New York , January 2009.
I flew from Malaga on the Costa del Sol , Spain , my new home , direct to JFK .
I had to change flights for Minneapolis so a stop over in New York seemed a good idea .
I was en route to the 50th anniversary of Buddy Holly at the
Surf Ballroom , Clearlake , Iowa , for my 7th visit !
After a taxi ride from JFK , and my first glimpse of the New York skyline , I checked
into my hotel "The Time" , on 224 , 49th St West .
New York , WOW !!! It's exactly like every movie you've ever seen ,
just amazing !
Did lots of sightseeing , including some to do with Buddy Holly .
This is the Roseland Ballroom . I'd imagine
that in it's heyday with all the big bands , it
must have been THE place to go dancing !
The August Wilson Theatre on 252 West St ,
just a couple of blocks from my hotel .
Went to the ticket office , they had one seat
, 9 rows from the front .
Saw "The Jersey Boys" on Broadway , what
a show !
The Carnegie Hall .
After the "Jersey Boys" show , I went to
the Hard Rock Cafe on Broadway .
It is located in the old Paramount Theatre
where many films , including Elvis'
"Loving You" premiered .
This picture shows a whole wall made up
of guitar bodies .
The 4 suits that The Beatles wore on
stage for their very first US concert
at Shea Stadium , New York .
Note the 4 TWA flight bags with their
names on .
On this stage , in the 1960s , it changed
from being a movie theatre to a TV
studio for live shows .
Lots of musical chat shows came
from here .
A showcase containing , centre , a
photograph of Elvis arriving for the premiere
of "Loving You" .
Top left is a photo of Elvis and Frank Sinatra ,
when Frank welcomed Elvis back from
Germany , his first live appearance after
leaving the Army .
On the right is the black , tie suit , that Elvis
wore for that show .
Oh , also had a great cheeseburger and a beer !
Friday morning , left my hotel early ,
caught the Metro to Ground Zero .
After walking around , discovered there
was a guided tour so I bought a ticket .
Very informative , interesting and
deeply moving .
Ground Zero has a gift shop which is also
like a mini museum , and houses some of
the remains of the original structure of
The Twin Towers .
This visit was a must to do on my list ,
while also leaving me with feelings of
great sadness .
Had a quick lunch at the Stage Door Deli ,
something I'd always wanted to do was
have a sandwich with Pastrami on Rye
(I'd just heard it in so many movies! ) .
Then made my way to The Empire State
Building on 5th Avenue and 34th Street .
Being one with absolutely no head for
heights I forgot all about it once I
reached the 86th floor and saw one of
the world's most incredible views .
The elevator ride to the top is nerve
wracking , but the views on all four sides
are breathtaking !
I particularly liked the view of the
Chrysler building .
One of my favourite views had to be to the
South , with Ellis and Staten Island ,
and the Financial disctrict .
One can only imagine how the Twin Towers
would have looked on that skyline !
I stayed up there until it got dark and saw
all the famous New York lights at night .
In the evening , having already booked a
ticket , I just crossed Broadway from my
hotel to the Winter Gardens Theatre and
watched Mamma Mia .
After the show , walked down to Times
Square ( 5 minutes ) , and went to the
Hard Rock Cafe again for another
cheeseburger and beer !
This is the Brill building , 1659 , on Broadway .
Inside , in an office suite somewhere ,
some of the best songs in the history of
popular music were written by the likes of
Carole King , Gerry Goffin ,Neil Sedaka and
Neil Diamond ,to name but a few .
I'm also told that songs from a good many
musicals dating back to the '30s , were also
written here .
My 2nd stop on my Saturday morning tour
was "Manny's Music" on 48th St East .
Buddy Holly apparently bought a whole
range of guitars , strings etc from this
store .
After here , went to look at "Radio City" .
This is the Hotel Walcott , where Buddy
and Phil Everly started to produce and
manage other artistes .
They would record them in a studio next to
the ballroom of this hotel , called
The Belltone Studios .
This is the famous Pythian Temple , which
at one time housed a recording studio .
Apart from Bill Haley's
"Rock Around The Clock" and other such
classics , Buddy recorded the famous
"string sessions" here .
The inside view of the Pythian Temple ,
sadly the recording studio is no longer
there , and is just an apartment block .
One can only imagine the famous rock 'n'
roll luminaries and people to do with the
music industry , who have walked through
those doors !
Outside view of Buddy Holly's apartment ,
3b , in the Brevoort building on 5th
Avenue .
Buddy and Maria Elena started out their
married life here .
The apartment is the 4th floor , centre ,
in this picture .
The Brevoort building is almost the last one
on 5th Avenue , just opposite the George
Washington Arch .
Back in the late '50s and '60s , an exciting
place to be , with the coffee houses of
Greenwich Village just around the corner .
Moved on to Harlem , to visit the famous
Apollo Theatre , where Buddy and The
Crickets appeared in concert in 1957 .
It is known as a theatre for black acts only ,
so the audience were in for a huge surprise
when Buddy walked on stage !
I also went through Spanish Harlem ,
Brooklyn and The Bronx
( and I'm still alive !! ) .
From Harlem I went to Central Park .
In the North side of Central Park is the
"Imagine" memorial to John Lennon .
The Dakota building where John and Yoko
lived , their apartment is on the 7th floor
with the railings around it .
The entrance to the Dakota building
where the fatal shots were fired .
John Lennon had just arrived home
from a recording session at The Hit
Factory working on his last album
"Double Fantasy" .
Sunday morning I caught my flight from
JFK to Lindbergh , Minneapolis .
New York , January 2009.
I flew from Malaga on the Costa del Sol, Spain, my new
home, direct to JFK .
I had to change flights for Minneapolis so a stop over in
New York seemed a good idea .
I was en route to the 50th anniversary of Buddy Holly at the
Surf Ballroom, Clearlake, Iowa , for my 7th visit !
After a taxi ride from JFK, and my first glimpse of the New
York skyline, I checked into my hotel "The Time",
on 224, 49th St West .
New York , WOW !!! It's exactly like every movie you've ever
seen just amazing !
Did lots of sightseeing, including some to do with
Buddy Holly .
This is the Roseland Ballroom . I'd imagine that in it's
heyday with all the big bands , it must have been
THE place to go dancing !
The August Wilson Theatre on 252 West St , just a
couple of blocks from my hotel .
Went to the ticket office , they had one seat , 9 rows
from the front .
Saw "The Jersey Boys" on Broadway , what a show !
The Carnegie Hall .
After the "Jersey Boys" show , I went to the Hard Rock
Cafe on Broadway .
It is located in the old Paramount Theatre where many
films , including Elvis' "Loving You" premiered .
This picture shows a whole wall made up of guitar
bodies .
The 4 suits that The Beatles wore on stage for their
very first US concert at Shea Stadium , New York .
Note the 4 TWA flight bags with their names on .
On this stage , in the 1960s , it changed from being a
movie theatre to a TV studio for live shows .
Lots of musical chat shows came
from here .
A showcase containing , centre , a photograph of
Elvis arriving for the premiere of "Loving You" .
Top left is a photo of Elvis and Frank Sinatra , when
Frank welcomed Elvis back from Germany , his first live
appearance after leaving the Army .
On the right is the black , tie suit , that Elvis wore for
that show .
Oh , also had a great cheeseburger and a beer !
Friday morning , left my hotel early , caught the Metro
to Ground Zero .
After walking around , discovered there was a guided
tour so I bought a ticket .
Very informative , interesting and deeply moving .
Ground Zero has a gift shop which is also like a mini
museum , and houses some of the remains of the original
structure of The Twin Towers .
This visit was a must to do on my list , while also leaving
me with feelings of great sadness .
Had a quick lunch at the Stage Door Deli , something I'd
always wanted to do was have a sandwich with Pastrami
on Rye (I'd just heard it in so many movies! ) .
Then made my way to The Empire State Building on 5th
Avenue and 34th Street .
Being one with absolutely no head for heights I forgot
all about it once I reached the 86th floor and saw one
of the world's most incredible views .
The elevator ride to the top is nerve wracking , but the
views on all four sides are breathtaking !
I particularly liked the view of the Chrysler building .
One of my favourite views had to be to the South ,
with Ellis and Staten Island ,and the Financial disctrict .
One can only imagine how the Twin Towers would have
looked on that skyline !
I stayed up there until it got dark and saw all the famous
New York lights at night .
This is the Brill building , 1659 , on Broadway .
Inside , in an office suite somewhere ,
some of the best songs in the history of popular music
were written by the likes of Carole King , Gerry Goffin ,
Neil Sedaka and Neil Diamond ,to name but a few .
I'm also told that songs from a good many musicals dating
back to the '30s , were also written here .
In the evening , having already booked a ticket , I just
crossed Broadway from my hotel to the Winter
Gardens Theatre and watched Mamma Mia .
After the show , walked down to Times Square
( 5 minutes ) , and went to the Hard Rock Cafe again
for another cheeseburger and beer !
My 2nd stop on my Saturday morning tour was
"Manny's Music" on 48th St East .
Buddy Holly apparently bought a whole range of
guitars , strings etc from this store .
After here , went to look at "Radio City" .
This is the Hotel Walcott , where Buddy and Phil Everly
started to produce and manage other artistes .
They would record them in a studio next to
the ballroom of this hotel , called The Belltone Studios .
This is the famous Pythian Temple , which at one time
housed a recording studio .
Apart from Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock" and
other such classics , Buddy recorded the famous
"string sessions" here .
The inside view of the Pythian Temple , sadly the
recording studio is no longer there , and is just an
apartment block .
One can only imagine the famous rock 'n' roll luminaries
and people to do with the music industry , who have
walked through those doors !
Outside view of Buddy Holly's apartment , 3b , in the
Brevoort building on 5th Avenue .
Buddy and Maria Elena started out their married life
here .
The apartment is the 4th floor , centre , in this picture .
The Brevoort building is almost the last one on
5th Avenue , just opposite the George
Washington Arch .
Back in the late '50s and '60s , an exciting place
to be , with the coffee houses of
Greenwich Village just around the corner .
Moved on to Harlem , to visit the famous
Apollo Theatre , where Buddy and The Crickets appeared
in concert in 1957 .
It is known as a theatre for black acts only , so the
audience were in for a huge surprise when Buddy
walked on stage !
I also went through Spanish Harlem , Brooklyn and
The Bronx ( and I'm still alive !! ) .
From Harlem I went to Central Park .
In the North side of Central Park is the
"Imagine" memorial to John Lennon .
The Dakota building where John and Yoko lived , their
apartment is on the 7th floor with the railings around it .
The entrance to the Dakota building where the fatal shots
were fired .
John Lennon had just arrived home from a recording
session at The Hit Factory working on his last album
"Double Fantasy" .
Sunday morning I caught my flight from JFK to
Lindbergh , Minneapolis .
