Jersey City views from West Street

On my way to a free kayaking session at Pier 40, put on by downtownboathouse.org, I had to stop along the way to take in the perfect view of Jersey City and Hoboken from my spot on the esplanade. All along West Street, just west of the West Village, you can get amazing views of the sparkling Hudson River and New Jersey across the way and even some of Lower Manhattan and Battery Park City below you.

It was a cool end-of-summer day when I went over Labor Day weekend to do some kayaking out on the Hudson, but it was windy and the waves carried me around the water, giving my arms more of a work-out every time the kayak went out of bounds!

There is also free kayaking out in Astoria off of Socrates Sculpture Park: www.licboathouse.org.

Enjoy!

View toward Jersey City and Hoboken

The Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City plus surrounding businesses

View towards Lower Manhattan

Out by The Fying Pan

It's only a few blocks from where I work, but I seem to rarely find myself out on this NYC gem and photo opp spot: Pier 66 Maritime. The pier is off of 26th Street and juts out into the Hudson River, with impressive views (at least to me) of New Jersey. I'm always a fan of views.

After visiting some of the Chelsea art galleries, a group of us attempted to get dinner and/or drinks at The Frying Pan, the seasonal bar and grill located at Pier 66, but I paid no attention to the food or drinks. All I cared for were the views, as you can see.

Hudson River, Pier 66 Maritime

I traveled from Mid-Chelsea to the edge of Manhattan and out to Pier 66 to take some pictures of Jersey City and the Hudson River. I last went out there in March for the Fountain Art Fair and it was very cold out on the water.

It was windy and sunny so it was hard to see anything or to even stand still (the winds were powerful enough to blow you a few feet away!) but I managed to spot the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, as well as some buildings in lower Manhattan and Weekhawken, NJ.

From there I had lunch at The Frying Pan, an historic lightship docked on Pier 66 Maritime that serves as a sort of dive bar/seasonal bar and grill with a tiki bar. In March when I attended the Fountain Art Fair that took place on the ship, I could feel the boat rocking from the wind and water, and it did the same when I was out there on this windy May day!!


View of Jersey City, the Goldman Sachs Tower and the Statue of Liberty
(to the left of the tower)


View towards Midtown and the Empire State Building


Park on Pier 66, view towards New Jersey


View toward Chelsea Piers from the dock of The Frying Pan


The John J. Harvey fireboat, situated next to The Frying Pan, formerly of the FDNY.

The CRRNJ in Liberty State Park

For travel between Manhattan and New Jersey, as well as to Ellis Island, the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ) was built in 1889. Today it is mostly used for recreational purposes—a station for ferries full of tourists and maybe a local commuting here and there.

The Earth Day 2010 celebration took place inside the terminal and out on the lawn surrounding it. There were lots of families there partaking in activities, eating funnel cake and watching a concert that was going on. I was there mainly for the views though!


The CRRNJ


Inside the terminal


Spring flowers and an old train parked in the background


Events taking place in the park

"... the largest human migration in modem history and is a memorial to the immigrant experience.

Ellis and Liberty Islands share this important era in American history with the CRRNJ Terminal. Millions of immigrants, having been greeted by the Statue and processed at Ellis Island, traveled to their new homes via trains from the CRRNJ Terminal. - www.libertystatepark.org

Views from Liberty State Park

Last weekend I went out to Liberty State Park in Jersey City for the Earth Day 2010 event. I took the PATH, then the Hudson-Bergen light rail, then a shuttle bus–and it all took quite a while! But along the way there were amazing views of the city skyline, the Statue of Liberty and its close neighbor, Ellis Island. It amazes me every time I see these famous places and sites. I've been out to Jersey City nearly every other weekend lately, just to take it all in.

Manhattan Skyline—mostly downtown and Battery Park City


View towards Ellis Island (and the Statue of Liberty is hidden behind it)


You can see the top of the Empire State Building over the hill




View toward Midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building

Out in Jersey City

Twice recently I have visited Jersey City—once for work and once to visit the Jersey City Museum and some galleries. It was my first time back in the Garden State since flying out of Newark back in '07.

During work I viewed some furnished apartments located near Jersey City's waterfront and got to see a little bit of the neighborhood. These apartments have THE BEST views of Manhattan. Even the sun decks present an unrivaled sight of the Empire State Building and downtown/Battery Park City.

During a gallery tour I got to see all of the beautiful brownstones along Montgomery Street, and people watch in Van Vorst Park while on my way to the Jersey City Museum.

Jersey City is a unique place, with great views, lots of mom-and-pop establishments and definitely more fresh air than there is in the city!

Next stop, Hoboken!

View of Downtown Manhattan from inside Riverside at
Towers of America, an apartment building at 1 River Court.


View of the Goldman Sachs Tower from the J. Owen Gundy Park.


View from the sun deck at Marbella, an apartment building
at 425 Washington Blvd.


View of Manhattan and the Empire State Building from
Jersey City's waterfront walkway


Grove Street in Jersey City, near the Grove Street PATH Station

Wherever work takes me...

Sometimes my work takes me to high-up places! As a Graphic Designer in the marketing department of a corporate housing company that provides furnished apartments all over Manhattan, I sometimes get to view the apartments in person to take pictures or plan video shoots.

A while ago I took part in a video tour at Tower 31, a luxury high-rise in The Flat Iron District and got to photograph the views from inside one of the rental units. And there are more to come following this one!

This apartment, located a block away from Times Square, was amazing because it provided views of all of New Jersey, Downtown Manhattan and The Statue of Liberty. My personal favorite is the view of New Jersey. To me it is amazing to be able to stand in one state (New York) and SEE another (NJ).

It was a bright and sunny afternoon up on the 60th floor of this luxury high-rise. I can't wait visit again!


Looking South towards Downtown Manhattan


Battery Park City, Jersey City and The Statue of Liberty


Looking West towards New Jersey


View towards Chelsea and Gramercy; the New York Life Insurance Building and Met Life Tower (gold top)

You can't paint this kind of stuff

I'm always blown away by what I see when I look out at New Jersey—and it's not New Jersey itself, but the way the sun sets over the Hudson River and causes the sky to look like something not even Van Gogh or Gericault could pull off!

Look. At. The. Sky!

Columbus Circle angel.


Battery Park; view of New Jersey.


Ground Zero


Upper West Side - 72nd Street & Riverside Drive.

Moving along...

Down the street from the fields is another amazing park along Riverside Drive. I think it's called 'Riverside Park.' haha I really don't know all that much about New York but I know it's got lots of parks! So as you can see I love Strawberry Fields, and from there I love 72nd street. One day I took myself to the edge of the street and that's where I found this park.

I was loving the view of New Jersey. I love seeing new things, and I'd never seen it before. It's amazing to be able to lean on a railing in Manhattan and look out over a body of water that separates you from an entirely other state that is so closeby. I don't think you can do that with Tallahasee and Georgia.