Just home from a memorable ten-day visit to Oregon to see some family, we are unpacking, dealing with eight-hour jetlag, and generally getting our lives back in order. While unpacking, I admired all of the American treasures we brought home with us – things we can't find easily in Ireland.
S'more S'upplies
One of the most mysterious American treats is the s'more. We get asked about this famous s'nack more than any other, mostly because the ingredients are difficult or impossible to find in Europe.
The Holy Trinity
The traditional s'more is an outdoor campfire food. It has three perfectly-balanced ingredients, and while some hipsters try chic variations on the classic trinity, most American s'mores are simple.
Graham crackers sandwich milk chocolate pieces (traditionally Hershey's) and a roasted marshmallow. When trying to explain a graham cracker to an Irish person, I'm often stumped. "They are...like...sweet, kinda buttery crackers that taste like...honey?" Needless to say, they aren't on most Irish supermarket shelves, despite having such a British name.
Marshmallows can be found in Irish supermarkets, but they are often sold as candy rather than a baking ingredient. Marshmallow fluff might be in the baking aisle, but large, solid 'mallows will usually be in a package of mixed gummi candy. In a s'more, the marshmallow is traditionally roasted – to the eater's preference of browning or charring – over an open flame, but we'll probably be committing a slight breach of s'more etiquette by cooking the chocolate and marshmallows in the oven or microwave.
As for Hershey's chocolate, well, let's just say that Cadbury-loving Brits and Irish don't much care for it. I can taste very little difference in the two basic chocolate bars, but Irish people who have tried Hershey's in the States seem to find it too bitter. In fact, when imports of British Cadbury's chocolate were banned in America, there was a run on import candy shops as desperate expats rushed to stock up on the last supply of their favorite sweet.
Mac & Cheese
Nothing new here. Boxes of instant macaroni and cheese are a staple for us when we visit our home country. Suspiciously quick-cooking noodles complement a sauce made of nuclear yellow cheez powder, butter, and milk in this classic American home convenience food. For best effect, serve with hot dogs.
Generic Store Brands are a Plus
Drugs! Drugs! Drugs!
It might be due to heavier drug regulations, or it might be due to a general lack of big box chain stores, but whatever the reason, over-the-counter medicines are much more expensive in Ireland than in the States. Large bottles of basic household medicine cabinet drugs like antacids, pain relievers, and antihistamines are difficult to find and very expensive when available. Savvy Irish travelers to the States usually stock up on ibuprofen for themselves and their family while abroad, "smuggling" in the pills upon their return. They (and we) buy the big, cheap, store brand bottles.
Antacid, Antihistamine, Deodorant, and Contact Lens Solution
We also stock up on contact lens solution in America, as it is dizzyingly expensive and not even available at all pharmacies in Ireland. When we first needed solution back in 2013, I had to ask around a thee different pharmacies before someone pulled a small, dusty old bottle off the shelf with an eleven-euro price tag. "Is dis what yeh want?" Since then, we've made it a point to buy it on our return visits – at two dollars per bottle.
Be on the lookout for more about our trip to Oregon, and let me know what treasures you bring back from your home country!
We've all heard that some of our strongest links in sensory memory are made with taste and smell. I come in contact with smells almost daily that remind me of very, very specific times and places. That vaguely sweet smell wafting the storefront? Definitely chewy banana Runts candy. The scent of a room or a house visited for the first time? Easy, chicken loaf day in the school cafeteria.
For expats, the smells and tastes of home bring back a pleasing rush of nostalgia that is difficult to describe. The extended absence of these very specific foods makes the experience of eating them just that, an experience. Simple foods that were regular staples in Iowa are now rare treats for us, and we like it that way.
In the American Midwest, we grew up with the traditional foods of mixed Northern European–Americans. Not real Northern Europeans, mind you, whose foods would have been foreign and scary to a young me, but the children's children's children of Northern Europeans, whose food traditions mixed with those of other countries and the spirit of American industrialism to make the beautiful mishmash of Midwest American food.
Enter the sausage. I've written before about the American take on the European sausage. By boldly adding exotic spices, alternative meats and fillers, and appropriating completely different foods, we end up with such gems as pizza dogs, queso-and-jalapeno bratwurst, and turkey jerky.
The Iowa Gourmet
One of my childhood favorites was kielbasa – the traditional Polish favorite brought to Midwest cities like Chicago by Central and Eastern European immigrants. Love of the stuff spread, and American supermarket shelves now offer a wide selection of traditional (and not so traditional) takes on this flavorful classic. I used to enjoy it grilled, fried, or cold from the fridge at midnight with potatoes, cabbage, mustard, or sauerkraut.
In Ireland, the sausage tradition is much more monotone. For most of its history, Ireland has been a nation of emigration rather than immigration; no one ever brought new food cultures to the country. Recently, when the Celtic Tiger was roaring, the nation finally began to welcome newcomers – including a massive Polish population – to its shores. The resulting mix of cultures (and outbreeding genes) was only a good thing for mostly-homogenous Ireland, as the Polish brought with them their sausage.
Craving a taste of my childhood recently, I paid a visit to on of Dublin's Polish import supermarkets serving the Eastern European population, who miss their homeland favorites just like I do. Like an excited child, I skipped through the aisles, looking at Midwest American foods in their purest form, and in great supply and variety. Dill pickles! Sauerkraut! Sausage! To be fair, I should say that many Irish supermarkets do stock Polish foods for their customers, but the price and variety doesn't compete with the Polish importers. Also, I find it strange and funny seeing American staple foods stuck in the ethnic food aisle next to the ramen noodles and Thai fish sauce.
The jar of dill pickles barely made it into the kitchen before I had my fingers in the brine. Washed with the salty, garlicky taste, I gave up any resistance and ate the whole jar, calling it lunch for the day. I had the courtesy to save the kielbasa and jar of kraut to share with Sara.
All of this Translates to "Delicious"
The kraut? Cooked with potatoes and carrots to make a mushy stew rich with the flavors of fermentation. The 'basa? Simple and no-nonsense: cut into coins and deeply browned in a skillet. The meal? Eaten before a picture could be taken.
Food memories are important, and nothing makes food taste better than a year without it. Now that I've found a reliable supplier of delicious nostalgic foods, I'm afraid I won't have the willpower to stay away for another year. Oh well, I'll always have boxed macaroni and cheese waiting for me back home.
It should be a US (world?) holiday. The Monday after has long had one of the highest rates of sick days of the year. Productivity dips, churches are empty, stores close (Green Bay only), and every TV station NOT covering the game plans strategic marathons of shows aimed at the non-game crowd.
That's right, once again, the Super Bowl is upon us. And I'm stuck in Europe...
The Super Bowl keeps getting later and longer. Doesn't the NFL care about the tiny population of non-ad-targeted fans in Europe?
— Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) February 1, 2015
The game won't kick off until almost midnight local time, and will last AT LEAST an hour longer than a normal (already long) NFL game. It's gonna be a late night, but I'm dedicated to enjoying this one little bit of my American heritage to the last.
It really is impossible to compare Super Bowl Sunday to anything here in Ireland. Hurling and Gaelic football finals are great, to be sure. Rugby Six Nations championship? Exciting and thrilling of course, but the preamble and postgame is a bit deflating. World Cup? Yeah, it's big -- especially if your team is hanging in to the late stage of the tourney -- bit it's much less of a spectacle. That's right, I said it.
The Super Bowl is a big piñata-pop of all things American, the culmination of an entire autumn and winter of football fandom. Every high school season is long in the books, the college football bowl season has passed, and all American sporting eyes turn to the all-day coverage of the Greatest Game of the Year.
It falls at the perfect time. After the NFL season, America enters a sporting doldrums. Football is over, the baseball season is still months away, and sports networks struggle to find interesting (non-NASCAR) programming on weekends.
But.. Basketball! And ice hockey!
I know, basketball is still in full swing, and the college hoops season is really amping up as the conference standings fall into place in the buildup to the conference tourneys and the ever-loved March Madness championship tournament. The NBA is... the NBA. Professional basketball, a few nights a week. Those games that are always playing on mute at the local bar, with scores running into the triple digits and celebrities sitting courtside for their obligatory out-and-about shots. Compared to football? Yawn.
Ice hockey, enjoyed by a small but incredibly passionate fanbase, still occupies a second-class spot in the pro sports world. Just like the NBA, it suffers from a too-long season and bad television deals (outside of the home markets) and gets relegated to game-on-mute-at-the-one-bar-owned-by-that-guy-from-North-Dakota.
No friends, the Super Bowl is the LAST big game of 2014 -- even though it takes place a month into 2015. Like the traditional Chinese or the fiscal year, sports function by their own calendar not set down by the Romans (and later refined by monks) all those years ago. And much like the Western New Year celebration, Super Bowl Sunday is a big party held in the middle of winter, and the following day we wake up hungover, jaded, and looking ahead into a void of cold nothingness.
So enjoy, friends! However you celebrate (if you celebrate), do so safely and with as much America in your heart as you can fit. America is pretty big, much bigger than any human heart -- use caution. Even if you don't care one lick about that start-and-stop game where all the fat guys give each other head trauma, get yourself a watery American light lager, plug your nose, and release your inner North Dakotan. Get on YouTube tomorrow and watch as much of the halftime show as you can stomach, especially if there is a wardrobe malfunction -- but not if it happens to Steven Tyler.
And while you're watching the game, know that I will be sitting on an uncomfortable couch in our cold apartment in the middle of the night, full of nachos, quietly celebrating every sports fan's favorite holiday right there with you. God bless you, God bless football, and God bless America!
It's Christmas Day, for those who celebrate. It's our second holiday season away from the States, and boy how time flies. It seems like just yesterday that we were spending a quiet (and cold) Christmas in Cork, Ireland's other capital.
But looking back, so much has happened since that little holiday away. We've checked off a number of other travel destinations, like Belgium, Derry, Munich, Prague, and Scotland. If it counts as a travel destination, we visited our families back in Iowa and New York.
Family has come from America to see us in Galway, Mayo, and County Clare (writings of those trips coming soon).
I've accomplished a number of personal goals, finally pushing "publish" on my free eBook, and it's been very successful so far. The downloads creep up slowly each day, and as it becomes available on more platforms, I know it will grow. I hope to continue promoting and updating the book as the new year begins.
I'm well into writing my second book, pumping out my daily writing quota without much trouble. Instead of spending those hours every day on new blog content, I feel like I'm getting a better product with longform, pictureless, personal essays. Hopefully the new year will see another book on my e-bookshelf.
We hope you are kickin' it with someone you love this holiday season, whichever holidays you celebrate. If you are away from your close family and friends like we are, we feel you. Try to spend some time connecting with them with this amazing world wide web through which you're reading my words now.
Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season and new year to all!
It's that time of year again, turkey and football fans! Thanksgiving is upon us again here in Dublin. While the rest of the country goes about their regular pre-Christmas routine, we'll be cooking up a traditional (ish) Thanksgiving feast for two in our tiny Dublin kitchen. Follow the action all day on Twitter (www.twitter.com/hansoncory1 and www.twitter.com/hansonsaraj) or right here on this blog post. All new tweets will be embedded (with pictures) on this page as the day goes on.
Happy Turkey Day!
It's 7:50 AM local time. @hansonsaraj is off to work, now it's time for the fun part. First, the pie.
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Had to go to the import store and pay a premium to get a can of Libby's Pumpkin. Thankfully everything else was easy pic.twitter.com/xRPH6nRlqS
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
It got down to -2C (28F) last night. Coldest morning yet this year. Guess I should count myself lucky, but right now it just feels cold.
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Pie is in. Crust contracted into the pan during blind baking, so it's not as deep as it could be. pic.twitter.com/nVo0GmUGj8
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Had to use two clean rocks to grind whole cloves for the pie. No use buying a whole pack of ground cloves for 1/4 tsp pic.twitter.com/erYJxJHKIn
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Sweet potatoes mixed with maple syrup and pecans ready to bake later. Now, I need to wash that bowl to use it again! pic.twitter.com/GGdbeZj28W
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
If I was in the Central time zone, the Macy's Parade would be starting about now. Thinking of @LeighBlaize working hard. Say hi to Al Roker!
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Mashed up some (non sweet) potatoes. Had to put them in a breadpan for shortage of equipment. Carrot turkey on top! pic.twitter.com/0iCWuMWl2U
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
The duck is salted and waiting in the fridge with orange zest and onion for the oven later today. pic.twitter.com/JRQ4LC63Qa
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
First round of dishes done! Now I have a little gap before the afternoon kicks into high gear.
— Cold Cory Hanson (@HansonCory1) November 27, 2014
Making some mulled hard cider from my last batch of homebrew for later. Well, maybe just a taste... pic.twitter.com/cx4YX77A1V
Earlier this year, after doing some American supermarket research, we spent some time visiting family in Cory's hometown of Dubuque. People always ask us where we come from in the States. For the curious...
We always say, "Iowa- right in the middle." Interestingly, we've found that "near Chicago" isn't as useful as we'd thought. Irish people tend to be very well-traveled and many have been to the States, but most have been to Boston, New York, and a few of the western states- Chicago seems to be much less popular.
Iowa is bordered by two of North America's biggest rivers: the Missouri to the west and the Mississippi to the east. Cory's hometown is on the Mighty Miss- right on the borders of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, so his love of water should come as no surprise.
Obligatory Cory-Looking-at-the-Water Shot
Our visit was in mid-July, on the very tail end of Dubuque's annual mayfly (called fishflies locally) invasion. These insects spend a year as aquatic larvae before hatching en masse to breed and lay eggs for next year's hatch. Mayflies aren't unique to Dubuque, the Mississippi, or even North America, but when conditions are right, Dubuque has hatches of staggering size. Thick tree boughs bend and break from the sheer weight of these small insects landing on the tree and on each other, forming a thick black blanket. The city occasionally has to bring the snowplows out of storage to push inches of slick dead insect bodies off of the streets and bridges.
Only a few stragglers remained for our visit, so I got the benefit of a nostalgia blast without the actual problems caused by billions of bugs.
Dubuque Mayfly
From the riverside in Dubuque, sovereign land of three states is visible, Iowa at your feet, Wisconsin to the left (north) and Illinois to the right. All this across the river that spawned so many stories and legends. Mark Twain would have just been a man named Sam without the inspiration of this blue-brown beauty.
Across the Mississippi
Since I've left Dubuque, they have developed and restored much of the riverfront. The old Dubuque Star Brewery is sadly no longer producing its famous classic beer, but it is now home to the tasting room of a local winery.
Star Brewery and Shot Tower
Behind the brewery is the old Civil War shot tower, used to make round lead ball bullets for military issue. The tower in Dubuque is one of very few still-standing gravity-powered shot towers. Lead was melted and dropped from the top floor of the tower through a series of mesh filters. As the liquid lead fell, friction from the air and the decreasing-diameter mesh shaped it into perfectly round spheres.
Dubuque was the perfect choice for a lead bullet plant, as the bluffs around the city are jam-packed with rich lead deposits. It was for these lead mines that the city was first established- by a Frenchman, before the Germans and Irish took over.
Shot Tower
After such a nice walk in the sunshine on my favorite river, we were all ready for some classic American (and Dubuque-specific) food and drink...
I have always been interested in regional food preferences. Since moving to Ireland, I've learned that Midwest American and Irish food preferences are largely the same, but some important differences do exist. An Irish or European person visiting the States may find American supermarkets packed with strange and unfamiliar foods and suspiciously helpful and courteous employees. With this guide, you can confidently navigate any American supermarket without fear.
First, you'll have to park in the gigantic parking lot, full of SUV-sized parking spots. You'll luxuriously pull your vehicle at any angle into your spot. Heck, take up two spots! There's room for all here.
After parking, you may have a long walk to reach the market itself. Better get back in the car and drive a few laps around the parking lot until a car leaves one of the closer spots... at least one that's in view of the front door of the air-conditioned superstore.
Finding the Front Door
Once inside, you'll be blasted with the cool air and smells of food. Look around for the food, you'll find it eventually. It's probably past the deli, cafe, bank branch, florist, craft beer bar, reception hall, and import wine shop. More and more Midwestern market chains (like Hy-Vee pictured here) are offering a more full-service experience for the consumer. You drove all that way to the store and walked across that huge parking lot, so why not maximize the experience?
Once in the aisles, you'll find some strange foods- depending on your American region. In the meat-loving Midwest, note the wide selection of potted meats. Minnesota-based Hormel makes some classics like the WWII superfood SPAM, a ground, smoked, salted pork patty preserved in brine and steel.
Pickled Pigs Feet and SPAM
If you are English or Irish, you might be surprised at the limited selection of canned bean choices. We do like our pork 'n beans (canned beans mixed with bits of bacon, pork, or even hot dog chunks) and our classic western baked beans- but we don't include beans as an accompaniment to... well... everything, so you'll have a limited selection here.
...But you will be able to choose from a variety of shiny, brightly-colored jelly choices, particularly the American favorite grape. Remember, what we call jelly is like seedless, gummy jam- not the sweet gelatin dessert. We call that Jell-O, after the popular Bill-Cosby-endorsed brand name.
We love our jelly with nothing more than we love it with peanut butter. Yes, that other American favorite is a crucial ingredient in the classic sandwich, peanut butter and jelly (PB&J). Some enterprising companies have ingeniously developed jelly-and-peanut-butter mixes in one jar. No more inconvenient spreading of goo from two separate jars!
Peanut Butter and Grape Jelly
Now, let's head over to the refrigerated area to find the... eggs? Yes, we Americans like our eggs cold. Keeping eggs cold does help them maintain their firm whites and strong yolks, especially when buying cheap ones. Believe me, I've noticed. Keeping eggs at room temperature really only seems to work with real farm-fresh eggs.
In Ireland, we dutifully buy warm, room-temp eggs from the supermarket, take them home, and put them in the fridge.
Refrigerated Eggs
The eggs are kept near the bacon- smoked bacon. The rashers so popular in the UK and Ireland are not to be found in the American market. Scratch that, they are available, but they are called ham slices. Looking for rashers? Grab some Canadian bacon, the pink, flavorless, unsmoked meat that we've assigned to our northerly neighbors to tease them about their British Commonwealth roots.
...Staying on meat, let's talk sausage. UK and Ireland, it's time we had a talk about sausage. Are you aware that there is so much more in the fresh sausage world than pink salty things? The Germans and Czechs (and French, and Italians, and...) figured out long ago that sausages could be augmented with spices and herbs to make a dizzying array of flavor choices.
Thankfully, when America was settled by all these Europeans, they brought their sausage traditions with them and mixed them all together with a bit of the American spirit to give us the choices we have today.
Jalapeno cheddar bratwurst? Got 'em. Garlic mustard beer kielbasa? Check. Low-fat vegan turkey onion kale coffeebean? Maybe! Did you check in California?
Sausage Selection
In addition to the fresh sausage (that's sausage requiring cooking), we have the hot dog/bologna (baloney) family. These fully-cooked mystery meats define America to much of the world, and with good reason. I know they are available here in Ireland, but usually in a jar or can (see SPAM above). At the American market, you can select from any number of variations available in refrigerated and only moderately-slimy packages.
Oscar Meyer Wieners
Before we leave hot dogs, ever heard of a corn dog? This might be more Midwestern-specific than other foods, as it combines two rural staples in one glorious package. Cold hot dogs are skewered on a wooden stick, dipped in a cornmeal batter, and deep fried to perfection. These were originally developed to be outdoor fair food, eaten with dirty fingers while walking down the midway, but they have since made it to the frozen food aisle.
Corn Dogs
Before we leave the freezer, let's take a look at ice cream. We've seen some imitators in Irish market freezers. It looks like a valiant attempt, but I don't believe Tesco will ever really come close to anything like Iowa-classic Blue Bunny Birthday Party ice cream- full-fat vanilla ice cream with cake frosting stripes and crunchy sugar sprinkles. mmm....
Other favorites include cookie dough and various candy bar chunk flavors.
Blue Bunny Birthday Party
How 'bout the liquor store (off-license)? Well, let's walk in and see!
Walking in to a Walk-in Beer Cooler
Many supermarkets (and convenience stores, and liquor stores) are installing walk-in beer coolers. Just as the name implies, these room-sized refrigerators are stacked to the ceiling with beer. Cheap American lagers like the Busch, Miller, and Budweiser families make up most of the bulk, but craft and imported beers are gaining traction even in the Midwest. Whatever your fancy, find it before you get too cold.
Before we leave, let's find the sugary breakfast cereal that boils centuries of proud Irish culture down into one delicious character. Lucky Charms, that's how Irish people look, speak, and eat, right? No? Huh...
With your no-fee plastic grocery bags sagging with all the sugary American goodness, head back across the burning desert of a parking lot to your SUV... if you can pick it out from the others. Better hit that panic button on your keys and head to the one that honks. The others may contain vicious dogs and forgotten infants in carseats.
Just in case you've forgotten where you are, look to the far end of the parking lot for a swimming-pool-sized reminder. No mistaking it, you're home in the good ol' U.S. of A.
Old Grocery Glory
That's it, my Euro friends! The American supermarket shouldn't be scary or imposing, but welcoming and smiling! If you ask someone for help, they will gladly drop everything to help you- and probably ask about that cute accent to boot.
Now get out there and make me proud, future consumer!
If you only have one day in New York and you have high walking endurance, Manhattan can be a great visit on foot. If you are a fan of Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989), so much the better. You can visit a number of actual Ghostbusters film sites while stopping by some of New York's other famous landmarks.
See the embedded map for the selection of our target points. As you can see, the full route is long and can be strenuous. Plan to take regular breaks to sample some of Manhattan's bars, restaurants, parks, and people watching. Try to get an early morning start so you can take a leisurely pace through the city. For a shorter route, cut out Columbia and begin at 55 Central Park West. You can also use the subway to skip the walk between the 5th Avenue Library in Midtown and the Firehouse Downtown.
Columbia University
Nearest subway stop: Columbia University 116 Street (1 Train)
The full-length tour route begins in the morning on New York's famous halls of Ivy League learning, Columbia. In the film, Peter, Ray, and Egon are fired from their cushy academic jobs and are forced to go into business catching ghosts. Most of the shots are centered around the main courtyard and its overlooking statue.
"Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP , clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?"
"I've been in the private sector... They expect results!"
"Call it fate, call it luck, call it karma..."
As a bonus, non-Ghostbusters site, snap a photo of Tom's Restaurant on 112th and Broadway, just a few blocks south of Columbia. The exterior was made famous in countless slap-bass-accompanied cafe establishing shots in the television series Seinfeld.
Tom's Restaurant from Seinfeld
Cory Trivia: I found a turntable/stereo receiver in the trash just across the street from this restaurant on a high school trip in 2003. The turntable didn't work, but the receiver was the main hub of my stereo setup until it finally shorted out when I was in college.
Central Park and the Jacqueline Kennedy Reservoir
Nearest subway stops: 86 Street or 96 Street (B or C Train)
After Columbia, there is a bit of a walk to get to the next cluster of film sites. Luckily, you can go right through (or right along) New York's famous Central Park. The Park itself can provide a whole day of entertainment, but we'll just walk through it on this tour. If you care to, take a picture of the Upper East Side from the west edge of the reservoir. It's a beautiful look at one of the most expensive neighborhoods in America, and the site of a short scene in which the 'Busters capture a ghost running on the reservoir-circling track.
"Alright, who brought the dog!?"
55 Central Park West, Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle
Nearest subway stop: 59 Street Columbus Circle (A, B, C, D, or 1 Train)
At the southwest corner of Central Park, a cluster of Ghostbusters film sites awaits. The high-rise apartment building that is known as Spook Central and houses Dana's apartment is located at 55 Central Park West. The filmmakers added a roof addition of the building digitally, but the resemblance can clearly be seen today.
Also note the church next door, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. This is the building that inspires the classic line, "No one steps on a church in my town!" when the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man smashes it en route to Spook Central.
"She's not my girlfriend. I find her interesting because she's a client and because she sleeps above her covers... Four feet above her covers. She barks, she drools, she claws!"
"That's the bedroom, but nothing ever happened in there." "What a crime."
"Let's split up." "Good idea, we can do more damage that way."
Just one long block behind Spook Central is Lincoln Center. This famous performing arts venue is worth a visit on its own, but one famous Ghostbusters scene was shot here in the plaza. Peter surprises Dana after her symphony rehearsal. She spies him hopping on one foot in front of the fountain. He famously asks of her pretentious companion, "Who's the stiff?"
Following an agreement to meet for a date/professional meeting, Peter celebrates with a famous twirl.
"...The flowers are still standing!"
"I don't have to take this abuse from you! I've got hundreds of other people dying to abuse me!"
"I heard you, you're the best one in your row!"
Just down Broadway from Lincoln Center is Columbus Circle. This roundabout is marked by a statue of Columbus on top of a pillar, the street is packed with cars, and the sidewalks are filled with gaping tourists (including you and me!) and people aggressively selling street tours.
In the film, we first see the possessed Louis Tully ask a bridled horse if it is the Gatekeeper.
"Wait for the sign, then all prisoners will be released! ...YOU WILL PERISH IN FLAME!"
Later, we see the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man come up through Columbus Circle on its way to Spook Central seven short blocks up.
"The choice is made! The traveler has come!"
New York Public Library, 5th Avenue
Nearest subway stops: 42 Street Bryant Park (B, D, F, or M Trains), 5 Avenue (7 Train), or Grand Central Terminal 42 Street (S, 4, 5, 6, or 7 Trains)
After Columbus Circle, you have a number of sightseeing choices. Looking at the map, see that the route to the 5th Avenue Library takes you right through Midtown. If you wish, you can see Times Square, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, Rockefeller Center, and a number of other famous New York notables. This might be a good time to take a break in one of the most famous square miles in the world.
When the crowds become overwhelming, continue on to the 5th Avenue branch of the New York Public Library, and its famous lions, Prudence and Caution. The opening shot of Ghostbusters is the unforgettably creepy swinging look at the right-side lion and the first statement of the spooky musical motif.
"Listen! ... Do you smell something?"
The library basement shots were filmed in a Hollywood studio, but some of the upper-level stacks were filmed at this location. Go ahead and take a stroll through the archives while dropping such nuggets as...
"You're right, no human being would stack books like this!"
"Get her!"
And Sara's favorite... "Back off, man. I'm a scientist."
Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters, Moore Street
Nearest subway stop: Franklin Street (1 Train) or Canal Street (A, C, or E Trains)
Now you're faced with a choice. The next Ghostbusters film site on this tour is in the Tribeca neighborhood, way downtown. The walk from the 5th Avenue Library is about three miles, but takes you by the Empire State Building (if you continue down 5th Avenue) and some exciting and colorful neighborhoods. If you are pressed for time or endurance, consider catching a train downtown.
On the corner of Moore Street and Varick Street is the crown jewel of this tour, the Ghostbusters firehouse, Hook and Ladder 8. The interior shots of the firehouse were shot on a Hollywood set, but the outdoor looks were all shot here.
"I think this building should be condemned. There's serious metal fatigue in all the load-bearing members, the wiring is substandard, it's completely inadequate for our power needs, and the neighborhood is like a demilitarized zone."
"No job is to big, no fee is too big..."
"Do you want some coffee Mr. Tully?" "Do I?" "Yes, have some." "Yes, have some!"
"Dropping off or picking up?"
The building was and is a working F.D.N.Y. fire station. Moore Street is very close to the former World Trade Center site, and many of these firefighters served on 9/11. One of them was lost that day.
The firefighters of Ladder 8 are proud of their connection to Ghostbusters and proudly display the logo on a sidewalk mural. Just inside the door, they have on display the marquee sign used in Ghostbusters II, with the ghost holding up two fingers.
This should go without saying, but when visiting, remember that this is a functional firehouse. Do not block the door and do not bother working firefighters. They may allow you to approach and take a photograph, but be respectful to and do not interfere with the work of the Ladder 8 crew.
Don't ask if you can go inside and say...
"Hey! Does this pole still work!? You gotta try this POLE!"
...But feel free to sing or whistle this Bobby Brown classic on your way by.
"...Well I guess we're gonna have to take control..."
National Museum of the American Indian, Bowling Green
Nearest subway stop: Bowling Green (4 or 5 Trains)
Heading south from the firehouse, you can visit a number of downtown landmarks. The former World Trade Center site is now the site of the new Freedom Tower and the 9/11 Memorial. Northeast of the WTC is City Hall (used for a few Ghostbusters outdoor establishing shots, if you're interested), and the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge. Heading farther south, pass by Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange on your way to Battery Park and the last film site on the tour.
In Ghostbusters II, the center of psychic turbulence is the painting of Vigo, "The Scourge of Carpathia, The Sorrow of Moldovia!" housed in an upscale art museum. The building used to film the museum shots was the U.S. Customs House building, now home to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
"Being miserable and treating people like dirt is every New Yorker's God-given right!"
"Where the hell are you from anyway, Johnny?" "...De Upper Vest Side?"
Where to go from here?
Now that we've seen most of the major Ghostbusters film sites and are on the southern tip of the island, we can end our tour. From here, if you have the time and the strength, you can get a great view of the Lower Manhattan skyline by taking either the (free!) Staten Island Ferry (eastern edge of Battery Park) or the (sometimes free, other times cheap!) Governor's Island Ferry (just east of Staten Island Ferry).
Both of these boat rides provide a great view of the Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey skylines and a nice look at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island without the cost and airport-security-style-shakedown of the Liberty Island or Ellis Island Ferries.
If you take the Staten Island Ferry, just exit the boat and get right back on to ride back to Manhattan (and civilization, according to New Yorkers...). Governor's Island is a unique former military base turned park. Check beforehand for opening and operating hours of Governor's Island if you want to tag this on to the end of your long walking tour.
Conglaturation!
You've made it through Manhattan in a day, and seen the iconic filming locations of both Ghostbusters films. Get some rest and enjoy the rest of your time in New York.
Please feel free to get in touch with me through the Contact page on the blog or leave a comment below if you have questions, comments, or recommended additional stops on the tour. I know this tour doesn't cover every film location, but some sacrifices had to be made for time and distance.
As a reward for your hard work, enjoy this, the infamous ending sequence of the Ghostbusters NES game!
Special Thanks
This walk was inspired by a fantastic video from Cinemassacre.com and its creator James Rolfe, better known as the Angry Video Game Nerd. In the first video below, he visits these film locations and several more in New York with side-by-side video analysis of the film and the sites today. Without his inspiration, I wouldn't have planned and routed this walking tour. I'm sure he'll never read this, but thanks, James!
