New York Public Library

It's one of the great libraries of the world and a must-see for anyone with intellectual or bookish interests. And especially for a retired librarian like Vicki. We did the official tour and then the tour of the NYPL Treasures (next post).

Vicki waving from the steps

Still one of the world's largest marble buildings

One of the more ornate water fountains ever; alas,
fed by lead pipes; don't drink the water

Helpful model in the visitor center...just the research library...the
less famous main circulating library is across the the street...then 
there are the nearly 60 branch libraries...

Peering into the maps library

Nice ceiling treatments throughout

Now in the main reading room

Important quote from Milton

Main reading room, north

South

Blind Milton Dictating Paradise Lost to His Daughters, Mihaly
Munkacsy, in the Salomon reading room; lots of art throughout

Among the few old card catalogs

Now in the periodicals reading room, adorned with
paintings of all the old NYC periodicals publishing
houses...here, the old NY Times building

Absolutely the only person I saw reading an actual book

Still in the periodicals room, "City Hall and Publishers Row"

Outside now, looking at the two lions that guard the library entrance;
here, Fortitude...

And here Patience; both named by Mayor LaGuardia during the
Depression

Virtues as needed now as then, facing the onslaught of Republican
book-banners and book-burners

The library complex sits in or astride Bryant Park,
named for William Cullen Bryant...of Thanatopsis 
fame...poet, newspaper editor, etc...here is his monument
in the park

Highline And Environs, 2

Continuing our walk on NYC's Highline...and beyond...

An impressive climate science fair along the way

Near the southern terminus, more background

Large overhang

Average soil depth is only 18 inches, but enough in
places to support nice woods of birches and other
smaller trees; really an incredible experience in the
depths of the city...

Finally ending up in the historical Meat Packing district...

That is, now back on terra firma in the hyper-gentrified former
Meat Packing district; beneath the ghost sign are all the fancy marques
you'd expect to see on Bond Street or the Champs Elysees

But what caught our attention (and everyone else' too)
was the Elephant Walk...

Look here for the story behind all this, but, 100 life-sized wooden
elephants are tromping through the Meat Packing district...

No elephant rides, however

Nearby is Starbucks' NYC roastery and coffee shoppe, sufficiently 
like the one in Milan that we had to stop in for a look

The upstairs bar and line of Campari bottles is much smaller here,
but otherwise similar to Milan

The main difference is that the roastery in Milan is Starbucks' only
presence in Italy (and quite understated, at that), whereas, in the US,
they're everywhere...now we have seen two of Starbucks' six roasteries
world-wide; big woof

No end to the luxury shoppes; the Google building is reflected 
across the street

Now we are at our final destination for the day, Chelsea Market, once
a main factory of the National Biscuit Company (NaBisCo); and certainly
among the factories and warehouses served by the old Highline

If there ever was a market here, it is now long-gone,
replaced by a city-block sized food hall...reminiscent of Spitalfields
and Borough Market...but the photos and interpretive and other
signage of the old Nabisco building were much appreciated, by us,
at least; no free Oreo nor Ritz samples, however...

Factory decor incorporated into food hall seating

More old decor

Then; and looks pretty much the same now, from the outside

The Highline, in its then-glory days

Sic transit, Gloria?

Highline And Environs, 1

NYC's Highline is an old, disused, elevated train track, dating from the early 20th, but converted in the 21st into a public park and trail. It is about 1.3 miles in length and runs from, roughly, the Hudson Yards to Chelsea, at the southeastern end of the island. In its prime, the tracks brought food into the city from the mainland (New Jersey) as well as raw materials needed for the burgeoning industrial sector. And carried things back out. The Highline--the contemporary park and walk-way--is said to have been inspired by Paris' Promenade Plantee, which runs through the 11th and 12th, from Place Bastille to Parc Vincennes, about 3 miles. And which we have done a couple times at least. We found the Highline to be quite impressive, one of the great up-cycling projects we have seen.

You can actually see the Highline from outer space...it's the line
curving from Hudson Yards down to red Highline dot...in the left
quadrant...click to enlarge

Bits of track left in place as a nod to history; starting
our walk here near 34th St.

Click to enlarge for further history, etc.

What's left of Hudson Yards and the new Hudson Yards development

Now near the river, admiring aircraft carrier and cruise ship

Us, there

The Highline passes by many interesting old buildings...here, the 
Starrett-Lehigh Building, 1920s, a nineteen story, 1.8 million cubic feet
warehouse and railroad hub (Lehigh Valley RR); now mostly offices

Plus many newer luxury condos

Much interesting sculpture along the way...this one
might have felt more at home in the 11th or perhaps the
Place de la Concorde

The London Terrace Towers...at the time, late 1920s, said to be the
largest apartment complex in the world, 1700 units, 19 stories high,
occupying a full NYC block

Amazingly, there was only one refreshments area,
no buskers, and just this one woman doing balloon
art for the kiddies...on a beautiful, crowded Sunday
afternoon

Bits of the Highline are nearly forest-like

Overlooking one of NYC's characteristic elevated parking garages

Passing through a canyon of artsy buildings

Walker Tower, 1929, now luxury condos; nice

art deco, as are the previous oldies...

The Lantern House; not art deco; but possibly great fun
if you've ever wanted to live in a glass house

One sees relatively few vacant lots in Manhattan; we wondered
what this one, at 10th Ave. and 18th St., might go for...

Most of the Highline is nicely landscaped, much of it native, all
of it pretty self-sustaining; with superb interpretive signage

The Edge at Hudson Yards...with it's 30th floor viewing
platform

Bridge of Sighs

Little Island...in Paris this would be called Ile Flottante; we'll see it
in another few days