This is the first part of my free Dublin eBook project. It is a step-by-step walking tour through Dublin's three City Centre parks- St. Stephen's Green, Iveagh Gardens, and Merrion Square.
Dublin's Urban Park Scramble [PDF]
Feel free to download, read, and use this walking tour immediately. More walking tours and essays to follow on the Free Dublin eBook page of the blog. I also hope to make this tour available in other formats to give the reader more choices.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated in the comments below or through the Contact page above.
This work is protected with a Creative Commons license. Feel free to read, use, and share. Any shared versions must be attributed to me and you are not allowed to sell the work commercially. See the link below for more details on the CC license.
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!
Sara's out of town for the weekend, so what better time to have a weekend marathon stream! You missed the live event, but luckily, you can watch the whole 14 hour event, in all its glory, right here...
Yes, so I wasn't actively playing and streaming during my big trip to Iowa and New York, so the highlights of Run 3 are all a bit old, but no less exciting if you missed my live casts!
Skipping ahead a bit from Dragon Pod, let's see what Atomos is up to with access to Sleep and rods!
...And how faced we against Exdeath?
Without access to the Float spell, I had to rely on some good luck against a normally easy boss, Catastrophe.
Likewise, I had a few whoopsies fighting Twintania, as Mega Flare charged up more quickly than I could get a Break spell off. I Had to resort to Hermes Sandals and defensive play to get Break to land.
...No boss makes for a long, grind-it-out fight like Necrophobe. I forgot that the Magic Lamp Bahamut cast is magic-power-based, so after my Knight used the lamp, I reset the battle to get a harder hit on those tiresome barriers with it.
I knew when I rolled this party that Shinryu would be within my grasp. If I could get Berserk out of the Wonder Wand and set up the !Guard/Cover combo (with an unplanned but no less effective Mirage Vest Glitch), the battle would be a breeze... It was.
A viewer let me know that with my current party setup, one Almagest would take out everyone. He was right. Sadly, the Almagest piece of Neo Exdeath has a high magic evade, so getting a Break spell to land would prove difficult... but I got it! Magic Lamp took out the back piece, and Break knocked out Almagest.
I had some even more insane luck at the very end of the battle, as the last piece of Neo went nuclear and started casting random, powerful spells. One casting of Meteor would have taken us out, wasting the opportunity I set up with the Break spell landing earlier. Luckily, it used Comet, and I was able to knock him out.
...Next run, Team No 750, all physical, all the time.
As per usual, find my video game action on the following networks:
I may have mentioned here a time or two that the Irish are into horse racing. And by into, I mean into. One of my favorite stories to share is of our afternoon in Trim town. We saw a steady stream of older gentlemen bouncing from the pub to the licensed, legal bookie next door and back to the pub. When we went in (to the pub- not the bookie), it was a hopping Saturday afternoon race, and every television in the joint was tuned in to live racing coverage. The local gents were putting a little bit on the horses to pass the time.
All other races pale in comparison to the legend that is the Galway Races, particularly the Galway Races Summer Festival, which comes to a close on Sunday. All week long they have been celebrating all things horse and horse racing, and I've been casually following the buildup and the action on NewsTalk radio and in the Irish Independent newspaper.
One would expect an event so exciting and so Irish to have an Irish trad song written about it. True to form...
Like so many other sports, the entertainment doesn't stop with the races. Each day of the festival has a different theme and a different headline race. Thursday was Ladies' Day, with prizes for the best-dressed-and-haughtiest-hatted ladies. No word if crossdressing men are allowed in the competition.
Monty Python's Eric Idle
...And on Friday, in addition to the Guinness Handicap featured races, another winner will be crowned in the Fair Lady Competition... Another competition involving dressed-up ladies (and maybe crossdressing Monty Python members) in big hats? The races must be pretty boring for the audience if they need two running days of distractions in the form of big hats. Maybe the races are scheduled with too much time in between?
But who would we Americans be to judge? How many show up in tastefully wacky headgear every summer for our own best ninety seconds in sports?
This guy knows how to rock a Kentucky Derby
All smiling aside, this is a big deal here in Ireland. Horse racing is hugely popular, and this festival gets the same king of multi-day media coverage one might expect from the World Series or the Super Bowl... adjusted for proportional population size, of course.
Race punters (bettors) can put their shekels on a number of races different lengths and lineups. Reading the betting options makes my eyes cross, but I'm sure it would make sense to an experienced racing gambler.
They even cheer on well-known jockeys here on the island of horse fans. On Thursday, this Vine went Irish-viral when local favorite Davy Russell narrowly avoided a nasty fall with a bit of mid-race acrobatics.
After the Galway Races Festival closes up, all the horse fans will presumably make the trip over here to Ballsbridge in south Dublin for the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS, another fancy-hat-wearing, pricey-drink-drinking, red-coated English Irish equine tradition!
