Welcome to New York

Has there ever been a city more contradictory than New York? It’s exciting and grinding. It’s beautiful and dirty. Its’ sights are world famous, but there is always something to surprise you. It’s an amalgamation made up of fiercely unfettered parts. One can live in Manhattan for an entire lifetime and not ever pierce her deepest secrets.

Though I’ve visited many times, it’s been a decade since I wandered the streets of Manhattan. This trip was special, as it was in celebration of my daughter’s sixteenth birthday.  It was revelatory and humbling to see the city through her eyes. It was immediately clear that I am a vastly different person than I was the last time I walked The High Line and rode the subway into Harlem. It is a strange thing to visit a place that figured so prominently in my youthful dreams with someone who is just coming into their own full self. It was like existing in three different timelines at once. Disconcerting but incredibly meaningful.

We covered a lot of ground in four days, including many places I’ve experienced before. But I had forgotten just how remarkable it is when an unknown corner is revealed, and you are able to lose yourself in the wonder of the unexpected. Here are some of the things that surprised and delighted me from our trip.

The Hotel Beacon

Safety was chief among my considerations for our Manhattan home base so I focused on hotels in Uptown. From everything I read online, The Hotel Beacon seemed to fit into the sweet spot of affordable while still upmarket. Situated right next to the Beacon Theater, this Beaux-Arts destination is a rare find on the Upper West Side with rooms and suites that feel more residential than transitory.

When it opened in 1928, the Hotel Beacon was home to the brightest manmade object in the world—an airplane beacon with a light equivalent to 1.2 billion candles. The christening of the building took place at 10 p.m. on July 12, 1928, and was a grand affair. Clarence D. Chamberlin—the second man to fly across the Atlantic—flipped the switch to illuminate the beacon and gave the dedicatory address as the Army Reserve Air Corps flew a plane directly over the light.

Though the literal beacon hasn’t been lit since the 1930s, the hotel has had plenty of star power from the theater next door as well as its guests. It’s a little-known fact that the Dalai Lama has stayed at the Hotel Beacon so often, his preferred room is now dubbed the “Dalai Lama Suite” and is one of the largest one-bedroom suites with 360-degree views across the city.

We lucked out and got a room on the 25^th floor which provided us with an incredible view of Central Park and the skyline. Even the standard rooms are spacious by New York standards, and each has a fully functioning kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator, stovetop, and sink. There is a substantial grocery store across from the hotel, plenty of delis and restaurants within walking distance, and a subway station within five minutes’ walk. It was a restful and peaceful place to stay, with a doorman that greeted us each time we entered and helpful staff that went out of their way to be of service. There’s complimentary Wi-Fi in all the rooms, a 24-hour fitness center, self-operated laundry, and marble bathrooms with Gilcrest & Soames toiletries. We had all the necessary creature comforts and I would definitely stay here again.  

Little Island

One of the cool things about this city is its constant reinvention. I had read that there was a new public space on the Hudson River called Little Island, but I wasn’t sure what the point of it was and it wasn’t on our list of places to see. Thankfully we got a glimpse of the unique space as we were walking toward Chelsea Market, and my daughter convinced me to take a detour.

This park was the brainchild of Barry Diller (husband to Diane von Furstenberg) and the members of the Hudson River Park Trust who—as the website states—”embarked on the unique opportunity to envision a solution for the repair and reactivation of Pier 54, recently damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Diller chose to reimagine and entirely new type of public space for New York, one that would create an immersive experience with nature and art.” Sidenote: The Diller – von Furstenberg family has been a powerful force in reimagining the Chelsea and the Meatpacking District for many decades and have directly contributed to the long-term development and economic impact of the neighborhood. The Diane von Furstenberg flagship store and design studio occupies a six-story, 35,000 square foot structure in the Meatpacking District, and she lives in the penthouse with a rooftop terrace.

This area of New York has a long and storied history. Before the original Dutch settlers, the Native American Lanape Tribe inhibited this land astride the Hudson River. Later, Pier 54 and Pier 56 were the first ports in the city, and in the early 1900s they were operated by the British Cunard-White Star line where commercial cruises departed and returned, including the survivors of the Titanic disaster. For more on Little Island History, listen to this audio tour narrated by Tony Award Winner André De Shields.

Playing on the broken carcasses of wooden pilings, the structure of the park is built on organic looking tulip pot modules whose petals bloom into the surfaces that create Little Island. From a distance, the stark white petals jut up from the brackish waters of the Hudson to open into a garden canvas that beckons you with its vivacity.

Though there is a 687-seat performance venue on the Island that hosts different types of performances June through September and a small outdoor eating area with food options, the main pleasure of the 2.4-acre Little Island is experiencing it as a green playground. Much like the allure of Central Park is its unexpected respite from the concrete jungle that surrounds it, Little Island seduces you away from the mirrored high rises and sprawling industrial parks of the Meatpacking District.

Designed by renowned female landscape architect Signe Nielsen of MNLA, the park showcases meandering paths, lush plantings and unique views of the harbor. (Love this video of her passionately explaining the inspiration behind the park.)

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine

You might be thinking to yourself: come on friend, I’ve seen a lot of churches in my day. New York City is lousy with them. Who cares about another one? What possible surprises could The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine possess?

Well, to begin with, it wasn’t the building itself that was the most revelatory aspect—it was the fact that it was so visibly inclusive. Before our visit I had no idea that the Cathedral has long celebrated and supported LGBTQ+ people, with a legacy of Pride events stretching back several decades.

From its press release announcing the Pride Month celebrations, The Very Reverend Patrick Malloy, XI Dean of The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, had this to say: “As a sanctuary of hope and acceptance for the many members of the LGBTQIA+ community over the years, we are so thrilled to offer several opportunities to join us in this month-long recognition of Pride. The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine prides itself as a spiritual place for all to convene without fear of prejudice, and we welcome everyone to take part in this historic celebration of love this June.”

Walking into the church, we were greeted with an incredible textile installation to celebrate Pride Month. Called Divine Pathways and created specifically by artist Anne Patterson for St. John’s, this is Patterson’s largest work to date and features thousands of long ribbons cascading down the Cathedral’s central nave and lit with spot lighting that reflects the hues of stained glass.

The artist Anne Patterson is based in Brooklyn and her work consists of painting, sculptures and large-scale multimedia installations. With a background in theater set design, she had this to say about the St. John’s installation:

“At the center of this installation is a heart of gold. It is a heart to connect us to ourselves, and the goodness of humanity. As we look up the fabric strands – I call them light pathways that are connecting heaven and earth – our hopes, dreams and prayers stream up to the divine and grace streams down to us.”

The installation is just one part of what the church calls Iconic Pride, a month-long celebration of Pride Month that featured, among other things, a book talk with Chloe Davis on her new young readers’ edition of The Queens’ English, The Dictionary for LGBTQIA+ Lingo and Colloquial Phrases; Pride Family Picnic, including a Drag Story Hour at The Cathedral School and a performance by The Queer Big Apple Corps Marching Band; and a Pride Evensong featuring a community choir open.

It’s clear that inclusivity and art aren’t only featured one month out of the year. According to multiple reports, mass is often said in front of Keith Haring’s triptych of Christ—his last major work before he died of AIDS. (His memorial was held at the Cathedral.) There are numerous artworks from all corners of the world displayed throughout the structure, including two large Japanese cloisonné vases set upon the High Altar that were presented to the Cathedral in 1926 by His Excellency Ambassador Tsuneo Matsudaira on behalf of his country; two 12-foot-high menorahs that were presented by New York Times publisher Adolph Ochs to thank Bishop William Manning for his efforts to improve Jewish-Christian relations in New York City; and The Black Madonna of Czestochowa by Wanda Zagorska whose icon is seen as a symbol of Polish strength and resistance.

Go here for 10 more secrets of St. John’s Cathedral.

Seven Wonders Collective

We started off our last day with thrift shopping in Brooklyn. First up was Awoke Vintage in Greenpoint, which had a nice mix of affordable new pieces as well as cute, preloved finds. My daughter scored a couple of things, and as we were checking out the lovely salesclerk gave us the names of a couple other places to try. One of them was Seven Wonders Collective.

As soon as we walked in, I knew this was no average vintage store. The vibe was very New York boutique, with antique décor artfully placed around the light-filled space. The racks were perfectly curated with quality clothes from the last 100 years. My daughter was shocked at the higher prices, but we soon figured out that Seven Wonders Collective is more gallery than Goodwill. I seriously pondered a $350 denim Comme des Garçons trench coat from the 1990s. I have no occasion to wear such a thing, mind you, but I WANTED IT. We walked out without buying anything, but I thought about how special the place was for the rest of the day.

Back at the hotel, I was curious enough to look up the store and realizes that it’s set up as collective (hence the name) of vintage sellers, each with their own specialty. According to this interview from the website office, owner Melissa Blumberg started Seven Wonders Collective—there are three locations now—as a way to build community around different perspectives:

“Everyone involved in the shop works together to make the stores the magical, treasure-filled, dreamlands that they are… The main reason I started a collective rather than another vintage store on my own is because I wanted the store to speak to as many people who walk in as possible. From doing the solo store thing, I learned that not everybody wants to wear the prints and funky ’70s sets that I’m drawn to when I source. Having the collective, I can still buy the kinds of clothes I like for my rack and also have the more minimalist and maximalist bases covered on other vendors’ racks. It’s also really much more fun to visit — even for me — because there is literally something, often it’s more like 20 new things, coming in every single day at each location.”

Seven Wonders doesn’t have an online store, but they do profile each of their vendors, some of whom have online presences of their own.

Tompkins Square Park

My last little New York surprise popped up as we made our way around the East Village. Drained from a full day of running around the city, we sat down at a bench to catch our breath and drink some water. As we rested, I noticed faint sounds of music wafting in our direction. Thinking it was a drum circle, we walked further into the park only to be greeted by a lively band of Hare Krishna devotees.

Obviously, being sixteen, my daughter had no idea about the Hare Krishna movement and as it’s probably been decades since I’ve seen any of them in California, I struggled to explain why this gathering was so unique. The best I could come up with was that it was a type of religion that some people considered a cult and that back in the 1970s they used to always hang out at airports. Clearly, this was another experience I needed to do more research on.

Turns out, the park we were in is called Tompkins Square Park and it’s famous for a couple of things: it’s elm trees and Hare Krishna. On the Official Website of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the following history is revealed:

“One elm in particular, located next to the semi-circular arrangement of benches in the park’s center, is important to adherents of the Hare Krishna religion. After coming to the United States in September, 1965, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), the Indian spiritual leader, founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in New York. He worked from a storefront on nearby Second Avenue that he used as the Society’s American headquarters. Prabhupada and his disciples gathered in Tompkins Square Park in the fall of 1966 to introduce the East Village to the group’s distinctive 16-word mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

On October 9, 1966, Prabhupada and his followers sat beneath this tree and held the first outdoor chanting session outside of India. Participants chanted for two hours as they danced and played cymbals, tambourines, and other percussive instruments; the event is recognized as the founding of the Hare Krishna religion in the United States. Prabhupada’s diverse group that day included Beat poet Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997). Krishna adherents continue to return to the tree to acknowledge its significance.”

So there’s your overview of the wonderful delights we experienced during our trip to New York. I feel very blessed and grateful that I was able to spend this one-on-one time with my daughter in a place that’s so alive and filled with history. In the busyness of life, we don’t often get to share quality time with our kids away from all the responsibilities and stress. We even got a share a bed which we haven’t done since she was tiny. I know this is a trip that we both will remember forever. Plus I get to say that I was the one to introduce her to New York!

Leave a comment with your favorite spots in NYC.

All photos my own except historical photo of Hotel Beacon. Main image is view from our room at The Hotel Beacon.