I had the pleasure of experiencing Justin Ferate's top-notch tour of Grand Central on Friday. The word "tour" seems too mundane to describe this two hour odyssey, which combined fascinating facts, lively and often very funny stories, and a real introduction to the potential of architecture to touch people's lives in a positive way.
Justin is a natural teacher (and entertainer) who knows how to involve his charges in the experience - the attached photo shows him teaching a fellow participant how to wave like the Queen Mother from the balcony near Michael Jordan's steak house. His point - how the architects planned that looking down on the floor of the terminal from this spot would make visitors feel that they were looking down on their loyal subjects and, as Justin said, "Who wouldn't want to feel that way?"
By the end my face hurt from non-stop smiling, so I just had to fill it with some Oyster Bar chowder.
I would recommend this experience to both New Yorkers and visitors. All you have to do is show up in the lobby of the Atria building any Friday at 12:30 PM.
And, I kid you not, it's all for free.
