Paper 2

Sharmaine Dais
Prof. Bree Kessler
URBS 101
Februry 16, 2010

Rockaway Beach

I decided to go to Rockaway Beach in Queens. The trip alone took me two hours from the Bronx. I enjoy the beach but in 30 degree weather, that is difficult.
From the train station decided to take the bus to the beach so I could observe the neighborhood before I actually got to the beach area. The city seemed very diverse. There were people of Middle Eastern decent, African American, and Caucasian. The bus trip took me about 30 minutes. As I got closer to the beach, I passed a bridge and I could see the water. There wasn't any houses, just trees, road, and water. Once we passed over the bridge I saw what appeared to be condominiums. They were called Rockaway Houses.
Looking around I noticed a number of differences. The streets looked nothing like the ones in the Bronx. They sort of resembled Manhattan Village. I also noticed that instead saying "Avenue B or E.161st" the street signs said "B 116th." I never saw street signs written like that. I wondered if the "B" stood for Beach.
I got off at the last bus stop and I had to walk about a block to get to the beach. Upon getting there I saw a small park. I decided to look at the beach there. The park was directly across from a small store, sort of like a 711 if I remember correctly. The beach was covered in snow. I decided to sit on a bench and watch the water. You could smell the beach just as strongly as you would if it were Summer. That really surprised me. Inside the park area where I was sitting, there was also a statue of a person but because of the snow I couldn't tell what was it's significance. It was pretty quiet over there, besides the cars driving by.
Rockaway Beach area was so different than the borough I live in. It reminded me more of Florida than New York. Nevertheless, I think I will be back.

Mousumi Haider, Activity 2

I have been living in Queens from the very first day I have landed on America. I went to Hillcrest High School which was in Queens as well. Since I was new to this country and all I had to do back then was to go to High School, I didn't really get to go outside of Queens. But when I started college, I finally got a reason to go to other borough. When I got this assignment, I thought of walking around in the City and take pictures. After all, what can be more interesting to see people interacting with each other in an urban environment than New York City. But honestly, I had done that uncountable times as I am in love with New York City. But, one of my classmates mentioned to go to Max Brenner. Initially I thought it's not a well-known place. Otherwise I would have at least heard it once. But thought its worth of going there once. After all it's chocolate! It would be great having a cut of hot chocolate with my friends and sister.

First time, my friends and I went to Max Brenner was on feb, 14th at around 9 pm, thinking it would be nice hang out for Valentine's Day. When we got inside, there was not an inch of space to move. When I asked the host for a table, she said that there was a waiting time for 3 hours for a table for a party of 6. I assumed, it's packed for Valentine's Day, and it is a quite romantice place to take someone who you would want to impress. Since 3 hours waiting time was way too long, we went to Veniero's Bakery instead. On thursday of Feb 18th, my friends and I were thinking of hanging out and immediately Max Brenner came in my mind. This time, we went there at around 6 pm. We were told that the waiting time was only 15 minutes. But we got the table after 40 minutes. It surprised me, thinking how popular this place is because even on a weekday evening, this place was as crowded. But even after waiting for 40 minutes, it was worth it. Not only that I enjoyed that delicious food, also I had a really great time. Not just that I was around my friends, also I was surrounded by many groups. Every table was full with groups having a great time with their friends, families, or it can be two complete strangers on their first blind date. Who knows? All I am trying to say is that Max Brenner was a perfect example for people to interact with each other.

Since Max Brenner is always busy and packed, I thought of whether customers know each other or not. Do they introduce each other or not. Or always comes in a group and stays with each other. In The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane mention about the customers not being introduce to each other. “I asked Bernie, “Do you ever introduce your customers to each other?” … He looked startled at the idea, even dismayed. “No,” he said thoughtfully. “That would just not be advisable. Sometimes, if I know two customers who are in the same time have an interest in common, I bring up the subject in conversation and let them carry it on from there if they want to. But of no, I wouldn’t introduce them.” (Pg, 61: The uses of Sidewalks: Contact) Yes in New York City, its viewed strange if you introduce yourself to a stranger. Sometimes we go to the same places over and over and we never acknowledge ourselves. We try to keep things to ourselves being private.

Activity 2 Carmen Lam

Sarge’s Deli Located in Murray Hill, Manhattan

I lived in Brooklyn all my life and love to try different types of food. I love the signature pizza located in Brooklyn called L&B Spumoni Gardens. A fellow classmate recommended me to check out this place in Murray Hill called Sarge’s Deli. Since I love to try new food I decided to leave Brooklyn and head to Manhattan that most people often describe the “city that never sleeps”.
Sarge’s Deli is the perfect place because it is opened 24 hours and I am a late eater. I decided to go to Sarge’s Deli on a Wednesday night around 2 am with a friend of mine. Sarge’s Deli had a very warm atmosphere and awesome pastrami sandwiches. This place appeared to be very postmodern with the furniture and designs.
After having a midnight snack I decided to walk around the neighborhood with my friend. Most the stores were closed and there was not many people walking on the streets, but there are still a few people around. We were not afraid of walking in the streets at 4 am, because there are many cars passing by and we felt that there are surveillance cameras install on the city street corners and business stores private cameras. We cannot guarantee that the surveillance camera are effective and safe at all times. But the people on the streets are much more reliable and can witness any incidences.
I agree with Jane Jacobs on the idea of “ network of voluntary controls and standards among the people themselves, and enforced by the people themselves (Jacob p32)”. Everyone on the street is aware of the surveillance cameras, but importantly people around us are more effective than the build in surveillances.

Activity 1 Carmen Lam

On February 12, 2010 I visited the Manhattan mall. Walking through the mall and looking into the stores is just an ordinary experience, but now the mall is filled with mini shopping stands in each level of the mall. The workers in the mini stands seem to be very aggressive in luring male and female costumers. I sat by the food court which is located in the basement. The mall was extremely busy and full of people of different ethnicity. I observed that majority of the people that was sitting by the food court was in the age range of mid 30’s to upper 50’s. Sitting by the food court I noticed that some people just walked around the food court to taste test all the free food that is being distributed by each restaurant.
I observed that more female employees take more bathroom breaks compared to male employees. The reason I say that is because within the 3 hours I was sitting by the food court I saw some familiar faces that was entering and exiting the female restroom every 30 minutes.

Project 1-Sharmaine Dais

Walking into the South Seaport Mall, my initial reaction was that of a tranquil amazement. I was wondering "how can a mall have such beautiful scenery? It was quite unique." There were even small stores outside the mall. After a brief tour of each store, I decided to sit in what appeared to be a food court and to flaneur.

Upon sitting I noticed a variety of things, the hustle and bustle of those around me, the special sale items that people rushed to like a herd of cattle, the very careful color coordinated sections of clothing and jewelry in some of the stores. Clearly, the employees had spent a lot of time organizing this. The food court was a non-traditional one. It'll looked as though a few stores were just dropped from the sky and placed there. There are a variety of smells, some of pizza and some of burgers.

Although the people around me were "hustling," their dance was very different from the one I was used to seeing at the Manhattan Mall. Everyone seemed to be calm and patient and at the Manhattan Mall, that just doesn't happen. I wasn't concerned about if the little girls' ice cream would spill on that lady who moving swiftly toward her. The group of teenagers in the food court didn't pose much of a threat either. They weren't like the loquacious teens of the inner city. Everyone seemed to play there own role here, and each fit perfectly.

I decided to get up for a moment to use the bathroom. When I got there, there was a older lady inside who appeared to be homeless. She had a large shopping cart with umbrellas, coats, a hammer, and some other objects I couldn't identify without staring. This lady reeked of funk but everyone acted as no one noticed. After using the bathroom, I came out and she was still there, this time she was taking a full shower in the sink. Still no one said anything. I began to wonder about this. In times square or somewhere else, this woman who have been scorned for her behavior and sadly her situation. No one seems to care about the homeless. These people didn't seem to be bothered by the woman's actions at all.

Walking out of the mall and sitting by the water, I began writing this paper. I reflected on the grandness of the city we live in. Although strangers to one another, we all act interchangeably as one unit. From the pedestrians crossing the street to the bathroom attendant who allowed the homeless woman to clean herself, we are all an active part of what city life is all about.

Matt Blank, project 1

Immediately upon entering the Manhattan Mall, I saw a display of a map of the area. I went to take a picture of it, and a guard in a suit came over and told me that I wasn't permitted to take pictures. He then directed me to a map I could take with me at an information table with no one at it.

So I walked around, looking at the other people at the Mall. I noticed three types of people walking around the mall. Groups of 2-3 people, walking and talking leisurely. Women by themselves, walking with an incredible purpose which I can only imagine was the need to get something very specific, and men being dragged around by women. It all felt very stereotypical. I was the only guy there by himself. I was sitting in the sort of intermediate area pictured below. I noticed that no one seemed to look at the map, they just asked people. After sitting there for a few minutes, this pack of 4 people in suits came walking by with clipboards. Two men, two women. They were pointing to various stores and discussing sales. I realized that they were management. At this point it also occurred to me that they were all wearing non-black suits, and were the only white people I saw in suits. Everyone else in a suit was not white, wearing a black suit and was security.

The other thing I noticed is that there were escalators that seemed to be going the wrong way, and invariably had flow issues. People would walk towards them, and then suddenly realize that they were going the wrong way, then move to the next escalator. It was as if the flow was more important than the fact.

I was also struck by a dentist's office, as well as how all of the mannequins looked either bored or angry.

Mousumi Haider, Activity 1

Be a Flaneur…
Being a Flaneur? How is that work? Have to be a person who walks the city in order to experience it? Isn’t our daily life is an experience? But then I thought to myself. When I walk around, what do I really see around me? Do I see who are walking around me? See the building that developing? Honestly, I don’t and I never did. So, I choose Queens Center for being a Flaneur.
Although, I live in Queens, I hardly been to Queens Center. I hate shopping. Anyhow, back to being Flaneur; I first walked inside the mall. Looked around, since I wasn’t sure where to sit and observe people. The mall was pretty crowed, then I realized its Sunday. I guessed, weekends are crowed.
I walked up to the Starbucks, there are some sitting arrangement next to the coffee shop. I wanted to observe people with a cup of coffee. I told my friend (sorry, brought my friend to be a flaneur) to get coffee for us while I hunt for seats. Surprisingly enough, I walked around the place for 40 minutes and did not get a seat. When I see people getting up from their seats, before I could walk up there, someone else takes it. It was like an instant reflection. It just took me by surprise. I wonder to myself, they came to sit around or to shop? Cause I do not go to shopping mall unless I have to buy something.
I kept looking around and there were people of all different ages. Teenager, seniors, mid aged male/female, toddlers’, new born babies. Some people were just sitting and talking, while their kids were running around. I saw one guy was just writing and writing on napkins. Maybe he was brainstorming for his homework or he got an idea for his next best selling novel, who knows but him. There was also a couple but I couldn’t tell it was their first date or not. Wish I could listen to their conversations. Some seniors (probably 80+ years old) were just sleeping on the couch.
With no luck on getting a seat to sit, I started focusing on the stores. Wow, almost every store had a SALE sign on. “Buy one get another one half” “50% to 70% sale to everything” “Valentine’s day sale”. I couldn’t remember when was the last time I’ve seen these many “Sale” signs. I guess, economy is really bad.
Well just standing there next to Starbucks, I saw different people doing different things. We live in New York; people say New Yorkers don’t even know their neighbors’ name. They mind their own business. For some reason, I felt weird seeing people do minding their own business. I saw a lady dropped all of her shopping bags, but no one stopped to help her pick all her things up. Other people just made their way to pass the lady. :O Are we really that selfish or we are just rude? Or are we busy surviving in the fasted-busiest city of the world?