You know, I'm really not into celebrities, but this was kind of cool. In my line of work I rarely get to stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, but there he was. Should I smile? Should I look cool and collected? Should I smirk like we're old college buddies sharing a personal joke? I went for the latter, and Ashley snapped a quick picture. Grinning sheepishly, I ducked away, so that others could get their photo taken. Only in New York City.
I grabbed the camera for a quick review. My "smirk" was immortalized as "grinning like an idiot," and Leonardo DiCaprio didn't even look like the leading man of "Inception." In fact, the flash made his skin appear plasticized. What a bummer.
With a full week to kill in the city that never sleeps, Ashley and I had ample opportunities to experience what only an iconic place like this can provide. Thus, it was a little ironic to come across a dairy barn, on the southern end of Central Park. Although the park was deceivingly quiet and secluded, enormous skyscrapers dominated the skyline. Not even the trees could obscure their presence. I looked around, grinning as though I was standing next to a celebrity. Cows would seem as out of place here, as DiCaprio on a dairy farm.
Ashley and I continued our stroll. Within walking distance from the dairy, is a beautifully restored carrousel, and slightly further, the Chess and Checkers House. When Central Park opened in the 1860s, it was criticized for having virtually no attractions for small children. Remember, this was back before kids were given iPhones and Nintendo Wiis at conception. They actually used to go out and do stuff.
So, the park commissioners established a children's district on the southern end of Central Park, where Ashley and I were now walking. The dairy, the carrousel, and several playgrounds were the result, and many have been beautifully restored, making our walk that much more enjoyable. Although the cows are long gone, the dairy is a testament to when families used to come here for the uniqueness of fresh milk and snacks after church. Still, I couldn't help but wonder how my girls would react to the prospect of grazing in Central Park.
Isn't it amazing how our society can create the most beautiful facilities, and then abandon them for the sake of convenience? Central Park's children's district is a small example - those structures sat empty and neglected for years, before their restoration. So too, did Ellis Island, our next destination.
As the facility drew closer, a sense of quiet respect ensued. Ashley and I, along with more than 100 million fellow Americans, can all trace our ancestry to that place. As the ferry pulled alongside the dock, I tried to savor a glimpse of what it must have been like. On one side of the island is New York City, on the other, the Statue of Liberty. At one time, Lady Liberty was the tallest structure of the Manhattan skyline. Now, she seems to hold it up, high above her head. I tried to imagine steamships bobbing throughout the harbor, but sightseeing helicopters and airliners proved too distracting.
The experience of Ellis Island is not one to be missed. Family stories and historical accounts provide a rich mixture, of what it felt like. Some immigrants were overjoyed to tears at the sight of America. Others, so homesick that they would have given anything to return home. Over the years, Ellis Island processed millions of immigrants - over one million in 1907 alone. During both World Wars, Ellis was used as a detention facility for suspected enemy aliens, military training, and a hospital ward for wounded servicemen. And then, it was closed. From 1954 to 1984, the Island was either totally abandoned, or saw minimal activity. Like I said, we're good at that.
The Ellis Island of today is a somber experience. Ashley and I could feel the excitement of having arrived at a new world, but also the hardships of leaving everything behind. The layers of history at Ellis are unearthed, including a haunting representation of what the facility looked like in the 1970s, before her restoration. Artifacts, documents, and even samples of graffiti from long deceased detainees give these buildings a sense of life that deserves to be immortalized. Nearly half of us can trace our roots to Ellis, and the tour makes you feel like you did.
So then, what next? Being married to a music teacher means an inevitable trip to Broadway, which I had no problem with. We enjoyed an afternoon at a live showing of "Jersey Boys," not to be confused with the invalids on MTV. "Jersey Boys" follows the incredible success of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, and features such hits as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," and "Oh, What a Night." It's a great success story of a band from Newark making it big, back when creating music actually required talent.
Speaking of musical talent, or the lack thereof, I passed up an opportunity to get my photo with Lady Gaga. Ashley and I had visited Madame Tussaud's, the world famous wax museum of historical figures and celebrities, where I referenced seeing Leonardo DiCaprio. Having been there, I can now honestly say that I am taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama is kind of skinny, and Jennifer Anniston needs to eat a cheeseburger; Kim Kardashian can certainly spare a few.
Oh, and Justin Bieber looks just like every other 8-year-old girl.
- Dan Wegmueller of Monroe writes a column for the Times each Monday. He can be reached at dwegs@tds.net.
I grabbed the camera for a quick review. My "smirk" was immortalized as "grinning like an idiot," and Leonardo DiCaprio didn't even look like the leading man of "Inception." In fact, the flash made his skin appear plasticized. What a bummer.
With a full week to kill in the city that never sleeps, Ashley and I had ample opportunities to experience what only an iconic place like this can provide. Thus, it was a little ironic to come across a dairy barn, on the southern end of Central Park. Although the park was deceivingly quiet and secluded, enormous skyscrapers dominated the skyline. Not even the trees could obscure their presence. I looked around, grinning as though I was standing next to a celebrity. Cows would seem as out of place here, as DiCaprio on a dairy farm.
Ashley and I continued our stroll. Within walking distance from the dairy, is a beautifully restored carrousel, and slightly further, the Chess and Checkers House. When Central Park opened in the 1860s, it was criticized for having virtually no attractions for small children. Remember, this was back before kids were given iPhones and Nintendo Wiis at conception. They actually used to go out and do stuff.
So, the park commissioners established a children's district on the southern end of Central Park, where Ashley and I were now walking. The dairy, the carrousel, and several playgrounds were the result, and many have been beautifully restored, making our walk that much more enjoyable. Although the cows are long gone, the dairy is a testament to when families used to come here for the uniqueness of fresh milk and snacks after church. Still, I couldn't help but wonder how my girls would react to the prospect of grazing in Central Park.
Isn't it amazing how our society can create the most beautiful facilities, and then abandon them for the sake of convenience? Central Park's children's district is a small example - those structures sat empty and neglected for years, before their restoration. So too, did Ellis Island, our next destination.
As the facility drew closer, a sense of quiet respect ensued. Ashley and I, along with more than 100 million fellow Americans, can all trace our ancestry to that place. As the ferry pulled alongside the dock, I tried to savor a glimpse of what it must have been like. On one side of the island is New York City, on the other, the Statue of Liberty. At one time, Lady Liberty was the tallest structure of the Manhattan skyline. Now, she seems to hold it up, high above her head. I tried to imagine steamships bobbing throughout the harbor, but sightseeing helicopters and airliners proved too distracting.
The experience of Ellis Island is not one to be missed. Family stories and historical accounts provide a rich mixture, of what it felt like. Some immigrants were overjoyed to tears at the sight of America. Others, so homesick that they would have given anything to return home. Over the years, Ellis Island processed millions of immigrants - over one million in 1907 alone. During both World Wars, Ellis was used as a detention facility for suspected enemy aliens, military training, and a hospital ward for wounded servicemen. And then, it was closed. From 1954 to 1984, the Island was either totally abandoned, or saw minimal activity. Like I said, we're good at that.
The Ellis Island of today is a somber experience. Ashley and I could feel the excitement of having arrived at a new world, but also the hardships of leaving everything behind. The layers of history at Ellis are unearthed, including a haunting representation of what the facility looked like in the 1970s, before her restoration. Artifacts, documents, and even samples of graffiti from long deceased detainees give these buildings a sense of life that deserves to be immortalized. Nearly half of us can trace our roots to Ellis, and the tour makes you feel like you did.
So then, what next? Being married to a music teacher means an inevitable trip to Broadway, which I had no problem with. We enjoyed an afternoon at a live showing of "Jersey Boys," not to be confused with the invalids on MTV. "Jersey Boys" follows the incredible success of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, and features such hits as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," and "Oh, What a Night." It's a great success story of a band from Newark making it big, back when creating music actually required talent.
Speaking of musical talent, or the lack thereof, I passed up an opportunity to get my photo with Lady Gaga. Ashley and I had visited Madame Tussaud's, the world famous wax museum of historical figures and celebrities, where I referenced seeing Leonardo DiCaprio. Having been there, I can now honestly say that I am taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama is kind of skinny, and Jennifer Anniston needs to eat a cheeseburger; Kim Kardashian can certainly spare a few.
Oh, and Justin Bieber looks just like every other 8-year-old girl.
- Dan Wegmueller of Monroe writes a column for the Times each Monday. He can be reached at dwegs@tds.net.
