Category: 7 September

Manahattan is always known as the city that never sleeps, but sometimes it doesn’t get enough credit for its beauty and open air spaces. Places like Battery Park, Central Park, and even a place like the High Line. I had heard about it before over the years with the renovation work that they were doing but I had never saw it in person or through pictures. So seeing it for the first time was really great. The weather was perfect, the view was great and it truly had a great impression on me. The walk, while somewhat long, really breezed by when you catch yourself so caught up in the beauty of the city. It was a place that made me wonder why this part of New York City isn’t remembered because there was so much beauty all around, which isn’t the first thing people say about NYC streets. After having now gone for the first time and seeing what the renovated place looks like, I have even told my parents that it is a place where I would really like to come back and visit again very soon because you can’t find a place like this around every corner.

My personal experience on the Highline trip was very enjoyable. It was a nice change of pace to get out of the classroom after a long day and do some exploring in a part of my city that I’ve never been to. It really struck me how such a narrow, fairly small park had the ability to be such a tourist attraction and the capability to completely transform a whole section of Manhattan. When Dr. Kahan explained that the Highline was solely responsible for the sudden development of the surrounding area, you don’t really get a full understanding of the scope of it until you experience the construction of giant high-rises going up around you as you speak.

It was also amazing to see the amount of history that the architects and builders were able to preserve I’m such a populated place on such a small piece of land. Seeing the railroad parts along the was was eye-opening to past. It was enjoyable to think back on what that part of the city must’ve been like when the area was a booming meat packing district.

It was also fun to notice the stark contrast of the setting you’re in to the setting around you. If you look down at the plants and the old railway its almost not recognizable as New York City, but when you look up to the high-rises and construction, theres no mistaking where you are. Overall, it was a very fun, rewarding trip that I’m glad I had the opportunity to go on.

I never went to the High Line before so I was actually excited to go. I got plenty of invitations to go before, but I just never had the time. I also thought it was kind of sad that I lived in New York City for so long, but never went to the High Line before. When my friends and I arrived at the High Line, many things were a lot different than I expected it to be. I thought the railroad tracks would be very in-your-face visible, but they weren’t. The railroad tracks were all covered with plants. It was also a lot more modern than I expected it would be. It was full of nature, which got me in a peaceful mood. The only thing that ruined everything was my hunger. I couldn’t completely focus on taking photos. The next time I go there, I will go with a full stomach, so I can walk all of it off while taking pictures and admiring the surroundings.

Last week, the class took a trip to the high line and take pictures. A group of friends and I arrived late because we missed the bus. When we arrived, the first thing I saw was a naked man in front of the stairs. I wasn’t sure if it was real or not, but it must’ve been because nobody would be able to endure the heat and remain still. The look on its face was very unfortunate looking, and it was probably the face I’d make if I was there. I felt bad for the sculpture. Unfortunately I did not take a picture because I was more concerned with finding the class. After realizing that I should just enjoy my time there, I just decided to start taking pictures at the beautiful paintings and architecture. A block away, in between two apartments was an abstract portrait of a woman that was visible from the High Line. When I positioned the portrait in the picture I was considering the rule of thirds. Additionally I decided to use the two apartments to frame the picture evenly . I thought my picture was taken nicely because the apartment frame put a shadow to contrast the light coming off of the portrait.

I also took a picture of a car that had a tree growing out of it. While positioning the photo with the rule of thirds, I also managed to catch other people admiring the car. The way they were looking at the car was unnatural because their admiration of the car looked a bit exaggerated. My favorite picture that I took was of the flowers because one flower looked different from the rest. I positioned that particular flower using the rule of thirds too. After I was done taking pictures I decided to buy myself a cucumber lime pop that I don’t regret buying for four dollars. Last time I went to the High Line, I bought one and I was waiting to buy another.

There are only so many things one can learn in a classroom. Although I can sit in a math class and find out how to derive a function of x, as long as I sit in that class, I’ll never get the same experience our seminar class had last Wednesday. Living in New York for all 17 years in my life and not walking the abandoned railroad line until our last class made me recognize and appreciate the cultural and aesthetic gold mine that’s been under my nose since birth. Between the view of the Huston River and the art surrounding that mile and a half walk, one can’t help but notice just how lucky we are to live in such a city that isn’t just a city. It’s all the parks, the arts, the museums, the Broadway shows, that make up the city that never sleeps. The most interesting thing about the highline is that it figuratively and symbolically cut into the bustle of city life. The architecture of the city was literally cut by the old railroad track so we were able to walk through the unique buildings of New York. But it was also a relaxing break from the transition of college.

On Wednesday September 7th my classmates and I took a trip to the High Line in Manhattan. The High Line is a beautiful piece of architecture that runs through the West Side of Manhattan. We started our journey by the Whitney Museum and I ended up on West 34th street. Throughout the walk there were so many terrific views to take in. This made the walk slower but more enjoyable. Along the way I saw many interesting things including new modern works of architecture lumped together with buildings of yesteryear. Something that caught my eye on the walk was a statue of a man in his underwear, at first I believed the wax figure to be a real human man because of all the detail, I quickly realized this was not the case. Not only were there buildings and people, but there were also many shops along the way. Although thy were only small coffee shops or ice cream shops these small businesses showed what kind of an impact this piece of architecture, and architecture in general, has on business in New York City. Towards the end of the walk what i really enjoyed was the view I had of the West Side Highway. The West Side Highway has always interested me because for all intensive purposes it’s not a highway. The road is on flat ground and is in no way uplifted. I don’t know if this fact interests me or bothers me to be perfectly honest. Overall the trip to the High Line was enjoyable, along with the views. I can’t wait till next time!

This week we went to the High Line to see the view and how an urban city like New York can as greenery.  When we first arrived, we learned the history of the area, known as the meat packing district.  The High Line was originally used to bring meat into the district via trains.  When the tracks were no longer in use, the city decided to convert the area into a park.  The park now has hundreds of people who visit a day and the revenue it creates is great with services in both food and tourist shops.  They have no sold over 36,000 tacos and 72,000 gelatos, and the park is only getting more popular.  I especially enjoyed the different statues and art work that were modern and chic.  I enjoyed my visit to the High Line very much, and I am planning to visit again.

On September seventh, Dr. Kahan’s Arts in New York class, including me, took a trip to the High Line in Manhattan.  I have been to the High Line before, but this time was different.  A classmate and I took the ferry to the city and found several other peers along the way (we shouted, “Macaulay Honors” to get their attention).  We all travelled to the High Line and met up with the rest of the class.  At the High Line we all split up and started our journey to the end.  My previous visits to the High Line we not centered around taking note of the architecture and the beauty of it.  This trip was different because I was able to take my time and capture the moments or the scenes that I’ve previously overlooked.  My favorite aspect of the High Line was the different textures in the buildings.  One building would have a rough, brick texture.  Another building would be completely made of windows, creating a smooth texture.  A third building would have a cement-like texture.  Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this trip because it was a lovely change of scenery from the classroom and it was a beautiful day.

Walking the High Line felt like walking through a garden. You are surrounded by buildings, but when you only pay attention to the plants, you won’t really be able to tell. The last time I was there, there were many more flowers which meant it was much more colorful, but even without the colors it was very beautiful.

The railroad tracks that were once used for transport gave a rustic feel. However, the tracks were not very noticeable because the greenery covered a lot of it. The buildings that surrounded the High Line, the modern art that was displayed, and the benches gave it a modern look. The High Line is very unique and I actually think that it would be a place to go for almost anyone.

Jason Luna:

On September 7th my Arts in New York City seminar traveled to the Highline to take photos and practice techniques that were presented in class. I had never been to the Highline before this excursion so this was a pretty eye opening experience. I never knew that such a park existed and that it was done so well that it feels like it was always there. I enjoyed hearing/ reading some of the history of the Highline , how it was a meat superhighway used to transfer livestock to the cities butchers. After it was decommissioned in the mid-80’s the Highline was left to overgrowth, which spurred the idea for a possible park/walkway that would retain some of the original structure of the railway and  use the already in-place elevated track system as a trail. The Highline is a very interesting piece of architecture because it blends nature and comfort into a neat package, right smack dab in the middle of the city. I really enjoyed how there seemed to be everything on this pathway; greenery, seating, grassy patches to sit. I also enjoyed the subtle tie-ins from the old subway line, the most striking being the old railroad tracks that pop out from beneath the concrete flooring. These tracks give the modern architecture a more rustic look and add a historical flare to the renovated walkway. My favorite part of this experience was actually telling myself to slow down and actually take a closer look at objects, for example there was a block that ran parallel to the Highline and seemed to have a different glow with the changing sun position. The sun also has a similar affect on some of the plants and art installations on the walkway in the sense that maybe by going there at different times during the day (morning, noon and night) it could be a totally different experience each time.