GRANDKID’S EYE VIEW
My Week In New York City
By James Feinberg

I was invited to my grandparents’ apartment from August 9th to August 14th, 2009 to experience a week in New York City. I have reviewed each day that I’ve spent here on the schedule they set out for me. If I gave it a good rating, maybe it’s a good place for you to go while you’re here.

DAY 1

Photo: Hal Drucker

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Pier 86; 166 W 46th St. –
(212) 245-0072
www.intrepidmuseum.org

Photos: © Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

The rehabilitated USS Intrepid returns to its home at Pier 86, October 2, 2008.

In the South China Sea, Sept. 1966.

A-4F prepares to launch, 1968.

I exited the taxi at the harbor and looked up at the gray ship, apparently recently renovated. The ship was a little smaller than I’d imagined it, but 900 feet long isn’t bad.

I was looking at the Intrepid, an aircraft carrier in service for thirty-one years, before dry-docking on the piers of the Hudson and becoming the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. It was briefly re-commissioned in 2001 as an HQ for the FBI members investigating the 9/11 attacks, but afterwards returned to its former status.

The museum is a one-of-a-kind experience, leaving the ship and the adjacent submarine Growler just as they were when relieved of duty. Plaques along the way create a miniature tour of their own, and the Exploreum at the rear of the hangar deck is fun for kids.

This vivid illustration by Kipp Soldwede depicts the Kamikaze attack on the flattop, November 25, 1944.

One of the definite highlights is the Kamikaze show, which plays every hour on the half hour. Five separate screens in the exact spot where the Intrepid was hit with two Japanese Kamikaze planes during WWII portray the film on record of the “Day of Darkness, Day of Light.” As an addition, this film is more than 3D - actual smoke pours up through vents in the floor, the color of fire illuminates the surrounding museum, and sound effects loud enough to be heard in Brooklyn, boom in the background. It’s as if you’re there.

Photos: Hal Drucker.

Flight deck with New Jersey in the distance.

Harrier Fighter Plane with Manhattan in the background.

Israeli Kfirl Jet.

Soviet MIG Fighter.

The museum has also accumulated an impressive collection of aircraft on the upper flight deck, including planes on loan from the Israeli, French, Italian, and French governments, as well as foreign countries with, assumedly, plane decorators who are great with a paint job. Be sure to check out the collection, but don’t forget your sunscreen! The white and gray floor on the “roof” of the Intrepid raises our recent boiling temperatures to at least one hundred degrees.

The Avenger and me.

All in all, the Sea, Air & Space Museum is not something to miss if you’re near Pier 86 at the Hudson River harbor. You’ll learn a lot and have quite an experience as well!

Note: It would be a better idea to go into the Growler submarine first. It gets very crowded in the afternoon!

The Growler’s “Sail.”

Starboard Missile Hangar.

Aft Torpedo Room.

“Up Periscope!”

Crew’s quarters.

DAY 2

The Signature Hall

Bruce Springsteen’s ’57 Chevy.

John Lennon’s United States Resident Alien Visa (Green Card) c. 1976.   When John Lennon’s temporary visa expired in Feb. 1972, the Nixon administration sought to have him deported, citing a 1968 conviction for the possession of marijuana. After a four-year battle, Lennon finally won the right to stay in the U.S..  In 1983, a lawsuit was brought against the FBI under the Freedom of Information Act to release its files on Lennon, which document the Bureau's role in the Nixon administration’s attempt to stop Lennon’s anti-war campaign before the 1972 election. Photo:David Behl/©Yoko Ono

Yoko Ono, the creative force behind ”John Lennon: The NYC Years” was photographed in her apartment in NYC’s Dakota by Sing-Si Schwartz in 1989. “The huge desk is a fanciful, early twentieth-century French representation of The Gate of Rendering Justice the pharaohs had built for themselves during the Old Kingdom’s Fourth Dynasty. Lennon bought it in Paris in 1977 .” © “From the Desk Of:” by Hal Drucker and Sid Lerner.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex NYC
Special Limited Run Exhibit Created by Yoko Ono
JOHN LENNON: The NYC YEARS.
76 Mercer St. (betw’n Spring & Broome Sts.)
New York, NY 10012
(646) 786-6680
www.rockannex.com

If you find it easier to go to NYC than Cleveland, or if you live on the Lower East Side instead of in Ohio, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Annex is the place to go. It’s what one would call a “ mini-Hall of Fame” and is an amazing collection of historical facts and items to attract people of all interests and ages.

The first gallery (The Signature Hall) hosts all the R & R Hall of Famers to date, including James Brown, the Beach Boys, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, and, somewhat less deservedly in my opinion, Madonna. When their music plays, their names light up during a medley of award-winning rock music, creating a light show of festive proportions. Continue into the next room ( The Theater)and watch a projected film containing music and videos from what seemed to be almost all the inductees- do not bring small children with sensitive ears into this room, but it is incredible!

The second-to-last gallery contains objects owned by the famed musicians, from Johnny Cash’s self-designed boots to Ringo Starr’s drumhead with the faded “The Beatles” logo punched into it. This room is an amazing look into our past- and a look at how many of our role models wore sparkly jumpsuits (Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Elvis Presley, Prince - jumpsuits? Seriously, those things are hung up in the gallery, and they are sparkly)!

The final gallery is the story of John Lennon’s years in New York, and the world-changing things he did there. Walk to the end of the room to sign a hanging petition advising President Obama to pass stricter gun laws. When the exhibit closes, it will be mailed to the White House. (This exhibition was designed by Yoko Ono.)

The Annex is a window into the times when rock was young, and a window to more recent times to see the stories of bands such as Metallica, 21st century stories as well as 20th century tales. I would advise you to visit there and the John Lennon exhibit (on weekends be prepared for waits) - it will be a memorable time for your family.

DAY 3

David Alvarez is one of four Billys, here with the shield-wielding police. Photos: David Scheinmann.

Ballet Girls

Billy Elliot
Imperial Theater
249 W. 45th St.
212-239-6200

You may have seen the 2000 movie about a boy ballet dancer during the British coal strike of 1984. But you haven’t seen anything until you witness the Elton John rendition of the film, which (yes, I agree with the Tonys on this one) is the best musical on Broadway, and most likely will always be.

Of course, I am talking about Billy Elliot, the musical that took audiences by storm when it opened last fall, and hasn’t stopped. I would gladly see it again several more times. The music, lyrics, and acting skills this show possesses are irresistible, not to mention the comedy in between.

It’s not every show you see that every song is your favorite. Billy Elliot will leave you humming each song in turn and hoping to buy the soundtrack afterwards. I, for one, enjoyed Expressing Yourself; Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher; Shine; Electricity; and Born to Boogie, immensely, and the entire score almost as much.

My cousin Zach Drucker and I were privileged to watch the newest Billy, Tommy Batchelor, who might be the best child actor I have ever seen live. Haydn Gwynne as Mrs. Wilkinson and Gregory Jbara as Dad could be the funniest and most vocally agile actors in the world. As for David Bologna as Michael, the kid is just plain funny, however you look at it. My Best Actor award for this show goes to the entire cast.

This is a great play to see no matter how old you are or when you want to see it. Buy tickets now! I guarantee you won’t regret it.

DAY 4, Part 1

The Reserve with Pedestal/Museum Ticket allows access to the S of L Museum at the base of the Statue and the 10 th story Pedestal Observation Deck , which seniors should note can be reached by a modest number of steps and a modern elevator. It does not include access to the Crown, which requires advance reservations and can only be reached by stairway. There are two security screenings: one relatively efficient, preparatory to boarding the departure ferry, the second enormously time-consuming, prior to entering the Statue itself. A typical ferry is shown in the foreground. Photos: Hal Drucker

Statue Ferry Cruises to Liberty & Ellis Island
Battery Pl
New York , NY 10004
(212) 509-0207
www.nps.gov/stli/

Shortly after we boarded the ferry from Battery Place.

The Statue’s copper skin weighs more than 62,000 pounds. The difficult task of supporting this heavy load was complicated by the Statue’s unusual shape, its unwieldy arm and the high winds of New York Harbor. To overcome these obstacles, Frédéric Bartholdi turned to Gustave Eiffel, who devised an unusual support system.

“Give me your tired your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Emma Lazarus’ glorious poem is prominently displayed in the S of L Museum.

I know what you’re thinking.

He gives one of the symbols of America a below-average rating? What an unpatriotic thickhead! Well, last time I checked, the red, white, and blue didn’t mean waiting on lines for an hour and a half for something that wasn’t worth our time.

My grandparents and I spent at least forty-five times longer waiting to reach the copper giant on roped-off sections of the grounds than we did on the observation deck of the pedestal. Apparently, some who registered a long time in advance were able to skip the lines, but the process seems to be selective. A Dutch woman we met in line had bought her tickets six months in advance and had to wait as long as we did. We were checked by security two times while in line, and held up each time because the metal detectors recognized my grandmother’s knee replacement as metal. Not so much of a monument as it is a bother.

The museum at the foot of the pedestal is fine, befitting a national park, but don’t trouble yourself with “The New Colossus” as Emma Lazarus, the poet whose engraved sonnet is displayed within, termed it. (Surprisingly enough, the plaque on which it’s written contains a typo - saying “Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp” instead of the actual “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp.”

It is beautiful, certainly, but that’s thanks to the French architects who built it, not thanks to the park rangers of Liberty Island and their interminable lines. Observing it from a distance will probably be enough to satisfy your patriotism. Do not waste a morning, or, for that matter, an afternoon, at the Statue. Choose instead to read a good book, or have a cup of coffee. You know… Just relax for a while.

DAY 4, Part 2

James and the Wall of Immigrants.

Ellis Island
New Jersey , New York
(212) 363-3200
www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm

What a welcome change from the endless lines of Lady Liberty! The Museum of Immigration on Ellis Island is a beautiful establishment containing wonderful exhibits that the expectant museum-goer can really sink his or her teeth into. Discover your ancestors and their story, watch an historical film, see exhibits about just plain immigration itself- the possibilities are endless.

After recent renovation, Ellis is more radiant than ever, with displays honed to perfection and whole sections redone. Among the best are the gallery, showing pictures and posters from the peak of the immigrants’ flood into our country, the small hallway containing clothes from other countries during Ellis’ prime, and the dioramas and pictures in the back rooms concerning the evolution of the island and the depot.

If you want an enjoyable afternoon, just skip Liberty Island all together and head straight toward Ellis. The boats leave every twenty minutes and are themselves a good time to be had: the intercom blasting facts as the islands appear in the distance, the wind blowing in your face and the waves rolling across the surface of the water. This combined with a nice lunch and a trip to the Ellis Island Museum would create a perfect day. As its rating would suggest- Memorable!

DAY 5, Part 1

Museum of Modern Art
11 W. 53rd St.
(212) 708-9400
www.MoMA.org 

SECTION ONE: Song Dong’s “Waste Not”
Through Sept. 7.

James and the Final Installation of Song Dong’s ”Waste Not."

 
Dong House from MoMA’s sixth floor.

     Song Dong and his sister had a problem.
     Their mother was a hoarder.

According to The Today Show and the A&E series: Hoarding - The Life of A Pack-Rat, hoarding is not, as commonly believed, a bad habit, but instead a disorder in which those who are affected purchase usually useless items, fill their home with said garbage, and then are so attached to it that they refuse to let it go. The Chinese artist Song Dong’s elderly mother had this problem - her house was full of hoarded things that she couldn’t throw away. So Dong and his sister came up with a plan. They decided to use the waste in dear old mom’s house for Song’s next art project (entitled “Waste Not”) and convinced their mother to join in.

The result of their hard work is now displayed at MoMA in the form of a house and “yard” made entirely of trash and old, worthless items. It’s definitely interesting to see the things Mrs. Xiangyuan (Song Dong’s beloved matriarch) collected: hundreds of shoes, fifty shopping bags, twenty chairs, old lumber, a broken door, empty tubes of toothpaste, Chinese food boxes, and many, many more. The exhibit is especially beautiful when viewed from above at vantage points on the fifth and sixth floor. Dong even organized old mugs so as to invoke classic art, placing both smaller and larger cups in rows and circles to create a wave best compared to the wave of boxes at last year’s Beijing Olympics.

There is something, however, that Dong and his family didn’t think of. This stuff is trash. So no matter how you set it up, it’s going to look like trash. However beautiful, from the doorway to the exhibit the collection just looks like a very fancy landfill. Might I add that it takes about a minute to walk around the entire project, not satisfying the visitor’s need for a good long look at art as a gallery might.

But I suppose I’m being a bit of a perfectionist. The Dongs did a wonderful job with this piece, and it isn’t something to miss if you’re at the museum. Who knew they could make objects destined for the dump look so good?

James Ensor’s Oyster Eater, 1882.

SECTION TWO: James Ensor: The Exhibit
Through Sept. 21

I ventured into MoMA without a favorite artist. When I exited, I had one - James Ensor.

120 of Ensor’s amazing works are now displayed on the sixth floor of the museum. Ensor has a slightly blurred way of painting that somehow makes everything more real, more lifelike. He painted things that mattered to him- his father, children, and of course, himself- but, with his finely tuned sense of humor, he often changed his appearance for the funnier. In one of his self-portraits, he painted his moustache blue and a pink flowered hat on his head.

DAY 5, Part 2

Ponyo

Ponyo becomes permanently human after a kiss from Sosuke in the final scene of the film.

I’ve seen many anime movies. Most of them are about strange legendary Japanese animals and small, nature-themed, trained monsters (darn you, Pokemon! Why can’t I win your video game?). But rarely does a children’s Chinese adaptation of The Little Mermaid hit American theaters and attract viewers deservedly. Ponyo did so on August 14th when it opened nationwide. Directing legend Hayao Miyazaki turns out another hit with the story of a goldfish who wants to be a real girl. The storyline creates real interest, Ponyo being the daughter of a grumpy magician who has real problems with his elixir well and the Queen of the Sea, graceful and beautifully animated as she drifts across the screen, bringing peace and prosperity wherever she travels. The entire landscape is an art connoisseur’s paradise, with painstakingly drawn trees and prehistoric fish, as well as the overused (but still gentle and lovely) cottage on a cliff.

Ponyo boasts the voice talents (thanks to its American producer, Disney) of two pop band sensations’ siblings: Noah Cyrus (the little sister of the famed and overdressed Miley Cyrus) voices Ponyo hilariously for an actress in her first acting job, and Frankie Jonas (little brother of the Jonas Brothers; wow, imagine being the other brother) as Sosuke, the confident five-year-old who finds Ponyo squished into a jar. My best actor award goes to Noah Cyrus (that’s right, Miley, your little sister, how does that feel, huh?) for her brilliant acting job as the title character, making the audience laugh at every turn.

The movie is obviously for younger audiences, but moving and funny to all ages. You can always expect a hit when the movie is unexpected - and what could be more unexpected than a goldfish version of Little Mermaid ?

Special thanks for the professionalism and consideration of:
Luke Saks, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; Tegan Firth, Statue Cruises; Lauren Ceradini, Rogers and Cowan; Juliana Hannett & Frances Connelly, The Hartman Group.