Quixotic Queens

   This morning as I took the train from Valley Stream into Penn Station I thought boy what have I gotten into? I was a bit scared because I had never been on the train by myself before.  I am a person that likes to drive every where and don't like to walk much.  I am very lazy.  So I took the 9:52am train into Penn and had time to get my metro card and pick up breakfast.  Got to meet some class mates and made some friends ahead of time.  Then when the professor came and I was already for my journey to begin.                                                                                  

The Mythic 7 Train

       So we  began our journey by taking the D train to Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights where we transferred to the mythic 7 train.  Shortly after  we arrived Flushing Meadow Park also known as the home to the World's fair, which offered people the opportunity to see how those from other places lived their lives, getting a view of the greater world and of course have a good time.  The fair however only ran twice in 1939 and 1964 due to high expenses, however, we do have a permanent World's Fair at Epcot.  The theme for the 1964 world fair was peace through understanding.   Flushing Meadows Park is 1,255 acres running North- South on land that was once the Flushing river. (Blue Guide, 497) This once was all marsh lands, useless for housing, converted into a garbage dump is now a beautiful park, offering interaction and fun as well as relaxation and peace all thanks to Robert Moses, who is apparently both loved and hated for his significance in the modernization and development of the city.  Then we came upon the Unisphere, which is a giant steel globe in the middle of the park.  The U.S. Corporation built as a symbol of world peace and is meant to welcome all who come to the park.  Then we went to  Queens Museum of Art,  located by the  Unisphere. 

This museum was once the New York Building created and renovated by Rafael Venolyl for the World's Fair and later used for the United Nations General Assembly before they found a permanent place of their on. (Blue Guide, 497).  Inside the Museum we visited two major exhibits, despite it being home to many others such as a look at beautiful pieces of Tiffany Glass.  

The first being the New York City Watershed, created for the first World's Fair in 39.  The watershed is basically a huge topographical map showing us how water makes its way to our faucets.  A watershed is the highest point of land at which water flows down into other water, like little lakes and rivers, and eventually into the ocean.  All land is part of the watershed, usually large pieces of land, such as NYC's being 19,000 square miles.  The watershed shows us how our water is basically brought from far up in the Cat Skills down through aqueducts and deposited into our homes, with little purification necessary, just some chlorine added.  This exhibit was pretty interesting, however to be honest the map was not all that elaborate or eye grabbing, it was kind of boring to look at, but if you think about the process of how water makes it's way here, it made the exhibit worth seeing.  Really never thought water took a process.  Just usually grab a glass of water but never had a chance to sit down and analyze its process.  

      After the watershed, we saw the Panorama.   The Panorama, was created for the World's Fair of 1964, it's a 3D map of New York's 5 Boroughs crafted by Robert Moses himself.  This map includes every single building constructed before 1992, with some minor updates throughout the years.  It took three years to build and over 15,000 buildings that are represented.  All these buildings are made from what it looks like little wooden puzzle pieces and glued down to a plywood.  We walked over the Panorama on a glass walk way.   This map is almost a replica with the exception of a missing piece of the Rockaways due to a mis-measurement during crafting. Had no idea that there were 16 bridges connecting into Manhattan.  Really never knew how much there is to see in our 5 boroughs.

After the Museum we walked through Corona, which is a Spanish oriented neighborhood that is going under gentrification, meaning taking a turn in a positive direction in the development of the city that was once was considered not such a nice place to live.  Then, we made our way to Jackson heights via train where I saw a huge rat go by on the other side of the platform.  Wow I was terrified and sick to my stomach.  Got on the train and happy we had arrived to Jackson Heights where there is a little bit of everything, by this I mean, you can be on one block and feel like you're in India and right around the corner feel like you are in Columbia.  But we went to lunch in Little India.  

Tirin Chicken with a lil salad

Where we did our lunch stop at an Indian Buffet called JACKSON DINER INDIAN CUISINE.  I wasn't that thrilled I have to say.  But I had just a salad with lemon and tirin chicken (the red chicken  on the above picture).  Lol I guess it was the spices that made it red.  From here we went to our Final destination for the day that was in Astoria where it is well known for its popular night life, hookah bars and night clubs for all ages.  Astoria is a highly Greek oriented city, with a large growing number of Arabs and Latinos, as well as many from the Middle East.  Astoria, before WWII, was a center for film making, best known as the first Hollywood.  It played a large role in the war, for this city was responsible for many war films and propaganda distribution through film. (Blue Guide, 499).  In Astoria we went to The Museum of the Moving Image.  

Old Television sets

Strobe light used in artwork Federal Fount

Jim Carey "The Mask"

Mrs. Doubrfire

Haha I tried the video flip book

Monocycle for Men in Black 3

      This museum focused on the technological development and advances within the film industry throughout the ages.  We were able to see the advances in camera technology, and how lighting can effect things so dramatically.  We got to see props from various films, such as  Jim Carey , Mrs. Doubtfire, Men in Black, and many more.  Film making come a long way and as we saw in this museum, it has had a significance in the world, by influencing people in so many different ways.  We got to see all the different and old television sets from decades ago like the one in I Love Lucy.  Really was amazed of everything my eyes had seen at this museum.  Unfortunately this is where we concluded our Queens experience due to the rain.  But I am definitely stunned with today's journey and can't wait till our next one.