I may appear all over the place with my many, many interests, but if you categorize them, it is always the arts and food. So aside from savouring coffee after coffee while sipping that 70% cocoa exotic chocolate, I was trekking for art with an occasional spa break.
Since many landmarks and shops were closed around Christmas, this trip has led me to find some cliche, touristy but also some exotic landmarks.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 5th Avenue, New York
http://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is definitely on the way to Rockfeller Plaza and Waldorf-Astoria, and it was even more of a unique experience if you are in a Mass on Christmas (with at least 500 people, seating or standing). The Neo-Gothic Catholic Cathedral is built in brick clad in marble and the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York.
St. Patrick’s was designed by the architect James Renwick in revival Gothic architecture style in 1808, when Archbishop John Joseph Hughes wanted to have a new cathedral to replace the Old Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in downtown Manhattan. Work began in 1858 but was halted until 1865 because of civil war, and completed in 1878. Several amazing features were the organs inside the triforium (makes it feel that it the organist towers over us), mix of designs in stain class windows from American and European artists and the St. Elizabeth altar. I would suggest being there for a Mass irregardless of your beliefs because you can experience both the architecture and religious experience by walking around the cathedral with hymns, prayers and offering. (If you are Christian, only Catholics can partake in Communion and they have a detailed but inclusive statement for that, and if you are not Catholic/Christian, don’t worry, staff are very friendly towards visitors taking photos during Mass inside the cathedral, or would displayed service in progress sign)
PS Gothic architecture is my favourite because there is so much beauty with sky high columns and it channels so many meanings of love and light with its spatial arrangement, but here’s more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Revival_architecture)
Waldorf Astoria, 301 Park Avenue, Manhattan, NY
http://www.waldorfnetwork.com
Yes, I know that that Waldorf-Astoria has been bought by Anbang Insurance Group from China (where Deng Xiaopang’s grandson-in-law has a connection), but while revival or some sort of architectural colonialism has not begun, let’s savour the 1930s-1970s vintage glamour that it has.
Started as a 13-storey hotel with William Waldorf tore down his family’s brownstone at 5th Avenue and 33rd Street to make way for a hotel and joining his hotel with his cousin, John Jacob Astor’s taller Astoria into Waldorf-Astoria, the hotel has been a site for old world glam and a star-studded history. The current site at 301 Park Avenue features an Art Deco design from the architecture firm Schultze and Weaver, and was opened in 1931. Famous guests include former US Presidents Herbert Hoover, John F Kennedy and stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Cole Porter. Trivia fact is that Waldorf-Astoria is the first hotel to offer room service.
However, I would like to elaborate more on Art Deco, since we can all be confused with the mix-mash of tall columns, Chinese chinoserie and even Italian-Egyptian-ish roof decorations (Italian because of decorations on ceilings, Egyptian with hint of gold paints and symbols). Art Deco refers to a wide variety of art in interwar period, but embraces technology in the perspective of 1930s, where art responds to symmetry and machine, rather than organic motifs.
Stories of Waldorf-Astoria: http://www.forbes.com/sites/erincarlyle/2014/10/15/stories-from-the-waldorf-astoria-chinese-acquirer-buying-link-to-glamorous-past/
Conrad New York -102 North End Avenue, New York, NY
Gramercy Park Hotel – 2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
http://www.gramercyparkhotel.com
Part of the fun of not being able to go to regular touristy landmarks in Christmas is that I get to see other unique places, in this case, hotels. I went to Conrad as a washroom detour, but there was obviously more to the washrooms. Constructed in a futuristic and minimalist (or organic like Joan Miro’s) style, the Conrad is also home to Regal cinemas and has an economic alternative of “Pick-A-Bagel” restaurant outside the building. The best part is that it is close to World Trade Center and 9/11 Memorial, which not only makes it a classy detour, but also a wonderful spot for movies.
Gramercy North Hotel is the edgy but classy hotel. With black background, Surrealist paintings and checkered floors, it looked like a remake of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland at first, but such style brings an edgy and hipster edge to the classy hotel. Inside the hotel houses one of my favourite dessert places – the Maialino’s – and the best part is – free Wifi!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – 1000 5th Avenue, New York
I don’t think the Met needs introduction, it is the largest art museum in United States and has Asian, Oceania, Greco-Roman, Renaissance, African, Byzantine and Islamic art covered. In short, it was any artist/art historian’s paradise.
I had to rush because of time constraints but peronally, I would still prefer the Louvre’s layout over the Met’s. The reason is that the Met has 2 million works and so while the main gallery is displayed vertically, there are so many entrances to other gallery spaces on the sides. The issue is that I could be looking at Byzantine art and then diverted through tunnels into Renaissance and European decorative arts. However, this approach works out extremely well for “experience rooms”, for example, the Coptic Egyptian spaces inside the Byzantine gallery for us to immerse the experience. The Louvre in this sense is much better in that gallery spaces are more distinct. That said, I am one of those visitors who never read the map fully and allow myself to be immerse in whatever art brings me.
Like the Louvre, I probably need more than a week of sleepover to fully experience the Met. However, a popular highlight would be frozen yogurt inside the cafeteria, and if you can, visit it’s medieval leg – The Cloister’s.
Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2 East 91st Street, NY
Because Guggenheim free hour were approaching and there were 6 blocks of people lining up, I turned to the other alternative – Cooper Hewitt Museum. The first Smithsonian museum, Cooper-Hewitt was originally a museum found by three granddaughters of Peter Cooper, who asked Cooper Union to provide a space for Museum for arts of decoration in 1896. The sisters were directors but eventually the museum and the school – Cooper Union – distanced themselves and if it wasn’t for a public outcry with intervention from New York Supreme Court that made it fell under ownership of Smithsonian in 1968, it would have gone.
Today, it is a unique museum focused on design and decorative arts. Third floor focuses more on tools, second on the sisters’ collections and the first floor with garden, shop and your own design space. Free hours apply on Saturdays 6-9pm.
Looks like this calls for a Part 3….
The Epicurious Foodie 