For The Love of Travel

Openhousenewyork (OHNY), a five borough-wide celebration of architecture and design takes place on October 11 & 12 2014. It engages the public in the built environment by offering free access to hundreds of sites that exemplify New York City’s diverse architectural, design, engineering, and cultural heritage. So I thought I’d visit 2 places this morning – the Jazz Lincoln Centre, and Mt Vernon Museum and Garden.

The Appel Room in the Lincoln Centre has a lovely aspect over Columbus Circle. A concert would have a fantastic backdrop at night!

Mt Vernon Museum….was initially constructed in 1799 as a carriage house and converted into a ‘hotel’ (day club) from 1826 to 1833. The museum transports visitors back to the 19thC resort for New Yorkers escaping the crowded city below 14th St. With industrialisation and increasing commercialism, the population of NY tripled in the 1820’s to 300,000. With a burgeoning middle class developing, leisure pursuits became a sought after commodity. The hotel was a place to come to, to relax, fish, do business deals, have a glass of ice tea, play cards…..and then return to the crowded zone.

When I left the museum, saw the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge in large relief!! It has an upper and lower section for cars to drive on!!!! I came over it from Connecticut when I had my Kia Soul, before I left that at LaGuardia and became a subway junkie (in the nicest possible way!).

Every Sunday for more than a decade, rain or shine, with no vacations, a jazz concert has taken place in the parlor of Marjorie Eliot’s home on what she calls the northern tip of Harlem, just off W160 St. Her weekly mid afternoon free concerts in the living room of her apartment are legendary in Harlem and an institution for jazz lovers citywide. A small, diverse crowd people gathers in the cheerful living room, including neighbors in the building, local New Yorkers and tourists in the know. Ms. Eliot starts the session with piano, joined by equally talented musicians who sang, played cello, flute and sax. The room was filled with warmth and passion. It was an intimate moment where friends, strangers and the neighborhood connected. Another gorgeous NY moment.

It’s not fair!! Rain! Eric’s aqueduct walk is cancelled and he was so looking forward to it all week. No matter, tomorrow there’s another leg of the walk happening so he’ll recover from his disappointment!

I took myself off to see the Pacific North West ballet performing at the Joyce theatre. 3 works, Tide Harmonic, Memory Glow and Debonair…I love modern dance! Although the company is obviously trained in
traditional as well. “Debonair”, choreographed by Justin Peck, will receive its official premiere in Seattle, where the company is based next month, but we saw a preview!! Six couples wearing shimmering dresses or black pants and tops glide across the stage with youthful insouciance. Set to George Antheil’s Serenade for String Orchestra No. 1, is a long, central pas de deux, in which the dancers explore each other’s bodies at a respectable distance. Decorum that is almost too restrained for me. Anyway, very enjoyable. Kiyon Gaines and Batkhurel Bold were absolutely wonderful principals and Angelica Generosa a talented soloist.
http://www.pnb.org/Artists/Soloists/KiyonGaines.aspx

Then to the Times Warner Centre @ Columbus Circle to find a carry-on bag for myself, yep, too much stuff to pack away comfortably in existing luggage. Found Tumi’s “Autumn Eclipse”, perfect size for my current needs and will be great for long weekend getaways in future as well.

As I walked through the lobby, saw a Tesla sports car displayed…Tesla Motors, is an American company that designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. The company’s current vehicle is the Model S, a fully electric luxury sedan, pictured. It charges on a 220 volt overnight and does 400 kms on a charge. Currently $70k US for a sports model. A vehicle under $40,000 is not expected until at least 2017. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then some subway photos..