Helen Rose's Outdoor Diary: 20th Visit to New York

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Helen Rose’s Outdoor Diary: 20th Visit to New York

August, 2024

Recently I visited New York on my 20^th time there over the last 50 years! There is so much new to see there and so many things to do, regular visits to friends are a great way to catch up and they have always new suggestions oabout places to go.

The High Line

Believe it or not, the High Line was once destined for demolition. Luckily, the community rallied together to repurpose it instead, creating the park you see today, for everyone to enjoy. It has since become a global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones into dynamic public spaces.

In the 1800s freight trains on street-level tracks, run by New York Central Railroad, delivered food to lower Manhattan, but created dangerous conditions for pedestrians; 10th Avenue became known as “Death Avenue.” By 1910, more than 540 people had been killed by trains. It is hard to remember this as you stroll along the High Line which is maturing nicely. I loved the Enchanted Tree on the newly opened section.

We passed a building designed by the late acclaimed architect, Zahar Hadid who was known for her radical deconstructivist designs. She was the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, in 2004.

I liked the quirky water channel on the path with benches where you dip your feet on very hot summer days.

Chelsea Galleries

We left the High Line and as usual I was fascinated by the car parks where the cars are stacked. Well, space is short in Manhattan! Chelsea is noted for galleries and one we visited was the Matthew Marks Gallery where we saw the Terry Winters exhibition. We called in at the Gagosian Gallery which also has a branch in London.

There was a colourful mural depicting some famous Chelsea artists including Andy Warhol.

Edge Building

In Manhattan it is a case of head up to see the skyscrapers. I noticed the Edge Building with the little projection on the top but alas time did not allow us to go to the top for the views. Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere located at 30 Hudson Yards, with a one-of-a-kind design. It’s suspended in mid-air, giving you the feeling of floating in the sky with 360-degree views you can’t get anywhere else. Look 100 stories down from the thrilling glass floor, lean out over the city on angled glass walls and sip champagne in the sky.

Little Island Park

Near the High Line I noticed some interesting very large tulip shaped holders rising from the water with trees. This is Little Island Park which is well worth a quick visit. It is a new park on the Hudson River. Rising from the remnants of Pier 54, Little Island sits on a site that has played a pivotal role in the story of the Hudson River and its surrounding communities. Every visit to Little Island is a reminder of the dynamic evolution of New York City’s waterfront. It is well worth reading about on the link as a reminder of New York’s industrial past.

Whitney Museum

The Whitney Museum of American Art has relocated to a riverside location and on Friday after 5pm, entry is free but do go early as queues form quickly. It was the Whitney Biennial exhibition. The event began as an annual exhibition in 1932; the first biennial was in 1973. It is considered the longest-running and most important survey of contemporary art in the United States. The Biennial helped bring artists like Georgia O’ Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, and Jeff Koons, among others, to prominence..

Gansvoort Peninsula

While waiting for the Whitney museum freebie at 5pm, we relaxed on the adjacent beach which has recently opened called the Gansvoort Peninsula. The Greenland Geese walked around nonchalantly.

The beach features 1,200 tons of sand with beach umbrellas, Adirondack-style chairs and a misting feature for cooling down or rinsing off sand. A large picnic area with tables and benches overlooks the River, and a boardwalk with a Pine Grove draws people onto the site.

From the beach, we could see the replacement building for the Twin Towers. The World Trade Center (WTC) is a complex of buildings in the Lower Manhattan neighborhood replacing the original seven buildings on the same site that were destroyed in the September 11 attacks of 2001. The site is being rebuilt with up to six new skyscrapers, four of which have been completed. Also, a memorial and museum to those killed in the attacks has been built in.

Alvin Ailey

I have had a long time ambition to attend a dance class at the Alvin Ailey studios in Manhattan and booked a contemporary class well above my ability but I just kept going for the length of the class in a modified way.The improvisation section was most suited to me in the class. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is the foremost contemporary dance company in the world in my view and I have previously seen them perform in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Long Branch Beach

We travelled to New Jersey to a Jersey Beach by train from Penn Station in Manhattan to Long Branch. The Jersey Beaches are long stretches of sand bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The beach is lovely but the water is not warm. There is a board walk running like a promenade along the beach and is very pleasant to walk along and watch life go by. At the far end of the beach, there are beach volley ball courts. It was once a quiet community surrounded by farms. Today, it’s a bustling resort town. On my first visit to New York all those years ago I stayed in Belmar, further south and on the way to Atlantic City. Walking the board walk is so American and a cue for a song from the Drifters. It is always great to listen to them.

Another very interesting visit to the Big Apple but still a lot to see. In New York, be prepared to walk and travel on subways which are a great way to get around and are air conditioned in the heat of summer!