NYC Walking Tour - Merchant's House Museum

Merchant's House Museum 29 East 14^th Street, Manhattan, NYC

 

              I recently lead a tour to the Merchant’s House Museum which was built in 1832. Purchased by Seabury Tredwell, a prosperous New York City hardware merchant, in 1835. The Tredwell family continued to live in the house for nearly 100 years. The period rooms on four floors are furnished with the family’s original furnishings dating from 1835-1865.

            The museum certainly is up to its reputation of being considered one of the finest surviving examples of architecture from the period, the Merchant’s House it has also been recognized for its 1832 late-Federal brick exterior but also for its Greek revival interior rooms. Of note, the House was among the first 20 buildings designated in 1965 under the City’s new landmarks law.

           Are the Tredwell's still living in their home? In particular Gertrude Tredwell is thought to be watching over her family home. Born in home in 1840, Gertrude never married and lived her entire life here until she died, at the age of 93, in 1933. Since the 1930's, tales of strange and unexplainable happenings have surrounded the Merchant’s House. Many visitors and staff  have reported seeing, hearing, and smelling things that weren’t there.

            The Museum’s collection contains of over 3,000 items comprises the possessions of the Tredwells, the wealthy merchant-class family who lived in the House from 1835 to 1933. The collection includes furniture, decorative arts, clothing, photographs and books, household items, and personal items. Highlights include a suite of 12 mahogany side chairs attributed to renowned furniture maker Duncan Phyfe, a pair of matching six-globe gas chandeliers, and 40 dresses and numerous fashion accessories that belonged to the Tredwell women.

Lombardi's Pizzeria - NYC Walking Tour

Lombardi's - 32 Spring Street NYC @ the corner of Mott Street

I recently went to Lombardi's Coal Oven Pizzeria and can honestly say that the first pizzeria not only in New York City, but the United States lives up to it's hype. Lombardi's opened in 1897 at 53 Spring St., just down the street from its present location, Lombardi's is easily one of the city's oldest eateries. Now, since taking over the space next door, the restaurant has almost doubled its former size. And while the original half--with its well-worn booths and open kitchen--easily out charms the new dining room, the famously long wait has been cut in half, and thanks to the addition of a bar, it's almost a pleasure.

The reason to come here is obvious: beautiful, smoky-crusted pizza with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. The genius of this pizza starts with the crust, which is black and crispy on the underside (with pleasant, slightly bitter overtones), but gives way to a wonderfully soft, yeasty interior. Signature toppings like pepperoni and homemade meatballs, along with the restaurant's famous clam pie, keep locals and tourists alike coming back.

New York City Walking Tour-Battery Park NYC

Castle Clinton/Garden Battery Park NYC

Battery Park in New York City was filled in to extend the tip of Manhattan south of Castle Garden, which since its creation above the walls of  Castle Clinton fortification in 1824 has been accessible only via pier. The Castle served as the nation's first official immigration center from 1855 to 1890.

NYC Walking tour - St. John the Devine

 

Cathedral of St. John the Devine

I just recently did my first tour of Saint John the Devine in Morningside Heights - NYC. The Cathedral which is the seat of the Episcopal Bishop of New York  is still unfinished since 1892 and the largest church in the world. Come and explore the many highlights of the Cathedral’s history, architecture, and artwork, from the Great Bronze Doors to the seven Chapels of the Tongues. Learn about the Cathedral’s services, events, and programs that welcome and inspire visitors from around the world with NYC Up and Down (www.nycUpAndDown.com).

 

NYC Up and Down Walking Tour

Come and join me for NYC International Tour Guide Day Thursday, February 21, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. by the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse for a free walking tour of the South Street Seaport Area.

Designated by Congress in 1998 as one of several museums, which together make up "America's National  Maritime Museum", South Street Seaport Museum sits in a 12 square-block historic district that is the site of the original port of New York City. The Museum has over 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) of exhibition space and educational facilities. It houses exhibition galleries, a working 19th-century print shop, an archeology museum, a maritime library, a craft center, a marine life conservation lab, and the largest privately owned fleet of historic ships in the country.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral New York City

St. Patrick's Cathedral

 

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is an example par excellence of the American Gothic Revival style designed by Architect James Renwick. Construction of St. Patrick’s began in 1858 and continued, on and off, for nearly a half century. The pointed, ribbed vaults of the Cathedral spread the weight of the ceiling more evenly, allowing for walls that don’t need to hold as much weight and thus have bigger windows that lend to the natural light that famously floods the Cathedral.

The cornerstone of St. Patrick’s Cathedral was laid in 1858 and then the unthinkable a Civil War that prevented her doors from opening until 1879. It was over 150 years ago when Archbishop John Hughes announced his inspired ambition to build the “new” St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Come and Tour with us:

New York City Up and Down

Monday through Thursday

6:00 p.m.

Adults $15

Children under 12 $10

Call 917-478-0597 for Reservations

 

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www.nycUpAndDown.blogspot.com

www.nycUpAndDown.com

A Star is Born this Cristmas in New York City Rockefeller Center

The Swarovski Star  in Rockefeller Center - New York City

 

The Christmas City that never sleeps not only has the best Christmas tree, but the Swarovski Star that tops it is the most dazzling star to ever be on a Christmas tree.

German artist and architect Michael Hammers designed the 550-pound, nine-and-a-half-foot star, which consists of 25,000 individual crystals enclosed by shatterproof glass. Hammers worked with a team of more than 15 professionals, including designers, engineers, light consultants, and builders, to complete the finished product. “All over the world the name of Swarovski stands for the unique brilliance of crystal, just as the Rockefeller Center name stands for a place that is unique,” Hammers says. The Swarovski Star first created in 2004, the star was redesigned in 2009 to add light movement. “The 2012 Swarovski star features the most energy-efficient LED technology to date and a state-of-the-art computer program, creating a stunning, twinkling effect through customized light sequencing,” Hammers explains. It takes 720 energy-efficient LED bulbs on 3,000 feet of wire to illuminate the star.

Come and Tour with us:

NYC Up and Down Tours

Monday through Thursday
6:00 p.m.
Adults $15
Children under 12 $10
Call 917-478-0597 for Reservations

 

Follow us:
www.nycUpAndDown.blogspot.com
www.nycUpAndDown.com