Fraunces Tavern Welcomes The Magna Carta

Fraunces Tavern Welcomes The Magna Carta

This blog entry features information from an article by Annaline Dinkelmann in Guidelines, the Guides' Association of New York City newsletter, Matthew Baker - editor. For more info on GANYC, visit ganyc.org.

Fraunces Tavern has earned its title as a New York City landmark considered to be Manhattan's oldest surviving building. It was also the site where General George Washington bade farewell to his officers at the end of the Revolution before returning to his home in Virginia. This historic bar will again go down in the history books this Fall when it hosts the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was drawn up in 1215 to limit the powers of King John of England, which also served as a catalyst for the pursuit of liberty. It played a critical role in history of democracy and still has a huge impact on human rights. The document will be on display in an exhibit from September 15th - December 15th, 2009, which will reveal how the roots of the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights all trace back to the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta has voyaged overseas from its home at Lincoln Cathedral in England to New York just twice, making this a truly rare event. Tickets available NOW
Order tickets online: www.TicketWeb.com

Order tickets by phone: 1-866-468-7619

Exhibit Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 12 Noon - 6:00 PM
Closed Monday

School group tours:
10:30 AM - 12 Noon
Call 212-425-1778

After-hour group tours can be arranged.
Contact Visitor Services at 212-425-1776, ext. 18
Or 212-425-1778

Admission:
Adults ................................ $10.00
Seniors [65 and over] ............ $5.00
Children [6 to 18] ................. $5.00
Children [5 and under] .......... FREE
Your admission to the exhibit will also gain you entrance to our Dunsmore Gallery with its magnificent paintings depicting Revolutionary War scenes, the historic Long Room where George Washington bade farewell to his officers, and the elegant Clinton Dining Room. The exhibit will be an experience rich with stories of American patriotism and the history of liberty itself. You don't want to miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity!

For additional information on this exhibit click here.

To learn more about the history of Fraunces Tavern as well as other NYC landmarks in the area, be sure to book your spot on the Alexander Hamilton Financial District Tour.

NYC Marathon 2009

While many of us were still hungover from a fantastic Saturday night Hallow's Eve, thousands of eager and much too in shape runners took top form at the NYC Marathon---the most coveted marathon in the world. Covering all 5 boroughs, the NYC Marathon, brings the best from across the globe in one of the most athletically challenging competitions ever. Congrats to all who attempted to finish, all who did finish, and of course to the first American winner since 1982, Meb Keflezigh.

Night Club Spotlight: Marquee

Night Club Spotlight: Marquee

It's hard to talk about NYC nightlife and not bring up Marquee, where stars like P. Diddy, Scarlett Johannson, and Michael Phelps have partied. The West Chelsea hot spot has been ranked #32 on the 2009 Night Club & Bar Top 100 according to www.nightclub.com and appeals to those who want the high-energy of a large club while still maintaining the intimacy of a smaller one. The firm of Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Archiects along with nightlife designer Steve Lewis, created the ultra-lounge that opened in December of 2003. Johnson is known as the dean of 20th century American architecture, creating Manhattan landmarks such as the Lipstick Building and the Seagram Building. He finished up his designs for Marquee shortly before his death, but there is no doubt that his fine work will continue to be praised.Marquee is set apart from other venues by it's architectural originality but some connect it's style with that of a classic gentlemen's club. The main cabaret space was created by carving out the original roof and replacing it with a 24-foot vaulted ceiling and decorated with lighting fixtures to highlight the signature 35-foot wishbone staircase. The night club features three distinct areas; the main room which tends to play house/techno, the second level where one hears hip/hop, and the Red Room which is tucked in the rear of the main room (ideal for intimate interaction). Each of the rooms come with a full-service bar where one can enjoy a cocktail for a steep $18 on a busy night.
Natural woods, glistening brass, glass accents, and the plush, leathery banquettes add to the luxurious ambiance of Marquee, which entertains thousands of guests weekly. The club uses its own chic tableware and top of the line audio and lighting technology. It has a capacity of 600 people so don't surprised if you don't get in if you're only decently dressed, with a group of guys, or refuse to shell out the average cover of $25. The crowd tends to comprise of many Europeans due to its international praise, which may or may not be what you're looking for. It is also a wise idea not to bring too much into the Marquee because the coat check will charge you for each item you wish them to hold. Hit up Marquee if you're looking for a luxurious night in NYC and you're not on a budget. Play your cards right and you may just bump into one of your favorite celebrities! Check out a video of Marquee during New Year's Eve 2007 to get a better feel of what you'll be experiencing inside.

Neighborhood Focus: Hell's Kitchen

Neighborhood Focus: Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen refers to the area between 34th Street and 59th Street from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River. The neighborhood has been home to gangs and violence in the past but has transformed into a lively area frequented by actors and some of NYC's best bars. Irish immigrants settled in Hell's Kitchen in the mid-19th Century, falling victim of the Great Famine in their home country. These immigrants found work on the docks and railroads, but soon overpopulated this "land of opportunity" and the increasing poverty led to gang formation. It was around this time that the neighborhood was coined the name "Hell's Kitchen" even though it's exact origins are not known. Some claim Davey Crockett started the term when he used it to describe the Five Points slum, while others claim the name is traced back to particular tenements in the area. One thing is for certain, it did not have a positive connotation.
Gangs were on the rise through the next several few decades, with increased violence during Prohibition and the arrival of Puerto Rican immigrants in the 1950s. The hostility among the Puerto Rican, Irish, and Italian immigrants in the area is highlighted in the film West Side Story. The Irish-American gang, the Westies, who had violent tendencies and ties with the Gambino family, controlled Hell's Kitchen from the mid-1960's through the 1980's. In 1986, convictions under the Rackateer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act haltered the gang activity in Hell's Kitchen, and by the early 1990's, the neighborhood was in full swing of a gentrification.
With the prominent Midtown as its neighbor, Hell's Kitchen started to become more elite as Midtown continued to prosper. Young professionals and actors moved into this area and continue to enjoy the close proximity to the business district and Broadway theaters alike. Some celebrities that have lived in Hell's Kitchen include Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stalone, Jerry Seinfeld, Madonna, and Alicia Keys. Despite the increasing prominence of the neighborhood, we will never forget the famous gangsters like Owney Madden and James Coonan that dominated Hell's Kitchen before all that. The municipality, gentrifies, and real estate agents tend to refer to the area as "Clinton" to erase the reputation of the neighborhood's past, but Hell's Kitchen will always be Hell's Kitchen.To get a more in-depth and interactive history of Hell's Kitchen as well as enjoy a few beers at historic bars in the area, check out the Hell's Kitchen Pub Crawl offered Wednesdays at 7:30 pm.

That Amazing Apple We Call Big

With Bloomberg and Thompson heading off the November 3rd election, it's interesting to think what NYC has gone through in the past few years. Alot of the rhetoric against Bloomberg is that he's put us in this financial collapse and doesn't deserve to be re-elected. Let me begin with the fact that I'm not endorsing Bloomberg or Thompson. But it may be interesting to analyze what NYC has gone through in the past 8 years.

With the financial collapse of the markets, many think of NYC as a fallen city. "It's no longer the financial capital of the world", "No one wants to go to NYC anymore", "It's not as cool" (and any other cliched one liners you can think of). But the reality is far from such baseless remarks.
More people have immigrated to NYC in the past eight years than ever before. Tourism is at it's highest, and while unemployment is high, people are beginning to find jobs every day. Companies are hiring, revenues are returning and people are smiling again. Everyone I know still love to live in NYC. Many are taking jobs with less pay simply to live in the amazing city of ours.
I personally remember moving to NYC many years ago and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I was so happy all the time. I barely knew anyone and life was rather monotonous (that is if you ignore the craziness of NYC itself). But that's really it. It's that the city is a character in itself. It's energy, it's unpredictability and it's beauty will never be gone.

Interesting NYC tidbit of the day - Shadowlands

Interesting NYC tidbit of the day - Shadowlands

One of the most famous plays in New York City opened this day 19 years ago. Shadowlands, a piece inspired by C.S Lewis (famous for his ¨Chronicles of Narnia¨), has played over 169 performances at the Brooks Atkins Theater and continues to amaze audiences.

Taken from Theatre Western Springs

Shadowlands was originally conceived by Norman Stone as a drama for Thames television. In 1983, he tapped Brian Sibley, the author of C.S. Lewis Through the Shadowlands: The Story of His Life with Joy Davidman, to research and write the script, which they called Surprised by Joy. Thames television lost interest in producing the project but refused to release the rights to Sibley¹s teleplay. Stone then engaged William Nicholson to compose a new text. This version became Shadowlands and was produced for bbc television in 1985. It featured Joss Acklund and Claire Bloom. Nicholson subsequently rewrote the work as a stage play, incorporating considerable new material

The Day They Took King George's Statue down in Bowling Green NYC

The Day They Took King George's Statue down in Bowling Green NYC

Jack Stanley, a tour guide and historian who works with Uncle Sams, writes a great piece on the Bowling Green issue.

On July 9, 1776, there was a rush to tear down the statue of King George the 3rd in Bowling Green Park. How did it happen and why? It seems that the Declaration of Independence was read in New York for the first time on that summers day.

Who was it read for? George Washington's troops that were located where New York's City Hall is now located. It has always been my belief that George Washington's troops were celebrating the release of the document. I would not be surprised if they had been drinking.
They came down full of revolutionary excitement to the Bowling Green Park. Tore off all the crowns on the fencing around the park. Then they came into the park and toppled the gilded lead statue of King George the 3rd.

The statue was chopped up and shipped to Connecticut. It was there that King George's statue was made into over 42,000 bullets. Therefore the King's lead would be fired at his own troops.

It was the beginnings of a revolution. But what is not usually known in our history of New York is that New York City during the entire American Revolution was occupied by the British. In fact the British flag flew over New York City as the battle for Independence was fought on many fronts.
Today we always talk of our independence taking place on July 4, 1776. That is the common day we have claimed as the date we wished to get it, but to be honest, independence was declared on July 2, 1776. The paperwork was signed on the 4th.

This of course did not mean we were independent at all. In fact the United States was not truly independent till November 25, 1783. That date was called "Evacuation Day". This was the day the British Flags went down over New York City and the American Flag went up for the first time in the city as well.

That in many ways is our true Independence Day. For that is the day we truly got it!

Today as you walk by Bowling Green Park, you can feel the history and see the original fence that surrounds the park, minus it crowns of course. That is where it all began in the American Revolution in New York City. Look around and feel the history, it is all around you.

For New York is also a city in which the history never sleeps as well.

Day 1- Little Rock

Day 1- Little Rock

Leaving San Francisco, I knew a 12-day tour of the New Madrid Fault area would be a personal learning experience. Self enrichment aside, to reach just one individual and truly open his eyes to the earthquake risk at hand, persuading a few that preparedness is a “now” and a “must” would be a success.



The City of Little Rock, my first stop along a six-city tour of the New Madrid Fault area, was hot, lovely and fascinating.

On Monday, July 17, a small but impassioned group of us met at the Pulaski Regional Center in downtown Little Rock in the opening salvo of my ProtectingAmerica.org tour.

They (pictured below) included Daniel Cicirello, Chair of the Governor’s Earthquake Council, Frank Allison, Structural Engineer with Engineering Consultants, Jeffrey Connelly, Department of Earth Sciences at UALR, Tony Evans, Maintenance Engineer with Dept. of Highways and Transportation, Scott Ausbrooks, Geologist with the Arkansas Geological Commission, Jim Wilkinson, Executive Director of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium. Mr. Wilkinson is the chief earthquake preparedness voice for eight states in the Midwest and Midsouth, and drove from Memphis just to join us.



What was most surprising to me was the openness, urgency and candidness of the group. Geologists Ausbrooks and Connelly were very impassioned in their belief that greater studies had to be done in order to understand the very complex New Madrid Fault System.

The New Madrid Fault, they explained, is a different kind of fault from the infamous San Andreas in California, which caused the 1906 disaster. New Madrid is an “intraplate” fault, which means it is centered in the North American plate, and much harder to observe and measure than the great San Andreas.

In the winter of 1811, three major earthquakes struck the region, centered between Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. The first occurred on Dec. 16, the second on January 23, the third on Feb. 7. Each earthquake increased in intensity, until the granddaddy of the three exceeded the magnitude of the 1906 earthquake, likely registering a whopping 8.1 on the yet-to-be-invented Richter scale.




The earth shook for four months, and was felt as far as Washington D.C, Boston and Cuba. More than 1.5 million square miles of American soil felt the tremor, ten times the area set in motion by the 1906 earthquake. For a time, the Mississippi River ran backward. Sand “geysers” opened in the earth, shooting rocks, soil and debris into the sky, some of the fissures 100 feet in diameter, with columns of debris 100 feet high. The mounds they created can still be seen throughout the South.

Engineers Allison, Evans and Governor’s Chair Cicirello all spoke about the need to increase earthquake standards. Cicirello was particularly focused on the need to improve the quality of Arkansas’s school buildings: almost a quarter of a million children attend classes in buildings built of unreinforced masonry. Everyone on the panel agreed it was a moral and ethical imperative to protect the region’s children.

James Wilkinson showed an extraordinary knowledge of the danger facing the entire region, subscribing to the consensus that a seismic event is a “when” and not an “if.”

In the audience were state disaster and recover specialists, fire officials, journalists and television reporters.



It was a truly inspiring and engaging evening. When television reporters asked me if I was concerned about scaring folks with the “doom and gloom” message, I replied that I consider preparation and mitigation as the antidote to doom and gloom. It will happen, I argued: when it does, would the citizens of the South rather we be prepared or unprepared?

Every member of the panel, and fire officials in the audience, echoed a common theme. This was not just a problem for state, local, and federal officials. Every citizen of the South and Midwest must take precautions. They must store food, water, medical supplies, and be able to self-sustain for an extended period of time.

And they must participate in programs, organize their communities, and aid all these marvelous scientists and relief experts in saving their homes, families and communities.

We live in a marvelous country, I said, with all the gifts that one can ask for. But that comes with a price, and that price is eternal vigilance. I called complacency “the ultimate terrorist”, a theme I think I will repeat.

I admitted at the end of the two hour meeting that I felt a bit pretentious and uncomfortable at first, coming as a stranger into Little Rock, talking about disaster and telling people what to do about it. But I was welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm. There did not seem to be a single difference of opinion among the entire group. What I tried to do was carry the lessons that we in California had learned, and no more eager or open audience could have appeared at the inaugural event.

We are one country, one group united around a common cause. A small and determined group can accomplish much.

I thanked James Lee Witt and Admiral James Loy for welcoming me into ProtectingAmerica.org and allowing me to start on this remarkable journey and meet these extraordinary people.

I appeared on several Arkansas television stations, and was warmly received by everyone, and the efforts of ProtectingAmerica to help disseminate the message, were exemplary.

The message of mitigation and preparation is getting out. The efforts of James Lee Witt and James Loy are working. Now we are on to Memphis and Nashville, Evansville and St. Louis.

Louisville, KY and Evansville, IN

Louisville, KY and Evansville, IN

The last two stops on our ProtectingAmerica.org tour took us to Louisville, Kentucky and Evansville, Indiana.

Louisville is a beautiful city, one of the most vibrant and sophisticated cities in the South, a place where it is hard to avoid the name and image of the city’s favorite son, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.

We did several television appearances, including WHAS (ABC) and WAVE-TV (NBC). We did not do a public forum in Louisville: there is a wide-held notion that the western part of the state is more vulnerable to the New Madrid fault line than Louisville. Given the wide spread effect of the 1811-1812 seismic events, this may only be partially true. The western section may indeed be more vulnerable, but the effect in other parts of Kentucky, given a seismic event between 6.0 and the estimated 7.0 – 8.0 of the previous major event will be enormous.

We had been told by several USGS and Emergency Management people that Evansville was one of the most aware and progressive cities along the New Madrid Fault Line. They were right.

On the evening of July 24, a group of us assembled for a town hall meeting at Evansville’s stunningly beautiful central library. In attendance were Evansville’s Fire Chief, Ken Zuber, their Emergency Management Director, Sherman Greer, Dr. Norman Hester, seismologist and former director of the Indiana Geological Survey, and others.

The Evansville event really underscored the entire New Madrid “situation.” Disaster specialists, first responders and scientists are acutely aware of the vulnerability of their regions. But the level of awareness and preparation among most citizens and most politicians is woefully low.

Sherman Greer, who chaired the Evansville discussion, spoke of the wide range of problems facing Indiana after a major earthquake. He noted that Un-reinforced Masonry Buildings (URM’s), mostly brick and stone exteriors, were prevalent throughout Evansville and the entire state of Indiana. He talked about the enormous number of bridges – throughout our journey, we crossed bridge after bridge and river after river – and the potential loss of life in the event of bridge failures. In addition, the damage to bridges and freeways – many freeway approaches are on filled ground and highly susceptible to failure due to liquefaction – could produce the “island effect.” It is a subject well known to those of us who study earthquakes in California, and simply means that cities and communities will be cut off from one another, making it difficult and often impossible to move resources between different areas according to their needs.

Evansville’s very young and very dedicated Fire Chief Ken Zuber was an inspiration, one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated chiefs I have met in my many travels. A former high school and college wrestler, as was I, we spent quite a bit of time discussing the sport and how important fitness and athletic skills were to police and fire fighters, male and female. Ken Zuber is acutely aware of the potential problems facing his department, and tries to maintain a very high state of readiness.

I reiterated at every event that I, and ProtectingAmerica.org, was not there to lecture or frighten anyone and that our mission was simply to share our concerns and our knowledge with our neighbors in the region. I was also determined to learn as much as I could about the area immediately surrounding the New Madrid Fault Zone. It was eye-opening, to say the least.

Some of the lessons I learned:

1. Dr. Norman Hester informed me that there was a “sub-fault” or secondary fault line through Indiana, the Wabash Fault Line, that could potentially be as destructive as New Madrid. In Northern California, we have seven fault lines, including the massive San Andreas, but it is not always the dominant fault line that presents the biggest problem.

2. The New Madrid Fault region is in dire need of study. The San Andreas exists on the edge of the North Americana plate, where it bumps against the Pacific Plate, and is much easier to study as the plate’s movements can be seen and measured on the surface of the land, one giant scar through California. New Madrid is an “intraplate” fault, in the middle of the North American Plate, and is at least 3,000 feet below the surface, making it much more mysterious and inaccessible.

3. In Memphis, the EMA Director, Claude Talford, reiterated a conversation he and I had that “the fact we have not had a 6.0 or greater on the New Madrid since 1895 is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing for obvious reasons, a curse because it has lulled us into complacency.”

4. Because of the frequency of significant quakes in California, the state receives attention from geologists, and lots of money for research and planning. The New Madrid Zone receives far less, and yet USGS officials believe the region is more vulnerable than California. In 1811 and 1812, the ground shook for four months along the New Madrid Zone, with four major earthquakes, each progressively larger than the previous. And yet their building codes are not nearly as rigid as California’s, where every modern quake produces higher standards and more preparation.

5. The soft, alluvial soil of the New Madrid region and everything east of the Rocky Mountains amplifies ground waves so that a 6.0 event there is much more catastrophic than a similar event in California.

6. The enormous number of rivers and bridges throughout the region further complicate the problems.

7. It has only been since 1989 that modern seismic standards have been introduced into new buildings: they have since been strengthened, but do not apply to retrofitting of older buildings, particularly the unreinforced masonry buildings.

8. In Evansville, I asked Ken Zuber how much of his water suppression system was above ground. Evansville has a single fire boat, capable of pumping 2,000 gallons of water per minute. That is the only system above ground: during seismic events, underground water pipes, many of them older and deteriorating, rupture from the intense ground movement. In 1906, San Francisco burned to the ground because of ruptured water mains: in 1989, the city escaped a repeat when the below ground systems failed again and the fireboat Phoenix, pumping 10,000 gallons per minute, supplied five and one half million gallons of salt water to extinguish the famous Marina fire. The residual dangers from an earthquake are enormous: landslides along the region’s many rivers, and fire, particularly, as we saw in San Francisco, should be part of disaster mitigation.

9. I have long been an advocate of citizen involvement in groups and organizations like the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and believe that a community’s survival may be tied to how many trained back-up personnel they can summon during a major event.

10. I also believe that the state National Guard units should be trained in fire fighting and heavy rescue operations. A quick-response strike force in every region of the country could be crucial when there is a major disaster.

Our trip to St. Louis, which should have been our final stop, was halted by a natural disaster, ironically. Major wind and rain storms knocked out power to over 500,000 residents, and the participants in the St. Louis event – mostly emergency management personnel – were impossible to reach.

I got a first hand look at the scope of disaster potential during the trip through the South. I experienced 100 plus degree heat for days, torrential rains storms, hail storms, high winds and were in Southern Indiana when the freeways were blocked due to a sniper on the freeway overpasses.

All in all, it was a remarkable experience, those 10 days. We found the people of the South and Mid-West to be exactly how I remembered them: civil, generous, friendly and infinitely helpful.

We also realized that those few voices trying to be heard on these crucial issues are in serious need of whatever help we can lend them.

new york city tour casting

pnb: new york city tour casting

By Rosie Gaynor
I know I'm not the only one who follows PNB like fanatics follow football. Who's out due to injury? What rookie is the coach playing this week? How does it change the game? Do you remember when they did the same thing back in '96?

I can't say PNB's PR manager was surprised when I asked for the cast list for their NY performances this week (Joyce Theater, January 5 through January 10). Here it is, with some pix of the works they're performing there...plus a little commentary...

Jodie Thomas and Lucien Postlewaite in Opus 111 (Angela Sterling photo)

Twyla Tharp's Opus 111
Körbes
Bold
Lallone/Dec
Milov/Cruz
Imler
Porretta
Foster
Kerollis (set on Gaines)
Eames
Moore
Ricard (set on Thomas)
Postlewaite

Dec and Cruz were such a great couple in Petite Mort, so it would be fun to see them in this sexy sequence that Lallone and Milov do so well here. I'm so sad Gaines is still out with an injury; at least he's in the ads for this show, even if he can't be in the show itself. Kerollis will do a fine job, though. We've missed Jodie Thomas all season in Seattle, and her light touch and sparkle will be missed in Opus 111 at the Joyce. She and Postlewaite built a little spatial relationship with this piece that was just lovely. I'm still getting to know Ricard, which makes sense, given the roles she's had. Still, I haven't yet been able to see past the wall of technique to her personality except for one brief moment in the last rep. If she's got more of that, bring it on. Having caught a glimpse of it, I'll look harder next time.


Carla Körbes and Bold Batkhurel in Für Alina (Angela Sterling photo)

Marco Goecke's Mopey
Moore/Porretta/Griffiths
I pity the poor folks in New York who might only get to see one Mopey. Three men; three different Mopeys; gotta see'em all.
Check out the movie...



James Moore, William Lin-Yee, Jerome Tisserand, Sokvannara
Sar in 3 Movements (Angela Sterling photo)
Benjamin Millepied's 3 Movements
Körbes
Dec
Foster
Ricard
Rausch
O'Connor
Eames
Gilbreath
Bold
Griffiths (set on Sar?)
Orza
Milov
Lin-Yee
Postlewaite
Tisserand
Moore

I'm a little shaky on the original cast for 3 Movements. I'll have to track down my old program to see if there were other cast switches. One never gets enough of Griffiths' elegance and humor, of course, of course, but Sar's wild entrance and raw power gave 3 Movements an edge that was mirrored in Körbes and Bold's entrance. It's a shame to have him sit this one out, Coach Boal.