West Side Snapshots
Bless All the Animals Both Large and Small – Animals of all different sizes visited the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to be blessed at the 26th Annual Feast of St. Francis. The service celebrating St. Francis of Assisi, who preached about the harmony between humans and nature, featured a parade and blessing of exotic animals through the Gothic cathedral. Other animals that came to be blessed were yaks, ducks, pigs, rabbits, macaws, boa constrictors, and of course many dogs and cats. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 19 Photos School Beautification - Students work on a school yard mural at the O’Shea Education Complex. Organized by the ArtsConnection, the 16 x 78 foot mural is being painted by students from the Anderson School, the Computer School, MS 44m and West Prep Academy, which are all located in the West 77th Street complex. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 16 Photos One Wheel of a Good Time - A pair of unicycle riders clasp hands and ride in a circle at Grants Tomb. Riders with unicycles of all shapes and sizes gathered there for the first New York City Unicycle Festival. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 11 Photos Delia Ephron, author/screenwriter, gave a workshop to Hewitt School students during the annual Wellness Symposium on April 16th.
2 Photos The West Side Community Garden’s Annual Tulip Festival featured more than 30 varieties of tulips in a kaleidoscope of colors and variations. The garden, which is open every day of the year, weather permitting, is located between 89th and 90th Streets between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 23 Photos Young and old alike paraded up and down Fifth Avenue for the Annual Easter Bonnet Parade on April 4th. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 17 Photos After two years of renovations, the St. Agnes Library welcomed back the public on February 11 and celebrated its grand reopening with a ribbon cutting ceremony as well as free entertainment and programs for kids and adults. In attendence for the festivities was Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Congressman Jerry Nadler and Councilwoman Gale Brewer. Photos by Jori Klein
2 Photos A New Subterranean Way - Views of the massive cavern for the new 34th Street Station that will be part of the Number 7 subway extension at the Hudson Yards in Manhattan. The $2.1 billion project, funded by the City and managed by the MTA, is the first subway expansion in decades. In December, the second of two tunnel boring machines reached the southern wall of the 34th Street Station cavern after mining a combined 2,900 feet from their starting point at 26th Street under 11th Avenue. The machines are now drilling tunnels north of 34th Street towards 42nd Street. The new extension will help to connect to the Hudson Yards vicinity. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 13 Photos Easter On Parade - Wearing hats of all shapes and sizes, New Yorkers celebrated the Easter holiday at the Annual Easter Bonnet Parade along Fifth Avenue. Photos by Andrew Schwartz 18 Photos
