Blame It On The Bossa Nova: The Avenue of the Americas- SOLD OUT

Mayor LaGuardia renamed Sixth Avenue in 1945 to help in his friend President Roosevelt's outreach efforts among the Latin American nations. This was shortly after the dismantling (1939) of the Sixth Avenue El. When the war ended, the avenue was poised for massive redevelopment, which took the form of, among other things, an extension to the west side of the avenue of Rockefeller Center. Among the row of gigantic office buildings counted several of the largest office buildings ever built. And the architects fitfully sustained the Latin theme: in the enameled plaques hanging from streetlamps, in Wallace K. Harrison's Ipanema-inspired pavings, in the long lost La Fonda del Sol restaurant, and, especially, in the grand climax of Bolivar Plaza, with its three dramatic equestrian statues. With guide Francis Morrone, we'll explore the buildings, plazas, and artworks of the avenue. And remember: For today, it is "Avenue of the Americas," not "Sixth Avenue." Cost: $30 / $20 Members.