OMG!  Another birthday!  (And another Public Walk - look at the bottom of this post!)

Saturday, July 21, was my birthday.  A sort of significant birthday - I'll go into why later (or not!), but I wanted you to hear and see a bit about my day.

First it wasn't in New York City, but, significantly, it was at a place that 100 years ago people from the city visited, and during the "season" sometimes for the whole three months: the Mohonk Mountain House.  Do you know it?  An extraordinary place - and well worth a couple of hours' drive up to New Paltz.  After all, who wouldn't want just an afternoon's vacation?

Here's Jake, my son, gazing up over Mohonk Lake at Skytop 

We had paid a day's fee per person down at the Gatehouse, and were taken up to the Picnic Lodge by their shuttle.  After walking through their garden, which was attractive enough - 

we walked over to the building itself.  Now, Gail, who you see above admired the flowers in the garden, and who is an architectural historian, has very clear ideas about architecture.  You see, what some of us - my son and I, for example - think charming,

Gail feels is awful!  What's this?!  She exclaims.  This pastiche, this conglomeration - this Victorian hodgepodge!!

Oh, Jake and I laughed, stop quibbling! It's Mohonk!

Well, in that case - but ah!  Look at this!

Yes, a day's vacation is something to consider when you live amid all the hubbub and hullabaloo
of New York City.  We began our walk around the lake.

Certainly nothing to carp about here, Jake and I agreed.  The peaceful blue water, the calm sky, and for once a day not plagued with intolerable heat and humidity ....  Ahhh.

Yes, life is good for our inveterate authority on things architectural.  We stroll on around the lake.

Not exactly a beach, but a place one could bring a row boat up to for a little while perhaps, but a view over a "sky lake" - one whose waters mainly come from the sky, although I believe there's a quite adequate spring underneath.  (But I shall have to consult Mohonk and the Smiley family - the owners - about this!)

We rest at one of the many gazebos that are located all over the 2200 acres of the establishment.  Did I say this was a restful day?

Gail presses on, but gradually, gazing out through the trees onto the lake below.

We gain purchase on a somewhat higher ground. 

And now we're perched on one of those ("heinous!") porches, looking down at the beach and the swimming dock for hotel guests.

But we now have begun the walk up to Sky Top!  And can see the Mountain House from on high.  "It's better from up here," Gail volunteers.  Good!

Then, how about from here?  Better yet? 

Now at Sky Top, I'm poised to ascend the steps to the top.  But, alas, not Gail!  She shall await.  Too bad!  She missed this: 

Well, to say that was exhilerating is almost to miss the point: it was extraordinarily relaxing to be away for a day, and to be so high in the sky, to see so far, and to have no hurry, no pressure, no time to worry.

We walked over, once we had descended all the way, to the stables! 

Read the sign!

No problem for Jake!  Say "Cheeze!"

Our Next Public Walk

  

Yes, our next Public Walk will be on August 4, starting at 10:00am, for two hours, and we will start at Beanocchio's on York Avenue (between E. 75th St. and E. 76th St.).  

"But, where will we walk!?" you ask.  Ah, there's the question! 

We will begin at the new bridge over the FDR Drive to the Promenade along the East River, and walk toward 5th Avenue, along E. 78th Street - but branching off of it frequently to catch interesting sights and bring you all up to date on what's new in the "hood."  Like: 

 

The Second Avenue Subway! 

  

To reserve a place on our tour (limited to 12 persons), please register your name and phone number with The Street Teacher  (click on the highlighted words), and please note the following:

  

Date: August 4, Saturday, 2012

Time: 10:00am 

Meeting Place: Beanocchio Cafe, at 1413 York Avenue.

Length of Walk (hours): 2 

Length of Walk (miles): 1.5

Cost: $20 per person (cash) or $20.75 (credit card)

(Pay at beginning of tour.)

To Reserve: Click here to send e-mail and reserve a spot.  Remember to include your name and phone number!

For information only, call 917-921-9273

Note: If you take the subway, the 6 train will stop at E. 77th Street and Lexington Avenue.  When you exit, walk away from Lenox Hill Hospital and toward 3rd Avenue, and proceed to York and Beanocchio's, between 75th and 76th Streets.  

If you come by bus, the M31 ("Yorktown") will cross town on 57th Street and proceed up York Avenue, and you can exit that at 76th Street, right across the street.  Buses are, of course, liable to be a little slow, so please keep that in mind.  

The Crosstown M79 will stop at York and 79th, just 3 blocks north. 

Spring Walks with the Street Teacher

Good day, desk dogs!  This spring time note is to alert you at your desks to the real wood out there in the world, and to urge you to really escape that wood under your blotter by walking in the park - wherever your park may be!

This shot was taken in the morning one day, looking down into the gulf of a wilderness area only recently trimmed - no!  It was in Central Park, just off the 102nd Street transverse, looking down into the woods where the Loch is that drains water from the Pool into the Harlem Meer.

Still don't know where that is?  For shame!  Anyway, and seriously, that is my shadow looming over the picture, we at The Street Teacher shall be taking long and short walks throughout both the City and the neighborhood (remember?  We also walk bridges!) this season.  Perhaps you have heard?  I will be leading a walk up along the Harlem River on Saturday, April 28 - the day after Arbor Day (which is always the last Friday of April).  But I heard today that the Harlem River Park, where we'll be walking, is also the site of a wonderful new community art project.  Check it out - and sign up for the walk at this link.

It should be a wonderful day for a walk - and this is only half way!  

Walk the High Line - Community is Art!

Today is the day - and a sunny (but cool) day it's promising to be! Come one come all to the High Line for a warming walk through art and to artists - make your day come alive!

Yes, we'll ascend the stairs and achieve an epiphany - as we walk through a Community as Art.

We will learn about the history of this great new park, and the neighborhood of which it is now a fantastic part, and learn about the team of designers and architects who renovated this rail line. We'll talk about the the art and artists whose work we'll see there, and which we'll visit as we descend into the largest center of contemporary art in the world.

Meet us at 11:00 am this Saturday, February 25, and next Saturday, March 3 at W. 14th Street and 9th Avenue. Call 917-921-9273 or e-mail The Street Teacher at Bill@TheStreetTeacher.com.

The Walk is $20 cash - see you there!

New! - Walk the High Line to the Artists of Chelsea

This early spring, late winter, will be a great time for art in New York. On March 8 to 11 The Armory Art Show, with more than 120 galleries from around the world displaying modern and contemporary art at Piers 92 and 94 at 12th Avenue and 55th Street, will be in action. Please check the website for all details - for there are some significant innovations in this year's show, such as their "inaugural edition of Armory Film, curated by the Moving Image Fair, and Solo Projects, a section dedicated to single artist presentations, and the Media Lounge, where on-site programs including Armory Film, Open Forum - the lively talk series - and Armory Performance will take place." It's quite a show - look at their website before going!

As you can see by the picture, artists do tend to start young, and this one is in his mother's studio in a great building on W. 21st Street, where many artists work on a daily basis. It may be many years before his work will be at the Armory show, but virtually every artist in the building has an opportunity. And, on February 25 (see below!) The Street Teacher shall be leading a tour from 14th St. and 9th Avenue up the High Line to these studios and galleries as well, getting you a head start on the season.

But for us in February, and virtually every day of the year in fact, there are artists in Chelsea, working every day on new art. In fact, this is one of the most important and influential art districts in the world, with hundreds of galleries - and for us one great building with many working artists.

Meet artists at work in their studios and talk with them about their processes of creation. Ask them what inspires them, and become acquainted with creators of contemporary art. Why, you might even imagine commissioning a work of art for your - home!

The High Line Art Walk

Date: Saturday February 25, 2012
Time: 11:ooam
Meeting Place: W. 14th St. and 9th Avenue, outside The Diner
Length of Tour: 2 to 3 hours
Price: $20 cash, or $20.75 credit card.
Please register by e-mail at Bill@TheStreetTeacher.com

We will start promptly at 11:00. Please try your best. If you find yourself running late, please call 917-921-9273 to let us know, and we'll tell you where to meet us. But please remember: we begin our walk at 11:00am.

Winter is for Walking!

I have been away from my blog for some time now, and I apologize to my followers for leaving them adrift - in the sea of holiday shopping, of family feasting, and now - January fasting! We shall get together again.

But, now, on the subject of food, feasting and fasting, have you noticed that Fairway is now on E. 86th St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, on the south side of the street? So, now you can get all kinds of olive oil - and taste each one on a piece of Fairway baguette that they have prepared for you (free lunch?). It's altogether a surfeit of food to be sure - but beware the mothers with their strollers! Traffic jam! Never was a place so demanding of one's patience and stamina for politeness!

But, as I did, you may be able to walk home by one wonderful echo of Yorkville's German past.

This is the Zion-St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, on E. 84th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues - in the evening. Constructed in 1888, by a certain J. F. Mahoney. The church did have financial problems in its first decades, but while originally one congregation - the Deutche Evangelical Kirsche von Yorkville - it joined with the Zion-St. Marks congregations from the Lower East Side's Kleinedeutschland after the terrible event of June 15, 1904: the loss of 1000 women and children in the sinking of the General Slocum at Hell's Gate.

There's more to learn, and this may be a part of one of my Spring Slow Walks, which I shall be detailing soon in my newsletter (The Street Teacher Bulletin - let me know if you'd like to be on that list! Send me a note!).

A New Year, New MacBook! New iPhone!

No, I'm not bragging! Not at all. But, well, my equipment was getting old ... and the iCloud is coming - but I also broke my display on my older MacBook when it fell out of my bag after being checked at the courthouse downtown when I was doing my jury duty. So, now, new.

And there's new stuff to learn! But, I may have more and better pictures (see above - what do you think?) to come.

RESCHEDULED WALK!

Walk the Speedway!

Our Next Public Tour has been rescheduled for Sunday, December 11, 2011. We will meet at the end of the # 3 subway line, at 148th St. and 7th Avenue at 10:30am, and walk along the Harlem River and enjoy the fruits of the NYRP, and the development of what Mayor Bloomberg has called the "Sixth Borough:" the waterfronts of New York City.

During our walk (about 4 miles) we will remember the stories of other walkers who would make this path part of their constitutional.

We will end at the Indian Road Cafe where we can enjoy brunch or lunch (at your expense). We will be near the No. 1 subway, and a short walk from the A train at 207th St. The walk should take about 2 to 3 hours, and lunch may extend our time together.

PLEASE! You must register by e-mail: Bill@TheStreetTeacher.com and please include your cell phone number.

Cost: $20 cash, or $20.75 by credit card (or PayPal)

Meeting Time: 10:30am Place: 148 & 7th Ave.

Please note! We will wait only 15 minutes, so please call (917-921-9273) if you expect to be late!

A Long Hot Summer in the City ....

Yes, yes, it's been a while! I have been busy leading visitors here and there, over yonder and just around the corner - all kinds of places, for a great variety of people. But there were scenes that couldn't be missed ... like the sunset on July 4, over the heads of people anxiously awaiting fireworks, and our glorious Hudson River:

Yes, it truly was a harbinger of a glorious fireworks - which I couldn't get a decent shot of, alas! - but also of a warm and bustling summer in New York.

In fact, there were a lot of happy people coming to New York, and celebrating just for the heck of it!

Stephanie Kyle and Michael Squillante
at the White Horse on Hudson Street @ W. 11th Street

Yes, sometimes when I introduce visitors to my great city they can find on their own reasons to be happy in New York. After all, what's not to like?! After all, Mr. Softee serves chocolate ice cream!

Although I have to tell you that sometimes Mr. Softee can be hard to find - especially if you're returning to the city after a hot day in the country. But, maybe we should stay in town?



See? Bikinis in Washington Square Park - cooling off on a hot summer's day. In fact, just to the left is another wonderful spot:

Yes! Right there in Washington Square children are splashing around, and getting really cooled off. And believe me, the temperatures were in the 90s for almost weeks straight, in July.

But what's great about this park, and this fountain, is that it's simply a continuation, and in a great way an improvement of an existing structure and plan. Established on July 4, 1826 by then Mayor Philip Hone, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence (and the very day that both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died!), Washington Square has been the center for many occasions - although now it's most known as the informal campus of the nation's largest private university, New York University.

But it's the summer, and few people are thinking about school!

We have to walk our dogs, make sure they're fed and watered - and if we train (and love) them well enough, maybe it's true; they will be among your best friends.

After all, with dogs, you can be the leader of their pack - but only if you get their respect. Love them!

And if you go to Broadway this summer, perhaps you will drop by Ellen's Stardust Diner - for a bite to eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner - but also to hear Broadway performers like this young lady break into song right after serving you!

This is, as Mayor Lindsay used to say - although it seem a little forced back then, it's not now: New York is Fun City!

The High Line - and Other News

Good day! It's June 15 and time to record what's up with this town. After all, one week ago today the second part of the High Line (and believe me when I admit that I almost wrote "the second half" of the High Line!) opened. And a very curious interval it is.

Not quite as breathtaking as the first part, I must aver, but still a compelling addition to a revolutionary beginning.

First, this rainy warm spring has created a virtual bath of luxurious green up there - and what are these conical flowers? A friend of mine recently asked what they were doing there - "aren't they native to South Africa?" I don't know, although there is a list - the June Blooming List - that can tell any curious flower lover all the names, in Latin and English, of all that's blooming.

I was walking there on Sunday (after spotting David Byrne riding his bike down Ninth Avenue - helmetless! - but with a smile and sitting comfortably behind his basket) with a couple of visitors from London, England. I had to point out flowers to the English!

But there are also the birds. And here, as my visitor saw, were some interesting contraptions - bird feeders, they were. In fact, you can spot a small golden chunk of - sweet potatoe? Very curious!

Some, as we saw, were content to ruminate on other things, and rest upon the benches so gently placed at the edge of a wonderfully green and soft-looking lawn. The lawn was off limits that day, however. As I learned later, it was closed off to walkers (and liers, rollers and somersaulters) for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday because of its wetness. The High Liners are most anxious that their new lawn gets the rest it needs to weather the enjoyment of thousands the rest of the summer long. Very thoughtful, don't you think?

The High Line was quite popular Sunday, too. Everyone wanted to see what would be the nature of the extension to what had become in its first two years perhaps the most popular park in the City (after Central Park, I would suggest - but it would be close in a certain demographic).

A lot of people!


But the High Line on this stage of its progress has an interesting feature: the Flyover. Check it out:

After walking onto it, I looked back, and down - and it almost seemed as if I were walking over the "original" High Line - when it was abandoned, and the tracks were barely visible through the grass ("weeds"?), and small trees were surviving above all the city grime. But, now, we were above that. Very nice touch. Worth spending time just contemplating change and adaptation ... and many other things, perhaps - but when it's less crowded!

We did reach the end, and did talk to some New Yorkers (down from their high-rises for a walk, no doubt), but the very end isn't quite what it will be. The Related Companies have a grand project for Hudson Yards (as the tracks are called), which will become visible within the next two or three years.

But perhaps the potentially most memorable moment wasn't ours after all, but to see it was charming nonetheless:


You can't make it out? Let's make it a little easier:

I hope she said yes!

The Last Night at Elaine's

You'll never believe it, but this was also my first night at Elaine's. Perhaps - well, perhaps any number of things. Maybe it was something like what Graydon Carter said about the likelihood of his taking over to continue the tradition:

"If you live downtown, 89th and 2nd Avenue is really a serious hike, and ultimately, that was the deciding factor." Although he did say that he just felt no one could fill Elaine's shoes.

But, then, what did I feel about the place - for the hour I was allowed to stand at the bar before they rotated us out? First of all, it was a beautiful night, and I had just finished performing a wedding at the Ladis's Pavilion in Central Park in front of 25 people from England, and had walked all across town to meet Alison and Bonnie at Elaine's - it was for me a very nice evening,

and why not have a drink? And we were virtually the first in line.

The bartenders weren't exactly cheerful, but they were there and able to serve us relatively quickly. But, they did seem, how you say: as if all this attention, while welcome for the night, as a bartender would always feel, was on this occasion a bit too patronizing to really be appreciated. Go figure!

We met some new people - and everyone was new since we'd never been there before! Everyone was taking pictures. One new friend, who had been a customer within the past five or six years, but who had perhaps not seen Elaine's in its hay day, was very helpful.

Bonnie is helped by Philip with her camera - and a new friend is made.

The drinks were good, and the one bartender whose name I got - Alex - was humorous in a wry sort of way as he went about his last night at Elaine's bar.

And me? Oh, I was happy enough - it's really spring now, and the rains seem to have left us, and so has the chill of that ridiculous April we had this year!

So, what more is in the offing? I will be more up to date - but on the 11th of June I am planning for another walk - but a walk through the Nature Center of Tenafly, New Jersey - to which we'll bus it! Fun for bird lovers - and general nature walkers too.

See you soon!

Spring Days are Here - Let's Walk!

I can't emphasize this enough: when the weather's good, we in the Northeast feel a peculiar anxiety to make the most of it. I realized this years ago when I visited a friend at Stanford University, in Palo Alto, California, during August and discovered that when every day is beautiful a most calming feeling began to surface. I didn't feel that rush to go out because the sun was shining ... because it would be shining tomorrow, and the day after. No worries. Not like back home!

So, this past weekend was a great weather weekend, and, since I am indeed in the Northeast, I took full advantage of it!

I called my friend Philippe(walking on the left, in the picture at right), and we were out early to walk the George Washington Bridge to Tenafly on a sort of Spring '11 Test Walk, a preview of the "Real" walk on April 16 (see my Public Tours).

The weather was magnificent, and the temperature did achieve the mid fifties I believe, but the trees still are wanting their buds of green. I hope and trust that in two weeks green shoots will be leaping out all over! We looked down on the northern reaches of Riverside Park below:

The greenest green isn't grass, which is at the bottom of the picture; it's the tennis courts. The railroad track is to the left, and our North River (the Hudson to most of you!) is of course to the right.

But look again: where's the city? Miles away! We're leaving that metropolis for - ew, the suburbs??! Not so fast!

Yes, off to our left is the sheer rock of the Palisades, right below the site of the old original Fort Lee. Note the road cut into the cliff: the Henry Hudson Drive, which goes all the way up to the Alpine Boat Basin - but that's for another time!

We continued on, and eventually left all the noise of traffic and the hardness of the pavement. We entered ....











- the woods! Sure, it was brown, but it was wonderfully relaxing to stroll through the trees.

We noticed, however, that there seemed to be a lot of fallen brush and branches, even trees, that testified to a rather rough season just gone by. It didn't look quite to rough last October. Hmm. But it was cleared enough for us to walk very pleasurably on the path.

This experience finally reminded me of my boyhood wanderings, and comforted me in the way that familiar things often do. As if I had discovered an old book that I had loved as a kid, or remember a time when a friend and I had explored the woods behind my house and discovered hidden caves in rocky hillsides, or just walked on comfortable with not having any destination, yet confident that we would find our way.

And so, Philippe and I walked along the Palisades.





We looked out, toward the Bridge from the railing in Allison Park. And, it's true, we were almost out of our woods interlude. But, the wonder of it all!

Philippe had always wanted to see what was in Englewood, and what kind of homes were there. So, we did see some ... and this one wasn't the largest:

Can you imagine whose this was? Nope! Not telling! Either you walk with me on the 16th, or at least you ask me via the comment section! I'm getting tough now ... so, any takers?

We walked on, and Philippe was beginning to miss the nature that we experienced, and that we both loved, on the trails along the Palisades. But, we were not completely out of nature:

Here are two of the four deer we saw ambling across a lawn in the "suburbs." And, before we even completely left the Palisades we saw more than two geese - we saw two wild turkeys! So, nature is alive in the New York Metropolitan Area - walk with me on the 16th of April and see it all as it begins to bloom!