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This photo was taken in front of the General Motors (GM) Building between 58th and 59th Street, and 5th Avenue, otherwise known as Central Park Southeast. The vertical lines on the top half of the photo are marble pillars or columns that hold up the three-storey tall lobby entrance. The smooth surface on the bottom half is actually a highly polish marble bench located on the promenade of the building. This photo was taken late in the evening, which make the lights and reflection so clear and visible. Here is another view of the lobby entrance to the GM Building.
Central Park Southeast boasts an enviable list of well-known attractions including the Apple Cube Store (you can see the GM Building in the background), the Statue of Victory, and the Statue of Pomona, the Plaza Hotel (now known as the Plaza Residence, and the Bergdorf Goodman Departmental Store.
Recently, I saw the movie, An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. It was a musical, set in the 1950s, about an American soldier who stayed back in Paris to study art after the Second World War. Along the way, he met and fell in love with a beautiful French cabaret singer. However, the relationship had some major obstacles. Did they live happily ever after? You will have to watch the movie to find out. If you are a fan of old Hollywood musicals, this is one of the best of the genre.
The building in this photo is the women's department of Bergdorf Goodman, on 5th Avenue and 58th Street. It reminds me of the architecture commonly seen in Paris, especially around the 1st - 4th and 8th - 9th arrondissements on the Right Bank. The statue in the foreground is Pomona, the Roman Goddess of Fruits and Nuts. She is standing on top of the Pulitzer Fountain, in front of The Plaza Residences (formerly, The Plaza Hotel).
Here is another photo of the Bergdorf Goodman Building that I posted on NYCDP last year. It was taken from the southern side, on 5th Avenue and 57th Street.
For more photo of the Pulitzer Fountatin, click here.
The distinguished looking gentleman in the photo is the doorman for Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury goods departmental store on 5th Avenue and 59th Street. [See previous photo commentary for more information on Bergdorf Goodman.] He was wearing a beautiful Russian fur hat and a long wool coat that reminded me of the character played by Omar Sharif in the 1965 movie, Doctor Zhivago.
The Russian fur hat called, ushanka is traditionally made of rabbit fur but it is also available in other types of animal fur and "fish fur", a term used to describe synthetic materials since fish do not have fur. A distinct feature of the ushanka is the collapsible ear flaps on each side of the hat. They are meant to keep the ears warm during cold windy weather. During warmer weathers, the ear flaps can be folded up and tied above the hat. Ushankas are popular in cold weather cities with huge Russian immigrant populations like Chicago, Illonois and New York City.
So what do you think of the hat?
N.B.: I did asked for permission before taking the photo.
This photo was taken in front of the General Motors (GM) Building between 58th and 59th Street, and 5th Avenue, otherwise known as Central Park Southeast. The vertical lines on the top half of the photo are marble pillars or columns that hold up the three-storey tall lobby entrance. The smooth surface on the bottom half is actually a highly polish marble bench located on the promenade of the building. This photo was taken late in the evening, which make the lights and reflection so clear and visible. Here is another view of the lobby entrance to the GM Building.
