The Other Side of New York

My New York trip was not only about the shopping of course. I explored the city's many neighborhoods by walking around using my online search as a guide and also through its classic double-decker hop-on/hop-off guided bus tour. Very touristic I know but I actually enjoyed it. Here are some bits and pieces of what caught my attention...

I'm glad that my hotel was just steps away from the Modern Museum of Art. Amazing amazing work. The place just fuels creativity and positive energy.

I loved the European architecture of the above building on the Upper East Side, can you imagine the rent over there? As for the building shown below, well this is where John Lennon's wife Yoko Ono currently lives, an 18 bedroom apartment (Yes! one eight!).

We passed by the Apollo Theater in Harlem which is famous for launching the careers of artists such as Billie Holiday, James Brown, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and Lauryn Hill to name a few.

The photo of the building above in Harlem is the Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, by architect Sabbath Brown, who converted the building from a Casino to a mosque named after Malcom X back in the 60's. From a Casino to a Mosque?! Very radical and ironic..

If you ever go to NY, you have to visit the iconic Guggenheim Museum shown in the above and below photos. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. They say the building caused a lot of commotion because it looks like a toilet. Frankly? I didn't see the resemblance. Anyhow, I was glad I got to see Kandinsky's paintings which were on display at the museum at that time.

Inside the Guggenheim, the gallery forms a huge spiral from the main level up to the top of the building. Paintings are displayed along the walls of the spiral. And there is this huge skylight to allow some natural light inside.

I think tomorrow is my final NYC post! Phew!