Our leader Bulldog planned a West Side route this year, from the fountain at Lincoln Center (where they filmed some scenes in West Side Story when it was rubble) to the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire just east of Washington Square in Greenwich Village - with more interesting detours and zig-zags to sites than I can report or remember. He reported briefly here.
From Lincoln Center to transport home, I clocked 13.8 miles, with sore quads. My sis, who just had a hip replacement after a running accident, handled it all and is eager for the next hike. It's just far more interesting than her usual country hiking, with so much to look at and to talk about. Golly, as a country boy I do love this crazy city and any out-of-towners who hike with us come to feel the same way.
Before I post a few random street pics, two free ads: first, Artichoke Pizza. After going into Moore's ancient Chelsea church, we strolled through Chelsea Market (good fun, lots of food and stuff) and headed up a block to their location on 10th Ave. in Chelsea. Best New York pizza I have found - ever. Thin pizza, oily and slightly burnt the way I like it. Many cool beers on tap. Fast, rough NYC-style service: you had better know exactly what you want when you're up. Perfect for a cool drizzly day.
The cupcake ad is for Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker St. Perfect cupcakes. Stupid to resist cuz life is short and you do not get there every day.
Marianne would have liked this post. From Lincoln Center, we headed downtown on Broadway thru Columbus Circle, noting the huge new "pencil" high-rises going up on Central park South -
Pics of my favorite city below the fold -
The old Hearst building has an interesting history. It took many years for it to become the tall building originally intended
Walked thru Times Square just because it's there. Fairly quiet at 10:30 am.
We did walk thru the garment district but it's very quiet on weekends. The Flower District would have been fun, but it's closed on Sundays. This is walking west 34th St with the Empire State bldg behind us in the distance.
Javits Center behind that little park. Javits needed for pit stop, and because it is adjacent to the entry to the new final leg of the High Line
View of insane new construction by the rail yards, from the High Line. It's a Boom Town.
We did a stretch of the High Line,
got off in the 20s to see Moore's church, Chelsea market, and to grab pizza. That's General Theoloigcal Seminary on the corner. They have fallen on hard times.
After lunch, meandered south thru the Meatpacking district
down into the West Village which is the most charming part of the entire darn city, in my opinion. Indeed, a village. Only history buffs recall that Greenwich Village was set up as a development, out in the countryside of New Amsterdam, for free blacks. We wandered around and saw lots of stuff. Just some random pics here of this lovely neighborhood.
White Horse was a favorite of literati, including Dylan Thomas. Bob Dylan liked it too.
Down there, with the crazy streets, I always get 180 degrees disoriented unless the sun is out
St. Luke's in the Fields (1832)
One of their gardens
After checking out the hanging tree in Washington Square park, we strolled through the park to the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then we went our separate ways. My subgroup had 13.8 miles by the end.
