Happy New Year, Brief HIstory about Time Square

Mo “Happy New Year”

Sa “Yes indeed Happy new year. This is a great opportunity to teach you about Time Square.”

Mo “Noooo, this is a time for relaxing not learning.”

Sa “Learning can be relaxing. You kick back and I will talk.”

Longacre Square (Pinterest.com)

Mo “Alright as long as I do not have to do anything.”

Sa “Let me start by saying it was not always called Time Square. In the early days it was called Longacre Square. Then in 1904 a human named Albert Ochs a publisher of the New York Times moved the headquarters to that area.”

Mo “Oh so that is why it changed the name.”

Sa “Thought you were going to just sit and relax.”

Mo “Ok, Ok teach me more.”

Sa “Well in 1907 the New York Times held a New Year's Eve event to celebrate their relocation to
Longacre Square. Their building was then the second tallest in Manhattan and became the symbol for a new, vibrant era. With that the nickname Time Square came about and has remained. In addition, every year since this first celebration, millions of people have gathered for the well-known and much anticipated ball drop ceremony. I could talk about all of that but since you want to relax we will save that for another time.”

Mo “Really that was a quick one.”
Sa “I can tell you more stuff.”

Mo “No that is alright we can save it for next time.”

MoSa "Happy New Year to all our fellow canines and the humans who care for them!!"

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

Rockefeller Center Part 1

Sa “Last time you taught me about the Eglin Botanical Garden that stood where Rockefeller Center is now.”

Mo “I sure did.”

Sa “This time I will tell you about the building and history of Rockefeller Center.”

Mo “Cool, I am ready to do some learning.”

Sa “Really?”

Mo “Yes, I agreed last time that I would be ready to listen. Go on tell me about tell me about the center.”

Sa “Alright, you mentioned that Colombia University owned the land and the garden had fallen into disrepair. This in turn made the land virtually worthless.”

Mo “Land in the city was worthless?”

Sa “Yes this was a different time. It wasn’t until the 1920’s that a plan to build a new opera house on the land and a human named John D. Rockefeller Jr. stepped in to make a deal with Columbia to let them build the opera house at the center of the new complex.”

Mo “But there is no opera house in that area. Or is there?”

Great Depression (Pinterest.com)

Sa “No. Humans had what they call the Great Depression.”

Mo “Oh, I know what happened something about a stock market crash stopped the humans from buying treats.”

Steel Workers Rockefeller Center (Pinterest.com)

Sa “Umm, something like that. The 1929 stock market crash did have many problems for the people. Due to this the hope of an opera house was no longer possible. Rockefeller was now stuck with a long-term lease on this plot of land. He knew he had to build something on it.”

Mo “Really? He did it all by himself?”

Sa “Kind of in the sense that he paid for the construction. This was the largest private building project ever undertaken in modern times. In addition, this project employed a great deal of humans in a really hard time."

Mo “When did the construction start and when was it finished.”

Sa “ Good question. It began on May 17, 1930 and the original 14 buildings built in an Art Deco style was completed and opened in 1939.”

Mo “Wow that is pretty fast.”

Sa “True. Next time I will tell you about some of the buildings, statues and the ice rink that is in and around the Rockefeller Center.”

Mo “Another to be continued. This is a really long subject”

Sa “Yes, but our human parents think this subject is worth the extra pages.”

Mo “Cool as long as I get treats I will be back here next time.”

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

MoSa Dogs Travel Blog: Before Rockefeller Center a Garden?

MoSa Dogs Travel Blog: Before Rockefeller Center a Garden?: Sa "Today we explored the city within a city Rockefeller Center." Mo "I don’t know if I liked it. It might have b...

Before Rockefeller Center a Garden?

Sa "Today we explored the city within a city Rockefeller Center."

Mo "I don’t know if I liked it. It might have been better when it was a botanical garden."

Sa "What? This was an architectural achievement. Especially since they built it during the humans Great Depression."

Mo "Great Depression? Oh, you mean when humans could not afford to buy lots of treats."

Sa "Um, something like that but let’s talk about the center instead. Why did you mention a garden?"

Mo "You mean I know something you don’t? Awesome!"

Sa "There is always a first time for everything. I am listening tell me about the garden."

Image of  Elgin Botanical Garden (https://brianaltonenmph.com)

Mo "Before it was Rockefeller center it was this country’s first botanical garden. A human David Hosack was a doctor and professor of flowers and plants at Colombia University. He bought 19 acres of land that would eventually be midtown. There he built a garden to study plants for medical uses. It was named the Elgin Botanical Garden. It had flowers from all over the world and there was a 62 foot long greenhouse on the land. In fact later it would be the model for the New York Botanical Garden. Sadly, the human ran out of money and the garden fell into disrepair and was no longer used. Then somehow it got taken by the next human Rockefeller."

Sa "Interesting do you know how, why and what happened to create Rockefeller Center."

Mo "Nope. That was it for me."

Sa "Well that was really interesting. Next, post I will teach you about the how, why and what of the city within a city, Rockefeller Center."

Mo "Cool I will be ready to learn."

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

Winter is here and Snow is Coming

Mo “It has been getting really cold out.”

Sa “It has we need to get ready for the snow train.”

Mo “The snow train?”

Sa “Yes that time of year that we get lots of snow on the ground.”

 Mo “Oh yea when the ground get really white and fun to run around in.”

Sa “You got it. ”

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

105th Street Dog Run Riverside Park

Sadie, 9 year, Pointer mix and Mojo, 8 year, Beagle

Sa "Today will introduce images of friends from the 105th Street Dog Run Riverside Park"

Mo "Friends? Humans or dogs?"

Sa "For now we will introduce other city dog dwellers."

Mo "All of them?"

Sa "No, here will only be our fellow canine friends who go to this specific dog park."

Lox, under 1 year, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix

Daisy, 1 1/2 year, Hound mix

Cory, 5 year, unknown and unknown friend

Roxy, 9 year, Burmese Mountain 

Mika, under 1 year, Hound mix

Bungee, 4 year, mix

Ella, 2 year, Rat Terrier mix

Nola, 5 year, Lab

MoSa We will add more to this page as we meet more and more friends at this dog park."

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

History of Christmas Trees

Sa “Hey Mo! Did you see that?”

Mo “What? I don’t see anything.”

Sa “Ha ha. I got you. Was talking about all those trees that humans are buying on the streets. As of late.” 

Mo “Oh so you think you are funny?! Let me hit you with the thoughtful face and I will teach you for a change.”

Sa “Oh really? I really do NOT want to hear about hot dogs again.”

Mo “Actually I am going to teach you about the history of the Christmas tree.”

Sa “Mmmm. Did not know you had any information that was not about snacks.”

Mo “All the time I have spent smelling and marking trees peeked my interest on the history of those funny indoor trees that come around only once a year. That our human parents do not let me pee on.”

Sa “Ok it can be your turn to teach me something. When did this idea start?”

Mo “There are many different versions of how and when this Christmas tree tradition started. Yet most agree that Germany is credited with bringing the Christmas tree tradition in the 16^th century which is the 1500’s in human years.”

Sa “Wow interesting. So who started decorating the trees.”

Mo “Calm down. I am getting there. The most accepted version is that a human during this time by the name of Martin Luther was the first to add candles to the trees. He was a Protestant reformer and was walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. Later, to recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles.”

Sa “You really did homework but so far you are only talking about Germany, what about here in America?”

Mo “You are so impatient give me a moment and I will tell you. The first one on the record of actually being on display was in the 1830’s and was in a German settlement in Pennsylvania, yet the trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier. But most saw Christmas trees as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans.”

Sa “Hey since you do it to me I will do it to you here is something I know. It was in 1846 that Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were sketched in the Illustrated London News standing with their children around a Christmas tree. Due to her being very popular with her subjects, and what was done at the court immediately became fashionable not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. Thanks to this the Christmas tree had arrived to the shores of the USA.”

Mo “So now you are stealing my thunder. Do you know about the lights?”

Sa “Um no you can finish the lesson now.”

Mo “Thanks. Candles had become more and more of a danger. Then in 1895 Ralph Morris, an American telephonist which is a switchboard operator, invented the first electric Christmas lights, very similar to similar to the ones people use today. So humans should say a big thank you to Ralph Morris for making Christmas safer. That was about it for the trees this time.”

Sa “That was really interesting.”

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City

Sa “Did you enjoy seeing the parade?”

Mo “Wait? What? What’s a parade?”

Sa “Don’t you remember we just went and saw the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. You and I got to pose with the fine men and women who help keep all the humans in New York City safe.”

Mo “I remember all the nice people in uniform saying hi but that still does not tell me what a parade is or why people would do one.”

Sa “That is a really good question which will let me tell you not only what a parade is but the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”

Mo “Boooo, you tricked me. Well since now I am curious go ahead and teach me.”

Sa “Well many parades are meant to celebrate a human holiday or festival. The parade can vary but for the most part have bands and people performing. The big ones like this will have floats and balloons.”

Mo “I remember seeing the really big balloon today. So, that was for the parade? Was it always for this holiday?”

Sa “Yes that was part of the parade, but no it was not always for this holiday. The very first Macy’s parade was actually for Christmas and it was on November 27 in the year 1924. It originally went from 145^th street in Harlem all the way to the Macy’s store on 34^th street but got shortened when people started holding the balloons and not animals.”

Mo “Wow that is a really long time that must make this the oldest one for this holiday.”

Sa “I thought so too yet mom let me know the oldest one is Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade that started in Philadelphia in the year 1920 and due to Gimbels going out of business has since changed its name to 6ABC Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade.”

Mo “Wait you said Macy’s parade was for Christmas not Thanksgiving does that mean Macy’s went out of business?”

Sa “No. It still has Macy’s in the name they just changed the holiday theme in the year 1927 to coincide with the day that they perform the parade.”

Mo “Well I do know one thing that pop pop told me and that is that the first balloon in the parade was a naughty cat named Felix and that was in 1927. Also, they use to just let the balloons go and placed return addresses on them but unlike us they did not go home.”

Sa “That is very cool. Did you know that they use to let live animals from the Central Park Zoo walk in the parade?”

Mo “Really? That would be cool. Wait no it wouldn’t then who would want to pet us and give us treats. Those animals can stay in the zoo so we can have all the treats.”

Sa “True also people thought it was a little too scary so they decided instead to just add more balloons and floats.”

Mo “So lots of people come to watch this parade every year.”

Sa “Yes. And they close the parade with Santa to give credit to the original Macy’s Parade.”

Mo “Well that is it for this time. Let’s go get us some turkey. To all the humans.”

MoSa “Happy Thanksgiving!!”

MoSa “And for all those humans who like the images here and want to see more you can visit our moms site to view or even purchase images from the link below. Remember all purchases helps our puppy parents buy treats.”

http://www.bkpphoto.com/