop.
Rockefeller Centre is actually a complex of many art deco buildings; we
travelled up the seventy storeys of 30 Rockefeller Plaza to the observation
deck. With a 360° view of Manhattan, you look down on to Central park, either
side to the Hudson river and East River and you can see all the way to Statue
of Liberty. And of course from the ‘Top Of The Rock’ you are provided with the
best view of the Empire State Building.
We spent the evening in Little Italy. The area was just as
vibrant and as lively as upper Manhattan but was populated by a traffic of
people rather than taxis and tour buses. The roads were closed off in the
evenings so the area could become fully pedestrianized. All the buildings were
painted red, green and white and the streets were decorated with tinsel and
lights, the kind of embellishment you would only see here in the UK at
Christmas time. It was a lovely place to spend the evening, having dinner in an
Italian restaurant and casually strolling through the streets busy with shops
and stalls. It offered a nice break from the loud and hectic atmosphere of
places like Times Square, and it is always interesting to see how different
cultures put there mark on a place.
Monday...
On Monday morning we went to explore the Lincoln Centre for
the Performing Arts, as I was interested in seeing the Hypar Pavilion. I had
previously looked at the construction of the Hypar Pavilion as a precedent for
a green roof in one of my studio projects, so of course I wanted to take this
opportunity to see the building for real. Designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the
internal space of the structure is a restaurant while the green roof functions
as a public space. The green roof emerges from the ground creating space
beneath it, and the building is reflected in the adjacent pool.
From the Lincoln Centre we walked towards Central Park
where we stopped to spend some time at Strawberry Fields. Here we joined many
others who had come to pay tribute and remember John Lennon.
On leaving Central Park we hopped on an open top tour
bus to take us through Harlem. Unfortunately grey clouds filled the sky and the
rain came down, which made it quite difficult to see any Harlem, but the tour
guide took pity on all the tourists aboard the bus and offered to make at stop
at the Cathedral Of Saint John The Divine. Construction of the cathedral began
in 1892, but due to World War II work had to pause, and once resumed the
cathedral has had to since close on occasions due to disasters such as fire. It
was a flying visit but definitely worth mentioning, although construction is
still incomplete the interior was beautiful and with a calm and peaceful
atmosphere. When finished the cathedral will be the largest in the world of a
gothic-style.
After drying off, of course the sunshine came out and the weather was perfect so in the afternoon we jumped on a boat to get a proper look at the Statue of Liberty, and then onto Ellis Island. We ended our day with a walk along the Brooklyn Bridge, which provided us with views of Manhattan, and Brooklyn.
Tuesday...
We began the day with a trip to the Guggenheim. An
iconic building by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, I just love this structure
with it being so different to anything that surrounds it. I really enjoy how
work is displayed in the spiral ramp gallery, giving order and progression to
the pieces of art, rather than clustered in room. This is where the main
exhibition is always displayed which you can see instantly upon entering the
building. The design has in the past been criticized for overshadowing the
artwork, and I have to say for me the architecture was my favourite bit!
We returned through Central Park, in the direction of
Grand Central Station. Approaching the main concourse felt so familiar as it is
a place so often used in American films and dramas. A terminal for people
travelling to and from the city, a place of shopping and dining for natives and
tourists, also serving as a spot for a newly married couple to have their
wedding photos taken. As well as trying to get some classic shots of Grand
Central, I wanted to try and capture the chaotic movement and surges of people
through the main concourse.
In the late afternoon we took the Subway down to
Greenwich village, and with the help of our trusty travel guide we did a self
directed walking tour of the area. It turned out to be my favourite spot within the city. Much more ‘chilled out’ in comparison to areas
such as Times Square, nor overshadowed by skyscrapers or confined to the grid
layout of streets but more of a hap-hazard arrangement. Wandering through
streets of houses made from brown stone, and stumbling upon Washington Square
Park where locals sit at chess tables waiting for someone to come and take up
the challenge. The fountain in the centre was surrounded and occupied by
people of all ages. From here we continued to wander, and I became fascinated
with these brick buildings where the bricks appeared to be bulging having
exploded, creating an uneven façade. I have yet to find out the story behind
these unusual looking bricks though! Another highlight of Greenwich Village was
finding a little record store, so overflowing with vinlys and CDs there wasn’t
room to turn around or move past someone. Boxes piled up to my shoulders I was
slightly reluctant to browse in fear that everything would topple over.
Once evening approached we ventured up the Empire
State Building, to see the ‘city that never sleeps’ from above. It was a quite
an amazing sight to see so many lights illuminate the buildings of Manhattan
and continue on into the distance.
Wednesday...
On our final full day we went to Chelsea where we
visited the High Line. The vision of two young men to preserve an old elevated railway
track and transform it into a public park with the help of neighbours, artists and local businesses has changed the face of the area.
Spanning a mile the park weaves between new and old buildings, providing
connections to apartment buildings and acting as a back garden to some. For
many the High Line is an alternative more pleasant walk through the neighbourhood, with occasional niches to sit alone and read or meet up with friends.
Other stopping points include tiered seating areas with framed views to watch
the traffic below. As a tourist the High Line provided me with a pleasing walk
through the area and the opportunity to see lots of new architecture, including
the Headquarters of IAC by Frank Gehry, HL23 at 517 West Twenty-Third Street,
by Neil Denari and Diane Von Furstenberg Studio Headquarters by WORKac.
