THE FAMILY SPENT A DAY IN NEW YORK ON MONDAY, APRIL 21ST, 2025 - PART 1

Before we went down to North Carolina, we were all together chatting, and our visiting family wondered how far it was to New York City. Son was right on that, did they want to go? They were hesitant at first but as our one-and-only loves New York and has been there a few times, the last being a couple of months previously with our dear daughter-in-law, he assured them he would love to take them, that it was quite doable to drive there and back in one day. The only decision to be made was which day he could take them, and after checking his schedule, it was eventually decided they would go on the Monday after we got back from North Carolina.

They would have to leave very early in the morning and would get back late at night. Son also loves driving - it was settled. Having just gotten back from down south a couple of days previously, they set off not too long after 6.00 a.m. It was between 4-1/2 and 5 hours to get there, and the traffic as it turned out, was lighter than usual. (The older folks stayed home.)

(view of the statue of Liberty on the upper left of the photo)

We are all connected on GPS so we were able to check in during the day. I got the map above off my phone and it was fun following along off and on. 

(Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge)

Son found a parking lot in downtown for $40 a day, which put them right in the center of things for walking around. He reserved the spot beforehand online after doing a search for parking areas. They were originally going to park in New Jersey and catch a ferry across, but this worked out much better.

A mural on a wall in Chinatown.

I did a double take looking at this photo he shared. There are figures climbing across and up one side. He didn't know anything about these sculptures, so I went on a search and found that they are named 'Dreams of Hyperion' (a nod to Keats' poem) and were created by artist Bruce Williams. 

The building was built in 1893 and is located at 24 Bond, a landmarked building in the Noho neighborhood. The artist has lived there since 1997. The sculptures are made of paper mâché and wire, with a faux-gold finish. Another snippet I learned was that the mother of actor Robert deNiro once owned the building, which now hosts the thriving off-Broadway Gene Frankel Theater on the ground floor. I have no idea if that is connected in some way.

He noticed the mural of Pope Francis on the wall, but did not notice the couple below. The lady's hands were held in prayer. This was the day that sadly the Pope passed away.

The following photo shows the Manhattan Bridge Arch and the Colonnade. It is the entrance to Chinatown and Little Italy.

I am not sure what their timeline was on visiting places but next I am sharing photos when they were in Time Square, and here's our son on the Red Steps.

I have to say I never knew about the Red Steps, and when I asked Gregg if he did, he had never heard of them either. According to Google, "The Red Steps in Time Square are a prominent feature that serves as the Theatre Development Fund's (TDF) reduced-priced and observation point. Located in Father Duffy Square, the steps are a ruby-red, bleacher-like structure that allows visitors to rest and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Times Square without missing out on the action. Wikipedia states that the Red Steps are an internationally known landmark and a cultural hub for the city, with an average of 5,000 people posting photos of themselves there daily."

The cousins take a turn. This is most definitely a high up on the list favorite photo of mine.

One last photo from Time Square.

I still have a few more photos to share tomorrow but it's once again getting late and my inner battery is running out. I will be sharing two more places and that will be it for New York.

Have a great day everyone and 

thank you for stopping by.