Open House New York (OHNY) - Tag der Offenen Tür

We planned our visit with OHNY (Open House NY) in mind, a super opportunity to visit places/private homes/collections/museums/gardens, etc., which are usually not open to the public. 

On Saturday - our first cloudy, cool day during this trip - we walked over to CUNY (City University of New York City) to see their architectural faculty in Spitzer Hall. Besides an exhibition they showed us around a bit and let us go to the rooftop with a good view.

We took the subway to the Central Park's northwestern end and walked through the park (above) - with beautifully colored trees, a cardinal sitting on one of them, and through the Conservatory Garden (photos above) - to East Harlem and the Museo del Barrio, presenting the art and culture of Puerto Ricans and all Latin Americans in the United States. 

On this OHNY weekend, they had their big Dia de Muertos celebration, first of all, a family event with lots of children's activities going on. Two interesting changing exhibitions for us: about the gay artist Teddy Sandoval (below) and another one called "Octopus". 

 

 

Through East Harlem (right pic) we walked back to the subway to get to Union Square, where on Saturdays the farmers market is the best. It was packed with people, but we "needed" to buy Peter's favorite (hard) Pretzels, apple juice and provisions (bread & cheese) for dinner. What a wonderful market (though,,, not inexpensive, but what is in NYC?)!

 Below: info booth of fans of the new mayor of NYC:

On to the Jackie Robinson Museum in SoHo. Jack Robinson (1919-1972) was the first African American professional baseball player. After having played in the "Negro League", he broke the color line and started playing in MLB for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. 

Robinson was born in the Deep South, in Cairo/Georgia, but grew up in Pasadena/CA and was a top athlete from the very beginning, played football, basketball and baseball. He challenged segregation and contributed to the Civil Rights Movement. He founded enterprises - among them, he established a bank to help black people - and together with his wife Rachel he was not only a great player but a great advocat of nonviolence and equality.

We joined a tour with the curator of the museum:

Next: Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, home of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan. The Collector’s Office was open to the public on this day, a gorgeous hall in Beaux-Arts-Style with Tiffany lamps and lush decor. 

 

Cass Gilbert was the architect of the building which opened in 1907. The lobby, is worth being seen as well, as is the George Gustav Heye Center, with its Native American collection.

 

 

 

It was close to 5 pm at the time we left and we decided to call it a day in Bushwick/Brooklyn (right photo) at KCBC, our favorite brewery in NYC (besides Strong Rope in Red Hook).

The subway brought us in another world of fantastic murals of the Bushwick Collective, of clubs, foodtrucks and cannabis stores. Had a drink - in the usual very loud atmosphere - and took the subway back to Harlem, a route of almost 20 km.