A Rainy Weekend in New York City

It is Noisy
It is Brash
It Soaked My Shoes
It Inverted My Umbrella

I Love This City

Love it or hate it, there is no place like New York City. It pulsates with energy 24 hours a day. Like Chicago, Vancouver BC, San Francisco or Toronto this is a city I employ almost any excuse to visit.

When my firm selects locations for our annual shareholder's retreat the call usually goes out to find a venue in the sun. Somewhere that we can all bask on the beach in the hours between worksessions. I always listen carefully and then suggest the complete opposite. Having lived in Hawaii for a few years I have nothing against lovely beaches. I just happen to like visiting big, multi-cultural, cities with great architecture, museums and shows.

Even when they are cold and rainy.

Having said that I should clarify I have no desire to live in cold and rainy cities. In fact, I once lived in Seattle and in just under 18 months I had an ulcer and was scheduling time with shrinks. Those almost relentless titanium colored skies induced night terrors. 

Well this weekend we took our retreat to New York City. We stayed in the lovely old Lexington Hotel. This is where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe honeymooned. We walked all over midtown (taking in Rockefeller Center and the reconstruction of St Patrick's). We enjoyed two Broadway plays (No Man's Land and Jersey Boys) complete with celebrity sightings. We ate great food (Italian, Japanese and Greek). 

First stop was the 22 acre Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center's first 14 art deco building's were constructed from 1930 to 1939. Today's completed complex includes a total of 19 commercial buildings. Rockefeller Center is home to the former RCA Building (now NBC), amazing artwork, the Rainbow Room and the Radio City Music Hall. 

Ice Skater's in Front of Paul Manship's Prometheus  

A Small Section of Josep Maria Sert's Stunning American Progress Mural

Don't miss a chance to glimpse the lobby of the former RCA Building (30 Rock). The story of the mural is pretty amazing. The Rockefeller's initially attempted to commission both Matisse and Picasso to create the lobby artwork. They felt there were no American painters at that time up to the challenge. After Matisse and Picasso both declined a third option, Diego Rivera was championed by John D. Rockefeller's wife Abby.

Rivera submitted a template for his proposed mural Man at the Crossroads. Rivera then went on to paint a mural where he added scenes from Moscow's May Day and the face of Lenin. The finished product was reviled by John D. Rockefeller.

John D. Rockefeller's son Nelson Rockefeller. who was now president of Rockefeller Center, initially had Rivera's mural papered over. Then, nine months later Rivera was paid and his mural was destroyed. At that time Sert was retained to paint the much larger mural that exists today.

Another major event was seeing the last evening performance of Harold Pinters No Man's Land at the Cort Theater. 

Lets just say that I'm sure the drama majors in the audience loved it. 

Waiting at The Stage Door of The Cort Theater

After the play we joined a small crowd at the stage door to wait for Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Billy Crudup to depart the theater. All (especially Crudup) were thoughtful enough to spend some time autographing playbills. 

Sir Patrick Stewart

Sir Ian McKellen

Billy Crudup

A Few of Tom Otterness' Life Underground NYC Subway Sculptures

When our subway train stopped for a moment I caught a glimpse of a few of Tom Oterness' bronze sculptures

Trinity Church

The first Trinity Church was built in 1696 and was destroyed by fire. The second Trinity Church stood from 1790 to 1838. The third Trinity Church (the one we see here) was completed in 1846. George Washington attended services at Trinity. Alexander Hamilton is buried in the small cemetery that surrounds it. Truly inspiring when one realizes a church has stood on this site through our nation's entire history up to and including the 9/11 holocaust. 

Today, I take some pleasure knowing that the unindicted criminals of Wall Street must walk past this humble little church each day.

Santiago Calatrava's New WTC Transit Center 

Rises Like Some Sort of Steel Dinosaur 

(Directly Across the Street from Trinity Church)

We also spent our last evening visiting the 9/11 memorial. This visit unleashed emotions I didn't know existing within my soul. Every American is a resident of NYC when it comes to this sacred ground.

One of Two Cascading Fountains

(Each Located On The Site of The Original WTC Towers) 

WTC Tower 1 Nears Completion

Au Revoir New York.

Until we meet again.


Roadboy's Travel © 2014