Tell me about New York City

[next2naus 439]

Is Ag still pissing on NYC and other cities that don't meet his "worthy history" or age requirements? 

[ztejas 43785]

25 minutes ago, Ag with kids said:

Opinions are like assholes.

Everyone has one...have fun with yours...and your opinion too,👍

I will. And will have it in New York City instead of Corpus Christ or Fort Worth. Thanks.

[Ag with kids 581]

1 hour ago, next2naus said:

Is Ag still pissing on NYC and other cities that don't meet his "worthy history" or age requirements? 

No.  It's other people pissing on me because they're butthurt I don't genuflect to NYC.

[Ag with kids 581]

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

I will. And will have it in New York City instead of Corpus Christ or Fort Worth. Thanks.

That's great!!!!

And I will enjoy it here in Corpus...

 

Edited August 1, 2020 by Ag with kids

[Ignatius 4086]

2 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

A lot of places for shopping are open, but others are appt only. Saks, Celine, Hermes, and Alexander McQueen open, but more limited hours. Goyard and Bergdorf Goodman are appointment only.

PSA if you feel like traveling to Brooklyn - the Salvation Army on Atlantic just before Flatbush is open, no appointment needed....

[Ag with kids 581]

1 hour ago, next2naus said:

Is Ag still pissing on NYC and other cities that don't meet his "worthy history" or age requirements? 

BTW...I DID give y'all some food porn from Per Se.

I didn't hate it in NYC.  It was fine.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

16 hours ago, Ignatius said:

PSA if you feel like traveling to Brooklyn - the Salvation Army on Atlantic just before Flatbush is open, no appointment needed....

In early 2019, while still in Houston, I donated 15 boxes of clothes, shoes, and handbags to the Houston Salvation Army.  Donated a bunch of stuff right before I moved up here.  
 

I will always donate to SA over Goodwill as most the donations with SA actually go to the needy and not a bloated infrastructure.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

Have a reservation on Wednesday at Llama San.  

Anyone else been to some do not miss outdoor dining recently?

I did Crown Shy on NYE, but got incredibly drunk (as you do), so want to try it again.  Heard Lilia's outdoor experience is great.  Also want to do the Olmstead camp experience (the drink in the watermelon looks amazing).  

[Tylerocks 2557]

Been up here for a couple of weeks and have been impressed with everyone's mask wearing.

I have not been impressed with the heat...fuck, it's hot.

We're visiting in-laws that live in Tribeca...and we pretty much stick to their favorites.  Nothing fancy really, but solid.

Every time we come up we see at least one celebrity.  

Emily Ratajkowski lives upstairs from their favorite hang out...so got to meet her, her boyfriend and their dog.

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

6 minutes ago, Tylerocks said:

Been up here for a couple of weeks and have been impressed with everyone's mask wearing.

I have not been impressed with the heat...fuck, it's hot.

We're visiting in-laws that live in Tribeca...and we pretty much stick to their favorites.  Nothing fancy really, but solid.

Every time we come up we see at least one celebrity.  

Emily Ratajkowski lives upstairs from their favorite hang out...so got to meet her, her boyfriend and their dog.

 

Where in Tribeca have you guys been going?  Want to add more places to my list. 

Yes, it is hot.  If you can sit in the shade, and there is a breeze, it is pleasant, especially when the humidity has been down.  

I am trying to start going out more often and enjoying live again, because once it gets cold, I would not be shocked for shit to shut down again.

I am ready for the Met to reopen.  With as big as that building is, social distancing should not be an issue.  

 

[Tylerocks 2557]

3 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Where in Tribeca have you guys been going?  Want to add more places to my list. 

Yes, it is hot.  If you can sit in the shade, and there is a breeze, it is pleasant, especially when the humidity has been down.  

I am trying to start going out more often and enjoying live again, because once it gets cold, I would not be shocked for shit to shut down again.

I am ready for the Met to reopen.  With as big as that building is, social distancing should not be an issue.  

 

Yes, shade is a must! 

Their favorite little Italian place is called Pepolino.  Also a place called San Carlo Piemonte in SoHo.  

Went to Lovely Day for Thai.  Felix yesterday for brunch/lunch.

Edwards (diner-ish) is their regular spot for drinks/hanging out.  It's across from the Odeon  Actually have really good tex-mex-ish options for brunch (chilaquiles, huevos rancheros)

I've tried to get them to go to Khe-Yo, I've heard it's great...but haven't won that battle yet.

 

Like I said, nothing fancy, but good food.

[Teebox 89]

What's the latest on the city?  Are restaurants and museums starting to reopen at all?  Most of what i see restaurant-wise is still takeout only, but I only checked a few places.  Just booked a Christmas trip to NYC and hoping it isn't too shut down by that point.

[next2naus 439]

Khe Yo is good

[closetohumping 17577]

it's ok.

[Reynolds Woodcock 4886]

On 8/3/2020 at 11:08 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Where in Tribeca have you guys been going?  Want to add more places to my list. 

Yes, it is hot.  If you can sit in the shade, and there is a breeze, it is pleasant, especially when the humidity has been down.  

I am trying to start going out more often and enjoying live again, because once it gets cold, I would not be shocked for shit to shut down again.

I am ready for the Met to reopen.  With as big as that building is, social distancing should not be an issue.  

 

I really enjoyed the set up at Cafe Altro Paradiso in Tribeca. They take reservations, had a large street blocked off, and had musicians performing during dinner. Was a nice sunday. 

I've probably been to the new Dante more than anywhere else, but only because we live around the corner. They don't take reservations so it would be be a PITA to plan if coming from another neighborhood (similar to Via Carota, Buvette, etc). But they know how to make a good cocktail, that's for sure.  Wallse also has a nice set up if you like Austrian food. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

I really enjoyed the set up at Cafe Altro Paradiso in Tribeca. They take reservations, had a large street blocked off, and had musicians performing during dinner. Was a nice sunday. 
I've probably been to the new Dante more than anywhere else, but only because we live around the corner. They don't take reservations so it would be be a PITA to plan if coming from another neighborhood (similar to Via Carota, Buvette, etc). But they know how to make a good cocktail, that's for sure.  Wallse also has a nice set up if you like Austrian food. 

Wallse is excellent. Haven't been there in years though. Maybe will hit it up once it cools a but more.

Love Via Carota and Buvette. I have been lucky and able to get in. It is really a crazy shoot on the day, time, and crowd.

I've been to the original Dante on MacDougal. Excellent cocktails. Food isn't bad.

We have been to Frenchette (was so happy it reopened), and their set up is excellent. Visited my favorite sushi place, Cagen, and did the omakase there. As always, it was excellent. Went to Grand Banks for a late work thing on Thursday. Oysters were excellent, drinks were good, but our server was awful.

Today, we have a 2 pm entry to the Met. I'm a Met member, but paid for tickets as they had no member tickets left. I don't mind as they need the $$$.

I think a lot of the other museums have opened this week as well.

[Landomatic 3813]

48 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

 

 

Wallse is excellent. Haven't been there in years though. Maybe will hit it up once it cools a but more.

Love Via Carota and Buvette. I have been lucky and able to get in. It is really a crazy shoot on the day, time, and crowd.

I've been to the original Dante on MacDougal. Excellent cocktails. Food isn't bad.

We have been to Frenchette (was so happy it reopened), and their set up is excellent. Visited my favorite sushi place, Cagen, and did the omakase there. As always, it was excellent. Went to Grand Banks for a late work thing on Thursday. Oysters were excellent, drinks were good, but our server was awful.

Today, we have a 2 pm entry to the Met. I'm a Met member, but paid for tickets as they had no member tickets left. I don't mind as they need the $$$.

I think a lot of the other museums have opened this week as well.
 

 

So, is everything still outdoor only for dining in the city?  Or have they opened up some indoors yet?

One of Mrs Landomatic’s and my biggest heartaches with the COVID is knowing our next trip to NYC, at least the NYC as we once knew and loved it, is a really really long way off.

Edited August 29, 2020 by Landomatic

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

So, is everything still outdoor only for dining in the city?  Or have they opened up some indoors yet? One of Mrs Landomatic’s and my biggest heartaches with the COVID is knowing our next trip to NYC, at least the NYC as we once knew and loved it, is a really really long way off.

 

Still outdoor only. DeBlasio has basically said no indoor dining until we see how school openings go. However, there is a lawsuit that is to be filed soon. So we will see.

 

Basically, both Cuomo and DeBlasio are playing politics at this point. Every other region of the state has reopened indoor dining except NYC with no noticeable uptick of positive rates.

 

DeBlasio is bound and determined to kill NYC. Worst big city mayor in the US. And Cuomo has a book coming out in October talking about his leadership during the pandemic. It's mind bottling.

 

Met is open and we have 2:00 tickets.

 

 

 

[Stunns38 3713]

PSA if you feel like traveling to Brooklyn - the Salvation Army on Atlantic just before Flatbush is open, no appointment needed....

Lol, that’s where I donated all my shit before moving back to Texas.

[Stunns38 3713]

Thoughts about this article?

 

I think it’s over exaggerated and most of my friends who still live there has said the same. Fuck DeBlasio.

 

That said, crime and homelessness has exploded and especially in midtown.

 

Upper “Middle” class residents with school aged children may not return for years. Like always, the rich can afford to stay in their bubble and the poor has no choice.

 

 

https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/nyc-is-dead-forever-heres-why/

[Ignatius 4086]

On 8/29/2020 at 1:38 PM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

DeBlasio is bound and determined to kill NYC. Worst big city mayor in the US.

With the possible exception of how shitty New Jersey is, nothing unites New Yorkers like their shared hatred of fucking DeBlasio....

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

On 8/30/2020 at 2:43 PM, Stunns38 said:

Thoughts about this article?

 

I think it’s over exaggerated and most of my friends who still live there has said the same. Fuck DeBlasio.

 

That said, crime and homelessness has exploded and especially in midtown.

 

Upper “Middle” class residents with school aged children may not return for years. Like always, the rich can afford to stay in their bubble and the poor has no choice.

 

 

https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/nyc-is-dead-forever-heres-why/

I think it is completely overblown. 

That being said, I no longer feel safe wandering around NYC at any time.  Prior to lockdown, I did.  Now, not so much.  That being said, I still go out, I am just a lot more careful.  While crime is up, it is still lower than a lot of other major cities.

The homeless issue has always been a part of NYC.  We are just seeing more of it because, honestly, they needed to spread them out a bit more.  For the most part, homeless shelters were in the outer boroughs.  Due to COVID, they started putting folks up in Hotels in Midtown while they were shut down.  That is why you are seeing more issues, though there are more people camping on the streets (Chelsea and Union Square have been awful).  However, someone quoted something to me that approximately 30-40% of New York's homeless work 9-5.  There has been a dearth of new public housing (and what we have is in shitty condition and over crowded), so there does need to be some attention there.  If you are holding down a job, or have kids, you should have first priority for shelter.  And these folks should be first on the list for new public housing.  I know a lot of luxury buildings in NYC have some units in them that qualify as low income housing.  However, the low income rental rates are still too high.  

However, there are a lot of the homeless in New York that are mentally ill or have chronic substance abuse problems.  I almost wish we still had involuntary commitment in this country.  There should be a larger focus on mental health and facilities where people can be placed/live when they are no longer able to be a part of society.  

These are serious problems in New York (and other big cities, especially with hot real estate markets like San Francisco), that need to be addressed.  It takes serious people to address them.  DeBlasio and his wife are not serious enough to address it.  I will leave this here because this is a large part why people hate both of them in NYC.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/nyregion/thrivenyc-mental-health-.html

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

13 hours ago, Ignatius said:

With the possible exception of how shitty New Jersey is, nothing unites New Yorkers like their shared hatred of fucking DeBlasio....

[RANT]And New Yorker's hate him because they didn't really vote for him. Elections for mayor have notoriously low turnout numbers.  I imagine that in 2017, when he was up for re-election, a lot of people stayed home as generally, having an R behind your name in NYC is a non-starter, and he was the incumbant.  

Also, the idiot thought he had a mandate.  This article from Politico from 2017 is pretty telling (https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2017/11/08/de-blasio-boasts-electoral-mandate-despite-low-voter-turnout-115571).

1.  Registered Dems outnumber registered GOP 6 to 1.  (i.e. 85% are registered Dems)

2.  He won with 66% of the vote.

3.  Voter turnout was only 23%.

Then, he announced he was going to run for the Democratic nom for president.  That went over like a lead balloon.  

Most folks I know are counting down the days until he is done.  Unfortunately, New Yorker's cannot recall the mayor.  Only the Governor can oust him. [/RANT]

Seriously though, if you come to New York and need a topic of conversation when sitting next to someone in a bar (whenever we can be inside again), hating on DeBlasio will probably make you fast friends.  

Especially given his telling everyone we will see how school openings go and then decide on indoor dining.  

 

[Cajun 11766]

On 8/30/2020 at 1:43 PM, Stunns38 said:

Thoughts about this article?

 

I think it’s over exaggerated and most of my friends who still live there has said the same. Fuck DeBlasio.

 

That said, crime and homelessness has exploded and especially in midtown.

 

Upper “Middle” class residents with school aged children may not return for years. Like always, the rich can afford to stay in their bubble and the poor has no choice.

 

 

https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/nyc-is-dead-forever-heres-why/

The rich are leaving too.

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by Cajun

[next2naus 439]

The "Rich" are not really leaving, they are merely relocating to other residences. An issue for NYC will be people working remote from their CT, Westchester, Yacht, Hamptons residences and the city losing that 6% tax. Burt you never know, I moved to the burbs two years ago and still pay that tax, it ends up being a wash for me as I deduct it on my Fed Tax and it's a non issue for me cash flow wise. 

 

There is a huge exodus  w.r.t. to upper middle class (which probably 3%'ers to 1%'ers) moving to the 'burbs. real estate sales are up 50-70% in in neighborhoods that are close to NYC commute wise, DIx Hills (an hour by Car/LIRR), CT (places like Westport, Stamford area, etc) Maplewood NJ, Westchester. This is more driven by Covid getting folks to throw in the towel on the city for more space. We pulled the trigger two years ago knowing it was going to happen at some point so why not do it then. 

Edited September 1, 2020 by next2naus

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

15 minutes ago, next2naus said:

The "Rich" are not really leaving, they are merely relocating to other residences. An issue for NYC will be people working remote from their CT, Westchester, Yacht, Hamptons residences and the city losing that 6% tax. Burt you never know, I moved to the burbs two years ago and still pay that tax, it ends up being a wash for me as I deduct it on my Fed Tax and it's a non issue for me cash flow wise. 

 

There is a huge exodus  w.r.t. to upper middle class (which probably 3%'ers to 1%'ers) moving to the 'burbs. real estate sales are up 50-70% in in neighborhoods that are close to NYC commute wise, DIx Hills (an hour by Car/LIRR), CT (places like Westport, Stamford area, etc) Maplewood NJ, Westchester. This is more driven by Covid getting folks to throw in the towel on the city for more space. We pulled the trigger two years ago knowing it was going to happen at some point so why not do it then. 

Funnily enough, real estate prices (sales, not rentals) are not reflecting that exodus just yet.  I have been waiting on sales prices to start dropping in the city.  I imagine it will, but it is definitely lagging.  On rentals, you are definitely seeing it.  Lots of deals to be had.

[next2naus 439]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Funnily enough, real estate prices (sales, not rentals) are not reflecting that exodus just yet.  I have been waiting on sales prices to start dropping in the city.  I imagine it will, but it is definitely lagging.  On rentals, you are definitely seeing it.  Lots of deals to be had.

buying is an investment

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

13 minutes ago, next2naus said:

buying is an investment

I agree.  But right now, that investment is overpriced.  It has been for a while.  There will be a market correction, and it has not happened yet.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

Also:

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/small-business/restaurants-sue-city-and-state-more-2b-over-indoor-dining-ban

https://ny.eater.com/2020/9/1/21408660/300-restaurateurs-sue-nyc-over-indoor-dining-ban

[next2naus 439]

26 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I agree.  But right now, that investment is overpriced.  It has been for a while.  There will be a market correction, and it has not happened yet.

there will be a correction, and there has been on the higher end units. As example, inventory in the Hamptons is flying off the shelf if its under $3m, the larger props in the $10m range plus and minus are stagnant as thats still a lot of money.  I rented a house in EH for June and July, the owner put in on the market for $1.8m, which was an ambitious price and got $2.2m within a month and one showing. He has been trying to sell it for years. it needs at least $500k in work (needs a new pool badly). the market is weird. 

 

where we live the market is up around 50-60%. I've dumped/invested money into upgrading my house and uts money I would not normally expect to get out of it but right now I bet I could. 

[Stunns38 3713]

I think it is completely overblown. 
That being said, I no longer feel safe wandering around NYC at any time.  Prior to lockdown, I did.  Now, not so much.  That being said, I still go out, I am just a lot more careful.  While crime is up, it is still lower than a lot of other major cities.
The homeless issue has always been a part of NYC.  We are just seeing more of it because, honestly, they needed to spread them out a bit more.  For the most part, homeless shelters were in the outer boroughs.  Due to COVID, they started putting folks up in Hotels in Midtown while they were shut down.  That is why you are seeing more issues, though there are more people camping on the streets (Chelsea and Union Square have been awful).  However, someone quoted something to me that approximately 30-40% of New York's homeless work 9-5.  There has been a dearth of new public housing (and what we have is in shitty condition and over crowded), so there does need to be some attention there.  If you are holding down a job, or have kids, you should have first priority for shelter.  And these folks should be first on the list for new public housing.  I know a lot of luxury buildings in NYC have some units in them that qualify as low income housing.  However, the low income rental rates are still too high.  
However, there are a lot of the homeless in New York that are mentally ill or have chronic substance abuse problems.  I almost wish we still had involuntary commitment in this country.  There should be a larger focus on mental health and facilities where people can be placed/live when they are no longer able to be a part of society.  
These are serious problems in New York (and other big cities, especially with hot real estate markets like San Francisco), that need to be addressed.  It takes serious people to address them.  DeBlasio and his wife are not serious enough to address it.  I will leave this here because this is a large part why people hate both of them in NYC.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/nyregion/thrivenyc-mental-health-.html

I think essentially kicking out the non-working homeless from the subways really amplified the problem. I’m totally aware of working class families being homeless and it’s sad that it’s happening in the nation. I work in real estate development, much of it is affordable. It’s complicated but policies that really contribute to the affordability problem are rent control/stabilization, foreign investment, and lack of new affordable housing being built due to cost constraints.

The problem with rent control/stab are that a huge portion of those residents have been there forever and earn very high income. A better policy would have set an income threshold. Same with the Housing Projects. The new “80/20” buildings really have a hard time finding qualified tenants because they are on the small size, have low income restrictions, but strict credit requirements. The developers really don’t want low income families in those new affordable units, they want college kids or new grads with rich parents. Many of those new affordable units sit vacant because they can’t find qualified renters

Back on course, I know a lot of families who have or will leave the city and Brooklyn for the burbs or other states because they don’t feel safe and the NYC schools are a political shitshow with COViD-19.

Crime is up because NYPD is pissed at the shit DeBlasio admin and don’t give a fuck. Tax revenue is down big time and MTA cuts are coming soon. Same with city jobs being cut. It could get ugly soon but the city will bounce back for the typical “city dwellers” ...but I can’t see well-to-do families returning for a while.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

13 minutes ago, Stunns38 said:

I think essentially kicking out the non-working homeless from the subways really amplified the problem. I’m totally aware of working class families being homeless and it’s sad that it’s happening in the nation. I work in real estate development, much of it is affordable. It’s complicated but policies that really contribute to the affordability problem are rent control/stabilization, foreign investment, and lack of new affordable housing being built due to cost constraints.

The problem with rent control/stab are that a huge portion of those residents have been there forever and earn very high income. A better policy would have set an income threshold. Same with the Housing Projects. The new “80/20” buildings really have a hard time finding qualified tenants because they are on the small size, have low income restrictions, but strict credit requirements. The developers really don’t want low income families in those new affordable units, they want college kids or new grads with rich parents. Many of those new affordable units sit vacant because they can’t find qualified renters

Back on course, I know a lot of families who have or will leave the city and Brooklyn for the burbs or other states because they don’t feel safe and the NYC schools are a political shitshow with COViD-19.

Crime is up because NYPD is pissed at the shit DeBlasio admin and don’t give a fuck. Tax revenue is down big time and MTA cuts are coming soon. Same with city jobs being cut. It could get ugly soon but the city will bounce back for the typical “city dwellers” ...but I can’t see well-to-do families returning for a while.

I completely agree with your first two paragraphs.  

Everything in NYC is a political shitshow because of COVID.  It has been since the beginning of COVID when DeBlasio and Cuomo had their pissing match.

The MTA is a while different issue.  It is a NYC program managed out of Albany.  The contracts/procedures for it make zero sense.  

I think it depends.  I could see people like me sticking it out for a while, especially if I can find a nice deal on an apartment.  Then again, I am single and do not really care about MTA (my company pays for my Ubers to and from work, and on nice days I am walking distance) or schools (no kids).  I guess I might be a "city dweller". 

That being said, I am one of the people that would be in on making the decision to move our business/office out of NYC, which we have talked about, and if we could do it without significant financial and personnel consequences, we might do so.

There is also a possibility that I would move internationally, but that is in the early stages of discussion, and would only happen once COVID goes away.

[Spankytoes 1747]

As a Long Islander, I’m frustrated. I’m paying 2 balls and a kidney in taxes without any real benefit from the city. I have to go in the office sparingly. But I could just as easily jump on a plane from Dallas and use points for a hotel as the need arises. (Besides that whole quarantine thing) Wife needs to go to the office about 2X a week. We went to the boardwalk only once during the summer because it’s just sad right now. I have zero motivation to take the LIRR on the weekend to no point or purpose. It’s just serves as a stark reminder of how we’ve fallen. 

Our house value has increased $178,000 in the last 5 years. That would be great If we were looking to sell. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

Here are some photos from the evening of 9/11.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

And we were Bryan Park last night remembering RBG.

[The Ace of Aces 5338]

17 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

And we were Bryan Park last night remembering RBG.

My home-away-from home, the Bryant Park Hotel, shining brightly. I miss it - they were loooking at converting back to office space but that’s put off thankfully. Still have a bunch of stuff in a basement storage room there (we are there so often we keep stuff there so we don’t have to pack much). 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

On 9/27/2020 at 11:29 AM, The Ace of Aces said:

My home-away-from home, the Bryant Park Hotel, shining brightly. I miss it - they were loooking at converting back to office space but that’s put off thankfully. Still have a bunch of stuff in a basement storage room there (we are there so often we keep stuff there so we don’t have to pack much). 

https://therealdeal.com/2020/08/04/bryant-park-hotel-being-marketed-as-office-space/

Did they call it off more recently than that?

[The Ace of Aces 5338]

On 10/5/2020 at 10:30 AM, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

https://therealdeal.com/2020/08/04/bryant-park-hotel-being-marketed-as-office-space/

Did they call it off more recently than that?

Yeah, they reopened September 15. With the gut of office space it made no sense by the manager form floated that idea. 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

41 minutes ago, The Ace of Aces said:

Yeah, they reopened September 15. With the gut of office space it made no sense by the manager form floated that idea. 

That is good to know.  There have been no articles discussing.  I like that hotel.  Location is great.  Bryant Park is a nice oasis in the city.  

[The Ace of Aces 5338]

7 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

That is good to know.  There have been no articles discussing.  I like that hotel.  Location is great.  Bryant Park is a nice oasis in the city.  

It’s perfect imo - we do 10-12 long weekends a year for Broadway and it’s the perfect spot. 12 minute walk to Penn Station and within 20 to any Broadway theater. We usually grab to-go lunches and just chill in the park, and it is a real oasis. I miss the city so fucking much.

[Landomatic 3813]

10 hours ago, The Ace of Aces said:

It’s perfect imo - we do 10-12 long weekends a year for Broadway and it’s the perfect spot. 12 minute walk to Penn Station and within 20 to any Broadway theater. We usually grab to-go lunches and just chill in the park, and it is a real oasis. I miss the city so fucking much.

Damn...that's some serious dedication to being a broadway fan.

I miss it too.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

I have enjoyed the city so far.  Less people around, so you can actually enjoy some things.  You have seen the stories out of Paris and Rome, and it is no different in NYC.  Without the tourists, those that live here can actually enjoy the city.  I hope Thanksgiving and Christmas are similar.  

 

 

[Landomatic 3813]

8 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

I have enjoyed the city so far.  Less people around, so you can actually enjoy some things.  You have seen the stories out of Paris and Rome, and it is no different in NYC.  Without the tourists, those that live here can actually enjoy the city.  I hope Thanksgiving and Christmas are similar.

Yeah, now that restaurants are open, I can see how that might be the case.  Would think it was creepily quiet before that, no?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

2 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Yeah, now that restaurants are open, I can see how that might be the case.  Would think it was creepily quiet before that, no?

The outdoor dining has been good.  They have been opened for quite a while (End of June, beginning of July I believe), but yeah, before that, it was rough.  Though it was nice to take walks in the city without all the sidewalk congestion.  

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

It continues to be nice to not have to deal with all the tourists in the city. Went to the Cloisters Sunday morning.

 

This is the extension of the Met in Fort Tryon Park just north of Hudson Heights (North tip of Manhattan basically). The history is fascinating (see the writeup from the Met below the photos). It is a gorgeous place, and definitely worth a visit.

 

 

The Cloisters: A History

 

The Cloisters, a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is America's only museum dedicated exclusively to the art of the Middle Ages. Picturesquely overlooking the Hudson River in Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, the Museum derives its name from the portions of five medieval cloisters incorporated into a modern museum structure. Not replicating any one particular medieval building type or setting, but rather designed to evoke the architecture of the later Middle Ages, The Cloisters creates an integrated and harmonious context in which visitors can experience the rich tradition of medieval artistic production, including metalwork, painting, sculpture, and textiles. By definition, a cloister consists of a covered walkway surrounding a large open courtyard providing access to other monastic buildings. Similarly, the museum's cloisters act as passageways to galleries; and they provide as inviting a place for rest and contemplation for visitors as they often did in their original monastic settings.

 

Any history of The Cloisters must begin with George Grey Barnard (1863-1938). A student of Rodin, Barnard was a prominent American sculptor. While working in rural France, Barnard supplemented his income by locating and selling medieval sculpture and architectural fragments that had made their way into the hands of local landowners over several centuries of political and religious upheaval. A romantic figure, Barnard viewed himself as a modern-day adventurer embellishing the stories of his many finds with tall tales of discovery.

 

Barnard moved back to the United States on the eve of World War I and, at the northern tip of Manhattan, opened a museum housing his own collection of medieval art. His passionate aim was to enable Americans to see and learn about art from the Middle Ages, and especially for young American sculptors to be inspired by what he called "the patient Gothic chisel." He called his installation George Grey Barnard's Cloisters, but his church-like brick structure did little to present the collection of architectural fragments and works of art in a historically correct context. Rather, it expressed the collector's poetic and very personal interpretation of the Middle Ages. It was, however, a path-breaking and influential installation, for it represented the first display of its kind of medieval art in America.

 

When Barnard's Cloisters was offered for sale in 1924, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874-1960) provided funds that enabled The Metropolitan Museum of Art to purchase the museum and its collections. Rockefeller also presented the Museum with more than 40 of his own medieval works of art. Rockefeller, like many of his contemporaries, possessed a fascination with the past. The expert artistry of medieval art as well as its innate spirituality strongly appealed to this philanthropist and collector.

 

By 1927, the Metropolitan Museum decided a larger building was needed for its branch museum – one that would exhibit its collection in a more scholarly fashion. With visionary foresight, Rockefeller offered to finance the conversion of 66.5 acres of land just north of Barnard's museum into a public park, today's Fort Tryon Park, with a new Cloisters as its centerpiece. To ensure the beauty of this setting, Rockefeller donated additional land to the state of New Jersey to be incorporated into the Palisades park on the opposite bank of the Hudson River.

 

The three men who, together with Rockefeller, gave shape to the present museum were Charles Collens (1873-1956), Joseph Breck (1885-1933), and James Rorimer (1905-1966). Guided by Barnard's pioneering first example, they brought a new level of scholarship and expertise to the project. Collens, one of the leading practitioners of the Neo-Gothic style and best known for his design of Manhattan's Riverside Church, was chosen as the architect. Eschewing a slavish replication of an actual medieval structure, Collens produced a building that speaks of the Middle Ages through its paraphrasing of medieval proportions and styles. Breck, a curator of decorative arts as well as assistant director of the Metropolitan, was primarily responsible for the museum's interior. Balancing Collens' interpretation with strict attention to historical accuracy, Breck created in the galleries a clear and logical flow from the Romanesque (ca. 1000-1150/1200) through the Gothic periods (ca. 1150-1520). Involved in the project early on, Rorimer replaced Breck after the latter's sudden death in 1933. With curatorial genius and adroit negotiating skills, Rorimer worked hand in hand with Rockefeller and took the museum through its final stages of construction.

 

While works from Barnard's Cloisters, together with gifts donated by Rockefeller such as the renowned set of tapestries depicting the hunt of the unicorn, remain at the heart of The Cloisters, the museum continues to expand its collection of medieval art – both in diversity and in scope. Masterpieces of painting, such as Robert Campin's Annunciation Triptych (also known as the Mérode Altarpiece), the tiny prayer book once owned by the queen of France, the Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux, and the Austrian stained-glass windows from the castle chapel at Ebreichsdorf, as well as remarkable works in sculpture, such as the Cloisters Ivory Cross, together with recent acquisitions such as the late-13th-century head from the region of Strasbourg on the upper Rhine, all testify to the continued vitality of the Museum's commitment to expanding understanding of medieval art.

 

The Cloisters is also renowned for its three cloister gardens – Cuxa, Bonnefont, and Trie. Designed as an integral feature when the Museum opened in 1938, they continue to enhance the setting in which the Museum's collection of medieval art is displayed and the visitor's understanding of medieval life.

 

 

 

 

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

Have also hit up Fraunces Tavern. So much better when not teeming with people.

 

 

 

 

 

[Landomatic 3813]

@PenelopeWitherspoon is Bemelmans open at the Carllyle?  That’s our favorite.

[Native Horn 3524]

1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Have also hit up Fraunces Tavern. So much better when not teeming with people.

 

 

 

 

 

Fraunces Tavern and Dead Rabbit are my two favorite bars in FiDi.  

[HenryJames 66394]

32 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

@PenelopeWitherspoon is Bemelmans open at the Carllyle?  That’s our favorite.

It’s now a Duane Reade.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19246]

4 hours ago, Landomatic said:

@PenelopeWitherspoon is Bemelmans open at the Carllyle?  That’s our favorite.

Nope.  Only bars that are open are those that also have food.  Still have to order food with your alcohol.