The Early Spring Update

The Street Teacher Visits - Paris!

Surprise surprise!  Yes, I finally got all my frequent-flyer points together and booked a round-trip flight to the City of Light.  There must be a reason I still remember the French I took for six years - through junior and senior high school - and for 6 weeks at the Alliance Française in New York (during the Monica Lewinsky dust-up - that's how I remember the time, because our teacher was so amused by the "moral outrage" that would have been dismissed in a moment in France!).

I was so nervous about choosing the flight - the right flight - that I simply called my agent: American Express Travel.  After all, it was their "points" I would use, so why not get that out of the way and be most efficient about it.  

Well, as many of you may know, the least expensive flights are rarely the most direct ones.  So, I may have booked through American Airlines, but it was Iberia that took me first to Madrid, then to Paris.  The photo above was taken from the window seat of the second leg of that flight - a little cramped for sure, but for just a little less than two hours - although we did have to wait on the ground for 45 minutes before taking off.  And the first, night flight I had the aisle seat.  Much better. 

But the plane was full indeed; the young woman sitting next to me was a graduate student at the Stern School of Business at NYU with about 15 students on their way to Morocco to study the way women are treated in that country.  A most "un-spring-break-like" Spring Break, indeed! 

Landing in Madrid at about 6 in the morning (I left JFK I think a little before 7 on the previous evening), I had a connection to make for the ultimate arrival at Orly in Paris at 10:10.  

But how to know where the flight is! 

Sure!  The Airport is gorgeous - but there was - is - no signage upon exiting customs directing us to that connection - none whatsoever!  All those students were, of course, connecting to an entirely different flight, so where they were going wasn't necessarily where I would go - and did they know where to go? 

The airport is huge - and makes JFK seem like LaGuardia in comparison.  But, of course, in spite of seeing no one who was official in any way, I managed to find one sign with all the flights on it; there was no gate, yet, but at least I knew where to look for it.  

Yes, after that 45 minute wait on the ground, we're off to Orly - and arrive 10 minutes early.  They're tricky, these pilots. 

Yes!  Off the RER B at St. Michel/Notre Dame, and I'm in the Latin Quarter!  Who couldn't love this?!  I'm only a few blocks from my hotel - although, truth be told, it was a challenge to navigate the unusual arrangements of the streets.  Those of you who think getting around in Greenwich Village can be a challenge - well!  Paris for a new-comer can be a real challenge! 

My room was ready - I had arrived after 12 - and I went up.  Here's my view out one of the two windows of my room.  Quite adequate - and only on the fourth floor (the ground floor there is 0, not 1, by the way - and there is an elevator), so it would be easy to go in and out.  Only 35 rooms in this little hotel (The Hotel Central Saint Germain, at 3 Rue Champollion). 

My room - 

- was quite comfortable - although this picture may betray the fact that I took this picture in the latter part of the day - after my requisite tasting of red wine (I always bought wine for less than 3 Euro - or $3.86 - wine is the one thing that is really cheap there).

But once I dropped my bag - I was out on the street again.  Paris is definitely a walking city.  You simply have to walk; I took the metro occasionally (and you should also at least buy the "Carnet," or ten ticket choice: its "full price" is 12.70 Euro, whereas an individual ticket is 1.70.  Do the math, and you'll see that the individual price is cheaper than New York's - although one cannot transfer freely to a bus, although one can, within zones, transfer between the suburban RER trains (which take one to the airports) and the Metro for free.  Definitely worth it. 

There are all sorts of "passes" available, and if you're intending to visit museums then they're worth checking out: http://goparis.about.com/od/transportation/ss/Metro_and_Buses_4.htm and http://www.parismetro.com/, which last site covers almost everything you could imagine doing there.  It will consume a whole day to determine just which package will suit your desires - but it may be worth it!  

Suffice it for this traveler, however, to say that I didn't indulge in the Louvre, or the Gare d'Orsay, or even some of the smaller museums.  Except for the Musée des Beaux Arts, which I stumbled upon as I walked - on a day when it was free, as it happened - I didn't visit too many obvious tourist sites.  

Except, of course, for Notre Dame. 

Yes, it was a little cloudy that day, and rainy even, but not a deluge, and nothing I couldn't manage with my umbrella.  (No, I didn't betray my nationality with a baseball hat!  I had a beret - which I lost over there, and which few French in Paris actually wear.) 

This year, however, is very special for the Cathedral de Notre Dame, for it is celebrating the 850th year since it's construction was begun. 

So there are tourists!  But, and in a way this felt a little weird, most of them were French, and French school children too.  So, I was among the French nonetheless virtually all the time. 

I arrived on March 16, a Saturday, so I was looking forward to attending services at Notre Dame on March 17, St. Patrick's Day.  So, I got up early the next morning - 

- and had my petit dejeuner formüle for 4 Euro early, looking out toward the Place St. Michel.  After I  walked the short distance over to Notre Dame. 

Yes, I could think, well, it's smaller than the Cathedral of St. John the Divine - but it's finished and it's 850 years old!  I was there comfortably early, before the 8:30am service, and found a good seat in the first 10 or 15 rows of the nave. 

Ah, no, I couldn't imagine Quasimodo swinging on his bell rope to rescue Esmeralda - but I'll have a greater appreciation of the movie when I see it again! 

End - Part 1

Sledding in Central Park - A Perfect Morning!

 Oh, last Saturday we saw winter come - but winter almost as it should if it were scheduled by all the powers that be: companies, schools, governments: the snow accumulated for our enjoyment on the weekend!  No businesses that I know of had to be closed (of course, I stand to be corrected!), and certainly few schools had to be closed, and if you got up early you could easily enjoy the best sledding day of the year (and possibly the only one, if both Punxatawnie Phil and Staten Island Chuck groundhogs are right and we're due for an early spring!):

The hills were alive with the sound of children and scrunching snow - and snow that wasn't wet yet either.  Of course, it didn't make for good snow balls, but it was perfect for sledding.

 And skiing too!  Yes, skiing in Central Park - I saw one young person walking past with his skis, on his way to the Great Lawn, perhaps:

And a friend sent me a picture of herself completely outfitted for a cold day on skis!  

Yes, it was winter - at least last week.  Now?  Well, spring is in the air, I'm afraid, and I doubt we shall see any more significant snow in the city ... maybe!  Check out the video - and enjoy a morning sledding!

Is it Winter Yet?

The winter is just begun, although I'm looking at this new year as a different kind of beginning; it's really a beginning to a different sort of season altogether.  "The Street Teacher" may morph into a subcategory of me, and not occupy my full time efforts as it used to.

The Great Lawn under a light coating of snow, signifying that maybe more will come!

So, while I will be preparing walking tours for the New Year, and I will make every effort to make them interesting and thought provoking, I will also devise a few longer tours too.

First, I have other obligations:

1.  Yes, I have tickets to the inauguration!  Well, not to all the social hoopla, but at least I'll be a little closer to the capital building.  Although the last time (aka the first Obama Inaugural) it was still far away with a ticket.

2.  And, while down in Washington I'm going to re-familiarize myself as best I can with the lay-out of the city.  I have a lot of trips to take down there this spring.

3. February will be a busy month: it will see the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the opening of Grand Central Terminal on February 2.  Which is also the first day of an intensive 5 week training period to certify me as a Grand Central docent; I will do at least 2 tours a month for the year.

4.  I have also been thinking about a break from the city with a voyage to Paris in March.  But, the dates have yet to be decided while other things are up in the air!

What other things?

Well, a partnership is being discussed among three of us to more forcefully present myself and my services.  And more news of that will be forthcoming.

Sure!  I'll let you know!

It's time to cast off the old, and renew one's spirit with new enthusiasms, new places and people, more knowledge of history and others' plans for the future - out futures!

Stay tuned!

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Perhaps the most important addition to our neighborhood, and to Manhattan and New York generally, is the opening of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island.

Originally known as Hog Island when Dutch governor Wouter Van Twiller purchased it in 1637 from the Carnarsie Indians, and then Blackwell's Island after a brief time when it was known as Manning's Island (his father-in-law, Captain John Manning, who captured it from the Dutch in 1666), its name was changed to Welfare Island in 1921 to highlight its main use since the opening of the Smallpox Hospital in 1856 as designed by James Renwick, Jr.  

Since 1973, however, when it was named after our 32nd president, we have known it as Roosevelt Island.  Finally, and I'll wager that until recently many didn't even know there was this memorial planned, we have it on view.

After getting off the Tram (which was opened in 1976 as a temporary measure, but has since become an attraction in itself - and is now integrated into our Metrocard system so that you don't need their own special tokens!), one walks back toward Manhattan (Roosevelt Island, in spite of itself, is part of the borough of Manhattan, by the way) and then to the left, walking down along the parapet. 

Yesterday, October 24, 2012, was the so-called "Grand Opening." The weather wasn't quite so "grand," and continued damp and chill throughout the day.  It was perhaps more intimate, however, and I enjoyed communing with this environment.

I mentioned the Smallpox Hospital.  That is certainly an attraction, and one worth examining.  Let's see what we have to examine: 

Well!  Not really inviting, is it?  But on closer inspection, the structure has been re-enforced a bit.  It was made a landmark on November 25, 1975, which put a stop (or at least a slowing down) to its continuing decay.

We can see, as we walk on down to the new park, other aspects of the building:

The east face of the Smallpox Hospital

The Southern facing side

We have now arrived at the beginning of the park, which comprises just 4 acres.  Yesterday, I had to come down the eastern side of the island because of some work being done on the pathway.  In fact, as one looks at the picture just above, the ground in the forefront was quite slippery in the rain.  I have been assured, by the very person in charge, Ms Sally Minard, President of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park LLC, who was there yesterday morning (and who assured me that I was the very first tour guide of the city to be there!) that this situation will be corrected quite soon. 

So!  How does it all look?

 At first I was struct by the massiveness of the stone, and its comparative plainness.  Compared to what?  Oh, I don't know - maybe my imagination?  But - I'm not going to be a quick judge!  I'm going to stay a while and become acquainted with what is the last work of Louis Kahn, a great architect suddenly felled by a heart attack in Penn Station soon after he had drawn up these plans.  A little respect is only right. 

 I was immediately struck by these steps.  There seemed something very inviting about them; with the sight of the trees in the near distance, even something inviting ...

Oh, my God!

It's true, FDR isn't exactly in a spot light; look up to the top of this post, and you'll see him closer.  But on first approaching this memorial his head is almost a mystery.  Yet, well, he invites you to approach. 

I felt it quite literally took my breathe away, and he died at only 63 years of age.

I walked behind this sculpture (by Jo Davidson), and saw the four freedoms that Roosevelt cited in his speech in January of 1941: 

We are not there yet.

So, in the "room" that Louis Kahn designed, let's look out, and across the East River: 

Can we at least hope?

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.