Sunday, May 26, 2024

New York City

May 25th:  One more full day in NYC, following last evenings performance of Cabaret at the Kit Cat Club, starring Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin as the Emcee and Sally Bowles, respectively.  Bebe Neuwirth was also in the show and was one of the audience's favorite.  We arrived an hour before showtime (as instructed) to watch slightly raunchy dance/cabaret acts in the Vault Bar in the Kit Cat Club.  As we entered, the staff put a sticker on everyone's' smartphone camera lens (as in "no photos allowed").  And then we were offered a shot glass-sized tasting of cherry schnapps.  There was also a full bar service.  People came in a wide variety of outfits, often with lots of glitter and lots of bare flesh.

After watching the pre-show for 30 minutes, we climbed the stairs to the mezzanine level, row O for a view down to a stage-in-the-round.  The high price seats were cabaret tables surrounding the stage.  Traditional tiers of seats angled off in opposite directions.  An outer portion of the stage rotated, the inner portion rose up, and the center also elevated or opened up as a hole to below the stage.  The orchestra was on both sides of the stage on elevated platforms that were at right angles to the seating tiers.

Eddie Redmayne is surprisingly good and is over the top with his German accent.  He is very energetic and moves fluidly.  Gayle Rankin is a well-trained singer (Juilliard) and is much better than who Sally Bowles actually was.  In the book that formed the basis of the show, she is a second-rate singer who goes to Berlin to work.  The musical numbers are good and the messages of the show are still relevant today.

Next day (yesterday), we had a full day of sightseeing - first, to the World Trade Center area, then to Battery Park to catch a ferry for a Statue of Liberty Pedestal tour (pre-ordered) and then back to Manhattan and a walk to South Street Seaport.  The photos tell most of the story.

The Oculus, next to World Trade Center Memorial Park.

The South Tower Memorial - a large square with water following from all four sides.  The names of the victims from all the planes and sites are carved into the bronze ledge on the upper rim.

There is smaller central hole in the center.

The ledge at the rim showing the names of the victims.  It includes those on the flights that crashed in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon.


A map of the memorial and the various World Trade Center Buildings

The new One World Trade Center

Map of Liberty Park, south of the memorial park, which contained several points of interest.  Photos for two of them follow.

America's Response Monument.

The Koening Sculpture, an original sculpture that was recovered from under the rubble of the collapsed towers.  Note the hole and dents on its top surface.

First view of 'Lady Liberty,' from Battery Park City across the Hudson River.

This banner was about 10 feet above the sidewalk at the edge of the Hudson River walkway, which was itself 8 or more feet above the water.

A Statue of Liberty Tour Ferry at Battery Park.  Getting on the ferry was a challenge.  Because we had pre-purchased tickets we avoided the General Admission Line that stretched back for 1000 feet or more.  But everyone funneled together with lots of pushing/shoving to pass through airport-type screening machines, which took 30 minutes.  We got to do a second security check after landing on Liberty Island and before preceding up into the Pedestal.

Motoring to Liberty Island.

View of Brooklyn Bridge.

View of Ellis Island.

Second view of the 305-foot statue (185 feet for statue and 120 feet for pedestal).


Arriving at Liberty Island - over 20,000 visitors per day come according to the National Park Service tour guide.  She did a fine job explaining the history of the project and the many layers of meaning and symbolism attached to "Liberty Enlightening the World" (the statue's full name).

Lower Manhattan - the tallest building is the new One World Trade Center.

From the Pedestal looking at the 'Courtyard' and the Statue of Liberty Museum.

Looking up from the top of the Pedestal.

Detail of the Pedestal - this is the third design.  It was built by the U.S., which was part of the deal with France -- the French people donated the statue, but the U.S. had to fund the pedestal.  The French sculptor picked the location - Fort Wood on Bedloe's Island, which was renamed Liberty Island in 1956.

The backside.

Ellis Island buildings, where immigrants were processed historically.

The Ellis Island Nation Museum of Immigration.


After returning to the "mainland," we walked around to the East Side Greenway, passing a number of remaining piers and stopping at the South Side Seaport (Pier 17).  This tourist area gives a nice view of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, an active waterway.  We stopped for dinner at Industry Kitchen.

Fine dining at Industry Kitchen.

After dining, we took the subway uptown to our hotel.




5 comments:

  1. You had a very full day of sight seeing; nice pictures and a good way to end your trip. Safe travels home. ET

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  2. Thanks Phil… Good job documenting you trip…PvT

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  3. Looks like a very fun day. Welcome home. cg

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  4. You certainly got to see a lot! That Cabaret stage and performance sounded very cool

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  5. Haven't been to the Statue in many years. You're inspiring me to return!

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