The New York Subway

The New York subway has 472 stations and 36 lines and began operation I’m 1904. I don’t want to go into facts and figures but it’s amazing to consider it has 248 miles of route and can reach a top speed of 55mph but has an average speed of 17.4mph. I don’t normally get excited about trains and subways but I grew up in London and the London Underground is iconic entity and part of everyday life in Central London that I’ve used from a young age so it was mind blowing to ride its American cousin. 

Like a multiverse variant of something I’m already familiar with I learnt one golden rule - The Bronx is up and Brooklyn’s down. I’d already heard something similar from The Beastie Boys Hello Brooklyn “New York, New York it’s a hell of a town, You know The Bronx is up and I’m Brooklyn down”. Anyway, here are some random shots from my time there. 

New York - little bites from the Big Apple

Here are a couple of things I saw in New York between my visits to the more well known landmarks. Some were very quick snaps whilst rushing or just little things that I liked. 

“La Gran Manaza” by Enrique Cabrera. In the shadow of Radio City Music Hall by 47-50 Rockefeller Center. 

Speaking of which, Radio City Music Hall at 1260 Avenue of the Americas. A concert hall opened in 1932 dubbed “The Showplace of the Nation” 

The Atlas statue - a bronze statue on Rockefeller Center courtyard opposite St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Installed in 1937 created by Lee Laurie and Rene Paul Chambellan.

XO World - a sculpture by Daniel Anderson at 1 World Trade Center in stainless steel - using artistic design to promote peace, equality and love.

The Wyndham New Yorker Hotel building. An Art Deco 42 story high which opened in 1930. 

On 53rd St & 1330 Ave this sculpture by Xavier Veilhan is called Jean-Marc and is a portrait of Jean-Marc Bustamante was installed in 2012. 

The Sherman Memorial by Grand Army Plaza - commissioned in 1892 and dedicated on 1903 this honours William Tecumseh Sherman - an American soldier, businessman, educator and author (1820-1891)

If you’re a Seinfeld fan this will be instantly recognisable as “Monk’s Diner” where George, Jerry, Elaine and Kramer often meet. Located at 2880 Broadway it’s also been a hangout of Barack Obama when he was a student. It is also said to have inspired Suzanne Vega’s 1987 song “Tom’s Diner”. They’re very welcoming and you should visit if you’re close. 

And before a nerd jumps in to point out that Seinfeld only used the exterior and the interior was shot on a stage in LA - the interior was used by Jerry and George when they shot a reunion for the Super Bowl Commercial Break in 2014. 😝

The Dakota Building on 72nd Street is the site where John Lennon was shot and killed on 8th December 1980. A short distance away in Central Park you will find his memorial - Strawberry Fields and if you’re lucky like I was there will be a musician playing his songs on a guitar.  

And finally - if you grew up like me seeing films and TV programmes featuring steam coming out the New York floor then this one is for you - but we get tubes now….

Finally - a glimpse of Times Square at night.