The Gansevoort Street Fair for the High Line!

It was quite a sunny day, Sunday July 12. We started our walk and tour of the city where I met the Everson family, at the Marriott Residence Inn on Sixth Avenue. We walked through Bryant Park and Grand Central Terminal, and bussed ourselves down to Gramercy Park before we went all the way down to Stone Street for lunch.

Stone Street, an outdoor festival of dining all its own, downtown below Wall Street

We left downtown and the Wall Street area and took the number 1 train from its gloriously renovated station at South Street - now all doors open! - and traveled uptown to Greenwich Village. For my family from Cary, North Carolina, I walked them down Charles Street so that they could see that not everyone lives in a big apartment building!

This charming concoction of a home was originally a sort of "back house" up on York Avenue and 71st Street that, in about 1970, was purchased by the owner of this little corner of Charles and Greenwich Streets and brought down by truck. Recently, the original owner sold it, and the new one refurbished and expanded it, but in the original "style," so that his family could be more comfortable. Charming! And with a driveway and front lawn!

We continued up Greenwich Street - toward the special event I had in store for my new friends.

Yes! There was the Gansevoort Street Fair in celebrarion of the opening of the High Line. What a wonderfully colorful event in the Meatpacking District! It gloriously confirmed that the once questionably respectable neighborhood is finally family friendly. Of course, there were some quite curious beings there at the party, as you can see above!






But, some others were more
approachable and seemed quite happy to see us!







I think everyone was really into the event, and the neighborhood certainly seemed ready and willing to embrace such an expression of enthusiasm.




There certainly was plenty to eat, and as this fairgoer seems to be saying: it's hmm-mm good!





There were plenty of orange balloons, but the one below in the left-hand picture belongs to Zach, who is standing behind his brother, Jared, who's looking down and wearing the green shirt, on the right. They were the sons of Paige and Albert Everson, who were here also with Paige's parents - who are momentarily out of sight!











The picture on the right, above, is Jared's and Zach's grandmother and father - I still don't know where the grandfather went! - as they look on at this quite curious event. After all, who expected -

A horse!

So, after our sojourn near the High Line - which we didn't have time to go up because of the sheer numbers of people (there was a line we would have had to wait on). But the Eversons are here all week, so they can return when they like.

We walked across 14th Street to the 8th Avenue subway to board to train to W. 72nd and Central Park West. We saw the glorious sculptures of Tom Otterness on the platform! Here is Zach, with a new hat, a balloon - he's ready to visit Central Park!














Leaving downtown by subway is almost like "changing the channel." We walk into Central Park - and across to Conservatory Water. The peacfulness of the water brought us back to something maybe a little familiar to my family. After all, nearby another North Carolina native made his home ....


Yes, James Buchanan Duke lived at 1 East 78th Street, right there on the corner of 5th Avenue. This is where the famous richest girl in the world, Doris Duke was born. As massive as it is, I remarked to the Eversons, an even larger mansion was razed to create the building that would please the first Mrs. Duke. Ah, what to do!

So this was virtually the end of the day for my Eversons - but for a bus ride down to the John Jay Park and a swim in the pool for the two boys!

No pictures of that from me, for I had to be in the pool - but Paige the mom took a picture of Jared and me! Ah, to swim, in the glorious New York City ....