Brett and Denise were in town for a few days and came to my ‘hood” to visit me on their last day. They stayed near Times Square in Midtown (as many do), but after walking to lunch to Fraunce’s Tavern, past the Stock Exchange and the Charging Bull, I heard Brett tell Denise they should stay in this area the next time. This is exactly how I feel about Lower Manhattan. Somehow I felt validated when I heard him tell her.
I have almost always stayed in Midtown, and if the hotel wasn’t in Midtown, we would always find our way there. I believe this is true for many visitors. Not that there isn’t a lot to see and do there. Of course there is! But, here in the Battery, I am surrounded by historical sites, great walking areas, neighborhoods and quaint buildings. It is by chance I ended up here, but I have learned to love everything about it. I am close to the Tribeca and SoHo neighborhoods which are charming and are a perfect blend of old buildings and newer high-rises.
What is most impressive, though is just how “into” Christmas the City is. Tourists and residents see and talk about the tree at Rockefeller Center, but look at what I get to see when I’m walking around Lower Manhattan.
Side note about my beloved Fraunce’s Tavern: December 4th, 1783 marks the anniversary of George Washington’s farewell speech to his officers after the Revolutionary War.
Every year, Fraunce’s holds a reenactment of that speech by having actors dress and speak in character. They have several showings throughout the day in the museum upstairs, and I was able to catch the last show. I was surprised at the thoughtful questions (from the audience) asked during the Q & A, but even more surprised at the detail in the actors’ answers. For example, Washington said he had just dropped in to pay Sam (Fraunce) the tab he owed when he realized his officers were there. His farewell speech was actually impromptu!
Between the festive environment, its homage to history, and constant surprises, I find lower Manhattan to be a very special corner of the world.
