Nostalgic. That’s how I felt while visiting Grand Central earlier this week. Walking around the terminal, I recalled going there for the first time with my grandma when I was about five or six. I remember taking the long subway ride in, the really delicious chocolate chip cookie she bought me on the way, and what she told me when we arrived. She said, “Lys, this is one of my favorite places in New York.”
At the time, I didn’t understand why. Little me, couldn’t figure out what was so great about Grand Central. Was it big? Yes. Was it pretty? Absolutely. But the same could be said about so many other places in the city. To me, Grand Central was just another landmark. It was another Empire State Building. Another Statue of Liberty. For the life of me, I could not comprehend my grandmother’s fixation with it.
Now, I get it. After listening to the audio tour on Tuesday, I understand it.
The development of Grand Central was a major milestone for civilization. With its intricate carvings, stunning constellation ceiling mural, and four-faced clock, it is a physical example of societal progress. It is a symbol of the development of our nation.
That’s why my grandma loves Grand Central. She loves it because she appreciates the history behind it and is in awe that something can be so undoubtedly beautiful. In Trinidad, her native country, nothing this “grand” exists. During the time she lived there, no major cities existed. It was a farming civilization. Most people had small, modest homes and lead simple lives. To her, Grand Central is representative of how great her new home, New York City, is.
Story:
Light pink tulips. Ten dollars a bunch. Her favorite. Twenty dollars in his pocket. All he had to survive on until payday. Was it worth it? He didn’t have to think much. Before he knew it, he was paying the cashier at Dahlia – the cute little flower stand in the Biltmore room.
He was supposed to meet her at 12:00pm at the GCT Information booth. There he would show her the constellation ceiling and explain its history. He would tell her about the five men responsible for the design – architect Whitney Warren, French artist Paul Helleu, muralist J. Monroe Hewitt, painter Charles Basing, and astronomer Dr. Harold Jacoby. He would tell her what the constellations meant and how their zodiac signs were highly compatible. She would laugh and say that’s why they were such great friends. Then he would take her to the Whispering Wall and tell her, his best friend, that all this time he’s been in love with her.
At least that’s what he planned out in his head.
-Alyssa Motilal
I really like how you related the experience of visiting Grand Central Station now with when you visited when you were young, it gives an interesting perspective on what the establishment means to people.
I also really like how you wrote your story, it was a good read, and the cliff hanger at the end was compelling. I think you really nailed the assignment, because when you talked about Dahlia in the Biltmore room I was actually picturing it in my head!
Alyssa, I thought the connection you retain from Grand Central with your grandmother is absolutely adorable. The fact you can connect this with such a memorable person and someone who has had such influence to you really shows a lot and can be seen in your writing. I really enjoyed the story you also made and found it very cute and typical romance, which is good, don’t get me wrong! Overall, I really thought that this trip had real significance to you and I truly wish I felt the same way going into it or had some kind of memory.
hi alyssa!
I liked to hear your background about grand central station and your personal connections to it. I also loved your story!
julie
Alyssa, your short story was so sweet! I absolutely loved the way you picked a small, sweet spot in the midst of Grand Central to be the base of a love story. At first I wasn’t sure in which direction you were going to take the story, starting from the flower shop, but reading it made me smile. Your personal connection and your Grandma’s story touched me, because it reminds me of why my own parents are so captivated by New York City- no matter how long they have lived here or how well they know this city. It is a reminder that we should always appreciate the grandeur we are surrounded by and the beauty of the our “ordinary, everyday” lives.
Alyssa,
I was blown away by your blog! I understand where your grandma is coming from and why she loves the place so much, as it is so different from her home country. Overall there is just so much history and emotion behind the entire place. Your story shared such a deep amount of passion and I think the location of it definitely contributed to the viewers emotional interpretation of it. Awesome blog!
Alyssa,
I thought your blog post was terrific. It was the perfect balance of a personal experience and a fantasized experience that work beautifully together to create a deep understanding of Grand Central Station. Additionally, a valuable lesson you teach from your experience is that one should try to look for the history or deeper meaning in whatever experience one embarks on.
Great work,
Andrew Langer
Alyssa, I really enjoyed your blog and story! I find it really nice how you contrasted Grand Central to your grandmother’s life in Trinidad. The reason NYC attracts so many people, especially Grand Central, is exactly how you said it; it’s grand! NYC is lively and beautiful, and you really captured how that impacts us as kids and even as outsiders at times. I also really enjoyed your story, because I felt like it was very emotional and displayed a lot of emotions, like selflessness and love, in such a short amount of time. But hey, that’s the magic of Grand Central for you!