Monday, June 28, 2010

Finally, a year later, here is our last day in New York--2009.......

We say goodbye to our beloved Hotel DaVinci.........


And the view of the Hearst Tower out our window..............



And our comfy room...........

Our art work that we have been gazing at for 15 days...........


Some of it classical...........


Dwight enjoys his last continental breakfast in the lobby..........



And we say goodbye to our favorite "Baci Ball" painting in the lobby.........


Our last day in the Big City, we head up a couple of blocks to catch the subway.........


Through the man-made canyons of Manhattan.........

We are just going to ride up to mid Central Park and then walk back................

Now that we have truly mastered the NYC Subway System, it's time to go home...............

We get off near the Museum of Natural History...........

And pay homage to a glorified Teddy Roosevelt.............

Then we cross over into the leafy confines of Mid Central Park..........

Always a pleasure for all the senses....................

This little stairway leads to a chess playing area and is adjacent to the Shakespeare Garden.........

A little espalier along the rustic path.............


A pose in a quiet bucolic spot............

As a former landscaper, Dwight never fails to be impressed with the scale and quality of Central Park.................

The leafy and MAGNIFICENT --Mall.................

Dwight enjoys one of the benches lining the grand mall where Victorian New York promenaded long ago............


This is my favorite spot in all of Manhattan--except for Joe G's at suppertime...................

We still think this city' a great big toy..............

Just made for a girl and boy............................(Like Mr. Montague and Miss Capulet)

This "Juliette" has a bit too much hat for her "Romeo"........

Behind me is the Boathouse Restaurant where Dwight and I celebrated out Tenth Anniversary ten years ago and where Sisi and Lou celebrated their 30th Anniversary in 2007..............


The fabulous Bethesda Terrace.............

Some of the Victorian carving...........


Along the grand staircase.................

Dwight soaks in the entire scene..............

The Angel of the Waters Fountain....................

The acoustics in the passage way under the stairs are perfect for this a capella concert..........


Details of the tiled ceiling..................

Some hot jazz is perfect out by the cool fountain..............

A Hanson cab cruising the park............

An heroic bronze................

At the other end of the mall, the entrance to Literary Walk..............

Another atmospheric combo...............

Entertain the silent bronzes of literary greats--many now largely forgotten. Like this fellow, Fitz-Green Halleck.....................

This plaque before his statue explains that at it's dedication, the President of the United States, his entire cabinet and 10,000 people showed up. The crowd got so unruly, that future dedications were not held because of the great expense of park reparations needed after the melee for Mr. Halleck--whoever he was!....................

How fleeting fame...............here is the face that once stirred such passions and was so revered...............

One of the "literary greats" that you might recognize--Robert Burns.....................

And the only one you most SURELY recognize, Mr. William Shakespeare.............

The stately Bellvedere Castel beckons..............

Another spot for quiet reflection............


Up ahead is Cleopatra's Needle.........................


This is thought to be the oldest man-made object in the New World........................


The story of how it was shipped here, rolled down the streets of NY and erected upright is quite amazing..................

Here it is reflected in the back windows of the Metropolitain Museum................


The softball fields where Frannie ruled Tony Danza. Hey, where's the plaque?............................

The lake where Dwight rowed me on a summers' day before his heart surgery--no connection to the two occurrences........................

Folks dining in the patio of the Boathouse Cafe.............

Whimsical piece crafted by a famous graduate of Pratt.................

Hey, I have a novel idea--how about a painting of this bridge?...................

Bought some postcards in the Dairy........................

Gotta LOVE this park!............................

And apparently, lots and lots of New Yorkers do.....for jogging.......................
And riding in carriages..................
A well used park is a mark of success.................

As is the beauty of the park...........................
With only a few hours left in our visit to New York, we must bid a sad goodbye to Central Park........................

And all its amazing nooks and crannies..........................................


Maybe next time we will check out this summertime carnival built on the Wallerman Skating Rink. The glass tower of the Hearst Tower in the background across from out hotel shows the short distance we need to transverse to collect our luggage and depart...............

Goodbye carriage rides with spirited horses......................

We exit the park at Grand Army Plaza..................
And cross over to The Plaza....................
For a very brief visit.......................
Glittering chandelieres, classical architecture, magnificent furnishing, outrageously beautiful flowers--yup, this is THE PLAZA! Now for lunch and our final post in New York to come--see ya.........................

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