Favorite Places | Lower East Side
When I moved to New York’s Lower East Side in the winter of 2000, the gentrification process was just underway. Hip new restaurants and bars were popping up on a daily basis, but the area retained a reputation for grittiness and danger - even if that was mostly perceptual leftover from a time when Tompkins Square Park was heroin central. The reality is that, even then, the area was mostly safe and a burgeoning nightlife center - home to some of Manhattan’s best live music joints, divey lounges and intimate restaurants (particularly of the Italian variety).
By the time I left in 2009, the Lower East Side and Alphabet City had become among the city’s primary local destinations. It proved the hipster nightlife alternative to the Meat Packing District’s adult Disneyland. The boutique shops that once had made SoHo a draw had relocated there, and many of the city’s finest chefs had opened cutting-edge restaurants - particularly on Clinton Street and Avenue C - to rival anything in Midtown, Chelsea, or the West Village.
But for me, what makes the Lower East Side stand out is that even as its rough exterior has been covered over with a more glossy sheen, it retains a noticeably neighborhood vibe. The restaurants are small and welcoming. The bars and clubs are similarly cozy and more focused on cultivating conversation and showcasing live music than they are on dance beats and sweat. That isn’t to say that the area isn’t without its pretensions - velvet ropes are more common and places like the Hotel on Rivington feel out of place. But unlike the Meat Packing District, which seems manufactured to provide a “New York” entertainment experience, the Lower East Side still feels like the actual New York.
I love the Lower East Side and miss it dearly. It is and will always be one of my Favorite Places.
Favorite Places | The Palace of Fine Arts
Whenever I’m in San Francisco, I always make time to visit The Palace of Fine Arts near the Marina District. It’s like nothing else in the city, and really one of the few architectural gems of its kind to be found in the United States. Originally built for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in 1915, The Palace of Fine Arts is a throwback to a time when events like World’s Fairs were seen as an opportunity to build lasting and memorable structures in service of the host city rather than as disposable temporary events meant to simply be exploited.
A bit of restoration has been done recently and not all of it is good. For example, the dome has lost much of its luster in the restoration process for whatever reason. But the place itself remains both an awe-inspiring view from afar and a leisurely environment to enjoy from within. Without question one of my favorite places.
Favorite Places | Tivoli Gardens
Opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens is one of the oldest amusement parks in the entire world. Having grown up in Southern California not far from both Disneyland and thrill ride mecca Magic Mountain, it’s hard not to find Tivoli quaint. But that’s part of its charm - it’s a simple, leisurely escape in the heart of Copenhagen. That isn’t to suggest it’s not also impressive. The dramatic grounds, breathtaking Danish architecture and storybook quality inspired Walt Disney himself when he first envisioned his Magic Kingdom.
I’ve been to Copenhagen a couple of times and each visit I’ve found myself spending far more time wandering around Tivoli than I had anticipated. Like the city itself, the park is a welcoming environment, friendly and inviting, almost begging you to stay awhile.
Favorite Places | Half Moon Resort
I am admittedly not a die hard Jamaica fan. I like it well enough, but the easy accessibility of marijuana and pervasive reggae music fail to elevate the island above other Caribbean destinations that in my opinion are superior.
That said, perhaps the greatest trip I ever took was to the Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay in October of of 2002.
Favorite Places | Horse Guards
The Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace is undoubtedly the most well-known ceremony of its kind in London. In my travels to the city, however, I found the similar spectacle at the Horse Guards building near Whitehall (in my opinion every bit the architectural equal to Buckingham Palace) to be the more compelling of the two. Perhaps it’s because much of the Household Cavalry is mounted on horseback.
The changing of the guard at Horse Guards takes place every day at 11am (10am on Sunday).
Favorite Places | Neuschwanstein Castle
Photo Source: ohhhannah
Ah, Schloss Neuschwanstein. The jewel of Bavaria. Many years ago I was fortunate to visit this spectacular castle, deep in the Black Forest. As evidenced by this photo, the setting is spectacular. Sitting atop a steep hill and overlooking the Black Forest and nearby lakes and rivers, it’s hard to imagine just how it was built in the 19th Century. Perhaps only Mad Ludwig could have envisioned it.
It’s a bit of a hike getting to the castle itself, but it is certainly worth the effort. And once you’re up there, be sure to go a little further and find the long and perilous footbridge behind it. The rope and wood plank bridge extends across an impressive gorge and hovers hundreds of feet above the river below. If you brave the walk across, at the bridge’s center you’ll discover unparalleled views of the castle and the surrounding countryside.
Source: ohhhannah
Favorite Places | Chillon
On the coast of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, a short walk from Montreux, sits Chateau de Chillon, a remarkably well-preserved medieval castle built some time in the 12th Century. The grounds are exquisite, beautifully and carefully restored, particularly the underground where, according to Lord Byron, Bonivard suffered as “The Prisoner of Chillon.”
Favorite Places | Vigeland Sculpture Park
To inaugurate my new “Favorite Places” series I’ve chosen to highlight one of my favorite places in one of my favorite countries in the world. The Vigeland Sculpture Park is located in the heart of Frogner Park, itself in the heart of Oslo, Norway.
The sculpture garden features the work of Gustav Vigeland—and a lot of it. The biggest attraction is the spiraling “Monolith,” a large phallus of intertwined bodies shooting toward Heaven, which has both a spiritual and sexual quality. The most popular statue, however, may be the “Screaming Baby.” It takes a little work finding it, but it’s worth the effort.
