HAPPY NEW YEAR
Good morning and thank you all for your New Year wishes. As I start 2024, I’m looking forward to a robust year of tours. I had a good 2023. Now it’s time to move forward.
What tours are you planning?
I’m in the midst of organizing my tour requests by month. From baseball groups to senior citizens, from tours of Lower Manhattan on up through Midtown and into Upper Manhattan. Currently, it’s just paperwork — filling out confirmations and sending them to my clients.
Do you research your tours?
The simple answer is “yes”. Although I have been a licensed NYC Tour Guide for over thirty years, I make it a point to stay up-to-date with current happenings around the city. The most important thing, though, is knowing what the rules and regulations are regarding charter buses. Most of my groups come packaged with their own buses. It’s important to team up with the driver and to make him/her feel comfortable.
What are the places you research?
Although I am a native New Yorker, it’s best to never assume I know everything about the city. So, during my quiet times, I explore other areas or venues. For instance, this month, I’ll actually attend a tour of the crypt under the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. I’ve been to the church many times over the years, but never to the crypt. I recently attended a tour of the NY Horological Society. Honestly, I didn’t even know there was one here. This is all part of my professional research which keeps me relevant and gives more content to my tours. My Motto is “Never Assume”.
On my latest overseas trip to Antarctica, I took tours of the various locales to, obviously, learn about the various cities, but to see how other guides work. It taught me what not to do, as well.
Antarctica 2023
On a tour of La Recoleta Cemetery, in Buenos Aires, with local guide. This is where Evita Peron is buried.
Do you tour in other languages?
English is my primary language. With Italian, I have a working proficiency.
What got you started as a tour guide?
Well, for over thirty years I was in professional theatre — Broadway shows, Regional Theatre, Cabaret — you name it! Everything was changing, though — the music, types of shows, and I was changing as well. I was at a crossroads. Didn’t want to continue auditioning my life away. Somebody suggested tour guiding. I never gave it any thought. But my image of a tour guide was someone with coffee stains on their shirt who just blurted out some details about the city. A false image, of course. I have met some very passionate guides over the years. It is an industry often overlooked by the City. A good tour guide does his or her homework. You begin to develop your own style. Most of the esteemed guides that I know have their own clients, including yours truly. It’s a continuation of show biz for me. I have an audience and a microphone. The tour bus is my stage and the setting is NYC. Most importantly, though, is connecting with the people. Humor and letting them ask questions takes away the sting of feeling uncomfortable in a different “world” for them.
HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW
The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) is an artistic marvel. Whether you are an adult or child, this show is for everyone. You’ll see landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. All the structures are made of a combination of seeds, pods, mushrooms, twigs, and other elements of nature — all the while as trains whisk by. The exhibit has been extended to the exterior of the building. nybg.org
How did you get there?
I’m a New Yorker and don’t have a car. I bought a ticket for the Metro North train leaving from Grand Central. I was at the NYBG within a half hour. Following are some of the images I took away from the display. Additional videos can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/Martha Danielle Lanzillotti
The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the NYBG. This is where the exhibit is housed.
Yankee Stadium
The Little Red Light House (you know, under the Great Grey Bridge)
The Jewish Museum on Fifth Avenue
The Guggenheim Museum (notice the mushroom cap on top)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain (with Angel of the Waters statue)
Belvedere Castle on Vista Rock with Turtle Pond
The New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue
Macy’s Herald Square
I’M A TOURIST IN MY OWN CITY
I’ve often been asked, “How can you live in New York City?” To which I say, “How can I not?” The city has always had its share of bad publicity — some of it might be rightfully deserved! However, the pluses definitely outweigh the minuses. As a born-and-bred New Yorker, I still explore areas that, perhaps, I’ve been to before; or maybe not.
Where was your latest trek?
It was on a beautifully crisp autumn day that I grabbed the subway* and headed uptown to visit HAMILTON GRANGE, the preserved home of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, completed in 1802. The fact that the home was actually uprooted and moved twice before made my visit all the more special. The home is in its current location in St. Nicholas Park, in Harlem, since 2012.
*Yes, I do take the subway. It’s my go-to mode of transportation. I am the “human periscope” with eyes 👀 on all sides of my head!
Where uptown is Hamilton Grange and what was the area like back then?
It is in Harlem — more specifically, Hamilton Heights on West 141st Street. In the early nineteenth century, Harlem was open countryside with farms and an occasional house dotting the landscape. Hamilton had purchased thirty-four acres there.
Why did Hamilton choose that particular location?
He chose the area as a respite for him and his family, which consisted of his beloved wife, Eliza, and their eight children (one of whom was adopted). Hamilton would commute from his workplace in the city (today’s financial district). I imagine that it would have taken quite a while to get up there since the mode of transportation was horse and buggy on dirt roads.
How long did he live at the Grange?
Sadly, Hamilton only lived to enjoy his home for two years. He was gunned down in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. Eliza Hamilton continued to live at the Grange for about another thirty years.
How long was your tour of the Hamilton Grange?
I signed up with a Park Ranger and the tour was about one-half hour. It was a combination of guided and self-guided tour. There is also an exhibit room with very interesting and concise information. In addition, there is a room showing two films — one on Hamilton himself and the other shows the actual removal of the home from one place to another.
MANET/DEGAS AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
The Manet/Degas exhibit at the METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART is spectacular! The artists were friends, colleagues and rivals. But what struck me was their vast body of work. Below are just some of what captured my attention. I would like to go back to take it all in once again.
Their lives and careers
Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas were born only two years apart, Manet (1832–1883) and Degas (1834–1917). Their artistic objectives often overlapped.
They were both sons of bourgeois families.
How many works are in the exhibition?
There are over 150 paintings and other works on paper
How long will the exhibit be at the Met?
It is there until January 7.
THE STORY BEHIND THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE
It was 1931, Depression times. Construction of Rockefeller Center was in full swing. What better way to bring cheer to New Yorkers and to the construction workers themselves than to put a Christmas tree right in the middle of the construction site.
So, the workers got together and pooled their money to buy a Christmas tree. Unlike the current Norway spruce tree which rises to about 82 feet, the first tree was only 20 feet and was a balsam fir.
The tree was placed in the construction pit by Italian-American workers. For the adornments, families of the workers made paper garlands and added cranberry strings, plus a few tin cans.
The tree was the spot where the workers would line up to receive their paychecks.
Two years later, in 1933, a 50-foot tall tree was placed there and marked the beginning of the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree tradition.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US
CHRISTMAS MARKETS Now Open
Can’t wait! This is the season of Holiday Markets at Grand Central, Union Square, Columbus Circle, and so many more! Lots of one-of-a-kind gift items. And, of course, seasonal eats & treats!
https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/holiday-markets-in-nyc
New York Botanical Garden’s HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW
A CHRISTMAS CAROL is Coming to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre
The Charles Dicken’s classic is making its way to Broadway starting early November.
The 2022 Origami Christmas Tree returns to the American Museum of Natural History November 21
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree 2022 is from Queensbury, NY
Designer saks-2022-exclusive-holiday-experiences | Saks Fifth Avenue
Shop for one-of-kind gifts at Bryant Park’s Winter Village
ITALIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM PILOTS A TOUR OF LITTLE ITALY
I had the pleasure to attend a recent tour of Little Italy headed by Dr. Joseph Scelsa, President and Founder of the Italian American Museum, and the museum’s educator, Marie Palladino. This is the first tour prior to the museum’s opening in the spring.
Dr. Joseph Scelsa and Marie Palladino.
You’ve been to Little Italy countless times. Why take a tour?
I wanted to learn, in depth, the history of the community — the conditions and prejudices with which the immigrants were confronted. As a New Yorker of Italian immigrants, this tour was very endearing to me.
Listening to the history of Little Italy.
What new things did you learn?
One of the highlights of the tour was learning about Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino, the only uniformed NYPD officer killed in the line of duty outside the United States, in 1909.
Article about Lieutenant Petrosino posted at the eponymous square located at Lafayette and Spring Streets.
Born in Padula, Italy, in 1860, Petrosino was sent to NYC at a very young age with two young cousins to live with their grandfather. The latter was subsequently killed in a streetcar accident.
A judge took charge of the children until arrangements were made to bring over family members from Italy.
On October 19, 1883, Petrosino joined the NYPD. He was the first Italian language speaker in the NYPD’s history.
In 1909, Petrosino made plans to travel to Palermo on a secret mission. He was armed with a long list of known Italian criminals who had taken up residence in the United States. His goal was to gather the gangsters’ criminal records and to have them deported from the U.S.
On March 12, 1909, Petrosino was invited to a nighttime rendezvous with an “informant”, in Palermo, to receive pertinent information.
However, someone caught wind of his covert mission. Petrosino learned that he was being followed by compatriots of the Black Hand Society (an early crime group).
Petrosino was shot in the face by two assailants. It is said that Petrosino was able to fire off one shot in their direction but was bleeding profusely and fell to the ground.
Lt. Joseph Petrosino, NYPD, Badge #285.
Funeral Rites for Petrosino were said in Palermo. His body was then sent to NYC on board the English ship, S/S Slavonia. On April 12, 1909, funeral rites were conducted in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with over 200,000 mourners taking part in the procession.
Petrosino’s funeral in New York City, April 1909.
Lieutenant Petrosino has been immortalized in books and cinema.
Petrosino’s uniform at Joe Petrosino’s House & Museum, Padula
Our tour also stopped at The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral on Mulberry Street to learn about its history regarding the Italian American community.
We also saw a nearby plaque (unbeknown to me) dedicated to WW II Veterans listing the names of those Italian Americans from the community who fought and died for the United States.
Plaque on the side of Di Palo’s honoring WW II Veterans.
Kudos for a wonderful tour
My gratitude goes to Dr. Scelsa and Ms. Palladino for a splendid tour. For information on the new and expanding museum, please go to their website at
JACKIE ROBINSON MUSEUM
Jackie Robinson Museum
I had the privilege of attending a preview of the new Jackie Robinson Museum in Lower Manhattan before its official opening. It is on the corner of Canal and Varick Streets..
Is the exhibit only for baseball lovers?
Absolutely not! What I loved about the museum is the way each facet of Robinson’s life was arranged in the gallery. It is a walk through the life of a great sportsman and, more importantly, the impact he had on the lives of so many others.
The main gallery
This section is a timeline of Robinson’s life, starting with his birth in 1919. A short documentary film helps the viewer understand the influences surrounding the choices he made as a soldier, athlete, activist, humanitarian, and family man.
There are personal accounts told by his wife, Rachel, regarding the racial barriers they endured in the Jim Crow South.
Sports gallery
This section highlights Robinson’s time in the Negro Leagues and his signing with the Brooklyn dodgers.
There is a very impressive and unique 3/16 scale model of Ebbets Field with interactive touchpoints for viewers to have fun with.
Family man
My favorite section was Robinson as a family man. There’s a heart-warming short film showing him making pancakes with one of his children.
2nd Floor
The JRM Education Center is for students and special groups to have on-site discussions and instruction.
It is a great resource for school groups to have. Check with the museum for more information about this valuable learning tool.
Springtime in NYC!
Take in the array of colors and fragrances when touring New York City! Tree and plant growths vary according to seasonal blossom times. I will post this section accordingly. CHECK BACK ON THIS BLOG FOR FLOWERING UPDATES.
Here are some of the blossoming trees and plants you’ll see on the streets of NYC.
Japanese Flowering Cherry Tree in Central Park. End of April
Tulips in Central Park. End of April.
Crab Apple Tree in Central Park. End of April.
Flowering Dogwood on the Upper East Side. End of April.
Hydrangeas in Planters outside Lenox Hill Hospital. End of April.
Eastern Redbud or Judas Tree. Mid-April.
Well, as I walk around NYC, I can’t help but notice the budding Callery Pear trees. These trees are ornamental and do not produce edible fruit.
A Flowering Callery Pear tree on a New York City Street. Early April.
The most famous Callery Pear tree is also known as the “Survivor Tree” at the World Trade Center. After the 9/11 attacks, and during the cleanup, workers discovered the charred remains of a tree that had stood on the original site. The tree was removed from the rubble and placed in the care of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
After the tree was brought back to life, it was returned to the 9/11 Memorial Park in 2010. It is the only tree at the Memorial that blossoms white flowers. The tree is a symbol of survival, resilience and rebirth.
Daffodils and broad'-leaf Grape Hyacinth. Early April.
Hyacinths along Madison Avenue. Early to Mid-April.
Hello Everyone and a Very Happy New Year!
Well, I’m optimistic about 2022 for tourism. As this current Omicron variant wanes, I’m receiving requests for the upcoming season of visitors to the Big Apple! People have had enough of the sedentary life. They just want to move on as before. Traveling is one way to wake up your senses. Curiosity has always been a great motivator and New York City certainly has enough attractions to fulfill that need.
Have you had any tours yet?
Yes. I actually had a group this past December for four days. In fact, they were to come here in December of 2020, but with the lockdown everything was cancelled. I kept in touch with my client though. It was challenging to work with the proverbial blindfold. But we stayed optimistic and as things opened up, we worked to create a terrific 2021 Christmas theme tour to include the Rockettes and the Christmas Spectacular, the Christmas Tree decorated with Neapolitan Baroque Figures at the Metropolitan Museum. They had dinner each night in festive restaurants — one of which was historic Fraunces Tavern. We covered the Christmas Markets, a couple of Broadway Shows, and many other seasonal venues.
Also, in December, I did one of my Zigzag Walking Tours with a very spirited young couple from Virginia. We started in Chinatown and ended up on Little Island three hours later. We go way back. I’ve done many walking tours with the parents of the young man over the years. He was a teenager then.
Are you currently working on a tour?
I am booking. Was to do a tour this January but is now rescheduled for March. Have tours scheduled for May. And have more requests coming in. So all in all things are looking good for this year!
My Zigzag Walking Tour!
It’s got to be roughly twenty years that I have been the guide for a family from Virginia. We have covered almost every inch of Manhattan by foot. I’m sure there are neighborhoods and hidden secrets yet to be discovered.
What is a Zigzag tour?
It’s my walking tour that doesn’t follow a straight path. I take my guests in directions that perhaps were not part of the original itinerary. If I can fit in a spontaneous location and there is time to do it, voilà! It only becomes a zigzag at the moment. I usually work with a plan in mind. But out in the field it could change if I see fit. And so it was with the offspring of the original family — heretofore known as M & L.
How do you know them?
I first met M when he was a teenager. He was here in NYC with his parents — oh those many years ago! His wife, L, had also been on one of my zigzags in their pre-marital days. They are now parents of two young children. So I was delighted to hear from M, in this post-pandemic world, when he asked about doing one of my walks. We came up with a provisional itinerary.
So where did you meet M & L for your walk?
We settled on a walk that would start in Chinatown and end on Little Island in Chelsea. I met them on the corner of Bayard & Mott. Now here’s where my first zigzag comes in. We were so close to the government center that I suggested we walk over to see the courthouses and to tell them about Five Points (the area featured in the film GANGS OF NEW YORK).
I also learned that L had an ancestor that actually owned a store on Elk Street (formerly known as Elm Street). She showed me an old newspaper printing of that store back in the 19th C. There are no stores on Elk Street anymore. One of the advantages of meeting people on my tours is that often they have some personal piece of information they tell me about. My door is always open for new tales. I learn from them as well.
We covered the African Burial Ground which was right there.
Did you ever get back to Chinatown?
Yes we did. That led us straight into Little Italy where we made our second zigzag stop — The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral. Before the St. Pat’s in midtown, this was the original. In 2010 it was declared a basilica by Pope Benedict XVI. My personal tale about the Old St. Pat is one of my nephews and his wife were married there.
Where did you go from there?
We continued zigzagging our way through SoHO, Greenwich Village and over to MePA (the Meat Packing District). There we sauntered over to Little Island for spectacular views of Lower Manhattan and New Jersey. And then onto the Chelsea Market where our walk ended exactly on time about four-and-a-half miles later. We hugged and said our good-byes until the next time. M’s parents may be coming in sometime in the near future. I look forward to seeing them and to doing one of my zigzags with them.
What did you do after?
At that point I needed to sit. So I moseyed over to Starbucks Reserve. What a fantastic place to experience a latte! It is an enormous location and they sell food as well as merchandise.
I was still feeling energized. After my latte and panino I zigzagged my way to the Harry Potter store in the Flatiron district. There was a huge line so I decided not to go in. Then on to Eataly for a restroom break and a walk through the store which is festive during Christmas.
My goal was Macy’s where I finished to see their Christmas windows.
One of Macy’s Christmas windows. BELIEVE is the store’s theme this year.
How much did you walk that day?
NINE MILES which broke my own record of Six miles. The next day I stayed home with my legs elevated! I enjoyed every minute of my walking tour with M & L and can’t wait until the next zigzag adventure!!
Day 4 of 4
In the home stretch. This was our final day. First off, it was a terrific group of senior citizens. Fun-loving and real troopers given our very crazy itinerary.
Where were the people from?
The Midwest — Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky.
So what did you cover on your final day?
We set out in the morning and did a tour of Upper Manhattan covering Lincoln Center, Harlem. Central Park, Fifth Avenue. Then we stopped at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for their reserved visit to this magnificent repository of 5,000 years of art history. The group explored on their own for a couple of hours.
I saw the new costume exhibit and, of course, the Christmas Tree with its Neapolitan Baroque figures.
Did you have time to do anything else?
Yes, after the museum we headed to the Christmas Market at Columbus Circle. Then a break at the hotel before dinner.
What restaurant did you go to on your final night?
Fraunces Tavern in Lower Manhattan was the perfect finale after our whirlwind four-day tour. The photos of George Washington added to the historic atmosphere. And the food was delicious.
After dinner we made a quick stop in Little Italy for some souvenir shopping and to see Mulberry Street in its Christmas glory.
Thanks to a wonderful group of people for making my job, not work but, fun!
Day 3 of 4
Radio City Christmas Spectacular to start the day! Top of the Rock for spectacular skyline views of Manhattan.
Dinner at Virgil’s BBQ. On these four days, we had a couple of family-style meals. Virgil’s filled us up but good!
Topped off the night with the Sak’s Fifth Ave. Light Show 2021
Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show 2021