I forgot to pack my camera today, so text-based post. After a Starbucks breakfast with free wifi, we stroll across a Central Park washed by the previous night's rain to the Guggenheim. The entry fee is reduced to $10 because they are setting up an exhibition and we are unable to descend the famous spiral ramp. The available areas are still rather good, and we spend some quality art time here. We almost go into the German and Vienna gallery, but I'm turned off by the bag search that wants to confiscate my water (the Guggenheim did no such search!), plus the $15 entry fee. We also skip the Frick collection in favour of going back on their 'pay what you think' Sunday.
So it's then off to the lower east side to see the tenement museum. We stopped in Little Italy for a scrumptious vege pizza, which we didn't finish, and a huge drink of ginger ale, which we did. The area is looking pretty hip but also community-focused. I stopped to look in a lighting shop and looked up at Roberta's prompting to see at least ten lighting shops all on the same street. I may find something for my kitchen light if I go back later. (I went back the next day and of course everything takes weeks to order.)
The Tenement Museum was rather amazing: the people who started it found a building that had remained untouched since about 1941, as it had been used as storage by the businesses that occupied the ground floors. It was very atmospheric, with peeling walls and ceilings. The tour guide gave an interesting account of two of the families, the garment industry and how the building changed over the years, from 4 outdoor privies for 20 families to one indoor convenience between two families later on. When the apartments were used for outwork, the stoves were kept running through both summer and winter to iron the clothes.
We then went on to Macy's, where we stayed till after nine, again experiencing a certain sensory overload.
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