NYC - the arts

For all the madness and chaos and stress and cynicism that is NYC, it is one artistic place.  I can see why New Yorkers think Manhattan is the center of the universe; when it comes to art, there is something for everyone.  There is either graffiti or advertising on any bare spot available.  There are street artists and famous artists, and world-renowned speakers, and oh, the culture.

On one of the bus tours we passed a fence that had one decorated tile on it for each person killed on 9/11.  A few blocks later we passed a Mac store - not even a big one or a Headquarters or anything - that had an ad hoc memorial to Steve Jobs out front.  There were several multi-colored post it notes all over the windows, with notes written to him, and flowers strewn all over the front sidewalk.  NYC is a place of self-expression, often artistic expression.

Here are the arts we encountered on this trip.

The MET

Admission to the Met is $25/person "or whatever you would like to pay."

We spent a few hours in the Egyptian section.  Fascinating.  Every time I thought we'd reached the end, the exhibits stretched on and on.  They even had portions of pyramids, burial rooms, actual royal mummies, cuneiform, jewelry, pottery, art, cooking utensils, religious symbols, and more.

The Met boasts a roof-top garden and restaurant area with a stunning view of both Central Park (behind us) and the city.

A partial city shot from the rooftop of the Met.

The NYC Public Library

Beautiful building with the token lions out front.  This building is the research portion of the NYC Public Library.  There are several campuses spread throughout Manhattan.

Great shot of old stately style juxtaposed with modern architecture.  Classic NYC.

We were in book heaven.

Almost all the ceilings were painted with murals or scenes.  It was like a museum; too much to take in all at once.

The Great Reading Room.  You may recognize it from the movies.  I felt like I should be doing homework or a dissertation or something.  Instead, we went and got some food.

A Lego tribute to the lions - so cute!

The Library turns 100 this year and had a special exhibit for the public.  For free, we saw the following up close and personal (this is not all they had; it's just all I can remember):

* Original letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand about his discovery of the New Land.

* Original letter from an American slave in Mobile, Alabama, to his wife.

* Original draft of the Declaration of Independence hand-written by Thomas Jefferson.

* Original draft of the Star Spangled Banner, identified as an original because Patriotic is misspelled as "Pariotic."

* Copy of America's first version of the Gutenberg Bible.

* Several cuneiform from Ancient Mesopotamia.

* Charles Dickens's letter opener (the handle is his beloved cat's paw).

* George Washington's retirement letter to the American public.  The last sentence of which warns the country not to form strong or binding ties with other countries.  Hmm.

Other Random Places

Outside a Jewish Center.

From the Met.

The Strand is a huge used book store downtown.  We go there every single time we visit the city.  Book lovers gotta stick togetha.

On my list for the next visit, whenever that is:  The Rockettes.

China Town

Granted, you go to China Town for the awesome food and bargains.  But at night it was beautiful in its own way.

The Apollo

Where countless musicians got their big break.

Next up, the architecture.