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Girl Gone Travel

North America, Travel
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July 19, 2009

Rockefeller Center, NY

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Ah, Rockefeller Center.  For most visitors to New York City it is the place where the famous Rockefeller Christmas Tree stands ever year.  It is also the location of the famous and beautiful ice skating rink.  For most New Yorkers, if not a place of work, it is a place to avoid because of the crowds and the prices. But I love Rockefeller Center because of the amazing art that can be seen throughout and the history of the place, something I like sharing with my oldest when we visit there and will continue to do with my youngest as they grow.

And now I had another reason to venture to midtown Manhattan and visit Rockefeller Center.  We had an out-of-town visitor and though I refused to do 80% of the touristy things during his stay (just because it was so short and I felt like there were so many better places to visit), I did feel that taking this first-time visitor to New York City and show him Rockefeller Center was something that could not be missed.

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In the warmer months, there is no tall evergreen to be seen, the ice skating rink is now a warm, dry spot filled with tables and chairs that serve as out door seating for the posh eateries. However, the tourists still flock to the site to take pictures with the Statue of Prometheus as a backdrop.

IMG_9007Nearby are the NBC studios, and the windows where the crowds stand to wave at the The Today Show cameras.  A block away is  Christie’s auction house, as well as the one and only Radio City Music Hall.

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Across the street on Fifth Avenue is St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and all the famous department stores and shops that tourists love so much, and of which New Yorkers are so proud of.

And I pointed it all to our visitor. We squeezed past tourists taking flashing photos of all these incredibly recognizable and beautiful New York City sites and landmarks.

But after all of that, I wanted to show him a place that most tourists don’t even know about or care to visit. Right there, in the midst of  all the other wonderful art and architecture and inside the lobby of the GE Building is the breathtaking mural titled American Progress, painted by Catalan artist Jose Maria Sert.  But even more wonderful than the mural one finds there today is the history of the one it replaces. And that is the mural, Man at the Cross Roads, originally painted by one of my favorite Mexican artists, Diego Rivera, which was destroyed due to Nelson Rockefeller’s protest of its depiction of Lenin and other communist leaders.  And though the mural that is there is quite wonderful, and though I never saw Diego Rivera’s mural while it was in place, I can’t help but think of him as I also admires Jose Maria Sert’s work. Diego Rivera was able to send in his assistant who snuck in a camera and photographed the mural before it was destroyed. He later reproduced it and it is currently on display in Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes.

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IMG_9013When it comes to walking around with little kids in this area, just know that it can be hard. It’s too much of a hassle, it’s too crowded, and not easy to navigate through with a stroller. But if this is your only visit to New York City, it’s worth to take the trip, and now, you know that you can escape the crowds by entering the GE Building to admire the mural, and go down the escalator for restaurants, cafes (they have a Starbucks down there) and even restrooms.

It’s easy to get lost in all the hustle and bustle around you, and it’s very easy to become overwhelmed. As a matter of fact, my visitor did, a few times.  So my advice is to slow down, drink a latte or a glass a wine at one of the eateries, and really look around. Rockefeller Center is an adventure surrounded by art and beauty, and deserve a better look than one given by just rushing through.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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2 Comments
  • Single Mama NYC
    July 21, 2009

    It's kinda pathetic that I am a native Manhattanite and I've never been inside the GE building to admire the artwork/murals. Makes me wonder how many other places of significant interest in NYC I haven't experienced. I'll be sure to expose Theo to as much of what I've missed out as as possible!

    Reply
  • Carol
    July 22, 2009

    Single Mama: That's a great plan! There's a lot of little secrets that I've found out through out the years, and I am happy to share them with you any time : )

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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Life has been a LOT lately, and I am indulging in Life has been a LOT lately, and I am indulging in it. 

Especially enjoyed this recent walk through town as a storm slowly brewed. 

It felt lovely. 

#fingerlakes #corningny #newyork
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! @travisjcain will be painting MARK YOUR CALENDAR! @travisjcain will be painting a beautiful new mural at Elmira’s Mural Fest this year (weather permitting on Saturday, if not on a less rainy day)! Last year he painted this board which was recently on display still at @communityartselmira. 

Hopefully we have a sunny day and you can come out to support Travis and all the muralists that day! See you there!

#elmirany #painter #artist #communityarts
Sometimes it’s like I never left. #newyork Sometimes it’s like I never left. 

#newyork
SHOUT OUT to our oldest, @davidacain_, who carries SHOUT OUT to our oldest, @davidacain_, who carries with him the entrepreneurial spirit he’s inherited from his parents. 

While successfully working in supply chain management for a global corporation based in NYC, he continues to manage and operate his own product, @getcalma, a comforting heated eye mask that is currently on the Amazon top seller list for two years in a row and has a growing consumer following! 

We are so incredibly proud of David and his growing success as an entrepreneur and in his career, and know the future will continue to be bright for him!

To learn more about Calma and make a purchase, visit his website at GetCalma.com. 

#proudmomma #getcalma #entreprenuer #smallbusiness
The time has come to move on from my role as a bar The time has come to move on from my role as a barista at @the_garage_at_rye and towards my next adventure. 

I started this journey with a curiosity for a craft I admired and wanted to learn more about. It turned into a job. Then a serious passion. And now here I am, launching Café Cómodo (KOH-moh-doh), which means “Comfortable/cozy” in Spanish, a pop-up café serving espresso and seasonal drinks at local farmers markets and private events! (@cafecomodony)

Starting yet another business was never my intent…and yet, I fell further in love with the craft, the industry, and the culture.

I owe so much of what I have learned to @seschieber, who took me under her wings and taught me so much (and still does) and who embraced my nerdiness and eagerness with patience and kindness….and in the process became one of my dearest friends. Working alongside her has felt like winning the golden ticket. She further instilled in me a respect for the craft, the industry, and a commitment to always strive for a quality product, even in a world of Dunkins and Starbucks. 

Grateful for @abbdawes, @hannahmariee93, and Amanda who tolerated my clumsiness at the start while I fumbled my way through the register and the various drink recipes!

I wasn’t sure where this journey would lead, and as I look back at these clips I realize how much I have changed in the process. It’s not always a place that impacts you, but rather the people in it.

I will miss the regulars I’ve gotten to know whose names and drink orders I memorized and who I looked forward to serving. 

I’m so grateful for everything I learned, beyond just making coffee, because I know it will help me to further grow as a leader, an entrepreneur, and a team member wherever I go and in everything I do next.

I won’t miss the dark morning wake ups and long drives before sunrise though! 

I’m proudest of myself for wanting to develop a new skill and ✨DOING IT✨ even when it felt awkward, nerving, and impossible. I hope you will follow me on this next chapter and come say hi at the market (and hire me for your next event)!

Thank you to Charlie Hunter, owner of The Garage for this opportunity.

#coffee #cafe #popupcafe
Recently took a moment to slow down and enjoy the Recently took a moment to slow down and enjoy the sounds of this beautiful place I call home. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #upstateny

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