Downton Abbey in NYC

I was pleasantly and unexpectedly surprised to see this Downton Abbey exhibit advertised on the side of a building as I was strolling down 57th Street.



The display windows on 57th Street "call" out to passersby:



I experienced a bit of ticket shock when I saw that it cost $40 to see the exhibit. Heck...that's more than the Met! Still, I was already here and I wanted to see it, so...



The tour begins with a video intro by Carson (played by Jim Carter).



Sets were recreated and gave the sense of being on set:



Seeing the costumes on the dummies seemed a bit eerie, as if the inhabitants of the show would be manifesting themselves at any moment.



An Evening Dress worn by Lady Edith: "A peach silk halter neck evening dress with change ant chiffon overlay and a decorated bodice of silver and clear glass bugle beads."



Besides the costumes there were the vintage accessories on display:



A detailed view of the watch and cufflinks:



Hungry? Can you imagine sitting at this gorgeous table for a sumptuous dinner?



Sorry vegans; the menu calls for Filet of Beef and Yorkshire Pudding.



The luxurious bedroom of Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery):



One look at this costume and you immediately know that Lady Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith), is the owner:



Clips of her famous quips were playing on a loop nearby:



There is a large assortment of props on display:



...and vintage details to pour over:



Was it worth $40? Probably not, unless you're a diehard fan of the show, especially with all of the other museum options in New York City. But yes...it was well mounted. You have until September 3 to catch it before it packs up!

See more Downton Abbey exhibit photos at my main website.

80s Flashback: Storybook Land Pt. 1

Not convinced that Disneyland was all about the details? Just check out this tiny sign hanging from one of the Village Buildings in Storybook Land. You'd probably never notice it while zooming by on Casey Jr., but you sure can see it in a photograph. Most places wouldn't have bothered with something so small; which is why Disneyland was so special.



The Tremaine home:



By the 80s, I'm sure some of these buildings were looking a little rough from the wear and tear of California sunshine. A little patch job is visible in this shot.





In case you weren't sure who lives here, just read the mailbox, silly!



The crowning glory of Storybook Land is Cinderella's Castle:



A closer look at the clock face:





I've always loved this pumpkin coach detail:



See more Disneyland Storybook Land photos at my main website.

80s Flashback: Mr. Toad

It's back to the glorious 1980's again with this trio of exterior shots for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction. Actually...this is a quartet of consecutive shots. The first two shots on the strip of negatives I digitally combined to give more of a panoramic view. Note the Skyway pylon on the left side of the shot.

Two contemporary shots for comparison's sake:





Returning to the 80's; love that weathervane!



...and it's still there:



One more 80's shot for today:



Closing out the post with a favorite contemporary night shot of the attraction exterior:



See more Disneyland Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction photos at my main website.

80s Flashback: Big Thunder Mountain

Let's journey back to the 80's, when MTV actually played music videos and I was enjoying the virtually stress-free existence of college. While the image quality of some of these photos is not the best, I think the content more than makes up for the scratches, fingerprints, tears, and water stains that plagued the set of negatives I scanned for this series of vintage Disneyland images. First one up is an interior of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction. I don't know the actual year of these photos, but I am guessing it is somewhere around 1983 after the Fantasyland remodel.

How would YOU like to be able to walk along the tracks of this attraction?









I know absolutely nothing about the origin of these shots, but can fairly safely assume they were shot by an employee. Who else would be able to do a walk-through AND be interested in a shot of a drain?



Maybe one of my readers will recognize the people in the shots?





That's a lot of keys! I can only imagine the magical places at Disneyland that those might open!



Stay tuned for more 80's photos!

See more Disneyland Big Thunder Mountain photos at my main website.

The Viceroy in NYC

When you want to be close to Central Park and don't want to break the bank, The Viceroy is an EXCELLENT choice. This 29-story onyx tower opened its doors on 57th Street on October 9, 2013. "We're in love with New York, but not the new New York," says Stephen Alesch, who designed the space with his wife, Robin Stander. Their firm, Roman and Williams, also created the reimagined Royalton, the Standard High Line, and the lobby of the Ace Hotel. They wanted to create a building that was timeless, where you couldn't tell if it opened yesterday or a hundred years ago, and they definitely succeeded. In fact, I looked up to see what The Viceroy was before it was remodeled...and found it wasn't just a remodel at all.



The lobby includes a mural by Thomas Hart Benton. Making the painting his own, Alesch stenciled a blueprint for the hotel onto it.



Fresh flowers brighten up the check-in desk:



The area surrounding the concierge desk is a sleek and richly paneled library.



How does the staff do? Damn well. They gave the personalized service you would hope to get with a boutique hotel. When an unexpected fire began (thanks to an idiot who flicked a cigarette near the conference rooms), the staff was attentive to guests who had to wait outside.



I was returning from my photo shoot in Grand Central Station with Julius Anthony Rubio and was blocked from getting back to the hotel...where he had left quite a bit of his wardrobe. Ugh. As soon as the hotel was marked "safe" for return, we were told the elevators still needed to be checked.



The staff allowed us to use the stairs. Although it was a bit of a hike up to the 17th floor, the alternative they offered was greatly appreciated, as I had a lunch reservation to make!



LOVED the room! Like the lobby, it was warm and sleek all at the same time.



And how about that view of Central Park?!?



The bathroom wasn't huge, but more than functional:



No pool, but a fitness center:



The Rooftop Bar has incredible views...as one would expect:



The bar itself:



And the view. Sigh...



The downstairs restaurant, the Kingside, had the perfectly retro vibe that I love.



A quick countertop meal can be had...



or a more leisurely one in a plush booth:



Be sure to check out the Viceroy on your next NYC trip!

See more photos at my main website.