New York State ll - March - April 2026 - A 42nd Street Art Deco Tour, the Waldorf Astoria, Morgan Library, MoMA, food, tall buildings & "Fallen Angels."-
Need they say more?
At Mozarella & Vino on 54th Street.
This big breakfast was needed as we were off for a long walk.
On Jan. 26th, Tony Robins of the Municipal Art Society had presented a Zoom virtual Art Deco 42nd Street Tour. I took good notes as I felt that by our visit in April, I would be able to do this walk, with stops along the way to rest my leg.
This is quite a set-up. I first saw smaller versions of rigs like this in 2007 in Ashland, Oregon. The bikes were not electric then.
I have a photo of this building from October 2018 with the tippy top being completed. It’s across the street from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
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We took a taxi cross town on 42nd St. to the U.N., almost at the East river, to start our walk.
Bricklayers can be quite talented following the architect's instructions. In some instances it looked like they improvised. Look carefully.
On the left the start of "Tudor City…an apartment complex on the East Side of Manhattan in New York City,...”
...between 40th and 43rd Streets west of First Ave....”
“Construction commenced in 1926, (& in phases, completed in 1956) making it one of the first residential skyscraper complexes in the world.”
“Tudor City was also one of the first and largest examples of a planned middle-class residential community in New York City."
Beaux Arts Apartments. “The Beaux Arts is a landmarked, renovated hotel built in 1929, consisting of mirror-image buildings. The two buildings house an assortment of rare features such as duplexes with floor-to-ceiling windows, terraces, and original art deco accents.”
In the lobby of Beaux Arts Apartments - rent receipts from 1951. Zoom in for a closer look.
Beaux Arts Apartments lobby with framed receipts from the restaurant that used to be where the gym is now.
Flower & Coffee. This combo seems to be a new thing here.
Symphony Cleaners with the tailor wearing a tie. “For the health of our planet and children we use eco-friendly products.”
2024 Best of Manhattan Award Recipient!
"These exceptional companies help make the Manhattan area a great place to live, work and play."
I liked that the tailor was wearing a tie.
“LANDMARKS OF NEW YORK
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1930 FROM DESIGNS OF JOHN MEAD HOWELLS AND RAYMOND HOOD. THIS STRUCTURE WAS CITED IN 1957 BY THE MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY AND THE SOCIETY OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS ‘FOR ORIGINALITY IN DESIGN AND INFLUENCE ON LATER WORK.’"
Daily News Bldg. lobby with globe.
Daily News Bldg. lobby.
Daily News Bldg. lobby. Clark Kent & Margot Kidder. Where are you looking, Clark?
Daily News Bldg. elevator bank.
“SANDWICHERIE”
Chrysler Building. " It was both the world's first supertall skyscraper and the world's tallest building for 11 months after its completion in 1930." (Until the Empire State Building was completed).
Chrysler Bldg. entrance.
Stairwell in lobby of the Chrysler Bldg. lobby,
Chrysler Bldg. elevator bank. The guards here asked us to stay around the perimeter of the lobby.
Chanin Bldg when completed in "1929 was the third-tallest building in New York City." The guard, not doorman, wouldn't let me take photos in the lobby. It's spectacular & there are images online.
But I got an image in the outer lobby, It was a style back then to have an image of the building somewhere in the lobby.
On the left, “One Vanderbilt is a 62-story supertall skyscraper…the city's fourth-tallest building…” “The building opened in September 2020, followed by the observation deck 13 months later.” ($44-149-) "One Vanderbilt has quickly staked its claim as the prime office property in all of New York City because of its location, design, and amenities.”
In the middle, Grand Central Station & to the right, the Hyatt Grand Central New York.
Eagle sculpture - Grand Central Sta. back entrance.
I just looked up as one does in Manhattan.
Bowery Savings Bank ca. 1925.
Ca. 1931 the Johns-Manville Building, American Home Products Building. "DESCRIBED AS ‘RISING 43 STORIES, 275 MADISON AVENUE IS AN OUTSTANDING ART DECO SKYSCRAPER BEST DESCRIBED AS A TRANSITIONAL WORK, BRIDGING THE EXUBERANT, MODERNISTIC ART DECO STYLE AND THE SPARE, SCULPTURAL QUALITIES OF THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE."
"FRANZHEIM'S 'EXCLUSION OF OBSTRUCTIVE ORNAMENT' WAS PROMOTED AS MAKING THE BUILDING'S INTERIORS VIRTUALLY SHADOWLESS, BUT IT ALSO ADDS TO THE TOWER'S STREAMLINED EFFECT AND THE VERTICAL EMPHASIS CREATED BY ITS ALTERNATING WHITE-BRICK STRIPES AND DARK WINDOW BANDS.""
I liked the KODAK sign. The store windows were covered in brown paper.
Ca. 1931 the Johns-Manville Building, American Home Products Building
Elevator lobby. Ca. 1931 the Johns-Manville Building, American Home Products Building
“SIciiian & A Coke” - Nomi spotted the pizza sign & we were ready for a snack & sit down. Upside Pizza 42nd St.
In 1980 “…MUJI started as the antithesis of the mass consumption society.
Its origin was in thoroughly rationalizing the manufacturing process, with the goal of creating simple, low-cost, good-quality products.”
“Mujirushi Ryohin, MUJI’s name in Japanese, translates as ‘no-brand quality goods.’”
The March photo challenge of my Fairfax Photo Club was “Go somewhere and photograph wildlife"
This got a good response “This is hilarious!!!!! Are you still in NY covering wildlife?”
Fifth Ave. Orvis Store opposite the 42nd St. Public Library.
Roof façade of 42nd St. Public Library. Peeking out from behind is the roof of the Gothic & Art Deco, black & gold, AMERICAN-STANDARD (RADIATOR) BUILDING.
The "backyard" of the 42nd St. Public Library - "The William Cullen Bryant Memorial…located at Bryant Park in Manhattan. ...The statue of William Cullen Bryant was one of the statues of ‘Eminent Americans’ that surrounded the Palace of Fine Arts at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California."
AMERICAN-STANDARD BUILDING ( A.K.A. American Radiator Building)at 40 W. 40th St.
“RAYMOND M. HOOD'S USE OF BLACK BRICK, TRIMMED WITH GOLDEN COLORED STONE, IN THE DESIGN OF THIS BUILDING, IS AN EARLY INSTANCE OF VIVID COLORATION ON THE SURFACE OF A SKYSCRAPER. CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED IN 1924 FOR THE AMERICAN RADIATOR COMPANY,...”
“…describes Radiator Building – Night, New York as O'Keeffe's ‘grandest statement on New York City’."
Unlike some other delivery bikes we noted, these customized bikes were well lit at night. Note, three locks!
“The Mermaid Inn has been designed to evoke the feeling of being on a mini vacation in a small seaside village.”
I didn’t note anything about this building.
“Recharging In Times Square”
"The Lyric Theatre is a very special old building. Built as an Independent Chapel in 1746, it has been a Temperance Hall, the Liberal Hall and was the original Electric Palace Cinema. Built over the foundations of the original Lyric (1903; 1,261 seats).”
The lamp attracted me to the photo & then I noticed the wall plaque. "The Writers' Room" New York City Center building. Zoom in to read the plaque.
Wow!
P J Clark's before going to a performance at Julliard.
We both liked Yeeun Sim's La Lune de Jupiter the best. This piece "draws inspiration from Europa, one of Jupiter's moons." Aaron Derwin ll's piece gave musicians who usually don't get solos, a chance to feature their instrument.
“Coffee Break”
55th Street & 6th Avenue. View from our rooms.
Amazon delivery electric mini vehicle. Behind & to the left, with the scaffolding, is the under renovation Hotel Elysée where we used to stay.
The 1931 Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Condos. in the foreground St. Bartholomews Church, 1914 & 1930.
We decided to sit in the lobby & have coffee. It was quite a splurge but delightful as we met the manager of the lobby & Noel took us on a tour.
Behind the folks sitting at the table on the left is Cole Porter’s piano.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel lobby. Cole Porter’s 1907 piano, “…which he himself named 'High Society',...This is the instrument on which Porter wrote many of his most popular songs." Porter lived in the hotel for almost 30 years. Subsequently Frank Sinatra moved into his rooms & was given the piano. When he departed, he left the piano to the hotel.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel lobby. "...commissioned by Queen Victoria for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago,..." "...one can find portrayals of Queen Victoria, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Grover Cleveland. Below each bust are panels showing scenes of swimming, running, yachting, cycling, baseball, trotting, and horse jumping…"
Waldorf Astoria Hotel lobby.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel tour with Noel.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel tour with Noel.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel tour with Noel.
Recently renovated Grand Ballroom. "The three-story, 1,500-person capacity space..."
Waldorf Astoria Hotel tour with Noel.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel tour with Noel.
Across the street from the Waldorf Astoria, the JPMorganChase building “,,,which officially opened its new global headquarters at 270 Park Avenue,… Designed to accommodate 10,000 employees…” On previous visits we had watched in amazement as it was being built.
Morgan Library - "Come Together: 3,000 Years of Stories and Storytelling."
Man with newspaper waiting for subway (cover illustration for The New Yorker), 1975. Oil on canvas
Queens-born Robert Tallon (1932-2015) is best known for his New Yorker illustrations...This example reflects his fondness for disparities in scale; towering iron girders dwarf a comically small yet impeccably dressed commuter…The electrifying green conveys the energy of the E train zipping down the track.”
Morgan Library - "Come Together: 3,000 Years of Stories and Storytelling."
This was the longest Charlie Chaplin film clip that I had ever seen & I was mesmerized. "Come Together: 3,000 Years of Stories and Storytelling."
The Morgan Library & Museum.
This was Mozart’s traveling clavichord. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Treasures from the Mozarteum Foundation of Salzburg.
The Morgan Library & Museum.
Empire State Building spire & older building’s roof.
“A bagel with scallion* cream cheese when you need one”
Paley Park. “A tranquil oasis located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Paley Park offers visitors a welcome and unexpected respite from the clamor of New York City.”
Fortunately there was a bagel shop, Scoop, next door on East 53rd St.
For the west coasters: “Scallions and green onions are essentially the same vegetable, with differences mainly in regional terminology and slight botanical distinctions.”
“Timed to a new opera inspired by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, MoMA will host The Last Dream, featuring seminal works by the Mexican artists and innovative exhibition design.”
Somewhere along the way on our walk from MoMA to Times Sq.
“A Slice of New York” on 8th Ave.
“ATM 24h”
On 8th Ave.
I suppose these 8th Ave. buildings will soon be replaced by towers.
The Foundry Kitchen & Bar from 8th Ave. & W. 43rd St. where we like to go for…
…pre-show cocktails & dinner.
Just reopened, the renovated Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes Theatre, opened as the Selwyn Theatre in 1918. It was the American Airlines theatre for a while.
Noël "Coward wrote Fallen Angels when he was 24, and it was initially censored...citing the 'discussion of pre-marital sex and the 'quite unnecessary frankness of discussion among women.' With a few changes it premiered in 1925."
We enjoyed the play, acting, scenery & lighting.
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