DAY 5 NEW YORK CITY

Got a late start today. Brunch in Bryant Park.

I may be getting too old for this. I'm go'in through

Motrin like crazy.

I did not eat half of this.

This is the Bryant Park's Outdoor Library for

Children. The children can read the books for as

long as they are in the area.
There is an Adult Outdoor Library on the other
side of the park.

More Park

Art Class doing their thing.

Dad read an article a couple of months ago that said
Bryant Park's bathroom were 2nd on the list of "Best Bathrooms
in the United States". Grand America was 3rd. The fresh flowers
in this foyer are changed daily.

This is a huge inflatable RAT and it was outside of the Chase
Bank branch for this block. In Manhattan, Chase Branch's are

as plentiful as Starbucks. I have no idea what it was promoting or

if someone was upset at the bank.

Two great buildings-- Grand Central and Chrysler Building.

Walgreen's bought all of the Duane Reade Stores in Manhattan.
They are an institution and people don't want the name changed.

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
or as I prefer to call it--
Andrew Carnegie's Home
Dad had made an appointment to do research on some Sinclair logo's
from the 50's. The Cooper-Hewitt had the designer's papers and archives.

I was more interested in the history if the house and the gardens.
They had several folders for Dad to go through so I walked a block to
the Jewish Museum that I haven't seen yet.

Carnegie Gardens

Well I'm not going to see the Jewish Museum today either. It's closed on Wednesday and for the next two days for Jewish Holidays. That's the

bad news but the book store was open-- good news. I did not eat

this cookie and I did not buy this bag of books.

Dad spent about 2 hours in the library and I read in the Garden.

Then across the street and into the Park. I have never seen the Jackie K. Onassis Reservoir. It's beautiful.

Obelisk in back of The Metropolitan Museum

Friedman Playground near 5th Avenue Exit from Park.

Caught a bus but it was so slow we got off at Rockefeller Center to

grab the V Subway. Headed for the Subway.........

Wait--- it's LEGO HEAVEN. Bins of different colored LEGO's. From
floor to ceiling.

We're Walk'n, walk'n, walk'n.......
I'm just a little lost but wait, I see a sign that says "Subway" and down

the stairs we go. I was just up 1 floor.

O.K. This is more like it. But can't find the "V" line.

"Oh well, we'll just jump on an express going downtown. Everything

stops at 14th street which is O.K., even though we wanted to get off at

23rd." We need the extra steps on the pedometer.

"What ........why did this express just blow past 14th street.
We do not want to be on West 4th"
O.K. we can do this. Up the steps and over to the other side and

down the steps. Repeat after me "Only get on the local".
Yes, we made it. Off on 6th and 23. When we're good, we're good.

Shop'in, shop'in shop'in

More shop'in............

We're headed for a place called " Limelight Marketplace".

It's a very old church turned into a very upscale boutique-mall.
The minute we stepped in the door I knew 3 things. 1. Nothing in this
place would be my size. 2. We could afford nothing in this place.
3. We would not want to be able to afford anything in this place.
I read my article further after getting home and discovered this place

hasn't been a church for many years. Before this reincarnation it was

a infamous New York nightclub.

This is the 10th Precenct on 20th Street of the New York Police Department.

We stopped in and ask a nice Sargent Petrossoki if he had any freebee's for
a 2 1/2 year old little boy that could sing all the words to "Bad Boys, Bad Boys" and really liked policemen.
They gave us a badge and a pencil.

DAY 4 NEW YORK

We have something for everyone today.
This photo is for Janean. The MetLife Bldg was
the Pan Am building in the 60's and Janean

worked here. I am so impressed.

Wanted to see the inside of the Polish Embassy today. Sometimes
they have programs and you can look around. Unfortunately
today was not one of those days. We could look at the ceiling of
one of the side rooms or we could get a visa to Poland. Those were
our choices. I have this insane interest in the old buildings
in New York.

Hadn't planned on going to the Morgan Library today which is just across

the street . It had an exhibit on Mark Twain but since I never
finished "Tom Sawyer" I figured we'd pass. But in passing the building
they had a banner out advertising along with Mark an exhibit on Ann Morgan,

daughter of J.P. Morgan and her extraordinary work during WW I rebuilding
France. I had never heard of this effort but since my Grandfather served in
northern France during the War I wanted to learn more.

Between 1917 and 1924, three hundred fifty American women, all volunteers, went to Picardy, a region of Northern France that had been heavily affected by four years of war. Under the auspices of the American Committee for Devastated France as it was called, these women chose to share the life of the rural Aisne population and to come to their aid and thanks to private funds that had been collected in the United States by Anne Morgan, daughter of John Pierpont Morgan.
For 7 years they carried out exemplary reconstruction work with the aim of enabling these people to become self-sufficient. At the wheel of their Ford trucks, which they drove and repaired themselves-they covered the areas around Soissons dispensing first aid, distributing food and providing help. They created a network of nurses, children's library's, (a first in France), social centers and kindergartens. These photo's from the exhibit are incredible.

Hopped a bus going uptown because we were going to a shop in the basement of a book store that featured Vintage Toys. The book store was open but the owner of the shop downstairs is only in Wednesday through Sunday---sometimes. We'll come back tomorrow.
We were going to have lunch in either Bryant Park or Paley Park but it was raining so hard we found a Subway. That's like eating at McDonald's when you're in Italy, but at least we were dry.

Great used book store called
Complete Traveller Antiquarian Bookstore
at 199 Madison Ave.
We were discussing the numbering of the streets in Manhattan
and there is no reasonable explanation. A store on 35th street and
Madison Ave. has an address of 199 Madison Ave. Maybe someday
someone will explain it to me.

They had this photo at the register. It's a picture of people in Coventry, England during WW II in a bombed-out bookstore, looking for books. It's quite incredible.


This ? in the entrance caught my attention first and I looked to see
what kind of a store it was. Upscale jewelry store. Interesting transition.


Astro Gallery of Gems



Loved the silk skirt ($2560.00) in Ralph Lauren's Store and there was

a beautiful sweater ($900.00) to go with it.

Told you we had something for everyone. Trust me, if your rich or even
semi-rich and you leave your earthly belonging behind, your next

stop is Frank E. Campbell. In business since 1898, it is the Funeral

Parlor for the Upper East Side. It was even mentioned on "Mad Men" last week when Don Drapers ancient secretary died at her desk.
The nice man gave us an quick tour of the upstairs rooms and the chapel
and "No" you don't want to know what I told him to gain entrance. But now I'll know when I read an obituary in the Times just how to picture the place.

Bought a couple of lottery tickets at a deli and then proceeded to shop for the property we'll buy when we win. Just a couple of places that are in the running.

The one 3 brownstones down with the little garden window.

Or this one with the little sun room.

Or this one with the roof top garden.

I love the name of this shop.

Lascoff Apothecary

A Church garden that has a Welcome sign and the gate was chained.

This is a cool building so we walked over to see what it was. Name on top said "United States Mortgage and Trust Company"

The basement and 2 floors that are spaced behind the tall windows on the bottom belong to a company called "VBH". These are the initials of a gentleman who makes very expensive purses and jewelry. The purses are displayed on couches, chairs, cabinets, etc. The purses have no LOGO's on them-- that is their logo-- understatement. They never advertise. Made in Florence, Italy by hand. It is strictly word of mouth. Anywhere from the upper hundreds to $14,000. Finally a purse to go with the skirt at Ralph Lauren. A beautiful young lady approached us and ask if she could help us. Ya, sure. We're both in Levi's and I have my New York purse-- the one the twins made me 11 years ago and is more precious than the ones staring back at me. I thought she just might ask us to leave. I ask her about the history of the building. She was so friendly and told us we were welcome to look around the store and and at the custom jewelry downstairs in the vault. Her name was Mrika and she was delightful. If you need an expensive purse please go here-- word of mouth and all.
Old Bank Vault and the Jewelry was beautiful.

Shakespeare and Co. New York Branch.

Bought a book on Lily Safra. I didn't know she would allow a book to be written. 4th richest woman in the world. She married well. 4 times. 2nd husband was a Brazilian millionaire that died from 2 (two) gunshot wounds to the chest. It was ruled a suicide O.K. Her fourth husband died in a fire in their Villa in Monte Carlo. The nurse is in jail for that one. If I were the author I would up my insurance.


Subway back to Grand Central
Soup from downstairs
# 6 Express to the L on 14th Street and then
a nice walk home.

DAY 3 NEW YORK Part 2

From the Metropolitan Diary
Monday, September 27, 2010
Dear Diary,
I was waiting on First Avenue and 60th Street for the M15 local bus. Several limited ones passed by, but no local. A woman, waiting as well, and I started to commiserate about the poor bus service.

We started walking and talking. By 72nd Street, we were like old friends.
By 79th Street, she had told me that her parents, in August 1939, got on the last ship leaving Hamburg before the borders were sealed.
By 79th Street, I had told her that my parents and I, in August 1939, got on the last ship leaving Hamburg before the borders were sealed.
A short walk through Manhattan, a long walk through history.
Harriet Abramson

DAY 3 NEW YORK

O.K. O.K. I can hear the moans already. Do we have to go to the

Lower East Side Tenement Museum every year. Ummmmm, the

answer is probably "Yes". At least, Please--I really want to.

They have just bought this building across the street from
the Museum shop and near the existing Tenement Museum.
They will be recreating more current apartments-- say the last 60 years
instead of 150 years. Love this place.

Got a late start and had to hurry to make the 12:30 "Walking Tour" that

lasted 1 1/2 hours. The weather was cool and fluxed between light drizzle
and raining buckets. Even with umbrella's my shirt sleeve was wet to

the shoulder.

Annie-with the blue umbrella- is our guide. After the tour she

fills me in on how to become a volunteer when we move back here.
Just getting all the "ducks" in a row.

Old Photo of E. Ridley StoreCurrent Photo of E. Ridley Store

View of Orchard St 1890

Same view of Orchard St, 2010

Jarmulowsky Bank

Sender Jarmulowsky, Russian-Jewish immigrant, arrived
in New York in 1873 and opened a bank. By 1912, he built this
magnificent "temple of finance". He was a trusted honest banker
but unfortunately died in 1912 and his son's ran it into the ground and
lost the business in 1917. The building sold last year for 32 million and
will be converted to luxury condo's.

FORWARD BUILDING
The forward building opened in 1912, and housed the popular Jewish
Daily Forward, or Forverts. This Yiddish newspaper had national readership and helped immigrants adapt to life in America. It is also now luxury condo's.

Loew's Canal Movie Theater

Small frontage on street but it wraps
around the buildings next to it and is huge inside.
Next photo is also this theatre but around the corner.

P.S 42
has been educating children from immigrant families for over one hundred
and ten years. When the school opened in 1898, students were mainly Italian and Jewish. Today, the student body is primarily Chinese and Latino immigrants.

Great sign at the Museum gift shop. Also dropped $65.00 for books.

I know, I know but they were ones I didn't have.

Decided to make one more stop before heading back.
Cutting through the mayors back yard.
I took a picture of this building the last time I was here and it doesn't look

like they have made any progress since then. I'd love to know
the history of the stand-alone building--- they are trying hard to keep it
safe while they build next to it.

I wanted to show Dad the African Burial Ground Memorial Museum. It's
closed on Monday. Must have been Monday last time also because it was
closed them also. We'll try later this week. But the outside memorial is
open.

In 1991 they were excavating for an addition to a government building when
they discovered a 200 year old burial ground. Due to public pressure they
stopped and hence the Memorial. It's beautiful.

The Subway from ????????. This looked like sardines in a can.
We waited for the next one.
Headed home. Just 1 block to go.