New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [55]
Come late October the park rolls out the artificial frozen “pond” (Nov.–Feb., Sun–Thurs. 8 am–10 pm, Fri. and Sat. 8 am–midnight) for ice skating. Rental for skates will run you $13 for skates and $9 for a lock to use with a “free” locker. Surrounding the ice rink are the Christmas market–like stalls of the Holiday Shops (Nov.–Jan. 2), selling handcrafted and designer goods from around the world. | 6th Ave. between W. 40th and W. 42nd Sts., Midtown West | 10018 | 212/768–4242 | www.bryantpark.org | Hrs vary by month. See Web site for exact times. | Subway: B, D, F, M to 42nd St.; 7 to 5th Ave.
Chrysler Building.
A monument to modern times and the mighty automotive industry, the former Chrysler headquarters wins many a New Yorker’s vote for the city’s most iconic and beloved skyscraper (the world’s tallest for 40 days until the Empire State Building stole the honor).
Architect William Van Alen, who designed this 1930 Art Deco masterpiece, incorporated car details into its form: American eagle gargoyles made of chromium nickel sprout from the 61st floor, resembling car-hood ornaments used on 1920s Chryslers; winged urns festooning the 31st floor reference the car’s radiator caps. Most breathtaking is the pinnacle, with tiered crescents and spiked windows that radiate out like a magnificent steel sunburst.
View it at sunset to catch the light gleaming off the tip. Even better, observe it at night, when its peak illuminates the sky like the backdrop to a Busby Berkeley musical. The inside is off-limits apart from the amazing time-capsule lobby replete with chrome “grillwork,” intricately patterned wood elevator doors, marble walls and floors, and an enormous ceiling mural saluting transportation and the human endeavor. | 405 Lexington Ave., at E. 42nd St., Midtown East | 10174 | Subway: 4, 5, 6, 7, S to 42nd St./Grand Central.
Fodor’s Choice | Grand Central Terminal.
Grand Central is not only the world’s largest (76 acres) and the nation’s busiest (nearly 700,000 commuters and subway riders use it daily) railway station, but also one of the world’s most magnificent, majestic public spaces. Past the glimmering chandeliers of the waiting room is the jaw-dropping main concourse, 200 feet long, 120 feet wide, and 120 feet (roughly 12 stories) high, modeled after an ancient Roman public bath.
In spite of its being completely cavernous, it manages to evoke a certain sense of warmth rarely found in buildings its size. Overhead, a twinkling fiber-optic map of the constellations covers the robin’s egg–blue ceiling. To admire it all in relative solitude, definitely avoid visiting at rush hour; those willing to brave it will be swept into the tides and eddies of human traffic swirling around the central information kiosk, the room’s crown jewel with its polished marble counter and backlit, multifaced clock beaming the time in four directions.
After enjoying the thrill of the main concourse, escape up the sweeping staircases at either end, where three upscale restaurants occupy the balcony space. Any would make an enjoyable perch from which to survey the concourse, but for a real taste of the station’s early years, head beyond the western staircase to the Campbell Apartment, a clubby cocktail lounge housed in the restored private offices and salon of 1920s tycoon John W. Campbell. Located around and below the main concourse are fantastic shops and eateries, making this one of the best—if somewhat labyrinthine—“malls” in the city.
To best admire Grand Central’s exquisite Beaux-Arts architecture, start from its ornate south face on East 42nd Street, modeled after a Roman triumphal arch. Crowning the facade’s Corinthian columns and 75-foot-high arched windows, a graceful clock keeps time for hurried commuters. In the central window stands an 1869 bronze statue of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built the station to house his railroad empire. Also noteworthy is the 1½-ton, cast-iron bald eagle displaying its 13-foot wingspan atop a ball near the corner