As we leave the hotel, we see the Hearst Tower. As I already mentioned, the stone base (6 stories) was left uncompleted due to the Great Depression, but a daring new tower was added in 2004--making it the first skyscraper built after 9/11.

The old six-story base was gutted to provide an airy six-story vestibule for the building.......

This multi-story waterfall provides an interesting modern entrance and....................

It is all part of the building's design that earned it the title of New York's first green skyscraper........

The water in the water fall is channelled over these forms and generates coolant and electrical services for the building...........

All lights and room formations have been designed for minimum energy usage. The mural over the escalator depicts the building's commitment to Mother Earth.............

And is made of earth...............

Our next stop is Columbus Circle. On previous visits, it had been under renovation, and this is the first time it has been totally complete for us--fountains running etc.....................

We've seen the building of the two glass towers now anchoring the corner. On sunny days, they are two brilliant blue shards of glass...............

There are also now flower beds on Columbus Circle............

The Columbus Monument was built largely through the generosity of Italian-Americans who fostered great pride in America's European Discover. Native American revisionist versions of history have somewhat tarnished his reputation, but here is the "great man" himself as depicted on his monument...............

The Nina, The Pinta and the Santa Maria........

Looking up the shaft of the monument.............

A beautiful cherub looks at the globe--Columbus was somewhat reactionary, in his times, to believe that the world was round.................

Looking east from Columbus Circle............................................

There was a squat rather ugly NY Information Building adjacent to the circle that was scheduled for demolition so that something more in keeping with the new found grandeur of the corner could be built. But, the squat building was designated as "historically significant", so a new more stylist glass facade was added to the bleak building....................

Here is another of the neighborhoods homelier buildings getting a glass facelift.............

Dwight strikes a dignified pose..............

Looking west is another newish building, The World-wide Plaza..............

We cross over to Central Park and the Maine Memorial..................

REMEMBER THE MAINE!! was one of the battle cries that got the United States to enter World War I, and this memorial honors the lives lost in the sinking of the Maine............

Some patriotic and warlike imagery from the memorial............

We stepped briefly into Central Park--this is the Bow Bridge..............

And leafy trees surrounding a pond................

On the outskirts of the park is this sculpture of a slain South American liberator. The sculptor decided to depict the hero at the moment he was hit by the fatal bullet..................

At the east end of the park, we see the flags heralding The Plaza Hotel...................

With his "European Tote" in hand, Dwight enters the Plaza to see how "the other half" lives..............

We are greeted by one of the lavish fresh flower arrangements that are changed daily.............

I somehow feel that I fit right in here.........................

One of the first things we wanted to check out was the newly refurbished Palm Court...........

Among other things, they have added a new glass ceiling....................

It can now rival the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. (And the gaming room at The Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas that has a glass ceiling patterned on the Palace)..........................

More detail from the ceiling...................

Someday I hope to have High Tea here--maybe with Paul McCartney..............

Gorgeous chandeliers light the stairwells as Dwight and his tote sashay by..................

This is how the "other half" lives..................

Some very modern flower arrangements...................

On a very "unmodern" table!..................

"Hello, Room service? Do you deliver to the lobby?".................................

Diana makes one more attempt to get herself a room at the Plaza before we are escorted out of the Hotel....................

Back into Central Park--these beds are planted for seasonal color...............

In the spring, they are planted with tulips...........................

And in the fall, with chrysantemns...........................

One of my favorite approaches to.......................

Gapstow Bridge...........................

The city from the park...............................

A carnival on the ice skating rink that is drained for summer.....................

A fanciful unicorn near the entrance to The Central Park Zoo................................

Some interesting flora..................................

A lovely palque along a stonewall in the park commerating an American writer, now forgotten......................

We scurry along the 5th Avenue walkway on the perimeter of the park to get to the subway line for our next destination.....................

Even on toney Central Park East, you still have to put out your garbage on garbage day.................

A rather plesant domicile..................................

Would love to stop for a snack here, but it is into the subway for our next stop---------Yankee Stadium!