Peace and rest on Governors Island

Beautiful summer weather, again! We decided to pay a visit to Governors Island, to see what has changed on this island in the heart of New York Harbor, a stone's throw away from Lower Manhattan, and even closer to Brooklyn. It is a world on itself: green, lush, quiet, relaxing!

The Native Americans of the Manhattan region, the Lenape, used the island for a fishing camp, later, end of the 18th century a fortress - Fort Jay - was constructed, Castle Williams followed. In the 1870s, the Army moved offices and officers to the island, building new houses on Colonels Row and Nolan Park (photos below). The 16th Infantry Regiment arrived on the island in 1922. By World War II, the U.S. First Army used it as its headquarters, in 1966, the Island was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard and they stayed until 1996. 

2003 first visitors were allowed on the island. In the meantime it has become a main attraction, though it's still sort of a hidden gem! Nobody is living there permanently, but the historic buidings were taken over by e.g. the New York Harbor School - a public high school -, The Oyster Project, several arts & cultural & environmental organisations (who arrange exhibitions and events), a Spa, several restaurants. There are differently landscaped parks, like the Hill, playgrounds, lawns with hammocks, an Urban Farm (photo below) and much more. A promenade goes around the island (a nice stroll or bike ride!) and offers gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline, of Brooklyn, Staten Island's harbor and the Statue of Liberty. More and more parts of the island are getting developed, more buidings renovated, it always interesting to get back!

10 min. by ferry and we were back in the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. Took the subway to the Lower Eastside and checked out the fantastic bookstore at the Tenement Museum (below, right). Passing by the new expansion of the New Museum in the Bowery (soon to be reopened, left photo below), we reached the CitizenM Bowery Hotel with its unique lobby (further below).

 

But, even more interesting is the hotel's stairway! Asked at the lobby to get up to the rooftop on the 19th floor and from there we walked down in the so-called Museum of Street Art (MoSA). It goes back to a building named "5Pointz" (for the 5 boroughs in NYC) in Long Island City which we have visited long time ago. In 1993 the murals on this buildings were painted under the leadership of muralist Meres One. The project attracted graffiti artists from all over the world. In 2013, the owner whitewashed the whole building and the murals were gone.

CitizenM offered the stairway at their latest New York City location, and 20 artists came together to create the Museum of Street Art (MoSA). All artists originally displayed work at 5Pointz: e.g. The Yok and Sheryo, Vince Ballentine, Damien Mitchell, Elle & Danielle Mastrionstairwell. The experience starts at the 20th floor and exits into the lobby. 

 

From there, we walked through SoHo (pic below) and took the train to Union Square. Our day ended at a Food Tasting event with our Harlem friends. Closeby Union Square, at La Dong, we enjoyed a great 5-course tasting menu of modern vietnamese cuisine before we called it a day.