My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2025 the theme is a random assemblage of things that are on my mind--or that just pop into my mind. Whatever! Let's just say I'll be "Tossing It Out" for your entertainment or however it is you perceive these things.
Polar Bear catching z's at the Central Park Zoo,
Manhattan, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Manhattan Zoo
The Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas is not bad for a smaller sized town. The 26 acre park has over 300 animals representing over 100 different species as well as themed gardens and a number of events scheduled throughout the year. Over 100,000 visitors come to the zoo each year. The zoological park has been a popular attraction in Manhattan since the 1930's. A low admission price encourages visitors to frequent the park.
But the real zoological attraction for this post is the much more well known menagerie that can be found in Central Park in middle-upper Manhattan. The Central Park Zoo which is contained in an area of a mere 6.5 acres is far smaller than the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas. Yet though less than a quarter the size of the Midwestern zoo, the East Coast Manhattan zoo receives ten times the yearly visitors. The zoo in Central Park also costs over three times as much to gain entrance. Though the collection of animals is diverse, many of the larger animals found in zoos with more space won't be found at this zoo. Still you can expect to find some bears, wildcats, monkeys, and an array of smaller mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
Manhattan's Central Park zoo was the first official zoo in New York City having been founded in the early 1860's. After the Philadelphia zoo, it was the second publicly owned zoo in the United States. Now the Central Park Zoo is part of a system of four New York City area zoos.
Personally, I have never been to any of the New York City Zoos, but I have been to a number of zoos throughout the United States. To read more about the zoos I have visited please visit my "Z" post at Wrote By Rote.
And so we come to the end of my A to Z Manhattan Project series. I hope you've enjoyed reading these posts. Don't forget to come back to this blog tomorrow, May 1st, for a special surprise version of Battle of the Bands. Remember--Manhattan covers a lot of ground though not necessarily in land area.
My A to Z Reflections Post will be on Monday May 9th.
Have you been to the Central Park Zoo or any of the New York City Zoos? Have you been to the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas? What are some of your thoughts on zoos?
Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. ~Steven Wright
"View in Wall Street from Corner of Broadway", New York. http://oldstreets.com/index.asp?letter=B (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Walking to Wall Street
In the previous post we discussed visiting Manhattan. So how to get around to see the sights in the city? If you're going a distance across town you must try the subway of course. For those who prefer not to deal with those crowds, taking a taxi can certainly be a viable method of travel, but it can also get expensive if you use them too much. These are decent ways to get where you are going and they are big city transportation modes that you probably would want to try at least once just for the experience of doing it. However, you won't see the city like you should--on the street, up close and personal.
If you want to immerse yourself among the population and have that tangible encounter with the city itself, then you need to take to the streets on foot. Yes, get the exercise and trod that pavement. You can walk on your own meandering and exploring the sights or you can join up with a walking tour guided by someone in the know. Some walking tours are free while others with a more personal touch might cost you a few bucks.
The tours might provide a more expedient way of seeing sights since the guides have the experience and know the best places to go, but if you've got the time why not hoof it on your own? Don a comfortable pair of sturdy shoes and dress suitably for the weather (as well as for the places you are going) and have fun exploring. A good city map or guidebook will be helpful to avoid wasting time, but the thrill of discovery by surprise isn't a bad way to go either. Essentially it all comes down to your time, your stamina, what exactly you hope to accomplish while in the city, and your own sense of adventure.
My last visit a few years ago was on a very hot day. We took it slow, went inside air conditioned places now and then, and stayed hydrated. The heat didn't affect me too adversely, but it did wear my wife down a bit. Still things turned out well for us. We didn't push too hard and took breaks when they were needed.
Walking is not a seasonal activity either. Inclement weather might be a deterrence, but that's what coats and umbrellas are for. Any time of year the streets will be filled with pedestrians and there are many folks who are more than happy to get you back on track if you happen to get temporarily lost.
When the question "What Does Manhattan Say to You?" was presented on this blog back in January, my cousin Tom Jackson from Tracy, California was quick to respond on Facebook with, "Capital of Finance". This as most of you probably know refers to Wall Street.
One of the places any Manhattan walking tour should include is a visit to Wall Street. Centrally located with many other sights worth seeing nearby, Manhattan is the iconic financial hub of not just the United States, but the world. There are several interesting walking tours that include visits to the New York Stock Exchange, Ground Zero, and many other fascinating sites that are educational, interesting, and fun.
Going to visit Manhattan? Bring your walking shoes and be prepared to get some exercise as you get an intimate look at Manhattan while mingling with those who live and work in the city. There are bus tours and horse-drawn carriage rides as well that will provide a good look at the Manhattan tourist sights, but there's nothing quite like walking those bustling streets.
Do you enjoy walking tours? Would you rather tour on your own or with a knowledgeable guide? Are there any walking tours in Manhattan or elsewhere that you have taken that you would recommend to readers here?
I did have an opportunity to visit Manhattan a few years ago, had no idea what to expect, will never forget the wonderful experience!--Gail M Baugniet - Author
The Empire State Building. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Visiting Manhattan
After reading some of my Manhattan themed A to Z posts some of you might be a bit more interested in visiting the island city of the New York Metropolitan Area. Many of you indicated your desire to do so in comments made in my original post that asked "What Does Manhattan Say to You?". In this current post I'll be presenting some of what a few of you said on the topic of "visiting Manhattan".
When I hear "Manhattan," I think of NYC in the fall of 1984 when I was there for computer software training. I had never been to NYC before, and I had a little time off from work, so I went to the top of one of the World Trade Center towers. I will never forget that day, and I will probably never go up in a building that tall again.
I never made it to the top of the World Trade Center myself, but sure wish I could have had that experience. Patricia, you experienced a bit of history so at least you have that memory.
I have never been there. I do remember my dad talking about going through there when he was in the army. He was going to West Germany and in the 60's they took a truck to New York and got on a boat to go over there. He said it was dirty and smelled. Garbage laying all over.
Ruth, my dad never talked about going to Manhattan although a few years ago--over 20 years after his death--I found an old photo of him and some buddies on a night out in NYC, a story to which I referred in my post Drinking and Manhattan. Maybe your dad had the unfortunate circumstance of being in Manhattan during one of their infamous garbage strikes. Then again maybe it was just the times and the places they were in.
A frequent visitor to my blog who does not have a blog himself but comments under the blog handle of Sheboyganboy VI told his own interesting Manhattan story: What comes to mind first is the borough of New York City. Not the drink, since I don't drink! I've been to Manhattan twice, once earlier this year for a touristy visit that included restaurants, jazz clubs down in Greenwich Village, Central Park, and the Metropolitan opera. The music was great... the glitz and crowds, not so much. But I'd say what comes to my memories first is my 1st trip there in 1974 when I was 19 years old. Four girls, my room mate and I made a cross-country trip from San Diego to Boston and back, which included a one-day jaunt into Manhattan. By the time we got to NYC we had picked up another girl, also. We had two vehicles: a 1968 VW Beetle, and my dad's propane powered pickup truck. As we were heading for the Holland Tunnel we saw a sign that said propane bottles were not allowed in the tunnel. Since I was carrying 200 gallons (!!!) of propane, we had to park the truck on a side street and ALL SEVEN of us piled into the VW and made the trip thru the tunnel for an afternoon of visiting Manhattan. The only person without a girl on their lap was the driver! It was a "trip," man! That sounds like a "hippie excursion". What a memory! Those were the days my friend.
Bish Denhamprovided her own story from back in the day: When I think of Manhattan I almost immediately remember the time I spent there in the summer of 1967. For a teenager from a tiny island, it was awesome. Went to the Empire State Building, the Cloisters, Lincoln Center, took the ferry to Staten Island, drank "virgin" drinks at Cafe Wha? and listened to a band - who knows who? Friends and I stood on a street corner, stared up and pointed until we had a crowd around. Ate at my first Greek restaurant. Saw an off Broadway show about Jelly Roll Morton. It was noisy and dirty and the smog was so thick that from the top of Empire State Building the streets below were almost invisible. I have pictures. It was the time of my life. Except for one brief overnight on my way to somewhere else, I've never been back. Though if I had the opportunity/money, I just might. What a fantastic memory, Bish. I can imagine how exciting it must have been for you to have spent a summer there as a teen. Manhattan has a lure, but it can be an expensive destination. I hope you can return one day. One More Before We Go... Finally, from the blog Forty, c'est Fantastique !with the author's permission I'm reprinting here the blog post she wrote in response to my Manhattan question. It's too good not to include here.
One glimpse of this skyline, photo taken from Central Park, and anyone will know where you are. Hundreds of songs have been written about this city, hundreds of movies made there, millions of people have walked its streets, and been captured by its sense of adventure. It is the original “melting pot” where so many cultures can be found in one place.
It is the city that represents the US to the people of most other countries…tell anyone in a different country that you are from the US and they’ll say, “Oh! You know New York!” Up until a few weeks ago I’d have said, “No. I’ve never been there.” But now, I can say I have been there. There there, and not just “Airport” there. My husband and I visited Manhattan. One and a half days there, and he is wondering if we could move there. Who knows? Tout est possible! But no, I’m not packing up just yet
I mentioned already in a previous post that we saw a Broadway Musical that weekend, with the aid of the beloved “Two-fer” tickets. This post is kind of a “Two-fer” too, in fact it is almost a “Three-fer” because it fits in with both the Thursday and Friday versions of The Bee’s “Love is in da Blog.” For “Traveling Thursday” it is a place I think I am falling in love with. For Friday, it is a “Blog Love.” I really have a hard time choosing a “favorite blog!” So I’m not going to say this is my favorite, just that it isa favorite, and the one that is on my mind tonight. So, because I am sort of writing this in response to a question that Arlee Bird asked on his blog “Tossing It Out” — namely, “What Does Manhattan Say to You?” my “Blog love” is going out to Arlee this week. For those of you who don’t know, he is the mastermind behind the “A to Z April Challenge” which really got Forty, C’est Fantastique off the ground. I’m gearing up for my 3rd time doing this challenge in 2016! Arlee “Tosses Out” all kinds of interesting topics on his blog! I don’t always get involved, but I do read silently from my email box, and when a topic strikes a chord with me I just jump in! I love that Arlee really engages in conversation with his readers who comment. He’s thoughtful. He loves music and hosts a “BoTB” post on his site. I really don’t know how he does all of it. In any case, I highly recommend making a trip to his site to see what he “tosses out.”
So to answer his question (and I hope it isn’t too late!)
What does Manhattan say to me?
After a long flight, we walked, wide-eyed, out of the airport, searching for the metro, or a bus, some way to reach Manhattan. After a short search, we found ourselves on a bus, where we were able to figure out, with the help of a native New Yorker, the system by which one buys a Metro card and uses it to get a little ticket for the bus, which no longer accepts cash. You have to get a metro card and then use that at a kiosk to get a ticket. The lady in question did not have enough money on her Metro card for the ticket, and since the bus driver didn’t take cash, she gave us cash and we ran to a kiosk at the next stop and used our brand new metro card to get her a ticket. Then she told us some cool things to do and see in the city, and I have stashed that advice away for next time we go, because with just a day and a half we really had to choose one or two things. We rode the bus until the end of its line and then switched to the train. I’m not sure that was the most efficient, but we did end up at Times Square, which was just a couple blocks from our hotel.
We got off the train and said, “Hello, Manhattan.” Manhattan said “Hello! You’re going to have a fabulous time.” The lady at the hotel desk sang the word, “fabulous.” She said, I can find you a fabulous restaurant, and she did! We had a very nice seafood dinner, not too far away from the hotel, and we walked around Times Square and gawked at the lights. Funny thing, but Manhattan does say to me that it is somehow okay to be a “tourist” there. It’s okay to stop and gawk at the skyscrapers whilst the real New Yorkers walk around you like water flows around pebbles in a stream. It’s a much different feeling than say, San Francisco or Paris or Dublin. In those cities, I felt a desire to “blend in” and hide my tourist status. In Manhattan, I didn’t find that to be necessary, even when we encroached upon a somewhat more “local” bagel shop. There was a pleasant mix there of locals and tourists. And the bagel was fantastic. They say it’s the water. You think?
New York is elegant and refined, but at the same time it is loud and gaudy. It is Prada and Louis Vuitton, and it is also tourist shops. It is classic high-heeled pumps, but yet it is also brightly colored Converse. And “puffy down jackets.” Lots of puffy down jackets. I’m glad that at least our jackets fit in a little bit I’m not really sure why this is a trend all of a sudden. Marty McFly would be proud.
We went walking around Times Square on a Friday night, and a couple asked us to take their picture. Then, they offered to take one of us. Why not? They asked where we were from, and we told them, then asked them the same question. They told us they were locals, just out for a date night while their kids were with family. Isn’t that great? To go to one of the most touristy places in your own city just for fun? They looked really happy, too.
So what did we ask Manhattan? We asked it to show us some of its glamour and some of its traditions. It happily complied, and we came home happy, having seen the “Home Alone 2” Christmas tree, the skaters at Central Park, horse-drawn carriages, beautiful homes that we could never even dream of living in, Times Square, and a Broadway Musical. We ate NY bagels, NY pizza, and NY cheesecake. My husband even had one of those hotdogs from a street vendor. We rode a bus and a subway, and we rode in a NY cab. We looked in the windows of some designer stores that we didn’t dare set a foot into. We truly began to understand the French expression lèche-vitrines, which literally translates as “licking the windows” but really just means “window shopping.” Somehow the French expression is more descriptive! We walked (according to FitBit) eleven miles. It was glorious. So in the end, what did Manhattan say to me? It said, “Come back soon!” I can hardly wait!
Do you have a story to tell about your own Manhattan visit? Are you planning a Manhattan visit anytime soon? What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about visiting Manhattan?
In a similar vein Patricia at Patricia's Placesaid, "Manhattan...cavernous, lonely, restless. Those are first words that came to mind."
It's funny how such a busy populated place can feel "lonely". It's the story of modern society in many ways. So many films set in Manhattan explore that sense of alienation that leaves many with a sense of being lost in a gritty world where few people seem to care about anyone else. This is the serious side of the human condition in a big city such as Manhattan.
A New York state of mind can be many things to many people, but for those who have lived there most or all of their lives to think of New York when they are away from it is not unlike Dorothy in Oz thinking back on her Kansas home. For others who come to New York for the first time or for a return visit, their mindset might be one of excitement or apprehension. Some are dazzled while others are bewildered. Some go to the city with hope in their heart while others cautiously trod the streets with fear or sadness in their hearts.
Being a city of so many people, Manhattan is a place of a myriad of emotions. Ups and downs to go along with the skyscrapers and subways. There's someone for everyone and sometimes no one when you need someone the most. Plenty to see and do and you don't always have to have a lot of money to enjoy it all, but having money in the city sure makes life easier. Homeless or poor in Manhattan is not what you want to be, yet there are plenty of people who seem to subsist this way on the city streets.
Stepping out onto the busy sidewalks during the height of the work day and you might get carried away like being caught up in the white water rapids rushing through a deep canyon. You fight the current to find a safe haven to keep yourself from going under. On the sidelines you watch the flow of the river of humanity. Look up to see the hard concrete and steel walls that rise upward.
This is indeed an urban canyon. A place that ebbs and flows, quickens and slows, but ultimately never stands still. "Who are all these people," the stranger to the city might wonder and yet that stranger remains a stranger. We are all alone together in this cavernous cacophony of the city. Lonely while never alone. Manhattan holds you in its insouciant grasp.
Have you ever been lost in a city? Have you ever felt lost in a crowd? What do you do to pull yourself out of feeling lonely?
Having grown up so close to NYC (Philly), a lot of images come to mind. However, my most vivid images are of St. Mark's Place in the east village, where I would venture four of five times each year for a CD buying excursion. The stores are gone now, but the block had about eight different stores that would usually yield more treasures than I had any business spending money on. The day would usually start at J & R Music World on Park Row, across from the World Trade Center. My last trip there was on Friday, September 8, 2001, I believe the same day Ryan Adams filmed his "New York" music video. Sadly, the lower triangle's landscape changed forever a few days later, and that was my last trip to J & R. The village stores closed over the next few years, and now I find my CD's on the internet. But I miss those days spent browsing. I had a good friend (Kent) who was also an avid collector, although my collection eclipsed his when his priorities got screwed up and he had offspring. I had a job offer in Manhattan at the same time as I took the transfer to Arizona, and I still do not regret it. In my twenties, I would have loved the city life, but by that time, I'd spent ten years on the road (as an auditor) and was ready for a quieter life. Still a great place to visit, though. My Own Music Sprees
Larry's story is one to which I can totally relate except for the locale. I would have loved to have shopped those record stores in Manhattan. I call them record stores even though most of my purchases eventually became cassettes and then later CD's. My earliest buying excursions would mostly have been shopping the cut-out bins for record albums when I still lived in Tennessee. If they were cheap then I might buy a number of them in one visit. However when I was paying full price I'd usually only be able to afford one or two at a time.
Later on when I began touring with a road show I spent my free time in whatever city I happened to be in scouring the record stores for cassette tapes. I guess I bought a few thousand cassettes during the 80's. My favorite place to go cassette shopping was on Younge Street in downtown Toronto. Since we were paid in Canadian money when we worked in that country I wanted to spend as much money as I could so I didn't have to lose money exchanging to U.S. currency when we returned to the states. I'd load up on the latest cassettes as well as older music that I had been wanting. On my off days--we usually had about a week off in Toronto--I'd spend hours in those music stores which were huge.
I can easily see myself in Manhattan shopping those same stores that Larry describes. That is if it were back in the 70's, 80's, or 90's. Now I very rarely buy any recorded music. In the nineties I started buying CD's and now have a huge collection that I rarely listen to. In one sense it's sad to think of all that money I spent on vinyl, cassettes, and CD's. On the other hand I can think of the hours and hours I spent listening to and enjoying that music. My hours driving during my road years would have been much less enjoyable had I not had my music to entertain me.
Have you spent a lot of time in stores browsing for something that you enjoyed? Do you own much recorded music now? Can you recall some of your old favorite haunts for buying recorded music?
“The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.”
Midtown Manhattan from Liberty Harbor in Weehawken New Jersey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Diverse City: Quixotic, Concrete, and Everything in Between
Manhattan is the city of dreams and harsh reality. It's a place where idealism converges fundamental realism. The tough and the gentle. Cold and sentimental. Manhattan is the embodiment of city life in the United States. Name a city in America and one of the top ten answers will be New York City. It's very probable that the "Big Apple" will be the number one answer. Yeah, the Big Apple--New York, New York. That's Manhattan to youse guys.
"What Does Manhattan Say to You?" was the question that I asked back in January. The answers were many. Manhattan said a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Here are a few of those answers:
Yeah... Manhattan brings back memories--little kids, bumper-car parking, brighter lights than Vegas, tourism, statue of liberty, Chinatown, amazing food, and smoke. You can't get away from the smoking in NYC. Ever.
Sherry Ellisused her imagination to bring the city to life in her mind:
I have never been to Manhattan, but when I hear the word, I think of a bustling place, rich with people, activities, and art.
I love watching the sunrise at Rockefeller Center. Of my many Manhattan memories, that's my favorite. The city that never sleeps takes long periods of "just resting my eyes." I've got a few pics from a trip a decade ago.
Cathy Kennedyis another who relies on her mind's eye to see the city:
Lee, I have not been to Manhattan, but the first things that come to mind in no particular order are skyscrapers, city lights, the privileged, and crime. I think it would be an interesting place to visit someday.
Here's what I think of when I hear the word "Manhattan"...
The song which was the inspiration for the Francis Ford Coppola movie 'ONE FROM THE HEART'. (Catch that first sentence.)
I hate the Yankees.
I hate the Mets a wee bit less.
That's all the word "Manhattan" makes me think of.
Well... one more thing...
It's damned difficult to find a chocolate bunny in Manhattan on Easter Sunday! And if you do find one, they'll gouge you on the price! (But you'll buy it anyway because... well... Easter, chocolate bunny.)
Thanks Stephen T McCarthy! Love it! As always you add some unique twists. I would have never thought of the chocolate bunny angle. But come to think of it I had a similar experience in Toronto one Easter back in the 1980's so I totally relate to this story. Sometimes it's not easy to find a chocolate bunny when you really crave one.
If someone asked you to name a city in the U.S, what would likely be your first answer? If you were vacationing in Manhattan what would be the main things you would want to see? Have you ever craved something and couldn't find it right away?
Ellis Island, seen from Liberty Island (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Promised Land for Immigrants
For over fifty years Ellis Island in Upper New York Bay was the processing point for millions of immigrants coming to the United States in search of new opportunities, freedom from oppression, or to join relatives already living in the country. These immigrants were in search of a promised land that they had heard wonderful stories about. Manhattan was often the gateway to this promised land.
With the Statue of Liberty in near proximity to them, the new arrivals could see the Manhattan skyline as they awaited clearance by the immigration authorities. The screening process would usually take a few hours, but sometimes if medical problems or some other complications were discovered, the time spent on Ellis Island could be weeks or longer.
Tourists who visit the Statue of Liberty typically will stop over at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum to spend some time looking at the exhibits available there. There are a number of film and multimedia presentations about the history of the island as well as the millions of immigrants who passed through its gates. Anyone who takes the boat ride to Liberty Island should make Ellis Island a part of their visit.
For a kid living in an Air Force town in Georgia, Manhattan was the promised land, full of adventure, learning and a glamorous life.
I never made it to Manhattan except on vacation to see the Rockettes at Radio Music Hall. I rode a bus, subway and ate an overpriced sandwich which was very good.
Manhattan still holds the dream for anyone who was born wanting to write or create. I try not to think too hard of the reality of not having a place to live or being able to afford life there. I will not get started about my country come to town presence not gelling with NYC.
We all need our dreams. How real or likely they are to happen is irrelevant.
What a wonderful observation! We've all heard stories of the dreamer who goes to Manhattan with little more than a few bucks and a lot of aspirations. Some make it to the success of which they dreamed while others struggle along and perhaps eventually leave broke and broken. Others might dream of going to the Big Apple and never make it any farther than what they see in a movie or read about in a magazine. However many of us do make it for some kind of a visit whether a fast paced day in the city or a longer stay that allows for more sight-seeing. No matter how long the visit, we can never have time to see everything or even a small fraction of that which is to be seen.
Some who manage to land a job in Manhattan never leave, making the city their home. Others work for a while and then go elsewhere. Maybe it's a matter of money or maybe the lifestyle didn't meet expectations. In an earlier post I referred to a series by Robin at Your Daily Dose where she refers to the city as her "Promised Land". If you missed Robin's series, by all means click on the link to read about her experience. Perhaps some of you have a similar story to tell.
As I mentioned earlier in my series, I have been to Manhattan for rushed visits on a few occasions. Since the city was a place that I had visited in my childhood, a visit there as a part of a bucket list experience had been addressed early. Still Manhattan and the New York City area remains a place that I want to revisit in order to see what I missed on my previous visits. Then there are dreams that I harbor concerning opportunities that could arise someday somehow.
The Promised Land of Manhattan is a dream that has many interpretations depending on the individual. My dreams might be similar to your dreams while for others the dream might be completely different. Then there are those for whom Manhattan holds no promise--at least none they can name or think of at the moment when asked. But think harder if you think Manhattan is not your Promised Land. It could be that the promise is there, but you don't recognize it yet.
What promise do you see waiting for you in Manhattan? Have you experienced any disappointments regarding Manhattan? Did any of your ancestors pass through Ellis Island to come to the United States?
