Thriller set in DUNEDIN, New Zealand
Hidden New York
14th November 2022
New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At its core is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that’s among the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centres. Its iconic sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central Park as well as many museums and theatres.
As well as the main sights, there are a lot of less well-known (but equally great) places to visit. Here are some of our favourites.
First up is City Hall Station, a beautiful but abandoned subway station. The first New York City subway was built and operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and opened on October 27, 1904, to the joy of New York elevated train and streetcar riders. The City Hall station on the IRT local track was lavished with fine architectural details, including glass tiles and large chandeliers. However, the Gustavino vaulted ceilings and skylights were lost on busy commuters, and the stop was one of the least used in the system. The station closed in 1945 and is now a tourist attraction.
On to the Lexington Candy Shop, the oldest family-run luncheonette in New York. Walking into the Lexington Candy Shop, which opened its doors in 1925, is to step into a bygone era, an Edward Hopper painting come to life. Last renovated in 1948, the luncheonette still uses its original coffee urns and makes milkshakes and traditional New York egg creams with a 1940 Hamilton Beach mixer. Photos of celebrities and other memorabilia adorn the walls, including a picture of Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, who filmed a scene for the spy movie Three Days of the Condor here. A great place for coffee and nostalgia.
The High Line is one of our absolute favourites. It is an elevated freight railway turned wildly successful urban park. For the latter years of the 20th century, abandoned, decrepit and overgrown, this elevated railway on Manhattan’s West Side was the domain of pigeons, squirrels, and curious urban explorers. But when the High Line was threatened with destruction in 1999, the preservation and renovation of this urban relic became a cause célèbre in New York, inspiring a community group, millions of dollars in donations, and finally, its transformation into a public park, completed in 2009. A brilliant place to walk and observe the city.
Now a must for all fans of A A Milne’s Winnie the Pooh stories. For nearly a century, a motley group of animals has enchanted readers around the globe. The lovable Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and the rest of the gang were created by A A Milne, inspired by his son’s toys. Those original toys can be found today far from the Hundred Acre Wood, in the heart of the concrete jungle, in the New York Public Library’s permanent collection. The model for the rotund, cheerful Pooh was a teddy bear that Milne purchased from the Harrods store in London and gifted to his son Christopher Robin for his first birthday, in 1921. The boy’s toy collection grew to encompass a donkey, a piglet, a kangaroo, and a tiger.
Next is the most famous subway grate in the world! Unmarked at the corner of Lexington and 52nd Street is the grate that generated one of the most remarkable pictures of our time! It was on this spot, at one in the morning on September 15th, 1954, that Marilyn Monroe had her white halter dress blown up over her hips by an uptown 6 train while filming The Seven Year Itch, creating not only one of the most iconic images of American cinema but of Marilyn herself.
And now for a sit down in a very small, and very tranquil, park in the centre of Manhattan. At only 1/7 of an acre Greenacre Park is one of the smallest hidden parks in the city, but it provides a lush place to relax and take a break from the urban landscape. The crowning feature of the pocket park is the 25-foot waterfall, which is not only stunning but also roars away the city noise so you’re left in a calming oasis. The park was constructed in 1971 by the Greenacre Foundation after a design by Hideo Sasaki. Still, it feels fresh even decades later where the honey locust trees and rare Midtown calm lure people to linger in its shade.
Finally a great affordable restaurant (not an easy find in New York!). It’s Merchants River House. Not only was this restaurant named the Diner’s Choice in 2020 by Open Table, but it has a reputation for being one of the top value restaurants with a view in the city. Among the delicious menu items here are Steamed Mussels, Lobster Mac & Cheese, various salads, and perhaps the best Hanger Steak in the city. If you have room for dessert, you just have to try the NY Cheese Cake. Perfectly tangy and complete with a delicious strawberry compote, you’ll find yourself booking another table at this affordable restaurant with a view before you even leave the premises!
We hope you have enjoyed our virtual tour of some of New York’s hidden delights. And why not have a look at our listing of ten great books set in this amazing city?
Tony for the TripFiction team
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