“Wait ’till next year!” The end of the season at Citi Field

It’s the post season, the end of summer.  A couple of weeks ago Suzi and I went to a Mets game during the last weekend of the regular season.  We arrived on the 7 train from Grand Central Station after spending some time in the City.  We would be going home on the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station where we would catch the Path Tube back to Jersey City.  We decided to get our train tickets on the way into the stadium so we wouldn’t have to wait on a ticket line after the game.  The ticket agent said … Continue reading “Wait ’till next year!” The end of the season at Citi Field

New York’s Deco Towers

Growing up we could see the New York Skyline from the back window of both my grandparents’ flat and from our flat, although the best view was from Grandma’s kitchen fire escape.  The Empire State and Chrysler buildings dominated the skyline.  When I moved to Ridgewood the favorite spot for “parking” was on a ridge overlooking the skyline.  Again, those two buildings were the focus of the skyline. The Empire State Building lost its title as the tallest in New York to the World Trade Center twin towers in the early 70’s.  When the towers were brought down it was … Continue reading New York’s Deco Towers

New York’s World Trade Center in transition.

It looks like a giant Klingon Bird of Prey has landed in the middle of the World Trade Center.  It’s the skeleton of a new railway station, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who says the design is that of a bird being released from a child’s hand.  Now, under construction, with welders sparks flying, it looks ominous, but I can see how, minus welders’ sparks, when finished, it could be inviting. The World Trade Center zone looks like Dubai.  Construction cranes swing between impossibly tall buildings.  One World Trade Center, The “Freedom Tower,” rises to 1776 feet.  This … Continue reading New York’s World Trade Center in transition.

On Broadway! (And Off Broadway)

On our recent trip to New York, working our way toward midtown we find half of Broadway has become a partial pedestrian mall from Herald Square to Times Square.   Broadway becomes one way southbound,  the old northbound lanes are a pedestrian zone with tables, chairs, food booths and sculpture.  Times Square itself a cleaned up, walking zone lined with theaters running stage version of Walt Disney classics.  But Times Square revival preachers still see it as sin city and urge repentance in the middle this urban Disneyland.   And Off Broadway, south and toward the East River I always enjoy … Continue reading On Broadway! (And Off Broadway)

New York, Seaport

Every night as a kid, after I was supposed to be tucked into bed, I tuned in my radio to listen to Jean Shepherd on WOR.  A few years later, when I worked at WOR, I got the chance to engineer for Shepherd.  Shep was always telling us to keep our eyes open.  For instance he told me to stand at a certain place on 5th avenue, I would be standing on Murray Hill, which up until that time was only a telephone exchange for me.  From there I could see the contours of Manhattan’s hills looking toward the Empire … Continue reading New York, Seaport