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I ❤ NY II

I know, I know, I said we were going to a bridge but I thought we’d make a quick stop first. The following picture is a corner of the area that was once known as Five Points, if you have seen the movie Gangs of New York you know what I am talking about. It was so named because of a five-pointed intersection that was bound by Orange Street (now Baxter), Cross Street (now Mosco), Anthony Street (now Worth) and to the west was Little Walter which no longer exists; these created a triangular plot which was called Paradise Park.

For over 70 years Five Points was known as a disease-ridden, crime-infested slum; however, now it is Columbus Park.

Now to my favorite bridge … The Brooklyn Bridge Baby!!! The largest suspension bridge in the world when it was built, the first to span the East River designed and constructed by John A. Roebling and his son Washington A. Roebling, the bridge spans 3,461 feet and rises 133 feet from the river below.

The steel cable-work, strung across two monumental stone towers, is fixed at both ends in stone anchorages, The Brooklyn Bridge a structure of great beauty was a milestone in American engineering.

The last of three suspension bridges built across the lower East River is the Manhattan Bridge.

Begun in 1867 and completed in 1883, THe Brooklyn Bridge’s gothic-inspired stone towers and intricate steel cable webs moved poets such as Walt Whitman and Hart Crane to praise its beauty.

Designed by Leon Moiseiff, the Manhattan Bridge was opened on December 31, 1909.

This picture was taken at The Brooklyn Bridge Park, it is the waterfront between the two bridges; this is not the sort of beach I am used to.

In the distance in the center of this picture you can see Pier 17, it is in a historic area called South Seaport Street.

The neighborhood near the bridge once known as Fulton’s Landing is now known as DUMBO for District Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass; it is now a thriving artist’s colony with many warehouses that have been converted into lofts.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the city’s best known symbol of the age of growth that occurred during the 19th century. I liked that I caught the setting sun in the distance in this shot.

I took this picture to give you the size perspective of this structure if you think the trees looks like saplings, please note the person standing beneath them.

This area of Brooklyn has amazing views of the Manhattan skyline, next time we will make our way back across the bridge and into some other spots in the city.

Posted by LahainaLaura | September 28, 2011 | Categories: NYC, Simply Laura | Leave a comment

I ❤ NY

This is the final week of my homage to the Big Apple. I chose this month to do this as it was the ten-year anniversary of 9/11, while I was lucky enough to have seen and been in the Twin Towers and I do have pictures of them, those pictures are not on digital media. Rather than focus on the sadness of the past, I chose to use pictures from a recent trip that exemplify the beauty of a resilient city. The pictures in the next post were taken from various places while I was out and about on the town. In a previous post I mentioned the Dakota, at 72nd Street and Central Park West, it was built in 1884 by Edward S. Clark; at the time he was teased that he was building so far north of the city that he might as well be building in the Dakotas.

What trip to New York would be complete with out visiting Times Square? It is one of the most widely recognized places in the world probably because of the amount of neon used.

Of course one book end would not be complete with out the other.

At 1 Times Square is the ball that most of the country watches drop on New Year’s Eve, it is maintained that the biggest New Years Eve party takes place in front of it.

I am a huge Hard Rock Cafe fan, not for the food but for the memorabilia and the souvenirs; this has been moved from its previous location but I can think of no better place than here.

Next I made my way down to Little Italy, where I saw what was by far the most interesting name for a church ever. I give you The Most Precious Blood Church. I thought all the Vampires lived in New Orleans but I guess I was wrong.

The architecture and decorations give you a taste of what old world New York looked like.

Little Italy is being encroached on by Chinatown, which is New York’s most famous ethnic enclave.

I made a stop at the world-famous Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and picked up some Litchi ice cream, from there I walked to this quaint park where I sat, enjoyed my ice cream and a peek into a normal Sunday afternoon for the residents of the area.

A walk through Chinatown in not complete with out passing a fish market, fresh fish anyone?

I love the Chinese Dragon that was atop the information center but I just have a thing for dragons.

So I was drinking in this neighborhood bar called the 3 of Cups, marveling over the beauty of the bartender when I realized it was Fuse TV’s Mistress Juliya; talk about cool! I told her I was a long time fan of Uranium and the my favorite episode was the one where she interviewed Dimebag Darrell.

I hope you enjoyed a glimpse in to various parts of the city, next time we visit my favorite bridge in the whole world; I wonder which one it is because in New York there is more than one, two or even three.