NY

We went into the city to see the play Wicked this past weekend. It was a great play with a really good story line. I didn't expect it to be a little comical too with Glinda the good witch. She was great! The bad witch had a really amazing voice too. We enjoyed it very much! We went to Rosie O'Grady's after for dinner. We always get a great meal there and the prices are reasonable. 

The day before the play we took the subway down to 23rd Street to venture over to Murphy's Brother's Playground. The park was dedicated to Dick's Great Grandfather John Murphy and his Great Uncle Charles Murphy. Charles Murphy was head of Tammany Hall from 1902- 1924. 

Great family history there!

In 1921 the Board of Aldermen named the park for politician and businessman John J. Murphy (1865-1911). The son of Irish immigrants, Murphy was one of eight brothers and sisters who was raised on the east side of Manhattan. He served as an alderman and as the acting Democratic leader of the 12th Assembly District. Murphy made his fortune as president of the New York Contracting and Trucking Company, which had a contract to excavate the site for Penn Station. His good fortune in business and politics resulted in large part from his more remarkable brother, Charles Francis Murphy (1858-1924), the sachem of Tammany Hall.

The park benefited from a substantial capital reconstruction in 1992-94. The improvements included the installation of new tee-ballfields, basketball court, playground equipment, hopscotch squares, benches, safety surfacing, pavements, and curbs. Four Norway maple trees were planted at the playground. On October 6, 1994, a group of about one hundred community leaders, elected officials, Parks representatives, children from the Epiphany School, and their teachers and friends gathered to rededicate the renovated playground and to celebrate the brothers Murphy: Charles Francis and John J. 

We had a great weekend

We always pass the New York Public Library as we walk around New York. Well, today I said "Let's go in"! It's an amazing architectural structure. Marble everywhere inside. The place is huge! If you go in the city you must go inside. Don't wait as long as we did!

The Reading room. There's another room behind me that stretch 2 blocks long.

Detail in the ceilings are beautiful!

This is a building that was across the street from where we stayed (Beford Hotel) on 40th Street, between Lexington and Park.

We were around the corner from Grand Central Terminal.

The Chrysler Building was also around the corner.