Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument — Attraction in New York

Spent a gentle summer evening in Riverside Park at the foot of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, where the Hudson Classical Theater Company staged The Lady from the Sea, Henrik Ibsen’s haunting play of love, memory, and freedom.

With the breeze rustling through the trees and the city skyline quietly watching over, the performers brought their characters to life with clarity and heart. Aya Ibaraki’s Ellida was layered and magnetic—torn between two worlds, her performance resonated powerfully in this open-air setting. The entire ensemble gave the story an emotional pulse, drawing us into Ibsen’s world of longing and the choices we make.

No elaborate staging, no intermission—just pure storytelling in the round, with the audience wrapped around the plaza like old friends. The simplicity of it all felt refreshingly human.

Before the show, I noticed a lively party setup nearby—balloons, folding chairs, big family vibes. Seems like a popular weekend ritual here for newborns and birthday celebrations. It all added to the communal spirit of the park.

Capped the night with a pepperoni slice (thick crust, just right), garlic knots, and a can of cream soda. Couldn’t resist bringing home a bottle of rosé for the upcoming festivities.

City evenings like this…...

I mean jeez, what can I really say about the Monument. This place is practically home to me. It's my stomping ground. I've learned so much here. I've made life long friends here, fallen in love, fallen out of love, learned how to skateboard, pedaled my first bike without training wheels here. The Monument is one of those places that remains in the hearts of Upper West Siders. Some people see it as an eye sore due to its lack luster ground and aging marble, I see it as place of tranquility and reflection. A way to unplug from New York City and think back to a time before high rises and apartment buildings....

Nice piece of propaganda to glorify the men who took up arms to shoot down their own brothers and sisters during the war of Northern aggression.

It's interesting, now that the states of New York and California have decided not to follow the constitution, the federal govt has NOT forced them to comply with a gun pointed at them.

In fact it seems like New York's solution is just to further ignore the 2nd amendment and take all our guns away.

The founding fathers are rolling in...