Adopt A Neighborhood - Roosevelt Island and Jackson Heights and... Halloween

October 27th

Today was my October Adopt A Neighborhood. It started with a rainy trip on the Roosevelt Island Tram Car. If you live in the city and have never done this, I highly recommend it. It is totally surreal to be lifted above all the roads and tall buildings and then deposited in a part of the city unlike any other.

We stopped at the small history center located directly at the base of the tram car and learned a great deal about the the island and its buildings. Go here to read up for yourself! We then took a walk to the southern end and were pleased to find this site open for exploration!

There are wonderful views of midtown from all points on the island. I've made a set of photos from the day here.

(At PJ's insistence and with his donation of $25, I have begun to post my photos and corresponding sets on Flickr. Dad, I'll give you a tutorial on Flickr next time I'm home.)

This is the Renwick Ruin, named for the famous architect James Renwick Jr. The structure was first conceived as a smallpox hospital in 1856 but has been abandoned for nearly fifty years. Today it is New York City's only landmarked ruin. We thought it rather appropriate to see it on a rainy fall Halloween adventure.

Off the southern most tip of the island lies what I have named Bird Poo Island Dos. I was inspired by a similar bird poop island in the Pacific near my friend Kelly's museum in Laguna Beach.

Lots of exploration makes for hungry folks. Good thing the Jackson Diner had an amazing all you can eat Indian buffet just a short express train ride away!

After dinner we explored Jackson Heights. This neighborhood is the quintessential melting pot of new immigrants in the city. Every block sports a different ethnicity and their corresponding shops and restaurants. The streets were packed and English was not the primary language. I liked the feeling of being a visitor in my own country!

Um... we also saw this.

Most of the folks who went exploring also attended the same Halloween party later that evening. Out of the five people pictured in the photos below (not including me), four of them are wearing costumes pieces I own.

That's me on the right. I'm dressed as Amy Winehouse. But more on that in a later post...