Friday, November 10, 2006

WHERE WAS I? As always, it's somewhere in the five boroughs of New York City. Leave your guesses in the comments section.
























VISUAL CLUE ADDED NOVEMBER 11
























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UNFOCUSED VISUAL CLUE ADDED NOVEMBER 14
























VISUAL CLUE ADDED NOVEMBER 15
























Photos: David Marc Fischer

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

The main NY Public library on 42nd?

David said...

Underneath a ceiling light fixture in a pre-war building?

David Marc Fischer said...

Good guess...but no, Gary.

Warm, David.

Anonymous said...

Were you in the Wall Street area?

David Marc Fischer said...

Debbie, you're cooler than Gary.

Anonymous said...

Were you in Rockefeller Center?

David Marc Fischer said...

No...sorry, Debbie. Not on this occasion, anyway!

Anonymous said...

Is this in a theater?

David Marc Fischer said...

Nope...and it's not in a theatre, either!

Anonymous said...

Could that be the carpet at the Hilton Hotel?? Celiac Disease Symposium?

David Marc Fischer said...

I'm afraid not...though I was indeed at the symposium!

Anonymous said...

I see a Star of David. Central Synagogue?

David Marc Fischer said...

I was wondering when that would inspire a guess! Alas, it's not Central Synagogue.

Anonymous said...

Were you in one of the University Clubs?

Anonymous said...

The green light is NOT a helpful clue. What does the RF stand for??

David Marc Fischer said...

No, it wasn't one of the U-Clubs, Debbie.

As for the RF, it means...wait a minute--that would be telling!

Actually, it wouldn't necessarily give it away at all, but I'm reluctant to give a straight answer to such a direct question. So, for the moment at least, it might be best to let them remain a pair of mysterious letters.

Anonymous said...

A museum?

David Marc Fischer said...

Mainly not, Debbie.

Anonymous said...

The main branch of the New York Public Library at 5th Ave and 42nd St.?

David Marc Fischer said...

Still wrong, Dolph (see first guess)...but I think you're catching on.

Anonymous said...

The Rockefeller Foundation on Fifth?

Anonymous said...

Maybe one of the old rooms in the Morgan Library that they apparently forgot to renovate?

David Marc Fischer said...

Sorry, EB & Debbie...you'd be better off exploring different avenues.

Scott said...

The Ruth Fainlight room at the YIVO Institute on 16th Street?

Anonymous said...

Like that specificity, Scottie... cause the YIVO institute alone would've been way too general. Uh oh, what if it's the room next door? I smell a swoop...

David Marc Fischer said...

Scott: See under "different avenues," above.

Anonymous said...

Is this one of Rosario Candela's 1920's Park Avenue masterpieces? Don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about?

David Marc Fischer said...

You sure do, Debbie! However, you should still explore other avenues.

Anonymous said...

NY Historical Society on CPW?

David Marc Fischer said...

No, but it's much more in line with the actual location.

Scott said...

The YMCA on 63rd and CPW.

I KNEW I knew it, right from the first clue.

David Marc Fischer said...

Oh, Scott, you're such a tease!

As you must know, you're warmer.

David said...

It appears to be an old bank building.

David Marc Fischer said...

I think one could say that it acts as a bank, but that's not its main function.

Anonymous said...

This is not a bank but how about The New York Society for Ethical Culture?

David Marc Fischer said...

Great acoustics...and I hear there's an outstanding cafeteria there...but no, that's not the right address.

Anonymous said...

Is it a post office?

David Marc Fischer said...

Yes, Debbie.

Anonymous said...

Really? Wow, bummer. Now I'm going to have to spend my lunchtime googling post offices!

Anonymous said...

Dude...it's the MAIN post office on 8th Avenue and 34th!! Not exactly WARM on the Upper West Side!

David Marc Fischer said...

Well, Deb nailed it again--and a review of the back-and-forth over the clues establishes that I was pretty clear (in an understandably riddle-y sort of way) in indicating that the Ethical Culture Society was on the correct Avenue. When Scott guessed a location to the south, I wrote that he was warmer, which is true. Had the uptown-oriented guessing become even more prolonged, I would've provided clues to draw attention in the proper direction.

Anyway, don't be surprised if the next WWI? turns out to be a puzzle challenge....

Ahem. The General Post Office, opened in 1914, was renamed the James A. Farley Building in 1982. (Farley was the 53rd Postmaster General of the United States.) A McKim, Mead & White building, it is probably most famous for its round-the-clock hours and its grand exterior--the long bank of steps as well as the loosely translated Herotodus inscription that became the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. This landmark building, which once complemented the old, long-lamented Penn Station, faces an uncertain future that seems likely to be determined under the Spitzer administration. For now, it is largely covered by netting and scaffolding.

Inside is a lobby that might strike visitors as drab--but there are details that reward attention. The patterned ceiling includes ten "coats of arms" including one representing France (RF). I don't know why the Star of David pattern was chosen by the designers; as you can see from the photos, there is some decay in the ceiling.

In the northern entryway to the lobby is a mural, part of a memorial for postal officers who lost their lives in the First World War. Many mail-related items can be found throughout the lobby, especially in the building's modest (and, alas, not very well-maintained) postal museum, which seems to have very limited hours. Certain items will be of special interest to readers of Thomas Pynchon's fiction, especially The Crying of Lot 49.

One more thing: Glancing over the rosters of Postmasters General for the
United States and New York, I note that they have been extremely male-dominated.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I noticed all that you say and apologize for the sass, you riddle-y guy.

Anonymous said...

Here I was ready to check out the Yivo Institute on my lunch hour, when I could have just paid more attention to my surroundings in my very own post office!