25,590 + 39 Steps
NEW YORK BY BOROUGH, Chapter 6:
IN WHICH WE BLOW AROUND MANHATTAN
Day 6: Manhattan. Staying in Manhattan today seemed almost like a treat. It's more familiar, it's easy, and the subway goes everywhere. The weather was extremely windy today with gusts to 60 mph. Fortunately the temperature was in the upper forties or it would have felt much worse. We definitely felt the effects of fighting the wind as we walked. Our letterbox search today took us to Central Park where we came across a bench
(pictured above) that would seat most of our family and friends. Plus their families and friends.
space We arrived in the area just as a preschool class from a Montessori school on Central Park West was headed for a walk in the park. These little ones were so adorable as each grabbed their position on the rope in preparation for crossing the street. Later we saw them in the park watching a tree chipper crew at work. They were delighted with the entire process, cheering as each limb exited the machine as wood chips.
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| Headed to play time in Central Park |
Even though the letterbox there turned out to be missing, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial at 89th Street and Riverside Drive in Riverside Park was well worth a visit. Dedicated in 1902, the monument commemorates Union Army soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War.
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| Soldiers and Sailors Memorial |
In the current economic crisis, the city is doing what it can to cut costs. For example, a group of local volunteers was recruited to keep the grass clipped at this Riverside Park ballfield. They don't even need fuel for power equipment.
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| Volunteer grounds crew keeps grass trimmed. |
We again stumbled upon an Italian restaurant for dinner. 44 SW is a family-owned establishment on... yep, W 44th. Service and food were both excellent. The owner was actively interacting with customers, making everyone feel like a "regular."
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| Serving up traditional Italian food since 1971 |
After walking more than 25,000 steps today, we finished off the evening with a performance of
Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Whereas most of the plot points of Hitchcock's 1935 film are incorporated into the play, this is more zany comedy than suspenseful mystery, with the cast of four hilariously playing a total of more than 100 roles, sometimes several roles simultaneously.
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| 4 actors portray 12 characters in one scene from 39 Steps |
Walked today: 11.5 miles space
THURSDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2009
We arrived in the area just as a preschool class from a Montessori school on Central Park West was headed for a walk in the park. These little ones were so adorable as each grabbed their position on the rope in preparation for crossing the street. Later we saw them in the park watching a tree chipper crew at work. They were delighted with the entire process, cheering as each limb exited the machine as wood chips.
