Lunch in New York City
View across the Palisades from Scarborough Metro North Station
Around the end of November, I went into NY City to have a pre-Christmas lunch with a friend and former colleague.
I started my journey at my local train station: Scarborough. The station is right on the Hudson River and there’s a path leading from the car park to the station that allows access to the riverbank. I was a little early, so I walked around taking pictures of anything I found interesting along this path.
Next stop Grand Central Terminal where I took a few pictures before taking the short walk along Park Avenue to our chosen restaurant: The Park Avenue Tavern.
After the meal I made my way back to Grand Central, taking pictures of Christmas lights along the way.
Since my train was not scheduled to leave for a while, I took some more pictures inside Grand Central and then headed home.
Above: The very beginning of the journey: The Palisades as seen from Scarborough Metro North Station. For anyone who doesn’t know what the Palisades are, Wikipedia describes them as follows:
The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson River Palisades, are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in Northeastern New Jersey and Southeastern New York in the United States. The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City about 20 miles (32 km) to near Nyack, New York, and are visible at Haverstraw, New York. They rise nearly vertically from near the edge of the river, and are about 300 feet (90 m) high at Weehawken, increasing gradually to 540 feet (160 m) high near their northern terminus. North of Fort Lee, the Palisades are part of Palisades Interstate Park and are a National Natural Landmark.
The Palisades are among the most dramatic geologic features in the vicinity of New York City, forming a canyon of the Hudson north of the George Washington Bridge, as well as providing a vista of the Manhattan skyline. They sit in the Newark Basin, a rift basin located mostly in New Jersey.
Palisade is derived from the same root as the word pole, ultimately from the Latin word palus, meaning stake. A “palisade” is, in general, a defensive fence or wall made up of wooden stakes or tree trunks. The Lenape called the cliffs “rocks that look like rows of trees”, a phrase that became “Weehawken”, the name of a town in New Jersey that sits at the top of the cliffs across from Midtown Manhattan.
I didn’t feel like carrying around much camera gear, so I dug out my old Sony Nex 5N and Sony E 16mm f2.8. Maybe not as fully featured as my newer cameras, but an extremely small and light combination.
Along the Hudson River in and around Scarborough Railway Station. Rocks, plants and grasses alongside the Hudson River. The last picture is rather different from the others. It was taken inside the elevator at Scarborough Station.
As I left Grand Central Terminal two street people were in the middle of a loud argument. I think it’s cruel to take pictures of street people, so I don’t often do it. In this case they both seemed so angry and aggressive that I didn’t want to risk the consequences if they spotted me taking a picture of them.
This guy was watching them intently, so intently that I figured that he would not notice me taking his picture. And sure enough he didn’t. I think it’s a fairly nice street portrait.
Man outside 42nd Street Subway Station.
I’ve not much to say about this one. Somehow it caught my interest. Maybe it’s the creepy yellow-green light. It makes me think of the gates to Hell.
One of many entrances to the 42nd Street Subway
Seen while walking along Park Avenue. I didn’t know that I was so scary.
Men at Work
I’ve often walked along Park Avenue, and from time to time I’ve noticed these brass plaques. But I’d never taken the time to really look at them, so I didn’t know anything about them. Now I do (see first plaque above for a description)
These are by no means all of them. I was rushing to my lunch appointment and didn’t have time to take pictures of all of them.
Our lunch destination: The Park Avenue Tavern on Park Avenue and 39th Street. It describes itself as follows:
Park Avenue Tavern is the quintessential American bar and restaurant. Located steps away from Grand Central Station, Park Avenue Tavern centers around a combination of classic New York City elegance and over the top hospitality. Operated by IGC (In Good Company) Hospitality, the team behind other noteworthy NYC venues such as Refinery Rooftop, Parker & Quinn & The Wilson, Park Avenue Tavern proudly serves as the local favorite to the area’s vibrant business community as well as the Murray Hill and Park Avenue residents. The center island bar is the focal point to a vibrant dining and bar scene enhanced by the large windows providing expansive views of Park Avenue. The restaurant has 2 private dining or event spaces that can be reserved for corporate or social events including The Barrel Room which features self-pouring beer taps build into each of its 6 large leather booths. Park Avenue Tavern is open for lunch, brunch, & dinner, and serves a late-night dining menu until 1 am, from Tuesday through Saturday.
The Park Avenue Tavern
After lunch I started to walk back down Park Avenue. It was starting to get dark, and I noticed the Christmas lights and other decorations that I hadn’t seen earlier.
Returning to Grand Central. Getting darker. More Christmas lights on Grand Central Terminal. In the foreground one of the brass plaques mentioned earlier.
Returning to Grand Central. There were lots of people. New York City seems to have largely recovered from the Pandemic. I think I liked it more during COVID when there were fewer people on the streets.
Entrance to Grand Central Terminal with the famous clock in the background.
Street Photography. Well, it is a photograph of a street - and not just any street either. This is 42nd Street, New York City. Taken right across from Grand Central Terminal.
On 42nd Street
While waiting for my train to arrive I had a little time to take a few more pictures.
On the train back home. Judging from their animated conversation my fellow passengers seem to have had a good time in the city…as did I!
