Friday, December 6, 2013

Hidden New York Worth Exploring

Residents of New York who grew up here probably think there is nowhere of interest that they have not visited, or at least heard of. Well, at the risk of being wrong, but I have a feeling I wont be, I would like to list some of New York’s best kept secrets. I believe even the most seasoned New Yorkers will find this list, if not exciting, at least noteworthy.


  • There is a hidden subway station below City Hall: Our of service for the last 65 years, the station will induce awe in fans of pre-World War II architecture, with tall arched ceilings, antique tile, and glass skylights filling the space with warm, natural light. How to get there? Take the number 6 train to the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall Station. It’s the last stop heading south. But do not disembark. The train then turns around the City Hall station loop. This little excursion will give you an extraordinary view of a location that can’t be reached in any other way.


Be careful what you say in the whispering gallery

  • Grand Central Terminal’s Whispering Gallery: An unmarked archway in the GCT, found in front of the Oyster Bar & Restaurant, has a magical, mysterious, even mystical quality: When two people stand in the diagonal arches and whisper they hear each other’s voices “telegraphed” from across the way.



  • Of course you have been to the Frick Collection: But did you know there is a beautiful, vintage bowling alley in the basement? Henry Clay Frick had the alleyway built in 1914 as a wonderful addition to his already luxurious mansion. With mahogany-paneled walls and pine-maple lanes, and custom made balls, which are still usable, a visit is bound to bring smiles. The museum restored the alley in 1997, but it is kept under strict lock and key. But you’re a New Yorker, see if there’s a way to get a glimpse of this rare treasure.