Citi Field (Queens, New York)

September 2018, and baseball season was close to wrapping up. We were down to our last two Major League Baseball parks, Citi Field in Queens (The New York Mets), and Marlins Park in Miami (The Miami Marlins). As our schedule played out, we would end up splitting these last two parks between two seasons, picking up the Mets during our stay in New York in September. Our room in Queens was walking distance to Citi Field, making it very convenient to get to the game on September 7^th. It was Mets versus the Phillies , who won the match, 4-3. It was a close game, but we were able to relax and enjoy it because we were rooting equally for both teams.

Had we come to see the Mets play earlier in our travels, we would have caught them at Shea Stadium, which was their home until the 2009 season, when Citi Park opened. The new stadium holds 42,000 fans, but the day we were there attendance was only around 24,000.  Because there are so many similarities among baseball parks, I try to find the things about each one that makes it unique. Here are some fun facts about Citi Park:

1. An original neon Mets sign displayed in the old stadium was preserved and rehung in the Taste of the City dining area.
2. The park is known for its selection of snacks that go far beyond the typical hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jacks. Here, and only here, you will find Strawberry Cheesecake Doughnuts, Grilled Elote Corn, and Ragu/Nutella/Blanco Verde Rice Balls.
3. You can run the old Shea bases in the parking lot, but finding them is a serious challenge, especially once the lot has filled up.
4. The Coca-Cola sign changes colors during the game, and, during the National Anthem, a red, white and blue flag waves through it.
5. There is a home run apple hiding in the outfield waiting to show its head when the Mets hit a home run.
6. You can get married on the field, but not on game day.

 Here are a few pictures from our visit to Citi Field. Twenty-Nine down, one more to go!!!

Empire State Building & One World Trade Center

The first time we were in New York City, we didn’t go to the top of any of the 6,486 designated skyscrapers that crowd the city streets. But, when we were there in September 2018, we went to both the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Center. The Empire State Building was completed in 1931, stands a total of 1,454 feet tall (including its antenna), is the 5^th-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States and 28^th-tallest in the world. One World Trade Center, at a symbolic 1,776 feet (not including its tip, which puts it to 1,792 feet) is the tallest building in the United States, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, and the 6^th-tallest building in the world.  

To me, the most impressive thing about both of these buildings, their history and sheer tallness aside, is the amazing views from the top floors. From this perspective, New York looks like a city made of Tinker Toys and Legos, and every direction you turn, every step around the observation towers, reveals an everchanging skyline. At first the pictures appear quite similar, if not identical, but look closer and notice that each one has something different, a unique building or perspective, different colors, different lighting.

The Art Deco style Empire State Building, located in Midtown Manhattan, is 102 stories high and has 2,700,000 square feet. It was completed in 1931 and its name comes from “Empire State”, the nickname of New York. From the observation tower, visitors can see 80 miles into New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts (on a clear day). The building itself consists of office space which is rented out when available, numerous television and radio broadcasting stations, art galleries, gift shops, restaurants, and educational programs. It’s been the site for movies and many romantic encounters over the decades (it’s said that if you kiss someone on the observation deck, your lips might spark, due to static electricity).

One World Trade Center is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex in Lower Manhattan. This structure has the same name as the North Tower of the original World Trade Center, which was destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Designed to be the safest commercial structure in the world, it contains 3,000,000 square feet of office space, 104 stories, and is home to many large companies, which also include several broadcasting companies.

Even though the One World Trade Center is higher, I preferred the view from the Empire State Building. See what you think after looking at the pictures yourself (the last 8 pictures are One World Trade Center, all the others are the Empire State Building).

New York City

After leaving Rhinebeck, New York, we traveled south and west about 90 miles for a two week stay in Matamoras, Pennsylvania, which put us in striking distance of a train trip into New York City. The first time we stayed in New York City was September 2014. We were there for five days, which of course, wasn’t nearly enough time to do and see everything we wanted. We put it on the calendar to come back “sometime in the future” to wrap things up. September 2018, exactly four years later, was that “sometime”.

Although we had a handful of specific goals for this stay (attending a Mets game, visiting the Empire State Building, and going to the top of the One Word Trade Center), you really don’t have to have anything in particular in mind when you visit here. If you just set out walking, the city will find you. It’s so alive, so vibrant, so busy! There is something going on all the time, around every corner, and if you open yourself to it, a day without a plan can end up being a true delight.

We embarked on a couple of those free form days just to see what we would find, and we were not disappointed. We saw incredible architecture both old and new, colorful murals, and preserved remnants from September 11, 2001. From enticing bakery displays, to giant bubbles in the park, to charming statuary, there was a story everywhere we looked, including the rainy day parade of motorcycles which we never found out the reason behind.

We took the subway out to Coney Island, pretty much closed for the season, but still an icon of Brooklyn that was worth the trip. We stumbled upon an animal rights demonstration and stayed to give our support for a spell. I tracked down the C.O. Bigelow Apothecary that carries a wonderful hand lotion I like and was able to enjoy their unique pharmacy in person. We took a tour of the Frick Collection, a private art museum on the upper east side of Manhattan. We spent about an hour in the Main Branch of the New York City Public Library, as impressive as a church, and commanding the same level of reverence.

Here are the pictures of our meanderings through the city. The Mets game, Empire State Building, and One World Trade Center will be in separate posts