With a forecast of a rainy weekend, my sister and I skipped the beach and decided to hangout in Manhattan. It was nice to see New York swing back to its Pre-Covid days. We were able to book a hotel at a decent price within the Broadway district, in part because the theaters are closed until the fall. We arrived at the city via train by 10 AM on Saturday and walked to our hotel, which allowed us to check in early. Once we settled in and the sky cleared, we walked to the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The museum was packed and wearing masks was a requirement since social distancing was not possible and vaccination cards were not requested. Too bad, as I believe if you are not vax you don’t get to come in (no different from not allowing anyone to smoke on the premises). The fee to enter the museum is $25.00, but Friday evenings are free to the public. 

I have not been to the MOMA for over 30 years, and it was pleasing to revisit the museum that has since doubled its space to include an additional 47,000 square feet of gallery space and two design retail stores. It was pleasurable to experience seeing so many of the masters that changed the trajectory of how art is viewed, making it possible for contemporary museums to continuously explore new venues. It’s important to note that museums have been hit hard by the pandemic and have cut jobs reducing their programming, hours and ticket sales. Notwithstanding, museums perpetuate the inequality in society. They are very dependent on wealthy benefactors who influence affect all decisions in a museum including what the public see.

The museum restaurant was too crowded and so we stepped out to a Brazilian restaurant across the street and returned afterward. By 530 PM we decide to get back to the hotel since my sister purchased tickets to go on a double-decker sight-seeing bus tour during evening hours. This was something I would have never done since I am familiar with the city. However, it was a nice fun ride on a warm, breezy evening. I especially enjoyed photographing the views from the Brooklyn Bridge. Once we got back, we walked over to the street known as Restaurant Row and sat down for drinks and a meal late into the night. Best part was not having to get into your car or hop on the train to get back home.

Next day we packed and stored our luggage and headed to the Hudson Yards to see the Vessel and the Shed. The Vessel is no longer free unless you get there before 10 AM, otherwise it will cost you $10 to climb it. The Shed is a unique multifunctional cultural center in Hudson Yards producing programs in the performing and visual arts. It currently sponsors Open Calls showcasing the city’s emerging visual talents focusing on local histories and technological innovation. These exhibitions are free and attract a significant number of emerging artists of every race, gender and religion. For more on the Shed check out this link.

From there we walked the High Line which never disappoints— this 2.5-mile conversion of an abandoned freight rail line into a walking park with over 1000 species of plants and rotating public art (sculptures and murals) while keeping most of its old rail tracks. It is a park in the sky surrounded by the city’s urban-industrial landscape. The end of the High Line takes you into the heart of the Chelsea neighborhood where we had a late lunch and then strolled over to the Chelsea food and retail marketplace for dessert and shopping. At this point we were pretty exhausted and it was time to get an Uber back to the hotel to make it home.

Monday, we just wanted to rest our sore feet and get ready for a short work week. No fireworks for us. 

Photos are of all of our sightseeing. Click the center of the photo to see the full view.