Old City Hall Station

Andy and I went on a tour of the Old City Hall subway station. The station was opened on October 27, 1904 and was designed to be the jewel in NYC’s new subway system. The station is elegant with its beautiful arches, Guastavino tiles, chandeliers and unique skylights. Skylights were added to make people feel as if they were not underground, to get passengers used to this new mode of transportation. 

Given the station’s sharp curve, which made turning trains difficult through this area, and the proximity to other trains in the area, the station closed on December 31, 1945. It remains open to a select few visitors every year and you have to obtain clearance to see it. Such a beautiful reminder of a bygone time.

It was a fun date night. Thanks, NY Transit Museum, for preserving this treasure!  

A Trip to Shelburne Museum

 

 

We had a great time at Shelburne Museum when visiting Vermont a few weeks ago. They have everything kids love: wagons, carousels, trains, super huge chairs, pinwheel making classes, toys, books, an old jail, a covered bridge, frogs and even a boat on land.

Andy took this video when we were there--the kinetic sculptures there are amazing, especially on a slightly windy day. This was mesmerizing--we watched for such a long time!

This museum is a must see for anyone in the Burlington area!

Birthday Celebration: Take the A or W Train to Brooklyn - Alex's 4th and Will's 1st Birthday

We celebrated both boys' birthdays at the NY Transit Museum in Brooklyn. Alex was turning four and Will was turning one. We hired a graffiti artist to do the give away--custom baseball caps--and kept everything subway related.

I made the cupcakes myself, but got the toppers from Etsy. We did a combination of chocolate and vanilla.

We hired the super talented Sam Ralph to do the signage for the party.

The tracks are actually picket fences for a dollhouse--we painted them black and used the subway cars we already had to decorate the tables. We got all bowls from Party City.

I made these subway cars myself using cardboard, spray paint, cardstock, ribbon and duct tape. The kids were able to have subway races during the party.

The baseball caps were designed by SEN-ONE, a lovely and talented local artist.

The museum staff was amazing!

One of the birthday boys enjoying his cupcake.

Both boys wore subway shirts with their age. Here they are with their "Mimi".

We highly recommend this location for your next birthday party!