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Published: June 12th 2015
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As usual, on our visits to NYC, we've been making use of the subway to get around, here, there and everywhere - "Ladies and Gentlemen, as you exit please be careful of the gap between the platform and the train". It's a great way to get around!
It was the mode of transport used on Wednesday when we met Greg for lunch at Russ & Daughters, advertised as the 'Queens of Lake Sturgeon'. On the Lower East Side, the café is at 127 Orchard Street and, as we discovered, the food is superb. Operating for over 100 years it began when Joel Russ, a Polish immigrant arrived in Manhattan around 1905, and started the business to cater to the Jewish immigrants settling in the Lower East Side of New York. He began by carrying Polish Mushrooms on his shoulders, saved enough money to purchase a pushcart then expanded his operation and sold pickled herring as well as Polish Mushrooms. Then in 1914, Joel Russ opened J Russ International Appetizers, a storefront around the corner from the current location. In 1920, Joel Russ opened his store at the current location of 179 East Houston Street. In 1933, he renamed the business
"Russ and Daughters" after making his three daughters, Hattie, Anne, and Ida, partners in the store. Historically, businesses typically took on the name "and sons", but since Russ and his wife Bella only had daughters, the business became Russ & Daughters. According to his daughter Hattie, she and her sisters had all worked in the store "since they were 8 years old" on weekends, fishing out the herring fillets from the pickle barrels. Once each one of them finished high school, they all worked full-time in the store which opened seven days a week. It's another reccommendation for a great place to visit for anyone planning to visit NYC; you won't be sorry.
Wednesday afternoon, once the kids were back from school we caught another subway, this time heading for Schwarz Toy store. Situated on 5th Avenue, close to the Apple Store, the toy shop was founded in 1862 by German immigrant Frederick August Otto Schwarz first in Baltimore with the NYC store opening in 1870 under the name of Schwarz Toy Bazaar. Judging by the number of people in there, business is booming! Grandma and Grandpa bought a pressie of their choice for Grace and Rupert while Kerrii
and the gang bought pressies for the CPH cousins which we'll be taking with us.
The trusty subway once more came to the party as, once the kids had gone to school on Thursday, Kev, Kerrii and I made our way to the Whitney Museum of American Art - known as The Whitney - which focuses on 20th & 21st Century American art and was founded in 1931 by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (1875-1942), a wealthy and prominent socialite and art patron.
The Whitney's permanent collection comprises more than 21,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, films, videos, and new media by more than 3,000 artists. It places a particular emphasis on exhibiting the work of living artists for its collection as well as maintaining an extensive permanent collection containing many important pieces from the first half of the last century. The museum's Annual and Biennial Exhibitions have long been a venue for younger and less well-known artists whose work is showcased there.
From 1966 to 2014, the Whitney was located at 945 Madison Ave at East 75th St in the Upper East Side, closing in October 2014 to relocate to a new building designed by Renzo Piano and
Kev, Kerrii, Michelle & Greg
Enjoying our delectable repast at Russ & Daughters located at 99 Gansevoort St at Washington St in the West Village Meatpacking District which is also the area the High Line encompasses. It reopened at the new location on May 1, 2015 and, as such is a very new and popular museum; we arrived prior to its 10.30am opening to find a large crowd already queuing up for the doors to open. It was worth the wait! I can personally vouch for the fact there's some great art in there and it's another 'must visit' spot! An added pleasure was meeting Kerrii's friend Sarah, who works there and who organised the tickets for us. Thanks Sarah!
Lunch followed at a local Lower East Side restaurant (which was delicious) before we subwayed our way back to pick up the kids from school. Then, once a babysitter arrived, Kev, Kerrii and I went out for a night at the theatre to see "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner, one of the USA's most influential writers of the 20th century who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949. Two hours, twenty minutes without an interval it was both full on and a challenge. I'd probably give it 6
The Schwarz Clock
Situated near the elevator it's their famous animated clock out of 10 while Kerrii went for 7 out of 10 but it wasn't Kev's cup of tea! Performed by the Elevator Repair Service group of actors, the cast of twelve actors (some of who played six different characters) included an Australian - Lucy Taylor - who has performed with MTC, STC and other theatre companies. It took place at the Public Theatre, 245 Lafayette Street. Every character, after they'd said their lines, mentioned who it was that had spoken. For example "I'm going to bed mother said" followed by "So am I Quentin said" and so on. Kev had me in stitches once the actors had taken their final bows when he whispered in my ear, "Thank Christ that's over Kevin said." Well you can't please all of the people all of the time!
Once again the trusty subway took us home!
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