Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Lower Manhattan -- a few more places of interest

It is easy to walk around lower Manhattan and see quite a bit of it in one day. I've shown you some major points of interest in prior blogs this week, and now I'd like to end my day trip with a few more.

The first picture is one of my favorite stores to shop in downtown, the Century 21 Department Store! It is located at 22 Cortlandt Street, between Church and Broadway. It is directly across the street from Ground Zero and was one of the businesses that struggled to return post 9/11. It has been rated by Zagat survey for two years in a row as " The # 1 discount store in New York!" Local workers and tourists from all around the world shop in it to find top quality designer fashions at discount prices. It has apparel, footwear, handbags, home and fashion accessories, and more.
It's always crowded, and one of their mottos is "fashion worth fighting for" which gives you an idea of the atmosphere sometimes, but there are real bargains to be had if you have patience.


Next, are a few large modern sculptures that are in lower Manhattan. Shown below. in two views, is a sculpture located in front of a 1967 black glass modern style skyscraper at 140 Broadway. The red, off-kilter cube with a hole through it is called Isamu Noguchi's Cube. It looks so precariously balanced and is a favorite place for a photo shoot.



Next is the 70-foot high "Joie de Vivre" by Mark Di Suvero in front of the Broadway side of Liberty Plaza Park, directly across the street from Noguchi's sculpture.


The New York City Hall building is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center section of Lower Manhattan between Broadway, Park Row, and Chambers Street. A National Historic Landmark, it opened in 1812 and is the oldest city hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions, such as the office of the Mayor of New York City and the chambers of the New York City Council.
The building's Governor's Room hosted President-elect Abraham Lincoln in 1861, and his coffin was placed on the staircase landing across the rotunda when he lay in state in 1865 after his assassination. Ulysses S. Grant also was laid in state beneath the rotunda dome.
The Governor's Room, which is used for official receptions, also houses one of the most important collections of 19th-century American portraiture and notable artifacts such as George Washington's desk.


The next few pictures are of the famous Woolworth Building, which is opposite City Hall on Broadway, between Park Place and Barclay Street, and is also a National Historic Landmark. It is one of the oldest skyscrapers in New York City. At fifty-seven stories tall, and more than ninety years after its construction, it is still one of the fifty tallest buildings in the United States, as well as one of the twenty tallest buildings in New York City. There are some gorgeous pictures of the very ornate lobby of the Woolworth Building on this website.




It is wonderful to walk around lower Manhattan and just look at all the different architecture. So many of the buildings are from an era when great detail and opulent ornamentation was idealized. Just look at the examples of the beautiful buildings in the pictures below.






There is much to see, a lot to do, touching things to reflect upon, and American history galore to learn about in lower Manhattan. I've just shown a small portion. Hopefully, sometime in some future blogs, I'll be able to show more!

Just one thing........if you do come for a visit, please try not to honk your car horn!

It can be expensive ......... just like everything else is in New York City!

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13 comments:

Mrs. B said...

Hi Pat! What beautiful buildings. Gorgeous details on the Woolworth building!

I'd love to play along with the meme. Thanks for thinking of me! You're motto is great.

And I have an award for you over at my blog. I see that you already have one, so I don't expect you to pass it out again.

Louise said...

You do have some classy buildings in NY and plenty to photograph, another great tour of more of lower Manhattan. If we ever make it to NY, I shall have to print off your blog pages. We have a ready made itinerary! x

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Hi Pat!
I know where I want to go to shop when I finally get to NYC!! It will be a mad dash to Century 21! And I will try not to honk my horn, maybe a few "wooo-hooos" though.
Thanks for the meme challenge! I did my best. Love yours, you can tell by your great personality!
Hugs, Sherry
ps You have given all of us such a fabulous tour of NYC, thank you so much for all the time you've put into it. Makes me want to visit even more than before!

Vee said...

Architectural details are so wonderful that I wish that architects of new construction would give it even more consideration than they do. Are there any new buildings in NYC that are rich in detail?

Love the tour; you can keep right on dragging me all around your world. I'll be one happy camper safe in the confines of my wee home, but off on an adventure all the same.

Lenka said...

I want to take a fiew days off and go see all your places! Love it! 100000 hugs for you!

Abbie said...

Hi Pat!
Oh, thank yous so much for the tour around.. I miss NYC so much! I just adorea the hustle, bustle and history!
Thank you!
xoxo~
Abbie

PAT said...

I've really enjoyed your wonderful photographs and descriptions, Pat!

When we were in Chicago, we heard lots of horn honking..taxi horn honking!

Pat

kari and kijsa said...

Century 21 sounds fabulous...we have had a weakness for Daffy's too!! Have a beautiful day in NYC!

blessings,
kari & kijsa

Lisa's RetroStyle said...

The horn thing is too funny! I love the architecture!!! Thanks for another interesting and informative post!!!!

Tara said...

Pat

I am loving this tour, taking in all your ideas so when I visit my son I have some direction! Thank you dear friend!

Junie Moon said...

I've been to NYC a few times but never knew there were all these wonderful things to do and see that you've shared with us. The horn-honking makes me laugh as I recall hearing lots of it; however, I'm glad they're controlling it.

There is so much energy in NYC. Even with the tragedy, nothing can take away the energetic life that teems in this city.

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

I love NYC.. I was last there 10 years ago.. so much to see and loved the atmosphere..
I discovered Century 21 and had to hold onto my purse strings v tightly! Amazing place.. I also loved Grand Central Station..
Look forward to returning one day.. Thank you for this tour.

Best Wishes
Michele

Rue said...

I just love the old architecture. So beautiful :) The honking fine is almost the same price as the drink I had in the Oak room at the Plaza LOL

rue