Visiting places in New York City

An exquisite embroidery at the Rubin

Friday, June 21 – the summer solstice! Our friends left for their next adventure and we set off to do some things from our bucket list of New York activities.

Since it was still drizzling we jumped right on the bus to head to Grand Central Station. We found the shuttle to Times Square where we transferred to the #1 Subway. We got off at 18^th Street to visit the Rubin Museum of Art. This is a 6 floor building dedicated to explore Himalayan art and the power of objects and intentions. The exhibits were really about the history of Buddhism and Hinduism in Tibet and China.

Suzanne at the Monument

Then it was back on the subway to visit Stonewall National Monument. I thought maybe I could get a stamp for my National Park passport – but there is no visitor center there yet. There is a small park on Sheridan Square at Christopher Street. It has been fifty years since the Stonewall Inn was the center of riots for gay rights. The Inn is still open, and there were lots of people around celebrating Gay Pride Month and the day of the Summer Solstice.

In this same area we found the New York City AIDS Memorial. It was a beautiful park with a huge white screen covering a black circle water feature with a floor inscribed with a Walt Whitman poem. I found it very moving and restful.

After listening to some rather dull music in Sheridan Square, we headed out to find our way to Madison Square Park to see what was new there. I love this park. It is so beautiful with lots of flowers, greenery and squirrels! There is always a new art exhibit for the summer. This year there wasn’t much art, but they seemed to have a lot more flowers in flower boxes.

Don enjoys the colorful balloons in Madison Square Park

We finished up the day with dinner at the Pure Thai Cook House on 9^th Avenue at 51^st Street.