Text – Photography: Antonis Giaroutzidis
Many years have passed since I travelled to America. Today, quite by chance, I opened a folder of photographs on my laptop from my trip to New York, and little by little, almost without realising it, I began to recall beautiful moments from that very special, yet distant journey. But let us start from the beginning.
According to Greek mythology, Zeus (God of Olympus) released two eagles, one towards the East and the other towards the West, defining the point where the two eagles met as the centre of the world, the so-called Navel of the Earth. It is a unique and historic place on Earth, located in Greece and known as Delphi.
Today, however, whether we like it or not, the centre of the world is New York. The Native Americans originally called it Manhattan, later the Dutch called it New Amsterdam, and then the English called it York, until eventually the name New York prevailed. Every time trade changed hands in this unique place, the name of this remarkable, cinematic and multicultural city changed as well—a city that enchants you from the very first moment, no matter which way you look at it. I can still remember the sense of wonder I felt when, late one evening, I first caught sight of its enormous skyscrapers, which, like “glass giants”, seemed to beckon me from afar, inviting me on a unique journey of discovery and rare experience.
It is the city of some of the greatest and most important musicians in jazz. Charlie Parker lived and flourished here as a saxophonist; Thelonious Monk as a pianist; even Miles Davis frequented the musical haunts of this city; Duke Ellington as a pianist and composer (and let us not forget that Steinway & Sons, which makes some of the finest pianos in the world, has been manufacturing them in New York for many years, founded by German piano makers); George Gershwin (listen to his masterful composition Rhapsody in Blue, a captivating passage from classical music into jazz); Leonard Bernstein, the internationally renowned composer and conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (listen to or watch the wonderful musical West Side Story, “Mambo”); Dimitris Mitropoulos as pianist and conductor of the New York Philharmonic; Maria Callas was born and spent the first years of her life in this city before moving to one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Verona, Italy. There, with the support of businessman Meneghini, she would “build” her brilliant artistic future.
And finally, because I do not want to tire you any further with general but important information, this was also the city where the man who “gave life to women all over the world”, Dr Georgios Papanikolaou, lived for 47 whole years. What many people do not know, however, is that in order to survive those difficult early years, he played the violin in New York restaurants at night. Music was his great passion; he knew very well not only its beauty, but also its “hidden” power!
I know it may sound strange to you—as it does to my friends—when I say that New York is the easiest city in the world to walk around without getting lost. If you visit Central Park, you may at some point see tourists staring at a small marker. Do not be surprised. There is a reason for it, but we need to turn back the clock a little and look into the history of New York’s famous street grid: the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, which concerns the structure of the city—in other words, numbered streets and plots. Yes, you read that correctly: 1811. Vertical and horizontal streets everywhere, identified by numbers rather than names, as is customary in other countries, giving you the freedom to walk around the city calmly and without the fear of losing your bearings.
It is the city we all know best, perhaps in the entire world; we already know it even if we have never visited it! The city itself provides a natural and spectacular backdrop for countless Hollywood films. So, let us look at a few examples from some iconic films of American cinema.
If you have seen Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America, starring the great Robert De Niro and accompanied by Ennio Morricone’s unsurpassed music, then you already know the Brooklyn Bridge, the most famous and iconic bridge in the world. If you have seen When Harry Met Sally, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, then it is as though you have already walked through the most beautiful and famous park in the world, Central Park. It is lush and green, filled with beautiful flowers, magnificent lakes, impressive fountains and towering trees. And just imagine—it is a man-made park.
If you have seen King Kong, then you already know the Empire State Building, one of the world’s most famous skyscrapers, where the view from its observation deck across Manhattan will simply take your breath away!!! If you have seen Manhattan, Woody Allen’s black-and-white romantic film, then it is as though you already hold a small tourist guide to the city in your hands. And if you have watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a romantic comedy with Henry Mancini’s magnificent music, then you are already walking along the world’s most famous avenue, humming the film’s wonderful theme, Moon River, to yourself as you gaze at the window displays of famous stores without even realising it.
But let us stay on Fifth Avenue a little longer and admire from afar an architectural marvel of Gothic architecture, a sight so striking that simply looking at it leaves you spellbound: St Patrick’s Cathedral, rising majestically among the skyscrapers like a “magical” contrast beyond imagination!
Our next stop is Grand Central Terminal. Stand in the centre of the station, raise your head and admire its “celestial ceiling”, painted with the constellations of the zodiac. Continue on to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) and visit the unique Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, where you can admire works from Africa, New Guinea and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, golden masks and numerous wood carvings, some of which may even shock you a little.
Visit—especially at night—the “digital” world of Times Square, with its countless giant screens. Look for tickets to some of the greatest and most famous musicals of all time, such as Chicago and The Lion King. Walk along Broadway, which crosses the whole of Manhattan, and then continue to a quiet corner of the Seaport for a rest and a coffee.
And if you finally want to speak a little proper English, visit SoHo. It is a beautiful neighbourhood filled with art galleries, restaurants, shops and wonderful buildings. In any case, you should take at least one ride on the subway and in one of New York’s iconic yellow taxis. They are part of the city’s tourist attractions and a natural backdrop to almost every film.
And now the time has come to encounter the city’s most overwhelming and, at the same time, deeply moving memorial—the place that “froze” time and the souls of people all over the planet. Ground Zero: two large man-made pools built within the footprints of the Twin Towers, with the names of the victims engraved on their bronze parapets. Only silence, sorrow and the sound of water “reign” here.
Watch Oliver Stone’s film World Trade Center, with its beautiful music by Craig Armstrong. A little further down, the “White Dove” by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava awaits you. A marvel of modern architecture, it symbolises peace and rebirth. How, indeed, does this astonishing structure stand without internal columns?
New York “loves” short, sudden summer showers. It is also a bustling city, with plenty of noise in its streets, and the people who use the subway every day almost… run! At the same time, however, it is a peaceful and friendly city, because it is very easy to find “refuge” in one of its many large parks, such as Battery Park, overlooking the Statue of Liberty, and Bryant Park in the heart of the city.
I could recommend some restaurants where you could eat, department stores, attractions and rooftop bars where you could enjoy an evening drink. But my memories of this extraordinary journey come to an end somewhere around here, and I must leave you. I am certain that you can now continue this journey on your own.
“The City That Never Sleeps”, otherwise known as “The Big Apple”, is waiting for you. When you wake up tomorrow morning, go on YouTube and play your new favourite piece of music, Moon River, from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Left-click on Google, choose a search engine and book a plane ticket to one of New York’s three airports.
And always remember: “A journey of thousands of kilometres always begins with the first step.”
So take that first step… and everything else will follow on its own.
The most cinematic city in the world is waiting for you.
Antonis Giaroutzidis 30/08/26