Some Fun Facts About the Iconic Empire State Building

I've read that in 2011, Cornell researchers analyzed millions
of Flickr photos and concluded that the Empire State Building
is the most photographed building in the world.

15 Fun Facts about this Iconic Building.

1. The Empire State Building is a skyscraper in Manhattan,
New York City, USA.

2. The building has 103 floors and at roof height is 1250 ft
(381 m) tall. The height when including the antenna spire
is 1454 ft (443.2 m).

3. The Empire State Building was designed by William Lamb
of the architect firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates.
The contracting construction firm was Starrett Brothers
and Eken.

4. Around 3,400 workers were involved in the construction
of the Empire State Building, with official records showing
five workers died.

5. It took just 410 days for the Empire State Building to be

constructed, quicker than anticipated.

6. The building was officially opened on May 1, 1931
when President Herbert Hoover turned the lights on with
a push of a button from Washington, D.C.

7. For 41 years between 1931 and 1972 the Empire State
Building was the tallest building in the world.

8. There are 6,514 windows in the Empire State Building.

9. From street level to the 103rd floor there are 1,872 steps.
A race up the stairs to the 86th floor is held annually,
the athletes must climb a total of 1,576 steps.

10. There are 73 elevators in the building, including 6 freight
elevators.

11. Because so many businesses are housed in the building
the Empire State has its own zip code, 10118.

12. The building itself cost $24,718,000 to build, when the
cost of the land is included this figure climbs to $40,948,900.
This cost was less than half of the total anticipated cost
due to the Great Depression.

13. The Empire State Building has a lightning rod near the top
which is struck by lightning around 23 times every year.

14. There are observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors.
These tourist attractions are visited by around 4 million
people annually.

15. The Empire State Building became the tallest building in
New York City again after the collapse of the World Trade
Center in 2001. In April 2012 the new One World Trade
Center surpassed the Empire State Building in height.

Central Park - A Park Like No Other!

There are so many things one can do in New York City but one my favorite is to wander around and get lost in Central Park. You don't need to spend a dime for entrance fees like other tourist spots in the city but you get to see a lot of interesting sights and characters! Central Park is one of those places that make New York City such a great place to live. The huge park, 341 hectare large (843 acres), is located in the center of Manhattan. Its design has served as an example for city parks around the world. 

The park boasts several lakes, theaters, ice rinks, fountains, tennis courts, baseball fields, many playgrounds, zoo and other facilities. And when you go hungry, there are many food stalls and kiosks within the park that sell all kinds of street foods from humongous pretzels to sandwiches, burgers, even my favorite waffles with fresh strawberries. There are also restaurants within the park that you can go to if you have the budget and ready to splurge.

Arguably one of the most famous parks in the world, Central Park is a man made wonder. Not only is it the first public park built in America, but it is also one of the most frequently visited, with over 25 million guests per year. 

Set in the middle of bustling Manhattan, its grounds serve as a safe haven, not only for athletes, daydreamers, musicians, and strollers, but also for teems of migratory birds each year.  One can spend an entire peaceful day roaming its grounds, gazing upon nearly 50 fountains, monuments, and sculptures or admiring its 36 bridges and arches.

The foliage during Autumn in the park is amazing to watch out for and the flowers that bloom during Spring is mesmerizing. Ice Skating at Wollman Rink during winter is also fantastic. But no matter what the season is, Central Park is a great place to go around. 

Empire State of Mind

The lines of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys 2009 Grammy nominated hit song "Empire State of Mind" best capsulizes what New York City is truly all about.

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of 

There's nothing you can't do 

Now you're in New York! 

These streets will make you feel brand new 

Big lights will inspire you

Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yooork!

On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hard 

Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God 

Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge 

Some will sleep tonight with a hunger for more than an empty fridge."

The tip of the Empire State Building

The first time I set foot in New York City was on December 2010 and it was a dream come true for me! I thought I would only see New York City in the movies. So when I landed at the airport, I was overwhelmed with so much joy and excitement! 

Flags Rockefeller Center 

"I love New York" was the visible signage that warmly welcomed me upon my arrival at JFK airport. Soon enough, in just a few days of exploring around the streets of New York, the more i fell in love with the city. It's just so vibrant and has a very unique character. And those could possibly be the very reason why it attracts approximately 55 million visitors per year. 

New York is the most populous city in the United States and a global power city. New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. The home of the United Nations Headquarters, New York is an important center for international diplomacy and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world.

On one of the world's largest natural harbors, New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a county of New York State. The five boroughs includes the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island—These boroughs have a combined population of 8.5 million distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles. New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States. As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.

I will be featuring a series of blogs about the famous tourist spots in New York! You watch out for it:-)

An Epic Countdown at Times Square 1/1/14

Who doesn’t dream of traveling to New York City right? Blame it to Hollywood who keeps feeding our eyes and minds with countless varieties of imagery about the city. Yes, New York City is undoubtedly the most featured city in movies, television programs, songs, you name it. It has all the ingredients needed enough to be recognized as one of the greatest cities in the world.

Manhattan Bridge

My great desire to visit New York started when I saw the New Year’s eve countdown on TV when I was in first year college. I thought it would really be awesome to be standing in Times Square and witness such a global spectacle.

The Statue of Liberty 

Never did I know that I would be able to actually do it in 2014 New Year’s eve with my 2 other friends. A crowd of more than 1 million in a freezing temperature, never ending queue of people from all over the world. It was a very long 9-hour epic experience indeed.

Times Square