Starling Travel

After my grandpa died, I scanned in all the photos that we found in his house. Going through them, I found this photograph of my grandmother. Click on it to see full-size.

This was my grandma in her blond phase. I remember as a child, she told me that she had been blond for a while, but she didn’t like it. She looks like a knockout to me, so maybe there was something else about being blond that she didn’t like. I have NO IDEA who the ruffian with the bandaged forehead is. It’s certainly not any of her three husbands.

The photograph isn’t quite as important as the cover it was enclosed in. This is the front:

It reads:

Birdland: Nightly Concerts of Jazz

Broadway and 52nd Street, New York

This is the inside cover:

I knew that my grandmother had traveled greatly over her years, but when I saw this photograph, her life suddenly became an adventure that I had only briefly glimpsed. Birdland Jazz Club was the hip jazz club in New York where all the cool cats played.

• Birdland (jazz club) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It still exists today, if not in the original location.

• Birdland
• Birdland Jazz Club on Google Maps

Knowing that my grandmother was a small part of that historical place makes me happy. How I wish she had told me the story of the night she went to Birdland and who she saw play there.

When I was scanning in my mother’s old photos, I found these from the 1964 New York World’s Fair:

You can see the rest of them here:

• 1964 New York World’s Fair on Flickr

The observation towers can still be seen today in Queens, New York. If you would like to take a miniature vacation back in time, you can watch these videos about the New York World’s Fair from the Prelinger Archive.

• To The Fair (Pt 1) (1965)
• To The Fair (Pt 2) (1965)
• Fridgidaire Presents Out of This World (1964)

Here are some home movies from the 1964 World’s Fair:

Here is a newsreel about the monorail:

It’s possible to still visit the site of the 1964 New York World’s Fair, but all of the Futurama is gone to be replaced by the real future.

Teendrama took an interesting fieldtrip to see the Lego Skyscraper:

• teendrama.com – fieldtrip to the lego skyscraper

There are many pictures on their site showing all the detail.

You can also see lots of different Lego Skyscrapers on Flickr:

• Flicker Search: Lego Skyscraper

You can see it here:

Storefront for Art and Architecture (thru Nov 24) 97 Kenmare Street, Lafayette, NYC Tuesday – Saturday 11:00AM – 6:00PM Closed Sunday and Monday.

Enjoy this lovely stroll through Battery Park in New York with Joanne from Rocketboom.

Where: Battery Park, New York Google Maps

Battery Park – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Missbhavens created a series of videos a couple of months ago featuring cheap eats in New York. I linked to one of her entries, but there was a whole week’s worth of good food for cheap. Now, she has put all of those restaurants on a map so you can easily find them:

• the miscellaneous mischievous misadventures of missbhavens – Cheap Eats Map

You are the expert in your town. Leave a comment here telling me where the best cheap eats are in your neck of the woods with full addresses and we’ll make a collection of the best eats EVERYWHERE!

Joanne from Rocketboom went sailing with friends in New York and took her camera along to share with all of us. If you have been wishing for an escape on the water, watch this video and enjoy a quick vacation in your day.

Rocketboom visted the Steinhardt Gardens and gives you a peek at their loveliness here:

• Rocketboom: June 7, 2007

Here are some links to pictures of the Steinhardt Gardens:

• Flickr Slideshow – Steinhardt Gardens

• Steinhardt Gardens pictures from scenery & nature photos on webshots

There are gardens like this all over the United States. They are quiet respites from daily life that you can escape into. Find the garden near you and enjoy its loveliness.

Where:
Steinhardt Gardens
433 Croton Lake Road, Katonah, New York 10536
Google Map

With a recommendation like this, I don’t know why everyone doesn’t go to New York for tacos?

• the miscellaneous mischievous misadventures of missbhavens – TacoTacoTaco!

Missbhavens takes us to Viva El Mariachi restaurant in Astoria, New York.

It’s like porn you can swallow.

Where: Viva El Mariachi 3311 Broadway Long Island City, NY 11106 Google Map Phone: (718) 545-4039

Amanda Congdon toured The New York Museum of Moving Image in Queens, NY and posted this informative video about it.

This museum collects the physical equipment used to make movies, video games and such. While there is a room full of video cameras that might seem a little boring, there is also a collection of the props used in films like The Exorcist. They have many interactive exhibits where you can create your own movie, dub your voice into The Wizard of Oz, or play with a blue screen (it’s green, actually. shown above). If you are planning a trip to New York, there are so many museums and sites to see, but you’ll be rewarded if you try the Museum of Moving Image.

For More Information:

• Museum of the Moving Image

• Sloan Science Cinémathèque

• The Living Room Candidate

Where: The Museum of Moving Image 35 Avenue at 36 Street Astoria, NY 11106 Google Map Phone: (718) 784-4520

MUSEUM HOURS
Wednesdays and Thursdays: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Fridays: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Free after 4:00 p.m.)
Saturdays and Sundays: 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

ADMISSION
Adults: $10.00
Senior Citizens, College Students with I.D.: $7.50
Children (5-18): $5.00
Members, Children under 5: Free