On 41st Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, leading westward toward the New York Public Library's main building at 41st Street and Fifth Avenue, is a sidewalk, studded with shoe leather buffed bronze plaques bearing illustrated quotes of literary 'celebrities' that allude to New York, its citizens and its offerings.
It's not a destination, just one of those discoveries you should notice, if you keep your eyes open as you walk the streets around Grand Central Station, The Chanin Building, Socony-Mobil Building, the The Main Library and 'Alice and Olivia'.
Most profound to me, particularly for these times in which the President of the United States of America bad mouths, slanders, ridicules, defames and teases almost everyone he fears, is this one by Langston Hughes, an African-American poet, social activist, novelist and playwright:
"There are words like liberty / That almost make me cry. / If you had known what I know / You would know why."
Unless you are Donald Trump.
Ninety-six bronze plaques sculptured by Gregg LeFevre, a Greenwich Village sculptor feature quotations from other famous writers like Albert Camus, Mark Twain, and Dylan Thomas. Artwork illustrates their words.
Like Jenny Holzer's work for the AIDS Memorial in the West Village, such installations are likely to be overlooked by fast-paced New Yorkers, faces buried in smart phones, ears glued to cell phones, twisting and turning like dancers, oozing through otherwise impenetrable crowds.
Find your way with 304 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
S&P Sandwich Shop, opened in 1928, serves Jewish classics like matzoh ball soup and latkes in a nostalgic setting that feels like stepping back in time. A must-visit!
by
"Rubenstein Atrium" in New York's Lincoln Center has a free performance every Thursday night. I recommend you try to arrive around 18:30 to catch a seat.
by
Games of Professional Baseball in New York doesn't just mean watching the Yankees play and paying 100s of dollars: watch a Class A game for much cheaper!
by
"Gray's Papaya" in New York equals classic hot dogs. This place has been here at least 45 years, and it's easy to see why. Great people-watching spot too.
by
"Revson Fountain" at the Lincoln Center in NYC is one of the results of the renovation that started in 2006. It's spectacular and a must-see!
by
"Paris Cinema", est. 1948, is the last single screen cinema in NYC today; what irony that it was saved from closing by Netflix itself...
by
The White Clam Sauce linguine is classic. So much is served that what can’t be eaten on the spot can be taken home and easily reheated the next day,
by
At the "American Legion Post 398" in New York City I get to hear jazz played the old fashioned way, Harlem in the '30s, '40s and '50s...
by
"A Great Day in Harlem" is an important photo of 58 jazz greats taken in 1958 in NYC. The building on 126th Street where it was taken is still there...
by
The 13-mile Hudson River Greenway in NYC, which begins at the George Washington Bridge, is the most heavily used bike trail in the USA...
by
"New Plaza Cinema" in NYC has one mission: to show independent, foreign and classic films. It is run by a grassroots group; how long will it survive?
by
304 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 304 Insider Tips