Читать книгу Walking Manhattan - Ellen Levitt - Страница 6
ОглавлениеAUTHOR’S NOTE
AT THE PROUD AGE OF 50, I have done many things in Manhattan, for I have lived my whole life in New York City. I am a native and resident of Brooklyn, but I’ve spent an enormous amount of my time in Manhattan (certainly more than in Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island, although I have enjoyed being in them as well).
Should anyone doubt my street cred, I proffer the following incomplete list of things I’ve done in Manhattan—many positive, some not:
1 Visited museums, the zoo, and national and local monuments.
2 Watched dance performances (ballet, modern, and so on).
3 Went to concerts (rock, jazz, classical, ethnic, and so on).
4 Attended services at synagogues and a few churches.
5 Conducted research for my books.
6 Gave walking tours.
7 Attended parades.
8 Marched in parades.
9 Went on dates.
10 Applied for and received a marriage license.
11 Ate at restaurants.
12 Stood on long lines to pick up license plates.
13 Paid, and fought, parking tickets.
14 Took the test for a city tour-guide license—and passed.
15 Visited family and friends.
16 Took boat rides.
17 Attended funeral services.
18 Watched Broadway, off-Broadway, and off-off-Broadway plays and musicals.
19 Participated in a charity bike ride (the Five Boro, once).
20 Cheered on teams at professional and school basketball and hockey games.
21 Went to the circus.
22 Shopped.
23 Attended professional-development sessions and workshops for teachers.
24 Taught at two high schools and worked as a teaching assistant for a Hunter College course.
25 Worked full-time jobs as a magazine associate editor and at a nonprofit group.
26 Worked part-time jobs as an office assistant, salesperson, and more.
27 Worked student internships at a cable TV station, a synagogue, and a public relations firm.
28 Went bowling, swimming, wall climbing, rowing, hiking, and ice skating.
29 Walked by someone who had a gun and was nabbed by cops … but didn’t realize it until my friend informed me.
30 Walked by or sat near celebrities—and spoke with a few of them: Andy Warhol, Keith Hernandez, Allen Ginsberg, Jerome Robbins, Quentin Crisp, Hilly Kristal (of CBGB fame), and others.
31 Exhibited photographs at the 4th Street Photo Gallery, CB’s 313, 14th Street Y, and other galleries.
32 Attended school as a college undergraduate and a doctoral student.
33 Snapped photographs by myself and with students.
34 Visited and read in libraries (circulating and research).
35 Strolled through street fairs of various types.
36 Checked out or joined rallies and protests (Occupy Wall Street among them).
37 Played piano, guitar, percussion, etc.
38 Sang with choirs and glee clubs.
39 Had my foot run over by a bike messenger.
40 Shoved another bike messenger who nearly knocked me down.
41 Drove my car, parked my car, found my car towed once.
42 Walked aimlessly; rode the subway, PATH trains, and buses; took taxis.
43 Lost items (some of which were found).
Whew!
Yet I don’t know it all when it comes to Manhattan. Researching this book helped me to learn so much more about this amazing island. I am humbled by how much one can do and learn here and still never fully grasp its deep importance. Manhattan has changed vastly over the years, even during my lifetime. But there are many trends that resonate, many themes that are constantly being reworked, and many places that people go to time and again. I hope this book will introduce you to places both well known and obscure. I implore you to do more reading and traveling of your own.
This book is intended for many people: newcomers who want to see the main attractions and old-timers who want a fresh look, repeat visitors who want to see something they missed previously, people who will be here for a limited time working or attending school, and anyone else who has a sense of wonderment and a thirst for adventure.
