NYC, day 3 (final edition)

We didn’t get quite as early of a start on this day, which was a good thing — after coming home so late the night before, we needed a bit of sleep! Plus we needed to check out of our digs:

Where we stayed on Staten Island

Since a ferry was just pulling out from the dock when we pulled into the parking lot, I finally had my chance to visit a special site near the St. George terminal. I hopped out of the car and scurried over to the memorial for the Staten Island residents who died in the attack on the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001.

Postcards from heaven

When you walk between the 2 “postcards” you see the names and birthdates of those who died, the company each person worked for, along with the profile of many faces… so very many victims. I focused on a firefighter who shared my year of birth.

Please click to enlarge this picture. The name on the middle row of the left column has an additional name listed. This was a mother and her unborn son.

The memorial is positioned in such a way that the site of the towers is centered between the 2 “postcards” from heaven. I hope this memorial brings some small comfort to the families and loved ones who wish they could have one more day, one more hug, one more chance…

And so I entered New York City in a somber mood today.

Manhattan skyline

We walked through Battery Park toward Ground Zero.

I don’t have much to say about visiting here. While I knew it was no longer an empty hole, I wasn’t prepared for it to be a construction site. Still… it might have been just me, but it felt a bit somber, as though everyone working there remembers that day.

I wanted to visit the nearby church, but it was nearing noon on Good Friday and I didn’t want to interrupt any church services.

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A lot of things we did on day 3 were strange… different…
Next on the agenda was the Museum of Modern Art.

MoMA had a family-inappropriate exhibit happening on the 6th floor. Frankly, I think the “artist” is/was a bit crazy… the kind that gives modern art a reputation I cannot support. (Since when is self-mutilation and audience participation in harming the artist considered ART?) Luckily, there was plenty of other cool things on the other floors.

SuperDad makes art museums a fun adventure.

We sat in front of this piece for a long time. –>

So let’s play a little art museum game.

Click on this picture below to enlarge it and gaze at it for a little bit.

I’m curious if it has the same effect in photo form as it did in person.  Can you tell me which part of this large panel makes you feel hungry?  (Give your answer in the comment section.)

*I’m referring to the picture above, not the Andy Warhol soup cans!*

I’m rather fond of art deco, so this light sculpture made me smile –>

(It was only about 4 feet tall.)

Other things related to light were rather curious…

I was actually quite fond of this dining room chandelier.  It is called “Porca Miseria!” and it is a revolt against the slickness of contemporary design. Only 10 of these are made each year, and it takes 5 days for 4 builders to carefully break the dishes and then create the arrangement. I’d hate to dust it, but I thought it was pretty awesome.

(Please click on the photograph to enlarge it.)

On the other hand, I also thought this sign (below) was pretty awesome. I had noticed it and walked away, but then MusicMan saw it, laughed, and took a photograph. By then I was laughing, too, so I took a picture with my own camera. (You might need a quirky sense of humor to laugh about this one.)

Honeycomb vase

This vase made me think of Gordo and Gary… perhaps if they were one person? 😛

Cinema Redux: Vertigo

I think staring at this series of stills from “Vertigo” for too long will give me vertigo!

Ahhh… that’s more my style! I adore Monet (and a number of other impressionist-era artists).

Moving on outside and down the street…

Someone else’s kid. I didn’t even try to get mine to pose here.

You know the saying, “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus“?  Well, here’s proof: We went to Mars for lunch!

When you start to wonder why you are paying so much for atmosphere (heh), it’s probably time to have a beer and just enjoy your stay.

And who knew? You can text message back to earth when you are visiting Mars!

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After transporting ourselves back to April 2, 2010, we hopped on the subway for a final ride and caught the orange ferry back to Staten Island.  It was time to go home.

Farewell, Manhattan!

Goodbye, Lady Liberty

We pack up our memories and drive them home with us — to be shared via conversation, scrapbook, and blog.