Friday, July 18, 2008

Tour Guide



While waiting at bus stop on 42nd Street, I look up and see very modern looking tall buildings.
It is sweltering hot and bus takes forever to come.
I have a scheme to go on every bus in New York, because you see more than you do on the subway - and you get transfers.



Our local station is Penn, so I feel like a tourist at Grand Central.
It is a great deal more glamorous than Penn which is all dumpy and low- ceilinged.
So, like a tourist I take pictures.
The ceiling is celestial.
My cousin, a real tourist, arrives on the train.
I meet her by the information booth.



We go to the Frick Collection and marvel that every single painting is a miracle of its particular type.
Imagine if you could just swoop on Europe and buy every treasure you desired!
If you could sit looking at your garden with its decorative pebbled walk and across it to Central Park.
Or sit inside and look at your indoor fish pool.

If I were to recommend smallish museums I'd go for this one, The Morgan Library and the Neue Galerie.
The Metropolitan is heaven, but so many delights you end up with your head swimming and your feet falling off.



Such luxe cream paint where you buy the tickets. Such a lamp to glitter in the sun.



The outdoor pool in the side garden with exquisite lilies and lotuses.
What fun it would be to paddle in it.

12 comments:

  1. I remember seeing a wonderful documentary on the restoration of Grand Central. I love to see magnificent structures like this one preserved. Nice pix!

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  2. The love walking through Grand Central every day - the ceiling is so beautiful and the space is so airy, despite the crowds. Old Penn Station used to be beautiful - pity what's become of it...

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  3. The marvels of New York, I almost want to go.

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  4. I'd be as happy as can be if you took lots of pictures of New York, because I'll probably never get there and you take great pictures!

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  5. What a city to play tourist in...even living there, as you do, I imagine one never sees it all...

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  6. you are always so adventurous and curious.... does taking the bus take more time? or is that a dumb question.

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  7. Elizabeth, it looks like we almost crossed paths in Grand Central Station - I was there Wednesday! That would have been funny. I even took a similar shot. In many ways NYC is a small town. I had so many people to see and things to do. There is never enough time. I always leave wishing I had done more.

    Willow, my brother's architecture firm did that Grand Central renovation right before he joined them. They did a great job.

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  8. You make me want to go be a tourist in New York. Maybe someday!

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  9. Hi Elizabeth, somewhere along the way I missed that you are back in NYC! How fun to ride the buses and play tourist....you've given us some lovely peeks at your city.

    Have you ever read Helene Hanff's little New York guide? I enjoyed it immensely years ago (I've never been to NYC though)...back when I read everything of hers I could find, after I first discovered 84, Charing Cross Road.

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  10. Love this tour!

    Paz

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  11. Fun tour! One of these days I'll be a tourist in New York & see some of these cool places you feature. One day...

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  12. Really fun and love that last picture of lotuses and lilies :)

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I look forward to hearing from you!