Airplane Art, Outside the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself at 60th Street and Fifth Avenue.

A kinetic sculpture was being installed at the southeast corner of Central Park, the other day.

By the artist Paola Pivi, the sculpture is composed of a real twin engine plane is suspended by its wingtips. When fully installed, the plane will spin around, doing somersaults (!).

The tall white building in the background is the Plaza Hotel. I will have to revisit very soon and take a photo of the plane when upside down!

The sculpture is sponsored by the Public Art Fund. For more about the sculpture and artist, see the Public Art Fund website, here.

Related posts: Giant Head, in Madison Square Park, Zodiac Heads, Outside the Plaza Hotel, and Outside the Elizabeth Street Gallery, in Soho.

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Setting the Scene, near the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

A fellow trimming the holiday foliage near the Plaza Hotel gave me a big smile, Wednesday afternoon. He stood on a ladder on the sidewalk, above the crowds.

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It is suddenly colder and more wintry like, after a few days of weather in the 60's. Time to get back to wearing big coats and waddling about.

New York City is an island, so the closer you are to the water during the winter, the colder it is. The wind comes barreling across the water at high speeds, without buildings to block its force.

I used to live on the edge of the Upper West Side, near West End Avenue. Walking home every night during the winter was like encountering arctic winds. I'd have to wrap my head in a scarf with just my eyeballs peeking out. Eek, what a sight that must have been!

Related posts: Holiday Greetings, from Times Square, Deck the Halls of the Plaza Hotel, and Christmas Ornaments on Sixth Avenue.

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Posing with Miss Liberty, on Central Park South

Photo by myself, around 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

Some folks posed with the Statue of Liberty, Friday afternoon.

It seems like everyone has a gimmick, these days.

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This area is always crowded with people.

59th Street, or Central Park South, and Fifth Avenue intersect at the Southeast corner of Central Park. Tons of horse-drawn carriages and pedicabs line up here for passengers.

Steps away from the park entrance is the Central Park Zoo. The lower loop of the park is short, about a mile, so it's an easy walk. A huge FAO Schwartz is located next to the 59th Street Apple store, which is open 24/7.

The Plaza Hotel has figured in history and the literature (the heroine of the Eloise books lived on the top floor). Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, one block to the east, are filled with ritzy stores.

If you're here to visit, one idea is to tour one of the art museums around East 80th Street. Walk south through the park to 59th Street. Have lunch at the Food Hall below the Plaza.

One of my projects is located at the Plaza, so I'll be visiting this area through next Fall.

Related posts: Taking a Break, at the Statue of Liberty, Way Off in the Distance, Lady Liberty and Statues of Liberty, in Midtown.

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'Zodiac Heads', Outside the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself outside the Plaza Hotel at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

A temporary sculpture by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei lines the fountain in front of the Plaza Hotel.

The installation is called 'Zodiac Heads'. Twelve bronze heads depict the signs of the Chinese zodiac. Believe it or not, each head is actually four feet tall.

Ai Weiwei is one of those rare artists whose work spans many different disciplines, including conceptual art, sculpture and architecture. Weiwei was one of the designers of the Bird's Nest building for the 2008 Olympics.

In early April, Weiwei was arrested by the Chinese government, for no apparent reason. Weiwei has been an outspoken political activist in Beijing.

The sculpture will remain in place until July 15th, when it will travel to Los Angeles, Houston, Pittsburgh and Washington. Another set of heads is on view in London.

For a review of the installation in the Times, click here.


Each animal bust is rendered with a spare sense of detail.

Related posts: Time for Valentine's, Public Art at the Lever House and At the Base of Merchant's Gate, Central Park South.

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On Flowering Trees and The Olmstead Legacy

Photo by myself at 59th Street and Central Park South.

It was slightly misty, Wednesday morning. The tops of tall buildings in seemed to disappear into nothingness.

Flowering trees are planted at this rotary, near the Plaza Hotel. Behind me and to the right, is Central Park.

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Wednesday night, I came home late from work. Mark was watching a new documentary about Fredrick Law Olmstead.

The Olmstead Legacy tells the story of America's greatest landscape designer and his impact on America's cities.

I only got to catch the last 15 minutes of the 1-hour documentary, but the message was clear: survival was tough 150 years ago, Olmstead was a workaholic and he was a passionate landscape architect. In all, Olmstead's office completed over 500 projects.

It was nice to hear that Olmstead considered Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, his finest park (!). The Long Meadow in Prospect Park is also the longest unbroken green stretch in any American park. It is almost a mile long.

I learned a bunch during what little I saw of the documentary, which was done in the style of Ken Burns. I'm not sure how long this will be available, but you can actually watch the entire film on the Channel 13 site here.

For more about the The Olmstead Legacy, click here.
For the Times review, click here.

Related posts: All Abloom, in Battery Park, Off in the Distance, 59th Street and On Blooming Trees and New York Apps.

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Lunching at the Oak Bar, on Central Park South

Photo by myself at the Oak Bar, at the Plaza Hotel.

In New York there are theme bars, jazz bars, underground bars. Bars that specialize in martinis, wine or beer. Above, the Oak Room and Bar is known for its beautiful detail and longevity. It originally opened way back in 1907.

To view the stunning plaster ceiling, it is best to visit during the day. Large, moody murals are inset within the wood paneling on either end of the barroom. The windows look out on the sidewalk along Central Park South.

The Oak Room is a large dining room located to one side of the bar. It is undergoing restorations and was covered with sheets for the time being.

The menus include upscale American fare such as hanger steak, organic 'brick' chicken and ribeye steak. There is also a raw bar selection. For the brunch, dinner and cocktail menus, check out the Oak Room website here.


A giant banquette is located on one end of the room. There's enough room for you and ten of your friends.

By chance, my friend and fellow New Yorker Ken Mac posted about a downtown bar with a wooden top. You can see his post here.

Related posts: What's in a Name, at Tavern on the Green, Lure Fish Bar, SoHo and Chez Bouley, Tribeca.

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On a Winter Day at the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself near the Plaza Hotel, at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street.

I couldn't resist taking this photo of this well-known street corner while I was in the neighborhood last week.

Taxi cabs and horse drawn carriages were waiting patiently for the light to turn. Fortunately for pedestrians and horses, it wasn't too cold.

I have to wonder what it's like to be in one of those little turrets at the corner. I hope it's sitting room or an incredible bathroom with a view from the tub!

Once completely a luxury hotel, almost one third of the units were sold as condominiums by 2008. Currently offered are a one-bedroom for $4.2 million and a one-bedroom rental for $13,900 per month.

Rates for hotel rooms start from $500/night and go upwards to over $2,000 per night, depending on whether you're getting a room or a suite.

You can check out the Plaza website here.

Related posts: Glitzy Glam, Outside the Pierre, Deck the Halls of the Plaza Hotel and The View from New York and the Plaza Hotel.

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The Wintry View from Central Park South

Photo by myself along Central Park South.

The view from an upper floor of the Plaza Hotel on Central Park South is pretty nice indeed.

Fifth Avenue and the Upper East Side is to the right. Way far away straight ahead is Central Park North, or 110th Street. A bit to the left is Central Park West.

You can be sure I'll be back to this location in the Spring, to take photos when Central Park is completely green! I will bring my big camera for sure.

Related posts: At the Brooklyn Museum - The Dizzying World of Murakami, The Sky is Falling and The View from on High.

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Serving Up Sushi, Below the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself at the Food Hall below the Plaza Hotel, at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The area around the southeast corner of Central Park was never known for its restaurants.

Fancy stores and fancy places to live, yes. A classic movie theatre tucked away on a side street (the Paris on 58th Street) and crowded sidewalks, yes.

The Food Hall below the Plaza opened this June to mostly good reviews. When I stopped by I expected it to be deserted, since the entrance is not clearly marked and there is no street frontage.

Down several steps through a side entrance to the hotel, another world opened up. A large-ish room was ringed with food bars - a sushi bar, a raw bar, a dumpling bar, a pizza bar...even barbeque! There are 13 menus in all, though when I visited, it didn't look overwhelming.


Even in colder weather, people were enjoying the raw bar.

An internally lit false skylight covers the space, since you're below ground and there are no windows. Prices are reasonable, but beware, they don't take reservations. You will have to duke it out over a seat.

For the Times' mostly positive review, click here.
For the Plaza Food Hall website, chock full of photos and menus, click here.

Related posts: Colorful Eats at Kelley and Ping, SoHo, Hot Diggity Dogs All Day Long and Ramen Noodles in the East Village.

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Santa Claus is Cruisin' to Town

Photo by myself on Central Park South and Fifth Avenue.

Apparently Santa's in town already!

And he's done it in style. No longer sporting the old reindeer sleigh routine, Santa is cruising in a gorgeous convertible.

Santa was spotted on Central Park South, Sunday afternoon. The Plaza Hotel is across the street, in the background.

The entire area was bustling with people visiting New York for the holidays. Horse-drawn carriages were trotting into Central Park, one after the other.

Related posts: Big Red Monster, in Midtown, Big Green Monster, in Midtown and Celebrating the Year of the Tiger, in Chinatown.

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Deck the Halls of the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself inside the Plaza Hotel, at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The interiors of the Plaza Hotel are all ready for the holiday season. A giant Christmas tree is tucked within the curve of a staircase. Presents wrapped in gold paper are piled below.

The Plaza entrance is ornate, even without decorations. You enter on a mezzanine level and look into a two story atrium with a huge chandelier. Curving stairs on each side lead up to the upper floor and below. The hotel desk and waiting area is located on the lower floor.

I can imagine what this building was like when it opened in 1907. People must have stood along the upper level, chatting. Women walked up and down the stairs, their skirts rustling. It must have been the place to be, to watch and be watched.


The lower floor of the Plaza is expansive, and draws your eye in with arches and different seating areas.

The Plaza was recently renovated, and re-opened in 2008. Some of the rooms were converted into condos. In 2007, one of the apartments sold for $50 million dollars.

For a view of the exterior, click here.

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The View from New York and the Plaza Hotel

Photo by myself of the Plaza Hotel, on 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.

This entire building used to be a hotel. In 2007, some of the upper floors were converted into condominium units, which would enjoy the hotel amenities. Ownership was changed and all of the Plaza fixtures were sold off. Many wound up on ebay.

According to Wikipedia, one of the Plaza apartments sold for $53 million (yes, you heard me) in May, 2007. The apartments are actually not ideal - the ceiling heights are low, because the building added central air conditioning after being built.

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Of course, images like the one above are a little silly now.

It's a stressful time, and I don't want to give the wrong idea that New Yorkers are whistling and skipping merrily. Not at all. But then I don't want to post negative news, so I feel a bit torn.

I see a lot of people shopping, but most are probably tourists. Most New Yorkers are feeling very anxious. They eat and drink on Fridays and the weekend, but most are staying in, the rest of the week.

More friends were laid off this week. The mood is not so great. Fortunately our community is small and we're all looking out for each other.

Anyhow, I'm looking forward to a weekend of pure relaxation. Mark and I don't have anything definite planned...just some intense hanging out with the cat and dog, and perhaps some loafing around on the sofa!

I truly hope everyone out there is doing all right. Happy weekend!

Related posts: Queuing Up at Grand Central Terminal, Lower Fifth Avenue and TGIF.

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