I leave Manhattan often and usually by train. Whenever there is an excuse to meet at Grand Central, even if I am not leaving the city I can't wait to zip to 42nd Street walk through the classic large heavy swing doors off Vanderbilt and breathe in a grand sense of empire at the top of the steps.
When doing a little background for this post I learned a fun fact. An October 2011 survey found Grand Central Terminal is "the world's number six most visited tourist attraction," bringing in approximately 21,600,000 visitors annually. Of course it's so vast even at peak travel hours I never feel crushed by the crowds as I do at Penn Station or on the subway.
I may be late for the train to Southport, Connecticut during rush hour but that doesn't stop me from stealing a panoramic moment with the building's astronomical ceiling, the classic central clock and the throngs of travelers coursing their way across a marble room of a different era. For me, Grand Central is the last bastion of an American grandeur, when traveling was an elegant enterprise free from shoe checks, body scans and nervous strangers.
This month traveling through my favorite train station gets even better. On February 22nd, the Oscar statuettes roll into Grand Central Terminal. The interested public will be the first to see the actual Oscar statuettes that will be presented to the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 26th in Vanderbilt Hall.
The Academy will host the opening ceremony and admission is free. I'm expecting a star or two to be on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and I'll tweet out any news on this on @newyorknatives and @camillawebster.
As if you couldn't get any more New York meets Hollywood, the Best Actor Oscar awarded to Michael Douglas in 1987 on behalf of Wall Street will also be on view.
I've been a huge fan of the exhibits at Grand Central Terminal for some time and even put my name down to win a racecar or two. I'm still walking everywhere but even so, I'm looking forward to spending a little more time at the historical hub. Like many other movie fans, who attend the exhibit I may take the opportunity to have my picture taken holding an actual Oscar statuette and leave cool at the door. In addition, the exhibition will feature a display of Oscars in various stages of completion, as manufactured by R.S. Owens & Company in Chicago.
MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBIT
Public viewing hours are Wednesday, FEBRUARY 22, 10-7 pm, and Thursday through Sunday, 7 am - 7 pm.
WHERE | Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal, 87 East 42nd Street