Staten Island Ferry - Voyage across New York Harbor

The tip of Manhattan as the ferry leaves Whitehall

----A Postcard from New York Encore----

Since we suggested the Staten Island Ferry as a complement to a visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in the last Postcard--New York for Kids.

*********************************************


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Lift your face to catch the cool breeze off the water as the ferry slowly pulls away from the dock, become mesmerized by the stoic beauty of the tall buildings that crowd the shoreline along State Street.

On the rare occasions when I take the time to make the trip, I wonder once more, why I don't do this more often. It's only a half-hour ride each way; an hour round-trip. Yet time is always the issue. It is the recurring New York "problem," too many things to do--too little time.

No inside seat for me, I remain on deck the entire voyage, speechless as I suck in the serenity of the almost cloudless azure blue sky and gently rippling waves dappled with sunlight. Never quite prepared, but always anxious for the moment when I cross over to the opposite deck and my eyes are caught, arrested might better describe it, by the sublime beauty and graceful line of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It never fails to take my breath away.

Yes, the Golden Gate, London Bridge, and Brooklyn Bridge are magnificent engineering achievements, but they cannot compare with the Verrazano's sweeping elegance.

Standing at the mouth of Upper and Lower New York Bay it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Its long lilting cables and slender towers painted "battleship gray," make it appear to melt into the skyline and become a natural extension of the landscape rather than something man-made.

Experience the Verrazano's majestic beauty and enjoy the waters refreshing cool. The Staten Island Ferry departs almost every half hour every day from Whitehall Terminal. And, I'm surprised most people don't know this. It is free!

Best time to avoid the crowds, early Sunday morning, the ferry's almost empty. Once on Staten Island, don't rush back; there's lots to explore, like the Staten Island Botanical Garden, with its Chinese Scholars Garden, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Alice Austen House and the Garibaldi Meucci Museum.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York


---------------Advertisement-------------------


Have you ever been lost in the “Big Apple?” Even veteran New Yorker’s have been known to get lost.


Armed with your copy of New York Get There 1-2-3, your days of getting lost and the anxiety and frustration that come with it are over. Feel confident to get around like a local and discover rare adventures that will put the typical experience of other visitors in the dark. Visit Postcards from New York's home page to claim your "fr*ee" copy of New York Get There 1-2-3.

----------------------------------------------

Address to remember: Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal.

Directions: From Times Square, MTA 1 to South Ferry, N, R, or W to Whitehall Street.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy of Postcards, click here. Or, forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

You can choose to receive Postcards From New York as an e-mail or RSS feed. Click on the small orange button on the right side of the webpage to activate the RSS. Then you will receive new "Postcards" on your email homepage, or enter your email address on the Home Page at www.postcardsfromnewyork.com to receive "Postcards" via email. Be sure to check your email in-box for a confirmation email, then just click where indicated to activate your subscription.

Photos by Joseph Knight

Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

Long Island Weekend Getaway

A Fellow Beachcomber

----A Weekend to 'Just Be' and B continued---

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

The sun greeted us the next morning, glistening in pastels through the trees outside our window. We went down for breakfast in the formal dining room at about ten, and it was here that we got the real flavor of Quintessentials as Sylvia served up a gourmet feast with a side of camaraderie and conversation.

The impressive menu had something for everyone, including Frittata Mediterraneo, a baked omelet with olives, veggies and feta cheese, the best corned beef hash I’ve ever had, fried plantains, fresh fruit, and baskets of warm rolls, muffins and biscuits. Sylvia was not only an amazing cook, but also a lively hostess with a knack for finding common threads between people from all walks of life.

Formerly a finance executive for American Express, she enjoyed a successful career traveling the world before leaving Wall Street to open the bed and breakfast 13 years ago. We were there with a couple from Ireland who had settled in a nearby town with their two young boys, and newlyweds from New Jersey celebrating their honeymoon. By the time the plates were cleaned and cleared, we were all still deep in conversation, trading suggestions on which wineries to visit.

After breakfast, everyone went their own way –some to the spa for a treatment (Sylvia is also a licensed aesthetician) and others to meander about. Guests were invited to make themselves at home in the common areas - curling up with a book from the library, playing a tune on the piano in the lounge, or watching a movie while snacking on refreshments replenished throughout the day.

Instead of running out to do the wine tour right away, we chose to spend the afternoon just lazing around and soaking up the quiet of the area. We strolled the gardens, snapped some great photos using the rustic old barn and gazebo as backdrops. After a tête-à-tête on the wraparound porch, we roamed around the block, admiring the neighboring historic homes, and then took a short drive to the water. (The inn is just 10 minutes away from the Long Island Sound to the north and Gardiners Bay to the south.)

Except for a couple of seagulls, it was just us. We perched on a big rock carved out of a nearby cliff, huddled together, and watched as the waves generously washed up treasure chests of sea stones every few seconds. It was idyllic. And to this day, it’s still one of our favorite memories.

A Wealth of Sea Stones

To be continued...

Jaime Wilson
For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: Quintessentials B & B, 8985 Main Road, Box 574, East Marion, NY 11939, 631-477-9400 or 800-444-9112, http://www.quintessentialsinc.com/

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S to Grand Central Station & 42nd St. Walk two blocks east to corner of 44th St. and 3rd Ave to take Hampton Jitney to Greenport or East Marion 800-936-0440 or 631-283-4600 call inn to arrange car or taxi pickup. Or, take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station to Greenport via Ronkonkoma. 718-217-5477.


Photo by Jaime Wilson


©Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

Autumn Splendor - The Foliage Report

Their job done!

----A Postcards from New York Encore----


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

This time of year always reminds me of a "Johnny Walker" ad some years ago "When the trees have done their job even they turn to Red."

The last vestige of summer gone the cooler weather signals the approaching holiday season, harvest time, Halloween pumpkins, and Thanksgiving.

October and November can race by in a flash, unless you live in the suburbs or near Central Park where nature's physical changes are ever-present. In this city, it is possible to miss out on Autumn's special beauty altogether; Don't let that happen this year.

Plan now to spend a weekend in the country. The Catskills, Long Island and Poconos are not far away if upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire would require more time and planning than your schedule allows.

Closer to home, take a leisurely drive along the Hudson River Parkway; marvel at the Palisades awash with colors or experience Autumn's silent music along the Saw Mill River Parkway, The Taconic or US Highway (7) in Connecticut.

You will find a foliage map here of nearby forest and woodland areas to alert you to the peak time to experience nature at its most dramatic moment before it begins to hibernate for the long winter.

Autumn more than any other season keeps us in touch with the cycle of life. Somehow as the trees change they ignite our inner spirit.

If, despite all your efforts, life gets in the way and a weekend or day in the country is out of the question; the New York Botanical Garden is only a 20 minute train ride from Grand Central Station. Go; let yourself be captivated by the magnificent Henry Moore sculptures on display and walk the trails in over 50 acres of natural forest for an hour or two.

Just don't miss out, whatever you do, on this season's spectacle of Autumn colors.

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

Photo courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden


©Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

A Waterfall near Saks

Ahh! The refreshing sound of rushing water

Dear Postcard from New York Reader,

Almost every woman's nirvana is a day of serious shopping. Start at Bloomies, next, walk over to Barney's, peek in Crate and Barrel, lunch at Bergdorf's, then head for the shops on Fifth Avenue, Prada, Escada, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Henri Bendel and Takashimaya. The round's almost complete; last stop, Saks. Despite the cool air-conditioned store interiors, New York's summer heat and humidity has left you down at the shoulders and a bit wilted.

With several bags hanging from shoulders and in each hand, you emerge from the revolving doors at Saks. Maybe you have some time before meeting your spouse or a friend for dinner or the theatre, where to go when you don't really feel in the mood to sit down in a restaurant for an iced coffee or tea? What to do?

Walk three blocks up Fifth Avenue to 53rd Street, cross to the north side of the street, turn right and head east toward the East River. Before you have taken several steps, your ears perk up at the sound of cascading water; your head quickly turns left in response to discover an unexpected waterfall in a tiny open space almost hidden between towering buildings.

It's an only New York feature called a "vest pocket park." A few steps up and you are in it, surrounded by comfortable garden chairs and large stone pots filled with golden mums.

Drop those bags in a nearby chair, pull over a table and sit for a minute, or two or more. Allow the hypnotic sound and cooling breeze of splashing water to work its magic. Like a soothing balm, the waterfall soon dissolves the restless go-go-go frenetic pace of Fifth Avenue shoppers, calms agitated nerves and revives one's spirits.

Ten minutes pass, then fifteen, soon a half-hour or longer; it's easy to loose track of time here.

Before you go, walk really close to the falls, lean your head forward, hear the thundering crash of falling water. Breathe in a last deep breath, close yours eyes. There, now you are ready to go...refreshed and revived after the perfect cure for shopper's fatigue.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: East 53rd Street between Fifth and Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10019.

Directions: From Times Square MTA E to 5th Avenue and 53rd Street.

P.S. If you love waterfalls don't miss the spectacular man-made waterfalls at four sites along the East River through October 13 from 7 AM to 10 PM. Circle Line Downtown gives free half-hour tours on the water departing from Pier 16 at South Street Seaport. For details visit http://www.circlelinedowntown.com/.


Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2008 The Cable Group

The Bridge over 42nd Street

View from the Bridge

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

While spring has not made up its mind whether to stick around and frequently retreats to allow winter temperatures to take precedence, one group remains unaffected by the iffy weather--- the spring tourist. Undaunted, they are out in force, guidebooks and cameras in hand, snapping away at the sights to be found along the city's most trafficked thoroughfare--42nd Street.

Around Grand Central Station, Times Square, in front of and between the lions that flank the grand marble staircase of the New York Public Library, and near the Chrysler Building, hundreds snap, click, focus their cell phones and arrange themselves in various poses, to find just the right position in front of the famous monuments.

Here's a tip for all visiting photographers; the very best place to photograph or film 42nd Street and its distinguishing landmarks is from the Bridge over 42nd Street.

You've never heard of it? Clearly not as well known, breathtaking or majestic as many of our other famous bridges (images of the Verrazano, Throgs Neck, Whitestone, Brooklyn Bridge and GW flash across your mind) that connect the island of Manhattan, the boroughs and New Jersey; this picturesque stone bridge only connects the south side of 42nd Street to the north side.

Walk east along 42nd Street toward First Avenue. At the corner of Second Avenue you will see McFadden's Pub on the north side of the street. Just after you pause to notice the eye grabbing indoor garden at the Ford Foundation Building, continue walking until you come to a stone stairwell. Walk up the steps alongside a playground. At the top step you'll find you are in one of the two parks that face a cluster of Pre-War buildings known as Tudor City after the gargoyles, turrets and stain glass that embellish the architecture.

Turn right, a few short steps brings you to the middle of the bridge. Above the traffic you can see all the way to New Jersey as 42nd Street winds like a bumpy hill to the Hudson River. Look up; See the soaring pinnacle of the Chrysler Building glistening against the sky? In the distance on your left, there's the spire of the Empire State Building.

Wait, it gets better. Turn around to face the pallid green glass tower of the United Nations, with the East River meandering below, while the over 190 colorful flags of the member nations flap noisily in the wind.

Return after dark for an even more spectacular view.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards From New York

Address to Remember: Bridge over 42nd Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenue, 10017.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S to Grand Central. Walk three blocks.

Photo by Joseph Knight

© Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

View from Underground

Time-Warner Towers at Columbus Circle

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

There is nothing very remarkable about a walk up subway steps.

Except...

If you happen to be in the Columbus Circle Subway stairwell directly across from the Warner Towers and a sliver of blue light directs your attention away from the heels of the person climbing the steps ahead of you to the wide expanse of sky overhead, you will be amazed by the incredible view before you.

Wow! To feel the experience, you really must see it live.

The buildings' design creates the effect of enormous sheets of black glass flush against the sky. Rays of sunlight, cloud formations, mirror images and shadows of neighboring buildings collide to reflect and refract on the glass facade in an ever changing collage of shapes almost impossible to describe.

Let me not waste words trying, just go. See for yourself why the Time-Warner Center rivals Lincoln Center for the position of most dynamic and visually exciting architectural space on Manhattan's West side.

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: Time-Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019, http://www.shopsatcolumbuscircle.com/

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1, 2, 3, A, and C to 59th St. Columbus Circle.

Photo by Joseph Knight


©Copyright 2008 The Cable Group

View from the Ferry

The Verrazano Bridge -Beautiful in every Season

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

It's been much too long since I last did it. And, honestly the heat and humidity drove me to it. Where? You ask, to the rivers edge and the tip of Manhattan.

Now, with my face lifted to catch the cool breeze off the water as the ferry slowly pulls away from the dock, I am mesmerized by the stoic beauty of the tall buildings that crowd the shoreline along State Street.

On the rare occasions when I take the time to make the trip, I wonder once more, why I don't do this more often. It's only a half-hour ride each way; an hour round-trip. Yet time is always the issue. It is the recurring New York "problem," too many things to do and too little time.

No inside seat for me, I remain on deck the entire voyage, speechless while I suck in the serenity of the almost cloudless azure blue sky and gently rippling waves dappled with sunlight. Never quite prepared, but always anxious for the moment when I cross over to the opposite deck and my eyes are caught, arrested might better describe it, by the sublime beauty and graceful line of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It never fails to take my breath away.

Yes, the Golden Gate, London Bridge, and Brooklyn Bridge are magnificent engineering achievements, but they cannot compare with the Verrazano's compelling elegance.

Standing at the mouth of Upper and Lower New York Bay it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Its long lilting cables and slender towers painted "battleship gray," make it appear to melt into the skyline and become a natural part of the landscape rather than something man-made.

Experience the Verrazano's majestic beauty and enjoy the waters refreshing cool during this heat spell. The Staten Island Ferry departs almost every half hour every day from Whitehall Terminal. And, I'm surprised most people don't know this. It is free!

Best time to avoid the crowds, early Sunday morning, the ferry's almost empty. Once on Staten Island, don't rush back; There's lots to explore, like the Staten Island Botanical Garden, with its Chinese Scholars Garden, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Alice Austen House and the Garibaldi Meucci Museum.

Next time, my recommendation for after the Ferry.

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

Address to remember: Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal.

Directions: From Times Square, MTA 1 to South Ferry, N, R, or W to Whitehall Street. From 5th Avenue and 42nd Street, M1 Bus to South Ferry.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group

Something Old, Something New, Something Deco

Grand Central, The Hyatt Hotel and Chrysler Building

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Oftentimes it happens when you least expect it. You're dashing by in a cab or running across a street when all of a sudden you capture a glimpse of something incredible, even spectacular. A juxtaposition of light and shade, a reflection in a window, an amazing angle of one building against another, or the way the sky at a particular time of day illuminates interesting elements of architecture.

When it happens you know you have just experienced "a New York moment," something that could not take place in any other city of the world, only here, amidst this amazing and diverse collection of architectural styles tightly fitted in a confined area.

Sadly, sometimes it is not until we loose something that we appreciate a special moment often ignored or taken for granted.

Last week, without warning a massive pipeline exploded in the center of the city one block from Grand Central Station and conjured up memories of 911 and the World Trade Center disaster before our eyes. Terrified people ran in horror leaving shoes and bags behind to escape the hailstorm of rubble that rained from the eruption that looked more like an explored bomb than a steam gusher.

Within minute's police cars and fire-trucks from every part of town were on the scene and an area from Madison Avenue to 2nd Avenue for many blocks was corded off. Security was tight while alarmed citizens watched men clad in hazmat suits (hazard gear) complete with full face mask begin the work of clean up.

For almost a week, 42nd Street was closed to pedestrian traffic; so today, I gaze with particular relish at an only in New York scene I hope you will not take for granted.

Stand on the corner of 42nd Street and Madison Avenue, preferably on the Southwest Side of the street at noon or midday and look upward on your left toward Grand Central Station. See if you can capture the silhouette of Mercury's body and the turn of the Last Century Beaux-Art Architecture reflected in the dark black glass of the Hyatt Hotel. Now raise your eyes and notice how the gleaming laser sharp point of the Chrysler Building appears ready to pierce the sky, or at the very least write its signature.

Umm! What an image.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

P.S. Just click directly on the photograph to see the buildings enlarged.


Address to remember: Madison Avenue and 42nd Street.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 7 or S to Grand Central Station a short walk to Madison Avenue.


Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group