Tag Archives: NYC

Central Park Zoo in New York City

October 2, 2016International Travel, New York, Uncategorized, United Statesadventures, animals, bear, birds, central park, Central Park Zoo, city, countries, culture, family, International, lemur, monkeys, nature, New York, NYC, Seal, travel, zoobreanamjohnson@gmail.com

When Central Park was conceived in 1858, it was designed to be filled with all sorts of interesting amusements for everyone. This spirit lives on in the Central Park Zoo, a small animal park filled with creatures you’d never expect to find in New York City.

During my trip to New York City last summer with my family, my parents and I had a single day left in the big city once my sister left town. We could pick one thing to do in the afternoon, so after careful thought, we chose the Central Park Zoo!

We actually got there only an hour before closing time, but we thought it was still a good idea to look around. The tickets were $12 each, which was totally worth it for the hour.

The first thing we saw was this seal. I’m going to wear my emotions on my sleeve here for a bit and tell you that I’m really really sad about how this picture turned out. I had the camera on the wrong setting and forgot to change it back to auto. If it was on the right setting, you would have seen the seal on the rock and the NYC skyline behind him. I tried and waited for another chance at the shot, but the seal got all excited about being watched and decided to swim all over the place instead. As a brief caveat, if any of my readers know how to fix this photo, I would be eternally grateful.

This bear was the star of the zoo. He was an old, mellow bear, and he came right up the the window where all these little kids were pressing their little faces against the glass. One little boy had his hands on the window. The bear lifted his big paw and placed it directly on the little palm on the other side of the glass. It was the most precious moment.

At the center of the Central Park Zoo is a pond surrounding an island. The island is home to snow monkeys, which were cute but less than polite.

The Tropic Zone is the best part of the Central Park Zoo. It’s like a huge tropical enclosed aviary! There are even two floors to it, and an aquarium. It feels so real, like you actually stepped into a jungle or a rain forest. I think that if I lived in New York City, i’d visit the zoo all the time in the winter just so I could get warm and balmy here.

It also has a lot of cool animals, like a iridescent blue poison dart frog and this ring-tailed lemur.

Our hour at the zoo ended much too soon. It’s a pretty small zoo, but we could have entertained ourselves there for hours. If you’re in New York City, be sure to check it out! It’s a nice, inexpensive NYC experience for the whole family.

P.S. Did you see that I added Pinterest buttons to my photos? Be sure to pin a couple of your favorite images before you head out!

Battery Park, New York City

September 21, 2016International Travel, New York, United StatesBattery Park, castle clinton, city, clinton, Ellis Island, environment, food, globe, globes, history, national monument, New York, NYC, pier A harbor house, restaurant, war of 1812breanamjohnson@gmail.com

New York City is flashy, trendy, and crowded, but it also has some significant and interesting history. The earliest history is concentrated primarily around the Battery Park area, which is the gateway to the city from Ellis Island and also the site of the city’s earliest fort, Castle Clinton.

Castle Clinton was built in 1811 as a fortification against the British during the War of 1812. After it was no longer in use militarily, it was given to the city as a garden and arts center in 1823. In 1855, the rise of immigration caused Castle Clinton, perfectly placed at the edge of the bay, to become a depot and immigrant processing center. Eight million new Americans left Castle Clinton and embarked on new lives in this great nation. In 1890, the processing center was moved and the building became the New York City Aquarium. In 1946, the castle was returned to its original design, and in the 70’s, it became Castle Clinton National Monument.

Besides the monument, Battery Park has a lot of other statues and memorials to see. My family’s favorite was “Cool Globes,” the collection of large painted globes, each painted by a different team of artists to reflect their idea of a solution to the world’s environmental problems. One idea was for everyone to put on layers and avoid blasting heating and wasting energy. The globe was covered by a giant knitted globe sweater. I liked the one with every nation’s flag painted over the shape of the country. Look– they even remembered Burundi!

There are a lot of great places to eat in New York City, but a few are worth highlighting. One of these is Pier A Harbor House, which is located at Battery Park. We stopped in here on our way to the Ellis Island ferry. It was classically American and very delicious.

I love me some international food, and New York certainly offers the best of the best from round the world. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to get some mainstream-type American chow. Especially if you haven’t been home to the States in a few months. Pier A Harbor house had all the really good New England stuff, like seafood in a sandwich and the best clam chowder I think I’ve ever had.

The ambiance was also really nice. It had a distinctive nautical design, with naval code flags and ship decorations hung tastefully on the walls. As you can see from the above photo, my parents were very happy to be there!

If you find yourself in New York City, be sure to head over to Battery Park. You won’t find any neon or Prada, but you’ll find something that draws deep from the roots of American history. American or not, you’ll discover something that belongs to you: a welcome to all nations from the city that was built by hands from around the world.

Day at the Museum (of Natural History)

September 13, 2016International Travel, New York, Uncategorized, United StatesAmerica, American Museum of Natural History, central park, city, museum, New York, NYC, travel, united statesbreanamjohnson@gmail.com

Night at the Museum is possibly one of the best family movies of all time. I know we loved it, at least, and were super excited when my parents, sister and I got to visit the Museum of Natural History in New York again and look for all our favorite characters.

I was surprised to find that all the displays aren’t exactly like the scenes from the movie. I guess I had mingled my real-life experiences from ten years ago with the footage from the film. We did find a few of the characters, though, and the rest of the museum was way better and bigger than I recall.

It’s amazing how much you think you know until you come into a museum like this. I’ve spent so much time in my life reading about different location and cultures, and still I learn tons of new and novel things every time I visit a museum.

It was especially interesting to me to learn about the history and culture of the Masai and other Nilotic or Bantu tribes in the Tanzania/Burundi/Kenya area of Africa, since that is where Ben grew up.

The South American exhibit was also fun to walk through. There were so many terra cotta statues, like this dog. It’s pretty cute…. for a chihuahua.

The ocean exhibit was also cool. Last time we were here, we missed it because we ran out of time. This time, we took our time through it. Even though I took marine biology in high school, I’ve become so much more educated on ocean life since I live near one. I recognized a lot of the creatures in the exhibits.

It’s tough for me to pick and choose which photos to feature and which displays to highlight; I guess if you want to see them, you’ll have to go check it out for yourself! It’s well worth spending a few hours at the Museum of Natural History.

The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway

August 1, 2016Expats and TCKs, International Travel, New York, United Statesbroadway, city, family, Majestic Theater, musical, New York, NYC, Phantom, Phantom of the Opera, play, PTO, Show, Theater, Theatrebreanamjohnson@gmail.com

“There is a terrible mystery around us…a mystery much more to be feared than any number of ghosts or genii!”
― Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera

One of the most magical and mystical stories I know is that of the Phantom of the Opera. I have always loved stories of elusive figures, like Peter Pan, Edmond Dantes and Percy Blakeney, but the Phantom of the Opera holds a special fascination for me. Perhaps it is because it has become one of Broadway’s most iconic hits. I especially love shows with a soundtrack is as classic as the original book.

For years, it has been a dream of mine to see Phantom on Broadway. My mom and sister have also dreamed of seeing a great musical on Broadway. My dad isn’t exactly a Broadway buff, but he has always encouraged our artsy habits and enjoys seeing a good show now and then. So when my sister and I realized we were going to be in New York City on the same weekend, my whole family decided to make a trip of it and cross “Broadway show” off our bucket list. The choice between Les Miserables, Wicked, and Phantom was quickly resolved. You just can’t pass up the Phantom of the Opera.

To be honest, I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that this really happened. We went to see PHANTOM on BROADWAY, and we got to build a whole New York City trip around it. I’ve been drooling over these shows and these soundtracks for years, and I actually got to see one in real life with my family.

When we saw Phantom of the Opera, it was playing in Majestic Theater. This was appropriate, because the theater is pretty old yet well maintained, so it has the right look for a play that takes place in an old Parisian opera house. My dad went all out and got us the best seats in the house: front row balcony seats, right in the middle. Even beats Box 5, if you ask me!

Of course, the show was fantastic. Broadway is the apex of American theater, and it certainly did justice to itself, to expectations, and even to the great show Phantom of the Opera. It was appropriately eerie, and the use of stunt doubles, secret entrances, and unexpected staging played with our senses. We could feel the heat of the flames that shot from the stage floor. The singing was phenomenal! It was absolute perfection in every note.

As a Phantom nerd, I’ve done a lot of research about the story’s creator, the background of the setting, and the history of the musical. Be sure to check back soon for a “Did You Know” post about the Phantom of the Opera! For example, did you know that the Phantom has a name? Subscribe to this blog to get an email when the next post arrives! I always appreciate it when you like, share, and pin. See you back next time!

Reflecting on September 11

July 31, 2016International Travel, New York, Uncategorized, United States9/11, attacks, city, Ground Zero, New York, nine 11, NYC, reflection pools, September 11, Sky Scraper, Twin Towersbreanamjohnson@gmail.com

They say everyone in the United States can remember where they were when the terrorist planes crashed into the World Trade Towers on September 11, 2001. I was seven years old, and I was asleep in bed.

The last time we visited New York City, in 2005, Ground Zero was a big hole in the ground, surrounded by extensive wrappings of yellow police tape. Over the last decade, it has changed tremendously. Two beautiful reflection pools have replaced the holes left by the Twin Towers’ basements, and a museum has replaced the rubble.

We didn’t go into the museum, because the line wrapped around the building, but we did spend some time at the reflection pools. I was wondering why they are called reflection pools when they don’t really reflect the buildings, but then I realized that they aren’t meant to physically reflect anything. They are there for people to reflect on what happened, the lives that were lost, and the heroes that were made on that terrible day.

You know, it’s easy to let our differences tear us apart. Everything seems to become a political agenda these days. Sadly, it often takes a tragedy like 9/11 to draw us back together. As I reflect on September 11, 2001, my hope for our nation is that it won’t take another terrorist attack for us to realize that we are all American, and we should cherish that commonality high above all that separates us.

Where were you on September 11, 2001? Comment below to share your story.

Ellis Island: Stories of Our Past and Present

July 30, 2016International Travel, New York, Uncategorized, United StatesAmerica, city, Ellis Island, history, hope, immigration, New York, NYC, refugees, Staten Island, Statue of Liberty, united states, USAbreanamjohnson@gmail.com

What is more representative of America than New York City? I was going to write that a trip to New York is the quintessential American experience, but the United States of America is too broad and too mulita-faceted for me to make that statement. Still, the diversity within New York is a fantastic sampling of the cultures and subcultures with the U.S. as a whole, and the city’s history and modern status makes it the perfect place for one to begin a journey through the States.

Appropriately, just as my journey home from the Caribbean begins in New York, my ancestors’ journey from Europe also began here.

The sight of the Statue of Liberty inspires me. It inspires me because it is a timeless representation of what the United States is supposed to be. No matter what political trends rise and fall, Lady Liberty stands at the edge of sea, beaconing the traveler and lighting the way to a place of hope. She inspires me because she is what America is, and the hope that America embodies. This is the first sight of our nations shores that my ancestors saw those many decades ago, and she still stands to welcome the immigrants of today. I hope that we never forget that most of our families came to these shores as immigrants and refugees from other places. I hope we won’t forget that it was once our great-grandparents who arrived, footsore and travel weary, hoping for a better life. Maybe the memory of our own narrative will help us to see the humanity in the great crowds who stand knocking at our gates and give us hearts of compassion.

Those of us who have ancestors who arrived in the United States before 1954 have likely had at least one family member come through the processing center on Ellis Island. For me, the trip to the Ellis Island Museum was significant because I have many ancestors who came through this location. Although I know only a few names, it was amazing to me to stand in the same places that my first American family members stood. After learning about everything it took for people to make it to America and get through Ellis Island, I am in awe of how brave these men and women were. Today, although processes have changed, the people who have the tenacity and drive to make it here and thrive in an unfamiliar culture still must overcome a lot. I have a lot of respect for people who are brave enough to do that, and I’m thankful for my ancestors who made that leap for their children, grandchildren, and me.

Two of my ancestors who traveled from Europe through Ellis Island are my great great great grandpa Nicholas Kocina and his wife, Anna Kocina. Nicholas was Austrian and Anna was Czech. They arrived in the United States in the late 1800s and lived in Chicago before they settled in a Czech community in Nebraska. I tried to imagine what it must have been like for them to climb these stairs and enter the registry room. Although it was fairly empty when we visited, it was absolutely bursting with people when they arrived.

Besides the Kocinas, my family arrived in the United States from Germany, Ireland, Norway, and England. Most of them came through Ellis Island, I assume.

Even more than the history of Ellis Island, I was very interested in the modern refugee and immigration exhibit. I’m working on a master’s in Refugee Protection and Forced Migration Studies, so I was able to glean a lot of useful information from the museum. The issues of refugee asylum and immigration are hot-button topics in the U.S. right now, and I found that the Ellis Island Museum did an excellent job at presenting an informative and well-balanced look at the aspects. There are so many facets to these issues and it’s valuable to be able to hear a variety of voices on the matters, just as the museum presented.If you’re ever in New York City, I’d highly recommend a stop at the Ellis Island Museum. A short ferry ride past the Statue of Liberty will take you there. If you’re short on time, bypassing a tour of the statue and opting for Ellis Island is well worth it. Come discover our nation’s past, our present, and our hope for the future.

Breana's Blog

A writer's adventures around the world