I really enjoyed my tour of lower Manhattan on Tuesday. It was my first time visiting that area since I moved to New York. It was interesting to see some of the older buildings and how they are being preserved and incorporated into the modern buildings. I also get to see how the Fraunces Tavern is used as part museum and part restaurant. According to Wikipedia. Com, Fraunces Tavern is a landmark museum and restaurant in New York City, the location played a prominent role in history before, during and after the American Revolution, serving as a headquarters for George Washington, a venue for peace negotiations with the British, and housing federal offices in the Early Republic. It was really good to see such beautiful historic building preserved and not demolish and replace with big meaningless monuments. Inside was small but felt cozy and welcoming at the same time.

Bull on wall street and the little girl

I was also happy to finally get a chance to walk down Wall Street and see the statue of the Bull. I didn’t understand what the term “Bull of Wall Street” meant; this trip gave me a better understanding of the term. I also like the statue of the little girl and the way she stands up to the bull. Although the two statues were designed by two different people and have no relation to each other, it really tells a story and should remain there. The statue of the little girl represents power and straight.

It was my very first time to the 9/11 memorial site which is very sad to say since it was such a dark day for us all in the USA. The site was breathtaking and sad at the same time. Just by standing there looking at all the names of all the people who die that day, I couldn’t help but feel sad.  The design with the waterfalls reminded me of Niagara Fall. The sound from the waterfalls really gives off a relaxing and mournful feeling at the same time. It really felt like all the souls that were lost on that day was resting there.

Overall it was a really great experience for me and I will definitely go back to that area to explore a little more. I didn’t know that the Staten Island ferry was free to travel to see the statue of liberty.  I am thinking about going back to the ferry on my day off and go for a ride to see the statue.

NICKAY GREEN

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

I really enjoyed my visit to the Met Museum on Tuesday with my Urban Tourism class. I was surprise that I enjoyed it so much because I always hate the idea of going to a museum. The Met is the largest art museum in the United State. Apart from its exhibition, the Met also host traveling shows throughout the year such as the famous Met Gala. According to Wikipedia.com, in 2016, the Met was the third most visited museum in the world with 7.06 million visitors.

Getting to the museum was easy for me. I took the number 4 train to 86^th street and walk three blocks west to fifth Ave. The walk took approximately 10 minutes to the museum.

The museum was really busy but I did notice that they have staff all over the floor that is always ready to assist if you need assistance. They have an information desk with maps and brochures with information on special exhibits. I did also notice that they have a lot of gift shops especially in areas with special exhibits. I also notice that on the day of our visit there were a lot of school groups there as well.

I also did notice that the line to purchases admission tickets wasn’t really crowed. I did see people using the new kiosk the Met recently installed to get their tickets as well so maybe that’s the reason the admission lines wasn’t long.

Susan Jordan our tour guide was amazing. She was very knowledgeable about her job and she brings life to the exhibits in the way she passionately talks about each piece of artwork. The way she even explain the brush strokes on each art piece shows her passion for the arts. I was very intrigued by the story she shared with us about the Velazquez painting of his slave. It was very heart felt and have me looking at the artwork in a different light. I enjoyed the guided tour and I would only do guided tours at museums from now on.

The roof top garden was breathtaking. The view of the city was something to experience. I will have to go back on my day off with my family.

“Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” was my favorite area. I love fashion and the items that are on display are something to marvel at. Especially the piece by Yves Saint Laurent which is called “ Statuary Vestment For The Virgin Of El Rocio, ca 1985”. I believe this piece was the inspiration for many celebrities who attend the 2018 Met Gala such as Rihanna whose outfit was similar in design.

Overall this was a really good museum experience for me and I will definitely visit again.

Street Mural

Domino Park

Domino Park

The Domino Park I enjoyed my visit to the Domino Park, which was opened on June 10, 2018 in Williamsburg along the Williamsburg waterfront. It was interesting to know that the park was designed by Mark Reigelman, who also designed the High Line. I could see the similarity such as the lounge chairs. I like the fact that most of the old equipment’s from the sugar factory were incorporated in the design of the park such as the syrup tanks. The volleyball sand pit was something I have never seen in a park before, which I think was really cool. The Park also has security cameras throughout, which is a really good idea for added security. Everything about the park was just beautiful and very detail oriented. The park really tells the story of the Domino Sugar Factory. The only problem I had was the food option. I think they would do better if they had some food trucks, because the wait was so long due to having only one restaurant on site. Also, the food selection was only limited to only Tacos, which I think was over price for the portion. I think they should add items such as Hot Dogs and Pizza to the menu. The area around the Domino Sugar Factory is being developed into a residential site. Construction is underway for apartment complex and condos while I was there. The site that was once an industrial site has been transformed into residential towers and office space.

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