For my seventh Turnstile NYC Thursday, and my first one of the new year, I am going to write about a landmark and a memorial, that is one of the coolest and most historic places in the city. What I am going to write about is the Strawberry Fields memorial, in Central Park, dedicated to John Lennon.
Of course, being a Beatles fan, I love John Lennon. This memorial was dedicated on what would have been his 45th birthday, on October 9th, 1985. It can be found right at the entrance to Central Park, at the corner of 72nd Street, and 8th Avenue. It is right across the street from the Dakota Apartments, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in the mid to late 70's and 1980, and where John was assassinated in front of, on December 8th, 1980. (This building is the what the last photo in this blog post shows.)
This memorial's name is taken from John Lennon's song of the same name, "Strawberry Fields Forever", which was the Double A-Side of The Beatles 1967 single "Penny Lane". These two songs were also included on the second side of the 1967 Beatles album, Magical Mystery Tour.
The memorial itself, a circular mosaic of a bunch of patterns of stones, resembling the suns rays, all coming to a smaller circle in the middle with the single word, "Imagine". Imagine is John Lennon's most famous solo single, and will be the subject of next week's Tune Tuesday. But every once and a while during the spring and summer, and on the dates of his birthday and death, Yoko Ono will come out and lay rose pedals, or full flowers, in the shape of a piece sign all over the mosaic. The trees around the memorial are a different type of tree, found in Central Park, and they will grow to be about 120 feet tall, so these trees, and this memorial will be seen from all parts of Central Park.
I love this memorial so much, and have been fortunate enough to see it in person a few times. I know I live thirty minutes away from the city, on Long Island, but since it is past the beginning of Central Park, there is really nothing up there. Once you go past the beginning of Central Park on Fifth Avenue, where the Plaza Hotel and FAO Schwartz, and on the other side of the park on Eighth Avenue, is Columbus Circle, there are no skyscrapers, so it can be seen as boring up there on that part of the city.
If you are in the city, not a resident of the area, and are a Beatles fan, this memorial is a must see.
Have you ever seen the Strawberry Fields Memorial? Would you want to?
Of course, being a Beatles fan, I love John Lennon. This memorial was dedicated on what would have been his 45th birthday, on October 9th, 1985. It can be found right at the entrance to Central Park, at the corner of 72nd Street, and 8th Avenue. It is right across the street from the Dakota Apartments, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived in the mid to late 70's and 1980, and where John was assassinated in front of, on December 8th, 1980. (This building is the what the last photo in this blog post shows.)
This memorial's name is taken from John Lennon's song of the same name, "Strawberry Fields Forever", which was the Double A-Side of The Beatles 1967 single "Penny Lane". These two songs were also included on the second side of the 1967 Beatles album, Magical Mystery Tour.
The memorial itself, a circular mosaic of a bunch of patterns of stones, resembling the suns rays, all coming to a smaller circle in the middle with the single word, "Imagine". Imagine is John Lennon's most famous solo single, and will be the subject of next week's Tune Tuesday. But every once and a while during the spring and summer, and on the dates of his birthday and death, Yoko Ono will come out and lay rose pedals, or full flowers, in the shape of a piece sign all over the mosaic. The trees around the memorial are a different type of tree, found in Central Park, and they will grow to be about 120 feet tall, so these trees, and this memorial will be seen from all parts of Central Park.
I love this memorial so much, and have been fortunate enough to see it in person a few times. I know I live thirty minutes away from the city, on Long Island, but since it is past the beginning of Central Park, there is really nothing up there. Once you go past the beginning of Central Park on Fifth Avenue, where the Plaza Hotel and FAO Schwartz, and on the other side of the park on Eighth Avenue, is Columbus Circle, there are no skyscrapers, so it can be seen as boring up there on that part of the city.
If you are in the city, not a resident of the area, and are a Beatles fan, this memorial is a must see.
Have you ever seen the Strawberry Fields Memorial? Would you want to?
Peace and Love,
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
"Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted time." - John Lennon
"A dream you dream alone is a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." - John Lennon
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "Reality leaves a lot to the imagination." - John Lennon
"Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted time." - John Lennon
"A dream you dream alone is a dream. A dream you dream together is reality." - John Lennon