Review: The Tenement Museum

...the one in which we get a sobering education on the hard life of an immigrant in the late 1800's....




On my previous trip to New York City, a friend had suggested that I "must" visit the Tenement Museum, which is located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I really didn't know much about it - and because my time was extremely limited - I skipped it...vowing, though, that when I took the Hubby and Daughter back for our summer vacation, we'd definitely explore it.


A 5-story building, designed to house twenty families....

Well.

All I can say is, wow. And Mary? You were SO right - it's a gem of a museum, and something that should be on everyone's "must-do" list while visiting the Big Apple. Thank you SO much for your earlier recommendation - I'm just sorry I didn't have time to do it in February.

So...the Tenement Museum...located at 103 Orchard Street...currently ranked 19th out of 763 activities in Manhattan....

Here's the scoop:

The Tenement Museum is an ACTUAL, RESTORED tenement building that offers an amazing view of what life was like for an immigrant before modern society....It's a unique opportunity for adult and child alike to learn what it was like to not only live in a tenement, but to work in the neighborhood, as well. The people behind the museum don't just "make up" stories of fictional residents of the neighborhood; they've actually done EXTENSIVE research and tell you the REAL stories of the REAL families that lived in this building over the years.

The building was constructed back in the early 1800's...and was closed in 1935, due to changing building codes for tenements. The building sat, unused, for decades - and so became a virtual "time capsule" into tenement life when it was purchased and restored.

It can ONLY be visited by guided tour - and here's where it can be confusing. Currently, there are several tours to choose from, and you must make reservations & purchase tickets ahead of time. We chose four tours this afternoon - but you can choose one, two, or more - it's up to you, based on cost and time.



We arrived at 103 Orchard Street, which is actually a book/gift shop for the museum. I was highly impressed with the merchandise and books offered here - even if you have NO plans to visit the museum, the shop is well worth a visit to pick up some unique books or items relative to not only the Lower East Side, but New York, in general. There are bathroom facilities here, as well as free storage lockers located in the basement of the shop. We took advantage of the storage lockers to stash our bags, ponchos and jackets...as we'd been warned that "space was tight" on the tour.

When a timed tour is about to begin, it will be announced in the gift shop - and you head outside the front door to find your tour guide. A short, one-minute walk down to 97 Orchard gets you in front of the actual, restored tenement - and this is where you will start your tours.



At 1:30 pm, we took the 60-minute "Hard Times" tour...which took us up the stairs of the tenement, where we first visited the apartment of a German-Jewish family who lived in the building in the 1870's. This family was suffering from poverty and illness, when the father disappeared...leaving the mother alone with several children to support. We then visited another tenement apartment of an Italian Catholic family, who inhabited the building during the Great Depression. We were fascinated by the furniture; the accessories; the clothing; the appliances; and the stories...we were engrossed for the entire sixty minutes.

I think what shocked us was the lack of space...a mere 325 square feet per "apartment", which would house entire families. The apartment would consist of a front room (the parlor), the kitchen, and one bedroom. Toilet facilities were out in the backyard. No showers. No bathing. Very few windows - so no lighting or ventilation. Appalling, actually, to think that so many families lived this way for so many years.







At 2:30 pm, we visited the basement of the tenement building for the 90-minute "Shop Life" tour. In the 1870's, the basement was a saloon, run by a German family. Again, what a great experience for us and Daughter to see what it was like to run a saloon during this time - and how difficult the work actually was.





At 4:45 pm, we visited another floor in the building for the 60-minute "Sweatshop Workers" tour. At one point, a Jewish family ran a garment workshop in their apartment, and we were astonished to see the tiny dwelling literally draped with fabrics and tools, all necessary for their trade...and learning how difficult the working conditions actually were for the immigrants. Again, very little ventilation - so it was very, very hot. However, each apartment DID have a fireplace, so heat was available, for the most part.





On Thursday evenings only, the museum offers a 60-minute "behind the scenes tour" at 6:30 pm, called "Exploring 97 Orchard Street." Here is where they took us through the building again, showing how the restoration process was done, as well as how the research was done on the families who lived in the building.






I loved the entrance to the museum...so pretty....


This was a first-rate museum. If you could only do one tour, I would recommend the "Hard Times" tour, with perhaps the "Sweatshop Workers" as a second choice. I think every one of us walked out of there with a renewed sense of appreciation for our own good fortune, after seeing the conditions that were in this building. It's one thing to read about the tenements - but to actually see one? Wow.

An interesting read regarding the building can be found HERE.


Note that the tenement is NOT air-conditioned...and because it was an extremely hot day the day we visited, it just drove home the point on how miserable the living conditions actually were. We were allowed to take bottled water with us, and I can't recommend this enough if you visit on a hot day. There are tons and tons of stairs involved, as well - so keep that in mind. Wear comfortable shoes; dress for the elements; and have water.


So...to summarize: YOU MUST VISIT THE TENEMENT MUSEUM!!!

Happy Birthday, Mikayla

She's always been an "old soul"...even as an infant, family and friends would comment on the wisdom and serenity that surrounded her....Growing up, it was easy to see an incredible strength, an uncanny maturity, and an overwhelming sense of empathy that she carries herself with to this day....

She's fiercely independent...but willing to ask for guidance and direction from us when life has her somewhat befuddled....

She's extremely gifted with creativity...her long, slender fingers flying across a drawing pad, or plucking away at the violin strings as she creates beautiful pictures or music....

She's a natural leader with her classmates, offering her own guidance whether in the crowded hallways, the crazy lunchroom, or on Friday night sleepovers....

She's the girl who, without asking or prompting, will use her creativity in the kitchen...baking up delicious treats for the family, or whipping up fried-egg sandwiches for fellow family members....

She's the girl who, after less than twenty four hours in New York City, walked confidently up and down the streets of Manhattan, as if she owned the place...and had no hesitation maneuvering her way around in the subway system....

She's the girl who can cry during a Broadway show...giggle like crazy while tickling her long-suffering father...and laugh hysterically at the antics of our pets....

She's the girl who will spend an hour in the bathroom, fiddling with her styling products, her make-up, and her jewelry, so she can look like the perfect girl...and yet walk out, don a pair of jean shorts, and go throw a football around for hours with her brother....

She's the girl who would squeeze herself into the back of the Mustang this summer - her long legs twisted like a pretzel - just so her younger cousin could sit comfortably in the front seat of the car....

She's the girl who loves her cats ferociously, sitting patiently while the felines purr relentlessly and rub against her face - all the while knowing that she's horribly allergic to them, and will suffer the consequences later with prolonged sneezing and stuffiness....

She's the girl who has decided that her 'practical' career will involve math or science - most likely in medicine...but knows that she'll indulge her art and music, as well, as "hobbies"....

She would paint the New York City skyline in her bedroom if given the chance...she would dye her hair purple if given the chance...and she would spend every waking moment cuddled with her mom and her dad if given the chance....

She's my baby...who turns a staggering 14 years old today.

Happy birthday, my dear, dear Daughter.

I love you more.

Peace.

Review: Lower East Side Food Tour with Sidewalks of New York

...the one in which we Can't. Stop. Eating....


So...the Lower East Side.

EEP!

I was SOOOOOO excited for today, as I've read soooo many books and seen soooo many movies that focus on this neighborhood and it's immigrant past. Once a predominantly Jewish enclave, it's now a true multicultural blend, with trendy boutiques, nightclubs, and dining venues.

You can have your snooty Upper West Side, or upscale Park Ave neighborhoods - I'll take the LES, please.

I did some EXTENSIVE research into finding the best way to fully explore this complex neighborhood, and I finally settled on a 3-hour Lower East Side Eats tour from a company called Sidewalks of New York Tours.



They are ranked an impressive #10 out of 426 activities in NYC on TripAdvisor. From their website, this is what the tour promised:

On this 3 hour tour of the Lower East Side, we eat our way through the streets, as we sample delicacies from New York's premier appetizing shop, ethnic eateries, and a "mom and pop" restaurants.

Join us as we explore what was once an immigrant and working class neighborhood rich in ethnic diversity and culture. Learn about the history of the tenement buildings occupied by the poor.

The neighborhood is best known for having once been a center of Jewish culture. We will view historic synagogues as well as "nosh" on delicacies from the best "kosher style" delis and bakeries in the city.

The total cost of our tour - for three of us - was $144.00. So, $48 a person for a three-hour tour is not bad...not bad, at all! Not only would we get to walk the streets of the neighborhood with a guide, but we'd get to have lunch - and then some!

Our meeting spot was at the Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery, located at 137 East Houston Street. Our meeting time was at 10:00 am, and pretty quickly our group of approximately 10 or so people formed, along with our guide, Dante.


Dante and Daughter...but note the little man who inadvertently photobombed the picture....!


It's another brutally hot day...but Dante quickly herds the group into the cool comfort of the Bakery, passes out cool bottled water, and quickly does a brief orientation on the neighborhood, as well as the tour. He then passes out our first sample - some knish, a dumpling that is a favorite snack of Jewish background.


The mashed potato knish...EEP!

I'll be perfectly honest. I've never had a knish before. Heck - I'd never HEARD of a knish before. I apologize for my sad, sheltered upbringing - but that was one of the reasons for this tour - to broaden my horizons. So...what did I think of my knish??

NOMS. This was delicious. As well it should be - Yonah Schimmel has been in a storefront since 1910, and is considered a landmark in the LES. Not to mention it was a POTATO. I mean, really? A potato? God's perfect food?!! The family consensus was that we rated this 5 out of 5 stars. WELL worth a trip down to the LES - for the knish. Seriously.




Not very big...but it carries a powerful punch with its tasty food....!



We were certainly off to a good start...and my excitement was already building. Where to next?? I was almost skipping beside Dante as he led our group to the next stop - which turned out to be none other than Russ & Daughters, at 179 East Houston Street.



So...if you're wondering what's so special about this place...well, wonder no more. Per their website, Russ & Daughters is New York's "premier appetizing shop" - since 1914, they've specialized in the highest quality of smoked fish, caviar and specialty foods. Anthony Bourdain once said, "Russ & Daughters occupies that rare and tiny place on the mountaintop reserved for those who not just the oldest and the last - but also the best."

Wowza. Lofty words. Would the food deliver? We would soon find out, as Dante took us inside so we could soak up the ambiance - and the crowds - that make up Russ & Daughters, while he handed out rugelach for our culinary quest:


A Jewish pastry...much like a strudel or nut roll....


Yup. It delivered. Very flaky and very tasty...me like very much. Another 5 out of 5 stars.


Just a few doorsteps down, we stopped at our third stop - the famous Katz's Deli, located at 205 East Houston Street - right on the corner.



I say famous for two reasons - first, they pretty much have the WORLD'S GREATEST PASTRAMI since 1888...and second, if you've ever seen the movie, "When Harry Met Sally," Katz's is where the much-talked about scene was filmed when Sally...um...really enjoys her sandwich (I'm not sure how to delicately put it.) A video of the famous scene can be seen HERE. There's a sign hanging on the ceiling, pointing out the table where this scene was filmed:


Yes...I had what "she" had...and it was awesome!


Katz's can be crazy busy...and they have a crazy system of getting your food. When you walk in, you are handed a ticket:



DO NOT LOSE THIS TICKET!!!! Seriously - treat it like gold. You MUST have this ticket when you exit the deli...if you don't, you'll end up paying a $50 fine when you leave. No joke. I'm dead serious. DON'T LOSE THE TICKET!!!!

After getting your ticket, you can either choose a table where a waitress will serve you (of which there are very few of these tables, just any FYI), or you can walk up to the deli counter and order on your own. (Don't worry - there are tons of tables to sit at that DON'T offer waitress service). They will write the cost of your order on the back of your golden ticket, which you present to the cashier while checking out. And another FYI - they only take cash here. No credit cards.

Anyway - while Dante ordered our sandwiches, our group enjoyed perusing the tons and tons of pictures of celebrities along the walls, as well as using the facilities. Soon, our pastrami sandwich was presented:





{{faints}}

Um. How about 10 out of 5 stars? HOLY MEAT EATER, BATMAN - THAT WAS A GOOD SANDWICH!!!


At this point, Dante could have just ended the tour, sent us on a our way, and I would have died a VERY happy girl.

BUT THERE WAS MORE!!!!


That WASN'T all - EEP! We have more places to go...FIVE, to be exact!!!



We walked a few blocks, which was nice, actually, even if it was hot - simply to walk off some of that pastrami sandwich - and ended up at Economy Candy, located at 108 Rivington Street. And here I thought it couldn't get any better after a succulent, perfect pastrami sandwich. And you now take me to a CANDY store??!!



Economy Candy, in business since 1937, is a kid's dream and a dentist's nightmare. It's as if a giant candy manufacturer just puked sugar and sweets - with just about Every. Single. Candy. Bar. ever made here. Even if you don't plan to purchase anything - even if you HATE candy - you MUST go visit this place, just to see it. Sugar...sugar...and more sugar...stacked to the CEILING. Stacked in the aisles.





Speaking of aisles...they're very narrow, due to the towers of cavities sugar in every available inch of the store...and we happened to arrive about 5 minutes after a busload of children arrived - they were apparently on a field trip, of all things. There's an expression that says, "like a kid in a candy store"...so, imagine, if you will, LITERALLY dozens of kids in a candy store.

It. Was. Insane.

However, we had a few minutes of free shopping time...and I was determined. So, without further ado, I managed to snatch up some little treasures, including a favorite from my childhood:


Yes. Candy cigarettes. Don't judge.


I got this next item, simply because it looked...intriguing:


It was...awful. Ack. 0 out of 5 stars. Don't waste your money.


Trust me. I wanted to buy chocolate - because there was TONS of it. However, knowing that it was, like, 350 degrees Fahrenheit outside, I figured whatever chocolate I DID buy would soon be a puddle. And who wants puddles?

While we were shopping, Dante passed out some halvah - a confection made from sesame seeds:


I liked it. The family - not so much. So, a mixed review of 3 out of 5 stars.






As we walked to our next destination, Dante kept us informed with various tips, trivia and history of the LES. It was interesting to see how the "old" tenement buildings have been revitalized into new apartments and boutiques:




At some point, we passed the Zarin Fabrics building...if you're a fan of The Real Housewives of New York, this is Jill Zarin's claim to fame - where she and her Hubby made their millions. I would never have dreamed it was located down in the Lower East Side:


I tried to catch a "Jill" sighting - but nope. Didn't happen.



We had now entered Chinatown (and yes, Chinatown is on the LES), where Dante parked the group under some shade on the sidewalk while he went and got us a dumpling from our next stop, Prosperity Dumpling, located at 46 Elridge Street:



While we waited, Daughter enjoys a brief moment to sit down and enjoy the shade:



...while I enjoyed the pretty streets of Chinatown:



Soon, Dante was back with our dumplings:



Um. Yes, please. Another winner. Probably the most tasty dumpling I've ever had. Another 5 out of 5 stars. Prosperity Dumpling would be a destination place for me if I lived in NYC. Noms.


At this point, my tummy was seriously trying to tell me, "Enough already!" But we weren't done. Onward!

Next stop: The Pickle Guys, located at 49 Essex Street:



Their name pretty much says it all. As we duck inside the small interior, Dante explains how these guys cure their pickles - the old fashioned way, in barrels....







Soon, Dante comes out with an assortment of pickles for us to try...we can choose from a "new" pickle (barely sour), a "half sour" pickle, or a "full sour" pickle. Our family is like the Goldilocks and the Three Bears of Pickles - Daughter chooses "new", I go for "half", and Hubby goes all in and tries the "full":



Yum. Cold. Crunchy. Juicy. 4 out of 5 stars - if Daughter liked pickles better - ANY pickles, for that matter - The Pickle Guys would have received 5 stars. A perfect snack on a very hot day, and we enjoyed crunching away as we strolled to our next stop.


We were soon at Kossar's Bialys Bakery, located at 367 Grand Street...the oldest bialys bakery in the United States:


Hubby and Daughter listen while Dante explains what a "biayls" is....


The best way to describe a bialys...a Polish bagel, but with no hole...not boiled...with some sweet onion in the center:


Very good. 4 out of 5 stars...



And finally...our last stop....the Doughnut Plant, located at 379 Grand Street:


Daughter outside the storefront....


Here, we stepped inside to not only enjoy the wonderful air conditioning, but two different types of donuts, including the Tres Leche and the Black Out:




5 out of 5 stars....


10 out of 5 stars. It's chocolate. 'Nuff said.


Sensational.

Stop. Enough.

Unfortunately - or fortunately - the tour was over. We. Were. Stuffed.

Seriously...the food was fantastic enough, but Dante? Well. Dante was sensational, as well.

He knew this neighborhood. He knew the stories. He knew the food. He kept us engaged, entertained, and enraptured - and that's not easy on a hot summer day in New York City with a large group of hot and hungry tourists from all over the world.

Please...do yourself a favor the next time you're in NYC.

You MUST explore the Lower East Side...and you MUST eat your way through.

Do this tour.

Go hungry.

The Bottomless Cup at Starbucks

...the one in which we meet up with a friend for coffee...and more coffee..and even more coffee....




So...Thursday morning...June 27th...Our original plan had us having breakfast in our hotel (it's FREE!), and then briefly heading over to the Gray Line Visitors Center to quickly exchange a voucher for an upcoming tour. We'd then hop on the subway and head southeast for our Lower East Side adventure.

However...plans changed. And that's okay. Because when plans change due to attempts to meet up with a friend - then...it's all good.


I have a friend, Jamie, who works for the American Red Cross. He came to the Kansas City chapter a few years ago, working in Public Affairs...and because I often get drafted to do media interviews during disasters, Jamie and I had gotten to know each other pretty well. A few months ago, Jamie was offered an amazing opportunity to transfer to the Manhattan headquarters of the American Red Cross - and who can blame him, when he jumped at the chance?!

I mean, think about it...Kansas City...vs...Manhattan.

He gone.


Consequently, I hadn't seen Jamie in awhile - and that needed to be corrected.

Because of my tendency to overplan (don't laugh) every waking moment of our vacation, it had been difficult to find time that worked for both Jamie and I to get together...until we came up with the brilliant plan of having morning coffee.

We needed to exchange our voucher in Hell's Kitchen this morning. The Manhattan office of the American Red Cross is in Hell's Kitchen. And...there just happens to be a Starbucks in Hell's Kitchen (Duh. There's a Starbucks on every corner, it seems, but that's besides the point.) So - it was a no brainer to meet Jamie at the Starbucks in Hell's Kitchen.

We arrived a bit early, before Jamie, and put in our orders. It soon became very apparent that the employees at THIS particular Starbucks were in over their heads. For every drink they got "correct" - they'd mess up two. Rather than throwing the incorrect drinks out - or down the drain - they just offered them up to anyone and everyone who'd take them off their hands. For free. The three of us quickly found that we had five - FIVE - drinks in front of us...only three of which we'd actually ordered.



It was really quite comical to watch...as it wasn't just our order that got totally jacked up.

It. Happened. Every. Time.

I was starting to think we were being secretly filmed for some television show, being "punk'd" - because, really?

HOW CAN YOU CONSISTENTLY SCREW UP SO MANY FREAKIN' ORDERS??!!

It wasn't even that busy. Gah.

And they were so nice about it. They would apologize, and sheepishly offer up the incorrect drink while they scrambled to make it right. Someone would walk in the door, and before they'd even ordered, an employee would be begging, "Do you want this FREE Venti Iced Caramel Macchiato? Please. Take it."

And of course, the befuddled customer would look all suspicious, because, really? When's the last time Starbucks hands out free drinks the minute you walk in the door?? Not to mention - New Yorkers are suspicious of EVERYTHING.

TOO FUNNY.

Anyway - I HIGHLY recommend this particular Starbucks - located at 600 8th Ave - if only because you will never believe how inept they are. Although I certainly hope they've got their act together by the time anyone else visits. Hee hee.


Soon, Jamie arrived - and we had a wonderful, albeit short, visit, before he had to scramble on into the office. It was so much fun to hear of how he's settling into NYC...with him giving us tips and advice, especially to Daughter, who now has her heart set on moving to the Big Apple one day.

We were even able to give Jamie one of those five drinks in front of us - and here he probably thought we'd paid for it.

Uh, nope.

Gratis coffee in NYC with an old friend.

It doesn't get much better, folks.