69th St Between 5th Ave and Madison Ave

Ah, the land of Service Entrances. On a block littered with townhouses and apartments (and one hot dog vendor), it's hard to imagine that any one would stand out.  However, about halfway down the street sitting quietly at #8 a swooping stoop curls up toward the current home of the Columbus Citizens Foundation. After buying the building from Sweden (yes, the entire country...they were using it was their NY Consulate) in the late 1960's the CCF began using it as their main headquarters and will often open it up for "cultural and social events". Ambiguous as those events may be, the few pictures I could find show that this building is no joke – especially its lavishly-decorated Oak Room.

Unfortunately, the inevitable result of this street is that you'll eventually end up on the criminally-boring and crowded Madison Avenue. I've gone on the record several times before that Madison Avenue is my least favorite street in Manhattan. I continue to stand by this. 

5th Ave Between 66th St and 68th St

Many of the blocks along 5th Avenue that run the stretch of Central Park can blur together. Fancy buildings to the east, trees and a never-ending stone wall to the west. What does change, however, are the occasional landmarks such as memorial statues. On this particular section the 107th Infantry Memorial is one of the few defining elements.  Built in 1927, the statue is dedicated to the memory of 1078th Infantry Regiment, which was mostly comprised of men from the area.

By this part of the park, the highrise buildings in midtown begin to be obscured by the trees. The park itself is an ever-changing landscape which makes it the most interesting thing on the block – let's face it, the mostly generic line of buildings along 5th avenue rarely overpower the beauty of the park.

Central Park West Between 81st St and 77th St

On what would normally be a long, anonymous block next to Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History stands as a massive, immovable block of impressive stone. Filling the majority of Theodore Roosevelt Park, the museum is visible from just about every spot between 81st and 77th Streets. 

The northern half of the park is home to the Hayden Planetarium (which isn't to be confused with Hayden Panettiere), which has been around since the 1930's, but has only recently gained notoriety for its large, globe-shaped theater. 

There's a handful of entrances to the 81st Street Subway station here, which itself is decorated with faux fossils and bones all along the walls. The southern-most stairway is adorned with some very nice lamp poles with "Subway" delicately painted on. They appear to be designed to match the rest of the lamps that run along the front of the museum.

5th Ave Between 87th St and 89th St

Smack-dab in the middle of Museum Mile, these two blocks house quite a few cultural institutions – the most notable and noticeable being the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Coming up here on the weekend to take pictures, there's no way not to look like a tourist. Practically everyone on the street can be found posing for or taking photos.  And who can blame them?  With the recent restoration (finished last year), the Guggenheim absolutely glows and makes for a great pic to send home.

There's not much I can say about the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building that hasn't already been said- except that I always enjoy how the stark, modern, rounded structure plays off the pure natural beauty of Central Park.  There's such contrast in environments that you can't help but appreciate both.

5th Ave Between 72nd St and 70th St

Living on the edge of Central Park seems to certainly have it's perks; however I don't think endless streams of tourists can be counted among them. The street is, of course, beautiful – with lush trees, and beautiful modern and classic architecture all living side-by-side.

I'm very perplexed by the double-decker tour buses that ride around up here. This is one area of town where it's significantly more enjoyable to walk around at street level. There isn't much to absorb from afar. Sure, the park looks nice, but what good is it if you don't at least walk in at some point? And while the Frick is a great building to look at, it's even better if you go inside.

This is not a problem unique to this area. The city is facing an epidemic of lazy tourists. Sitting on a bus as it zips around town is one of the worst ways to get a feel for Manhattan. You don't get to see the shops, you don't get to smell the food, you don't get to even see the texture on the cobblestones.

New York is a walking city, it's that simple. You can visit here, not spend a dime, and have a fantastic time by simply walking the town. As long as people take the proper precautions and keep an eye out, they'll be as safe as they are on any bus. If you have it in you, it shouldn't take longer than a few hours to walk from The Battery up to the southern end of Central Park. And no more excuses for getting lost – not with this blog at your disposal!

Central Park West Between 77th St and 75th St

The large looming buildings of the New York Historical Society and the American Museum of Natural History dominate this area of Central Park West. Because of it's popularity, plenty of street vendors call this area of town home. While it's true for practically any of the areas surrounding Central Park, I'm always a fan of the contrast between the park and the large buildings directly across the street. 

Can someone explain to me the signs that are posted near standpipes which indicate that a standpipe is nearby? Usually they're so close that the sign may as well be directly above it, rather than 12 feet to the left. Is there some legal requirement I'm unaware of?

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