Occupying Wall Street

Facebook is EVIL!  No it's not, but it does eradicate the whole notion of privacy. Not that I mind, but let this serve as a warning. If you plan on robbing a bank, leave your smartphone behind (GPS tracking, whether or not you turn on that feature) and for goodness sake DO NOT, (I repreat), DO NOT post video of said robbery to your Facebook page.

With that said, my posting pics of NYC on Facebook got me a breakfast date with a friend from Iowa, who just happened to be in the City,  recently returning to the States after living in Singapore for 9 months. So we caught up over breakfast at the Brooklyn Diner.

rendering of completed building 

my photo, during construction

In addition to catching up with a friend I also had the opportunity to witness the construction of One57, aka Carnegie 57, designed by Christian de Portzamparc. I just like saying "de Portzamparc". As well as stand under the canopy of The Russian Tea Room at 150 West 57th Street.

Why just stand there? Why not go in?, you ask.
A) It was drizzling that morning.
2) I was just in awe, star-struck even. I've always heard of it, never imagined it was real.
C) What time do tea rooms, even open? I know I make myself a cup in the morning but I don't think I'd invite the neighborhood in to sip tea with me in my 'jamas.

 Now I know for next time:
1) They have a canopy in case of bad weather.
 B) They do exist, just like unicorns and leprechauns.
3) They open at 11:00 AM (11:30 on weekdays).

I can try their signature cocktail,  the Cavitini, or enjoy the experience of High Tea.



While grabbing a cup of tea from Starbucks, I map out today's adventure. Head to Columbus Square,  Take the "A" train (whilst humming "You must take the A Train") to the "E" train. Voila, you have arrive at Ground Zero. Guess what? You can't just show up at Ground Zero and be like "So where's the line for the tour?"  You have to go the Sept 11th Memorial website and make a reservation for a visitor's pass. They didn't have any openings until the time I needed to leave and meet my husband at the airport. So I guess I'll enjoy it via Google Earth or keep watching Fringe.

View of One World Trade Center, formerly  the Freedom Tower from the St. Paul's Chapel Churchyard.

Though I wasn't able to see the memorial pools, I was able to see 1 WTC going up from the graveyard of St Paul's Chapel. Though it was a grim reminder viewing it from this location, it was also enhearting to see it rise.

St. Paul's became known as "The Little Chapel that Stood" after surviving the 2001 terror attacks unscathed, despite its proximity to the World Trade Center site. It also currently hosts an exhibit honoring the volunteers who served ground zero's recovery workers in the months after 9/11. P.S. George Washington had a designated pew and worshipped here during the two years that New York City was the nation's capital.



As I continued exploring, I wanted to see exactly who was occupying Wall Street. This is what/whom I saw. The Red Cube (1968), by Isamu Noguchi, a Japanese American artist and landscape architect, in front of The Marine Midland Building (also HSBC Bank Building).



Looking (north) up Broadway at another brightly colored scupture, Joie de Vivre (1998, by Mark di Suvero) located in Zuccotti Park,with One Liberty Plaza, formerly the U.S. Steel Building, in the background.




The pedestiran bridge that connects the Trinity Building to the US Realty Building. (No protestors up there.)



I especially loved the guys (on the left) having lunch in the graveyard of Trinity Church while the tourist ladies check out the headstone for all the "famous" people buried there. Isn't it ironic that the old American Stock Exchange building (86 Trinity Place) is finding new life as a proposed retail complex? Consumerism at it's finest.



With the rain drizzling on and off, I was tired and could feel a cold coming on (thus the tea from Starbucks earlier) so I found some sanctuary behind the gorgeous bronze doors and in the pews of Trinity Church, right as they started their lunch sermon. I was glad I did. Rev. Mark Bozzuti-Jones brought the Gospel by speaking about Lin-sanity.



Along with the "famous people", (ie Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers, aka old dude on the $10 bill) there is a(on the left) gravestone for Thomas Slidell (age 4) and William Bradford (aged 92), which reminded me that even though the years are short, the days are long.



After I shared a table with a French family for lunch at Cafe Exchange, I head back to the train to meet my husband at the airport.

I occupied Wall Street train station!