Park Avenue Art Walk Part II

Classical Beauty on Avenue of the Americas

A pavement girl's tale continues...

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

You have a choice. Either continue to walk north on Vanderbilt Avenue (it's across the street), as Park Avenue ends at 42nd St. On your right you will pass the Yale Club at 44th St., you can continue on Park Avenue at 46th St. Or, stop to enjoy a slice of Junior's famous Cheesecake, a scoop of Ciao Bella’s delicious Gelato, or an oversized Chocolate-chip cookie at Zaro’s. There's a wide selection of food shops on the lower level of Grand Central Station.

Munch while you walk. Park Avenue can be reached by the escalator across from the Information Booth in the Main Concourse that takes you to the lower level of the MetLife Building. Walk north until you reach the street, continue via the east or west underpass of the Helmsley Building to Park Avenue at 46th St. Now walk north on Park, turn left at 53rd St. and proceed west to Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue).

Our walk ends in front of Jim Dine’s triple giantess - Venuses de Milo. These ladies tower over sheets of flowing water. Inspired by the Classical Greek sculpture discovered on the Island of Melos in the 19th century now in the Louvre Musuem, they are sure to captivate. Admire them close-up and from a distance across the street.

Here are other interesting architectural landmarks and stops to make along the way:

The Waldorf Astoria – Park Avenue at 49th Street.

James Surl's playful bronze and stainless steel sculptures on display in the garden median that divides Park Avenue traffic - the Park Avenue Mall.

St. Bartholomew Church - Park Avenue and 50th Street, unusual in church architecture, the tiled dome looks as if it would be more at home in an ancient city like Istanbul.

345 Park Avenue - take a look at the wonderful sculpture on the 51st street side of the building.

Park Avenue Racket and Tennis Club - a Renaissance palace between 52nd and 53rd Sts.

The Seagram Building - 395 Park Avenue, the fountains gurgle up a refreshing splash of water.

Lever House - 390 Park Avenue, just across the street, offers comfortable seating for a rest along the way with a changing display of sculpture to fascinate youngsters while parents pause for a break. The Lever House Collection is open to the public and has a cafe offering light refreshments.

Fragments of the Berlin Wall - between Madison and 5th Avenues at 53rd Street.

Paley Park – Vest-pocket Park with cascading Waterfall - between Madison and 5th Avenues at 53rd Street was previously featured in Postcards, see A Waterfall Near Saks .

Glance to your left when you reach 5th Avenue to admire the twin Bell-towers of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Museum of Modern Art - 11 West 53rd between 5th and 6th Avenues.

Venuses de Milo - by Jim Dine at 1301 Avenue and Americas.

Just a block away, step into the lobby of AXA-Equitable at 1290 Avenue of the Americas to take a close look at Thomas Hart Benton's wonderful murals America Today 1930.

Between 48th and 50th Streets you'll find three visually exciting, limestone, red-granite and steel almost identical buildings across from Rockefeller Center, they are the closest reminder of the former World Trade Center.

There's lots to see, so enjoy the weather, the exercise and art work that takes on new vitality when experienced outdoors.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

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Photo courtesy of AK Studios

© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

Park Avenue in Bloom

Cherry Blossoms on Park Avenue

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

A snowfall cluster of pink and white cherry blossoms, carried along by a gentle breeze, offers a colorful invitation to pull out those walking shoes. I'm in complete agreement with the late Kate Hepburn, I too am a "pavement girl at heart." This city is best explored on foot. It's spring! So, come experience the magic of New York’s many art and architectural treasures in this outdoor museum.

Here is a manageable midtown walk, not too strenuous for the elderly, and easy for parents pushing youngsters in strollers. It offers compelling architecture, interesting outdoor sculpture, beautiful churches and comfortable park-like sitting areas to stop and pause along the way. The walk will cover a distance of about twenty blocks, and depending on your pace, it can be done in less than an hour. So, let’s go.

Start at Park Avenue and 34th Street; If you have organized a group, Irving Marantz’s striking bronze Obelisk to Peace, in front of the rust-colored brick tower at 3 Park Avenue on the southeast corner, is a convenient location to meet.

Proceed on the east side of the street, north on Park Avenue; stop a moment in front of the tiny garden just before the entrance to Our Saviour Church on 38th Street. If it is not Sunday, take a quick look inside to gaze at the gold adorned Byzantine style icons around the altar illuminated by refracted light from magnificent stain glass windows. I recently took this walk with a friend and she insisted we sit a moment in this beautiful space to take it all in.

Continue up Park Avenue; cross to the west side of the street for a close look at the monumental sculpture "Interlooping Ovals" by Arthur Carter in front of 90 Park . As you pass 100 Park, the magnificent floral arrangements that embellish the lobby will not fail to capture your attention. Now look across the street as gurgling water erupts from a white marble volcano shaped fountain at 101 Park, it provides an interesting contrast to the soaring black glass building just beyond.

This was the former site of the Architects' Building, home to designers of many of this areas skyscrapers. If you look down you will find a series of bronze relief plaques by Gregg Le Fevre embedded in the pavement. Follow the path of plaques underfoot to discover a chronicle of 20th century architecture: The Seagram Building, Chanin, Citicorp, Lever House, Metropolitan Life, The French and Chrysler Buildings and many others.

At the corner of 41st and Park, glance to your left through the narrow street to see the Classical Revival Pediment of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. Then, look ahead, directly in front of you overhead, and see the Pediment of Grand Central Station. See famous Mercury, the Greek messenger God as he steps on " time" the exquisite bronze and enamel clock by Tiffany. Now drop your eyes down the facade, there’s the larger than life statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the railroad magnet in a greatcoat, as he appears to direct the cars speeding across the bridge over 42nd Street.

42nd Street's a great place to pause to snap pictures, the flood of traffic and people, great buildings in a host of architectural styles, shop windows, and street vendors are sure to enliven your photos.

To be continued.

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

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Address to Remember: 3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

Directions: From Times Square MTA N, Q, R, W to 34th st, walk east to Park Ave.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy click on Postcards. 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 Postcards from New York Home Page 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.

Photo by Jaime Wilson

© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

A Weekend to 'Just Be' and B

Gone the crowds of summer

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Sometimes even those of us who thrive on the bustling energy of New York City can use a couple days’ reprieve. For a quick weekend away that doesn’t require hours of travel, look no further than the Long Island Wine Country. (Yes, Long Island!) My boyfriend and I decided on a quick getaway to enjoy the peak of the fall foliage season, and it was perfect – close enough that we didn’t need to take a full day off work to get there and far enough to feel like we’d left the concrete jungle behind.

After a little research, I discovered a few weeks after New England and Upstate forests reach their color peak; the warmer regions on Long Island are just beginning to burst. So, we decided to head “out east” and landed in East Marion, a quaint little village on the tip of the North Fork.

With more than 30 wineries (see www.liwines.com for a complete list), the east end of Long Island also boasts numerous small, family-owned inns, each with their own charm. After much deliberation (there were so many inns to choose from on www.iloveinns.com), we booked a retreat at a lovely bed-and-breakfast that had it all – fireplaces in every suite, whirlpool tubs, a full service spa, and glowing reviews on www.tripadvisor.com. Appropriately named Quintessentials.

Ever the planner, I was determined to do it all – tour the vineyards, eat great seafood, do a little antiquing, take pictures beneath a rainbow of trees, hike, bike, and, oh, relax a little too. Our journey began mid-afternoon Friday aboard the eastbound Hampton Jitney (North Forth Route), which conveniently stops at various points on the east side of Manhattan. In no more than 15 minutes we were out of the city, our mood changed with the scenery – from cramped and rushed to clear and relaxed. (The further we went, the more I began to rethink my jam-packed agenda.)

Between catnaps, we caught the vivid displays of burnished maples and fire-engine red oaks on the passing landscape. Within an hour and a half, we were at Riverhead, where we picked up a rental car (an Enterprise branch is conveniently located directly across from the bus stop) to drive the rest of the way.

After another half hour or so of cruising along Route 25 past farmland and vineyards, we arrived at the 1830’s Italianate Victorian inn just after twilight, greeted by the aroma of homemade apricot tart. The innkeeper Sylvia Daley welcomed us by name, with a smile as warm as the herbal tea she poured before we could drop our bags.

The inn was even more inviting than it looked on the website. Its blend of traditional Victorian and contemporary cottage décor and sprinkling of personal photos and antiques made Quintessentials feel more like a relative’s home than a hotel. Comprised of five suites, each named after a parish in Sylvia's native Jamaica, guests can choose their rooms in advance on the website, but be forewarned, it’s a tough pick as they all look so cozy.

There is the Negril Suite, awash in the calming blue of the Caribbean, and the Mandeville Raj Suite, equally luxe with a private deck. Then there’s the Kingston Room, dubbed the “honeymooner’s favorite,” and the quaint Savannah Room. In the end, we chose the mid-range Brandon Room and, upon entering, were more than satisfied.

With the warm glow of the gas fireplace to beckon us, the room’s country chic décor included a comfy queen bed draped in quilted linens with extra blankets (and chocolates on the pillows), an elegant mix of mahogany and antique furnishings, tapestry upholstered footstools and valences, and a Victorian loveseat in the corner.

And, although our goal was to tune out, we were relieved to have a TV/VCR/DVD and wireless internet access at our fingertips. Best of all the bathroom had a large, extra deep whirlpool tub, perfect for soaking away hours at a time. Needless to say, after a long workweek, we were more than happy to spend the bulk of the evening indoors.

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

Village Stories: A Walk in the West Village

A tree-lined Street in the West Village

----A Postcards From New York Encore----

The last weeks of summer and early fall are perfect to explore neighborhoods like “the Village.” Over the next several days we will feature past articles as “Village Stories.” In response to questions about the boundaries of the West Village, Greenwich Village and the East Village click here.

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

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

This glorious late summer weather is perfect for walking. And, we know hitting the pavement is the very best way to truly make New York your own.

There are lots of green spots between and in the shadows of our dazzling high skyscrapers, as well as little known fountains and waterfalls, cobblestone streets and mews, tiny steeple churches tucked away in remote corners and 18th and 19th century buildings with endlessly interesting architectural features. I bet you thought I was describing some European city.

Have an hour? We'll keep it simple. Begin at West 4th and 6th Avenue, and find Bleecker Street. Walk north, just pass 7th Avenue to Grove, turn left, and continue walking until you come to Hudson Street.

Stop a moment to glance at the picturesque garden set back from the street at the Church of St. Luke-in-the-Fields on Hudson. Right out of a storybook, now notice the winding walkway leading to the entrance of the school not far from the church. Next, retrace your steps on the opposite side of Grove Street so you can take a close look at the brownstones and buildings across from you. When you reach Bleecker, walk to the next block, Christopher Street and repeat, then proceed to West 10th, Charles, Perry and West 11th Street.

Survey the unique character and architectural detail of the brownstones and low apartment buildings. There is an unhurried neighborhood feel here; people leisurely walk with little children and dogs, and sit on doorsteps and front stoops. You'll see ivy clad doorways and facades, well kept stone stairwells with exquisite wrought iron handrails. Dated plaques on many brownstones are proof they have been around since the mid 19th century.

Look up at the stairwells to find grand entrance doors; some carved with intricate designs or polished to a high gloss finish like the mahogany double doors at 70 Perry Street.

There is a lot to see. Bleecker Street has numerous small shops, cozy bookstores, intimate cafes and sidewalk restaurants. Your fingers will itch to touch the striking flower arrangements displayed at VSF 208 W. 10th Street. While the antiques in the window of Les Pierre Antiques beg to tell their stories, the colorful fabrics and smartly designed children's clothes at Bonpoint are impossible to resist.

Sarah Jessica Parker calls this area home. If you are a fan of Sex and the City join the line trailing around the block at Carrie's favorite place for cupcakes, Magnolia Bakery, or stop at Sant Ambroeus for gelato. Better yet, be really decadent and have a "to die for" cannoli. I'll tell you where next time.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

Address to remember: West 4th Street and Sixth Avenue.

Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014, 212-462-2572, http://www.magnoliacupcakes.com/

Sant Ambroeus, 259 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10014, 212-604-9264, http://www.santambroeus.com/

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to Christopher Street, short walk to Bleecker Street, N, R, and W to 8th Street short walk to Sixth Avenue, A, C, or E to West 4th Street, short walk to Bleecker.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

A Parson's Garden on Hudson Street

A garden bench waits for you

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,


Beautiful weekend weather, like we have had recently, begs to be enjoyed outdoors. Say you've got just the book to while away an afternoon, but can't think of just the right place to do it; comfort is a must, somewhere a bit unfamiliar so there is little chance you'll run into neighbors who want to chat and most definitely a place far away from any noisy playgrounds.

The rustic garden, adjacent to St. Luke-in-the-Fields in the West Village on the corner of Hudson Street across from Grove Street, may be just the spot you're looking for.

Enter the garden through rose-red brick pillars on the north side close to St. Luke's School set far back from the street. Wind your way behind the church just beyond a brick wall and open gothic arches, to find comfortable wooden benches in a garden of trees, shrubs and a profusion of wildflowers.

Then follow a path over well-worn slate and brick walkways through thick clusters of colorful blooms of bright yellow and orange, pastel blues and purple, vibrant red, lilac, peach and white.

Where one finds flowers, you can expect a buzz of insect activity and the twitter of numerous birds along with pleasant drifts of fragrance. Just to play it safe, carry along some insect repellant.

As it was truly difficult to select a photograph for this story, join me on a walk through the garden here, click on A Parson's Garden St. Luke-in-the-Fields and select view as a slideshow.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York


Address to Remember: St. Luke-in-the-Fields Church, 487 Hudson Street @ Grove Street, New York, NY, 10014, 212-924-0562, www.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 Downtown to Christopher Street, walk west on Christopher toward the river to Hudson Street turn left to St. Luke-in-the-Fields Church.


Photo by Joseph Knight


© Copyright 2007-8 The Cable Group

A Mews off Washington Square

Ivy, carriage houses and cobblestones

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

One of my favorite places to research the letters and diaries of people who lived in 1480's Florence for a book I am writing is the New York University Library because I can work there until midnight. Everytime I walk across Washington Square to the entrance of Bobst Library the uniform beauty of the handsome red brick brownstones that line the North side of the park give me a reason to pause and gaze. Then for a moment those buildings known as "The Row" whisper images of turn-of-the-last-century New York.

In the 1890's Washington Square was the hub of high society. Every affluent family maintained horses and carriages to transport them around town. No parking lots around the corner or blocks away, their carriage houses were behind their homes.

You will find this narrow archway opens to a mews of converted carriage houses just behind the Squares brownstones. Step through and let your imagination recreate life as it was more than a century ago: the clip clop of horse shoes against the uneven cobblestones, the screech of carriage wheels, stable boys scurry to open heavy double wooden doors beneath double-arched carriage house entranceways. Servants come and go while young boys in knickers play hop scotch and ring-a-levio between passing carriages, a world Martin Scorsese so brilliantly brings to life in The Age of Innocence.

Now for a reason to visit Washington Square, how about the annual music festival through July 29 at 8 PM? Visit www.washingtonsquaremusicfestival.org/ for performance details and mark your calendar.

Find the Mews and see if it doesn't force you to pick up a novel by Henry James (who was born in one of the brownstones on the Square in 1843), or Edith Wharton or both. My suggestion: Edith's The Age of Innocence and Henry's Washington Square.

Jacqueline Cable

For Postcards from New York

Address to Remember: Washington Square Mews, University Place across from Waverly Place, New York, NY 10012

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to Christopher Street, walk east pass Avenue of the Americas to Washington Square, A, C, or E to West 4th Street, walk east one block to Washington Square. N, R or W to 8th Street, walk west to University Place, turn left to Washington Square.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2008 The Cable Group

A Walk in the West Village

A tree-lined Street in the West Village

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Please accept my apology for no stories last week. The many 911 ceremonies and solemn memorials dampened the city's spirits, and I was unable to write anything.

When I confided my writer's block to my friend, Lisa Cosman, who writes cookbooks, she instantly remarked: "Well of course you can’t write, we (New Yorker's) bare all the physicality of that day; we are too close and we will never get over it." I knew people who lost their lives that day, so please forgive my silence.

Let's change lanes and back track to the scene of our last article in August about a great place to enjoy gelato, Sant Ambroeus, in the West Village. This glorious late summer weather is perfect for walking. And, we know hitting the pavement is the very best way to truly make New York your own.

There are lots of green spots between and in the shadows of our dazzling high skyscrapers, as well as little known fountains and waterfalls, cobblestone streets and mews, tiny steeple churches tucked away in remote corners and 18th and 19th century buildings with endlessly interesting architectural features. I bet you thought I was describing some European city.

Have an hour? We'll keep it simple. Begin at West 4th and 6th Avenue, and find Bleecker Street. Walk north, just pass 7th Avenue to Grove, turn left, and continue walking until you come to Hudson Street.

Stop a moment to glance at the picturesque garden set back from the street at the Church of St. Luke's in the Fields on Hudson. Right out of a storybook, now notice the winding walkway leading to the entrance of the school not far from the church. Next, retrace your steps on the opposite side of Grove Street so you can take a close look at the brownstones and buildings across from you. When you reach Bleecker, walk to the next block, Christopher Street and repeat, then proceed to West 10th, Charles, Perry and West 11th Street.

Survey the unique character and architectural detail of the brownstones and low apartment buildings. There is an unhurried neighborhood feel here; people leisurely walk with little children and dogs, and sit on doorsteps and front stoops. You'll see ivy clad doorways and facades, well kept stone stairwells with exquisite wrought iron handrails. Dated plaques on many brownstones are proof they have been around since the mid 19th century.

Look up at the stairwells to find grand entrance doors; some carved with intricate designs or polished to a high gloss finish like the mahogany double doors at 70 Perry Street.

There is a lot to see. Bleecker Street has numerous small shops, cozy bookstores, intimate cafes and sidewalk restaurants. Your fingers will itch to touch the striking flower arrangements displayed at VSF 208 W. 10th Street. While the antiques in the window of Les Pierre Antiques beg to tell their stories, the colorful fabrics and smartly designed children's clothes at Bonpoint are impossible to resist.

Until recently, Sarah Jessica Parker called this area home. If you are a fan of Sex and the City join the line trailing around the block at her favorite place for cupcakes, Magnolia Bakery, or you know where to stop for gelato. Better yet, be really decadent and have a "to die for" cannoli. I'll tell you where next time.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

P.S. Speaking of Sarah Jessica Parker, shooting begins on the much anticipated movie any day. Stay tuned for details of the 1st Postcards from New York tour "Their Town - Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda's New York."

Address to remember: West 4th Street and Sixth Avenue.

Magnolia Bakery, 401 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10014, 212-462-2572.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to Christopher Street, short walk to Bleecker Street, N, R, and W to 8th Street short walk to Sixth Avenue, A, C, or E to West 4th Street, short walk to Bleecker.

Photo by Joseph Knight

©Copyright 2007 The Cable Group

Calder in the Park

The Cock's Comb by Alexander Calder

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

One of the best things about New York is you don't have to pay or even go into a museum to enjoy great art. Just look around, you will be surprised how much art is on display in public spaces.

There is nothing more visually compelling than sculpture in an outdoor setting. Who can forget Cristo’s “Gates in Central Park?”

Right now, you can head downtown to the Park at City Hall for a visual treat. Five brilliant works by Alexander Calder are on display, set against the backdrop of the imposing elegance of City Hall’s 19th century architecture.

I'll wager no sculpture looks better out of doors than Calder's. His sculpture and mobiles are alive with movement. No matter how effectively presented in an interior space, they somehow appear confined, cramped ready to take off in flight. Many of his works certainly make me feel like flying.

You decide. Experience these best by walking around them a few times. See how they change, as the environment changes with your every movement. Notice how different the shapes appear when viewed close to the nearby trees and shrubs. Now look at them from a wide angle against the buildings across the street. You'll find the mobile, Untitled, in the rotunda stairwell of City Hall.

I hear you; "Sure I'd like to see them, but go downtown just for sculpture?" Think for a minute, isn't there something you have been meaning to pick up at Century 21? Keep in mind, St Paul's Chapel features a special 911 Exhibit, and there's great shopping on Fulton Street, in Chinatown, and at the Seaport; while there, visit "Bodies, The Exhibit," an educational treat that's terrific for kids as well as adults.

Finally, don't forget all the restaurants at South Street?

Enjoy.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

Address to remember: City Hall, Broadway and Murray Street, New York, NY 10007, 212-980-4575.

Directions: MTA from 42nd Street Grand Central Station, 4, 5, 6, to Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall. From Times Square 2, 3 to Park Place or R to City Hall. Bus M1, M6, M15, M22, and M103.



Photo by Joseph Knight


© Copyright 2007 The Cable Group