Little Italy - Get there before it's gone!

What do I mean by "before it's gone"? Over the years, the original Little Italy neighborhood is shrinking. Neighboring Chinatown is creeping in and swallowing blocks of real estate. Most of the Italian immigrants and their descendants have moved to newer Italian neighborhoods or the suburbs, which has made the niche into a memory of its past self. Don't get me wrong - the people still come (tourists and New Yorkers alike) to enjoy the amazing restaurants, cafes, and grocery shops.

Don't get me wrong - if you go in the direction toward Mulberry Street you WILL find Little Italy. You just need to open your eyes and ears a bit more - once you hear the language spoken like second nature, see an array of Virgin Mary candles for sale, and smell that food...you've arrived.


Little Italy's pleasures lie mostly in strolling around its old tenement-lined streets, absorbing its abundant street life and, of course, visiting the food vendor carts. But you should know that every September it has been hosting the two week-long Feast of San Gennaro for over 80 years. So what is this celebration about? The focus is paying homage to the Patron Saint of Naples (San Gerrano - see statue at right - don't you love the bored guards?) In 1926 newly arrived immigrants from Naples settled along Mulberry Street and decided to continue the tradition that they had been celebrating in their old country - the day in 305 A.D. when Saint Gerrano was martyred for the faith. It has become a huge tourist attraction (over one million visitors - so much so that many New Yorkers avoid it completely) with endless tasty tidbits lining the streets, a Ferris wheel and other carnival rides in constant action, and sideshow imported sideshow pleasures (for example, Snake Girl - body of a snake, head of a girl:). The street festivities also include religious processions and parades, free entertainment, and a professional cannoli-eating contest that are topped off with a celebratory Mass and candlelit procession as the Statue of the Saint is carried to its home in Most Precious Blood Church on Mulberry Street.



It is said the most beautiful spot in the neighborhood is Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral. The first stone was laid in 1809 and the church was completed in 1815. Designed by Joseph Francois Mangin in Gothic Revival style, it is the oldest Catholic Church in the city. In 1966, it was one of the first sites to be officially considered a landmark by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. The church is open to the public and continues to hold Mass with liturgies in Spanish and English. It's also okay to step inside to take a peek and sit for a while as it isn't probable that you'll get to enter a 200 year-old structure and be in awe of every inch.



Umberto's Clam House, aka "The Heart of Little Italy", was idealized and opened in 1972 by Robert Umberto. Naming the restaurant was a no-brainer - his own name was used and "Umberto" is also the name of the last Prince of Italy. It quickly became a very different historical landmark when Crazy Joey Gallo, a famous Mafioso, was shot to death while eating scungilli (I thought it was pasta, but they are large sea snails) with clam sauce in April of 1972, shortly after the restaurant opened. The menu doesn't revolve around clams, but it does serve mostly seafood. Due to public demand, they now also offer steaks, porkchops, and other American fare to please all possible clientele. The restaurant is open until 4am 7 days a week, so you can't use a "not enough time" excuse to not stop in and have a drink and an appetizer at one of New York City's most famous eateries. You'll be glad you did!

You won't find a Leeann Chin here! Chinatown, Manhattan-style.

If you think you'd know what Chinatown was like without visiting it, you'd be right. And oh-so-wrong. It is a huge neighborhood that is more than one can imagine - the open air markets, glorious street vendors, Chinese signs, and residents arguing in Cantonese over live seafood that still retains their heads, to name a few visuals. The atmosphere is exotic and almost antique - you'll never feel more like you're in a movie than when you find yourself trying to manuever your way down the sidewalk.

A few places to see while you're here: you'll want your camera when you see the succession of gorgeous golden Buddhas at the Eastern States Buddhist Temple, the oldest Chinese Buddhist temple on the East Coast. Take a walk over to the Bowery Savings Bank, which was conceived in 1893 by the famous New York architechture firm, Mead & White. In 1966, it won well-deserved landmark status with its marble Corinthian columns and soaring ceilings. Too bad there isn't an award for "breathtaking". Like the saying goes, "they just don't make 'em like that anymore!" (Example of exterior on the left.)

During pleasant weather, you will find the locals playing mah-jongg (a Chinese game using up to 144 tiles and 4 people) and practicing tai chi in Columbus Park. The park was named after Christopher Columbus (of course) and was plotted by Central Park (my favorite place in the world - just wait until I write about that!) co-designer Calvert Vaux in 1897.

New York hosts many different ethnic and cultural events, but very few can compete with the extravaganza of the Chinese New Year. It is celebrated annually in February during a two-week period (the date changes slightly each year). I've heard that it is exactly like how it is portrayed in movies and other media - the firecrackers, masses of color and people, the procession with dancing dragons snake in and out and bob up and down, and of course, the food.
The Museum of the Chinese in the Americas (MoCA) is a little-known cultural attraction, but definitely one worth visiting. It is interestingly located inside of an old school building. You will find not only fantastic temporary exhibitions, but it also owns a permanent collection of letters, artifacts, and amazing photographs that document the lives of Chinese immigrants to the United States.

And above, the aptly-named statue of Confucius on Confucius Plaza. I couldn't NOT include this photo!

I wanted to focus on one aspect of Chinatown at a time, but found it to be impossible to choose the first one. And then where would I end? This is just my personal list of favorites - when you make yours, don't leave without two things: an empty stomach and a camera! (And lots of one-dollar bills, good walking shoes, a mostly-empty backpack or tote bag, sunglasses...:)

Historic reality at its best - the Lower East Side Tenement Museum

I admit, it took a few trips to NYC before I made the time to visit the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. My poor excuses were that it is a little out of the way and in a part of the city that I was then unfamiliar. But I was haunted by the emotional stories (happy and sad) that one of my ex-history professors shared with us. He had very fond memories of spending his childhood summers with his grandmother in the same neighborhood as the Museum. It was the old nostalgic in me and I felt the old tug of the heartstrings and knew that there wasn't time for more excuses!

When we arrived, we found that the "museum" itself is actually down the block from the visitor's center - so just an FYI, you need to go there first to get your tickets and tour schedule (or you can buy them directly online like we did to avoid possible confusion and lines). It also has a very nice little gift shop that sells items directly related to the museum that you would find difficult to find elsewhere. There is also a film/media center where guests can view videos related to the Tenement and the families that lived there. I was already impressed before the tour, and one of the best NYC experiences I've had was on its way...

First, some basic facts: the Tenement was opened in 1863 by a German immigrant named Lukas Glockner. Glockner was an intelligent businessman (the first story served as a storefront, as seen in the photo above) who saw the need and the dollar signs of housing for incoming immigrants to the country. 97 Orchard Street was the first American residential experience for more than 7,000 tenants from twenty different nations between the years of 1863-1935. The two main apartments that we visited and discussed were the German-Jewish Gumpertz family in the 1870s and the Sicilian-Catholic Baldizzi family of the 1930s.

When I took the tour (lasting approximately one hour), the museum had altered two different apartments during two different time periods exactly as they were occupied by real and actual families. What this means is that the museum used all documentation from the tenants and contacted any living family members that remembered the building or had stories, items, and photos to share. Amazingly, they didn't have any trouble finding great-great grandchildren, 90-year old nieces, and others that were more than willing to share their stories (and also donated items that once existed in the apartments) to further the Tenement's knowledge and make the tours that much more interesting.

If you are unfamiliar with a tenement, it was basically a residential complex that held as many people as possible. Each apartment had one tiny bedroom and a sitting/family room that housed on average 6 people, if not more. There was one shared toilet on each floor when running water was installed (a law enacted by the city to curb disease - the old way was to dump chamber pots anywhere outside!) The noise our group made while climbing the wooden steps throughout the building was sometimes deafening. Some apartments had windows looking into neighboring apartments (very odd)! From what I remember, it had something to do with old fire codes and having that open space would help in some way...how, I don't know.

Enough jabber. No one is allowed to photograph the inside of the building, which is unfortunate for us because pictures would strengthen your imagination as well as this blog. But, luckily you are able to take the virtual tour that is available to give you a better idea of what the museum entails. You can also study their tenement encyclopedia as well as genealogical resourses and other research there is available online.

There are many surprises of the neighborhood that I didn't realize until we were there - it is literally yards away from Chinatown, which is another equally fascinating and essential stop for the curious tourist. It was by far the best place to grab something to drink, find a bench, and simply watch the neighborhood residents do what they do. You would see nothing like this anywhere between the East and West Coasts, that's for sure!

I should also add that none of my relatives stayed in NYC after immigration for long - many of them had Midwestern destinations (St. Paul, Milwaukee, various small towns in the Dakotas) that were all ready awaiting their arrival. But the loving everything old and real and historic part of my mind couldn't keep me away from the Tenement Museum. If you've ever wondered how it really was or all ready heard, it is a destination you have to see to close that gap. There is also another apartment that is now being renovated and is slated to open in March 2008. It is the living quarters of one of many Irish families that once lived in the tenement, the Moores, who lived there circa 1869 on the fourth floor. I can't wait to see it!

Oh, yes! Since you're there, consider taking the walking tour of the Lower East Side for more delectable history that you're sure to appreciate.

The Woolworth Building - not the World's Largest Drugstore!

Amid the gray, generic concrete skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan stands the Woolworth Building. It's age and design sets it apart from the rest, which makes it impossible to miss from many angles of the island. But this little guy has lost some fame to his younger counterparts (i.e. the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center) and I'd like to dedicate one of my snippets to this underrated and very overlooked NYC structure.
The neo-gothic, art deco-themed office building was built in 1913 by architect Cass Gilbert . The 30-storied tower atop a 30-storied base is easily recognized by the exterior beige color set against the newer and more bland skyscrapers that surround the structure. The green patina (once copper) roof is one of a kind in the city, and when the sun hits it just right, it is a sight that will physically stop you in awe. It was the world's tallest building for 17 years until 40 Wall Street (now the Trump Building) was finished. It was also the world's most recognizable structure until the Chrysler Building was completed in 1930.
The building is best known simply by name: Woolworth. Frank Woolworth (yes, of drugstore fame) financed the skyscraper in cash (a mere 13.5 million dollars), which was (and is) an unusual publicity tactic for a company. His vision was to erect a true "Cathedral of Commerce" for his corporate headquarters and other businesses. His wish came true - at one time it held more than 1,000 tenants.

The sculpture on the left is a likeness of Frank Woolworth that can be found in the lobby of the building. In the photo he is holding nickels and dimes, which could be comprehended as his paying cash to finance the building or merely because he was the king of the "nickel and dime" stores.
The building has successfully evaded any damage during its lifetime, but did have a $20 million dollar renovation between 1977 and 1981.
It served as the company's headquarters until their bankruptcy in 1997. In 1998, it was sold for $155 million for corporate and residential use.
The entire Woolworth Building (except for the entrance) has been closed to the public since September 11th, 2001, but I've read that there are plans to reopen the building with guided tours within the next year. When that happens, the building can be more fully appreciated, studied, and loved. I just hope that the tour is available for the next time I visit!

Stunned and awestruck by Trinity Church at Wall Street

Yet another stumbled-upon subject of amazement! The building at this site is the third Trinity Church, built in 1846. Its predecessors were erected in 1698 (destroyed by fire) and 1790 (damaged and weakened by heavy winters).

The church stands alone amid the modern skyscrapers (the World Trade Center was actually located just a few blocks away) and a handful of buildings from that era. The architecture is known to be one of the first and best examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in the U.S. But beyond these historic facts lay what fascinates me the most: the small green space that is the graveyard but also serves as a calm and serene escape (plenty of benches and well-tended flower gardens) for weary tourists and stressed Wall Street employees. The headstones are fascinating (this one is dated 1805) in themselves.



I could easily do a blog on the church itself; there is far too much historic and important information that I feel is pertinent for you to know if you happen to visit. The church still holds daily masses and tours of the building and its museum. Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, and Robert Fulton are a few of the notable people buried here. Even if you or your traveling partner(s) may not be interested in churches, architecture, and graveyards, this stop is a must for the history buff. You won't be disappointed!

Hold back the temptation to climb on the Bull!

No, it's not an attraction for a steakhouse. I actually did hear a woman say, "What is that thing for?" in a Southern accent.
Well, m'lady, it is the Charging Bull. Sometimes called the Wall Street Bull. This is a 7,000 pound bronze statue created by Arturo Di Modica that represents the competitive and aggressive Stock Market. Or, as I like to see it as, how many Americans feel about their money! It has been reported that Di Modica was inspired by the 1987 stock market crash when he created the sculpture to symbolize American's strength and power.
Di Modica spent his own money ($360,00!) for his creation, and when finished it was brought to Lower Manhattan and placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange. On www.wikipedia.com, it is said that it was meant to be a "Christmas gift to the people of New York."
Soon after its placement, the bull was taken by the NYPD and thrown into an impound lot. This action angered many New Yorkers and art lovers, so the bull was set a few blocks from its orginal location in the plaza at Bowling Green. It is impossible to miss from any direction!
The sculpture is one of the most photographed pieces of art in the city and is of extreme importance to the Financial District.

What is that golden, odd-shaped figure?

This is the quote from a plaque that lies underneath the sculpture:

"For three decades, this sculpture stood in the plaza of the World Trade Center. Entitled "The Sphere," it was conceived by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace. It was damaged during the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but endures as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country. The Sphere was placed here on March 11, 2002 as temporary memorial to all who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

This eternal flame was ignited on September 11, 2002 in honor of all of those who were lost. Their spirit and sacrifice will never be forgotten.