Between the East coast of Manhattan and the West coast of Queens is Roosevelt Island, a strip of land two miles long and 800 feet wide. You can walk from one side of it to the other in literally five minutes. It’s considered part of Manhattan, so the rents are high despite there being exactly one subway stop on the island and no actual way to get there from Manhattan by car. But the way you do get there is glorious. Before you actually get there, though–at least if you’re Kamran and me–you have to make a couple of stops.
We started at Kamran’s neighborhood CoCo for bubble teas and took them to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, which is clearly the most rolls-off-the-tongue park in NYC. Birds cooed on the arches above us, the United Nations building beckoned from across the street, and a heavily Photoshopped sky loomed darkly over Jesus.
We walked along the river in the park below Beekman Place and stared across the East River to Roosevelt Island, which has this creepy old shell of a building on one end that’s always lit up at night, making it even creepier:
On the way, we’d stopped at Choux Factory for cream puffs that aren’t nearly as huge and gushing as the ones at Schmidt’s in Ohio but come in more interesting flavors. I barely care about blueberries at all and nearly passed out from the deliciousness of this:
Kamran looks pretty pleased with his boring vanilla, too:
But then we spotted this on our way out of the park and threw them both up:
We walked up to 59th Street and watched the tram to Roosevelt Island come in:
And then we boarded it ourselves and took it across the river. I’ll never get over how it feels to hang so far up in the air, to see taxis look like matchbox cars, and to peek into the windows of twentieth floor apartments like that pervert Superman.
hanging in mid-air over the East River
the many apartment buildings of Roosevelt Island
a sign evidently left over from the days when Roosevelt Island was known as Welfare Island
the Queensboro Bridge, which passes over the island on its way from Manhattan to Queens
Kamran under the bridge with a Queens power plant in the background
seagulls over the Goldwater Hospital
Manhattan through the gates surrounding Southpoint Park
this was a really terrible picture, but then I made it look retro, so now it’s art
the Pepsi sign, one of my favourite parts of Queens, through the grass on Roosevelt Island
the tippy-top of the old Smallpox Hospital
This thing was built in 1856, lasted 100 years, and then fell into disrepair after it was abandoned. (Here‘s a picture of it from the 1870s that’s so romantic it makes me kind of want smallpox.) In 1976, it was designated a New York City Landmark and then . . . left to rot some more. The city is currently working to stabilize the building so that it can be open to the public when the new park on the very Southern tip of the island is finished. It’s lit up at night with green lights that make it look suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper haunted-housey from Manhattan, so it was awesome to finally see the thing up close and realize that it’s just as creepy as we thought.
Kamran, looking pretty wary of the ghosts
and then looking happy
and then looking like he really wishes I’d stop so we could eat the Milky Way we brought with us
After walking all over the Southern tip, which is really just a couple thousand feet long, we got back on the tram and rode into 59th Street again:
looking North up 1st Avenue
a, um, rather specialized store on 60th Street
Kamran looking sad, because Sprinkles was closed
purdy archytecture
Aaaaaaaaaaaand then we went home.
The End.
21 Comments
I just had to check and see if that was the island where they kept typhoid Mary. It wasn’t. Still cool.
One of my friends is chomping at the BIT to get to North Brother Island. Here are my favourite photos of it: http://kingstonlounge.blogspot.com/2011/01/north-brother-island-riverside-hospital.html. Amaaaaaaazing.
Ooooh, let’s go there next time I come!
Also, did you know it’s supposed to be “champing at the bit”?
I only tell you because I know you care about crap like that. And also because I am annoying.
http://grammarist.com/usage/champing-chomping-at-the-bit/
It’s illegal unless you get permission from the parks department, so be ready with your cleavage.
I do care about crap like that, and whoa, weird. Usually you hear/see the real idiom and the mistaken idiom all of the time (toe the line/tow the line), but I’ve literally never heard “champing”. I don’t believe in English evolving to suit the laziness of stupid people, but I think this one may have already been decided. I’d love to know if other non-journalism people are aware of “champing”, though.
I’ll bring the boobs, you bring the charming manner and sweet voice.
And … yeah. Probably no one else uses it that way – except maybe horse people?
Also: I still don’t understand why it’s “tow head.” Can you clear that one up for me? I actually at one point figured out a way to think of a blond person as looking like a toe … but I always thought it was gross. But “tow” doesn’t make any sense a’tall.
I love the picture looking up 1st Ave. I can’t believe I’ve never been to NYC.
Seriously, sister. I live in an apartment probably half the size of your bathroom, but it’s considered ridiculously nice for NYC. So come visit.
First of all, I wanted to comment on everything and now I’ve forgotten all the witty things I was going to say. So now I’m kind of irritated.
Secondly, does the side of that one building actually say EEEK? Because if so, that’s fantastic and perfectly positioned.
What an awesome city you can go and explore like that. That’s one thing that I dislike about here. Our history has been effectively demolished for the most part. It’s really sad, actually.
I think it says “PEEK”, but good eye! It took going through the pictures twice before I spotted it. I wish it said “EEEK”, and I wish it was on the side of the haunted house.
I can’t believe that! I really thought Pittsburgh would be chock full of old stuff. I guess all of your history is in Philadelphia?
Is it just me, or does Kamran’s happy face look exactly like his sad face?
IT’S NOT JUST YOU.
But when Katie describes his emotions for me, I am able to read those emotions into the pictures.
Um, how is there something in NYC that is bigger and better than a state fair sky-ride, and you have never taken me on it?!?!
Also, can you sneak that bug juice photo into one of your restaurant reviews for me, please?
I want to ride the tram! And I want one of those creampuffs.
How did I not know about Roosevelt Island? Or there being a TRAM?? Is that the only way to get there????????
If so, what if everybody wanted to leave simultaneously? Would they have to swim? Do they have boats? Are those waters shark-infested? Would they all die? IS THAT WHAT THAT HOSPITAL’S FOR? DEAD PEOPLE???
PS: Lovely photos.
There’s also one subway station and a bridge from the East side of the island into Queens. So when the zombie apocalypse strikes, you can get out, but you’re going to Queens. Which is worse? Getting your brains eaten, or having to live there?
These cream puffs look soooooo good!
And how amazing is this tram-ride? I love your pictures.
Initially I was going to gush over your photos.
Then I saw that fly encrusted brew and threw-up myself.
But then your photos started to make me feel better again.
Until I realized how many / the ridiculous quantity of quality photos it must have taken to accomplish that feat.
So then I threw-up again.
Naturally.
So this must be old right? Because all the trees are dead, you’re wearing hand warmers and Kamran has on a coat. If you tell me that’s what NYC is like in June, I really may just move up there.
Great photos though. I’m so jealous of your walking city.
p.s. I have a request. I love the photos of Kam, but I do so believe there need to be photos of Kat as well.
Oh, yeah, I should’ve said this was back in March. It’s now 90 degrees and swampy here, as expected. I was cursing this place as I had to carry my heavy overnight bag from the subway to my apartment yesterday, and then that weather map you posted on Facebook made me cry.
Thank you! Kat’s big complaint is that Kam never tells her when she’s posting stupidly for pictures, so Kat ends up with a camera full of photos she hates. Do you have that problem?
HEY, QUEENS IS AWESOME!
Just kidding, it sucks here. But at least I get to cook in a kitchen that is not the size of a half bathroom in other homes.
Wonderful pictures!
I really wish Shreveport had a smallpox hospital, but all our old creepy stuff has to do with yellow fever, which is far less delightfully macabre, at least in my opinion.