Wednesday 10 September 2014

Guggenheim, Frick, Madison & 5th Avenues

First stop today was the Guggenheim Museum. Unfortunate timing for us as about half the Museum was out of bounds whilst new exhibitions are prepared and the spiral walkway was off limits. Most of what was on display didn't grab me greatly. Photography is prohibited in most areas but here are a couple of snaps.




Next stop was the Frick Collection. This is a must see. The priceless collection of a Philadelphia steel industrialist who set up house in New York early in the 20th century. The collection is still in position as it was when the house was a residence and the rooms are largely still furnished as at that time so it is a remarkable presentation of a turn of the century New York City home for the wealthy. Photos were not permitted inside the house or on the grounds except for in the Garden Salon which originally provided access to the house by carriages and motors but has since gained a glass ceiling and been turned into a conservatory of sorts. Whilst we were there a group of clearly invited local VIPs was assembling for a function in the Music Room - a room not available for general public viewing.

The Garden Salon
Music Room guests
Later we walked down Madison and 5th Avenues to 59th Street. Some snaps along the way.

Restaurant off Madison Avenue
Hermes on Madison Avenue window
Horse drawn carriages for hire at 5th Ave & 59th St
The Plaza Hotel, 5th Ave
Inside the Plaza Hotel, 5th Ave
Another diner found this time for delicious soups. The temperature had dropped into the 60s, so soup was welcomed for lunch.

All About Food on 59th Street
Crowds at Apple's 5th Ave store awaiting the iPhone 6 announcement

13 comments:

  1. Is that Jim Parsons at Le Charlot restaurant?

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    1. No Allan, that was the waiter! I took the photo just because I liked the look of the restaurant.

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  2. Have you caught the train to Brooklyn and walked back accross the Brooklyn bridge yet?

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    1. Great minds think alike Allan, that trip is planned for today.

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  3. Temperature of the 60s? Who is your readership? How quickly you have picked up foreign ways. Iphone nonsense reported on this evening's news.

    "Madison and 5th Avenues to 59th Street". Care to drop a name?

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    1. Andrew, the temperatures here are reported in Farenheit; I can't be bothered to convert. It is important to know the cross streets here so you can work out whereabouts on Manhattan your destination is located. Helps with the subway too. It has taken me a week to remember easily that the Bronx is uptown and Brooklyn is downtown.

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    2. Andrew

      Just remember that 20 degrees C is 68 degrees F - that should be enough.

      I keep that from childhood adventures developing and printing photos because that was the temperature the developer solution was supposed to be at for the standard developing times.

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  4. Wow, iPhone 6 most wanted around the world. The Global village it is true.

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    1. Gosia, there was no point in them queueing at the store as the new phones are not available here for another nine days.

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  5. V, am enjoying your travelogue. A stubborn (and probably pointless, given the NSA's reach) reluctance to give the US Govt my fingerprints has kept me out of the US in recent years but the prospect of New York might one day lead me to change my mi - that is, if they let me in after reading this.

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    1. It is my third visit to NY, Marcellous, although the other two were decades ago. The city is as thrilling to me as ever.

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  6. Wow, you're in New York. Jealous! I was there in Dec/Jan. Unfortunately didn't make it into the Frick as it was closed. Have fun Victor!

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    1. Good to hear from you Evol, hope you are well.

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