New York City is the premier destination for major holiday events. Every year, scores of tourists and locals alike show up to witness parades, tree lightings and festivals at a scale only the Big Apple can provide. Whether its the spectacular balloon procession for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the amazingly choreographed dancing at the West Village during the Halloween Parade or the iconic tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, throngs of visitors from all around the world turn up to… well… turn up!

This list is specifically about destinations in the city anyone can visit during the Christmas season. Some of these locations are parks and plazas you might have visited during a trip to NYC in the summertime that have since been transformed for the holidays. While all of these places are free to access, some of these locations offer products and activities that are exclusive to paying customers, so remember to bring along some cash, a card or your phone because you likely wont be able to resist the temptation to buy food at our first spot.

1. The Winter Village At Bryant Park

We’re starting off with a personal favorite of mine, Bryant Park. Located between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan, Bryant Park holds two very distinct worlds within its respective Fifth and Sixth Avenue halves. On the east side you will find the historic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which houses the main branch of the New York Public Library. It’s the western half, however, that we’re more interested in when it comes to the holidays.

For much of the summer, NYC residents and visitors can be found eating lunch at the green tables and chairs that line up the inner perimeter of Bryant Park. A perfectly trimmed, bright green lawn — which normally opens up to the public in the afternoon — plays host to a selection of sunbathers, friend groups and tourist families as well looking for a reprieve from the craziness at Times Square just one avenue down. On certain warm evenings a stage is set up near the iconic water fountain where classic movies are shown and live performances take place. As a young twenty-something with a degree of free time that I now very much wish I still had, I spent plenty of sunny mornings at Bryant Park marveling at the amazing view of the Empire State and Radiator Buildings from within the park’s walls. If you went looking for that same lawn or the stage in the months of November and December, however, what you’d find would be completely unrecognizable.

In the wintertime, the familiar sights of Midtown’s favorite lunch destination give way to a wonderland of epic proportions. Sponsored by Bank Of America, Bryant Park’s Winter Village is an oasis of holiday cheer at an otherwise sterile stretch of Sixth Avenue. After making your way up the steps and onto the lower level of the Winter Village you will notice that you are surrounded by dozens of see-through sheds selling just about anything you can think of. From jewelry to food, puppets, clothing and even action figures, Bryant Park’s Winter Village is a one-stop-shop for the widest selection of holiday and non-holiday themed goods you can find anywhere in the neighborhood. It retains all the quirkiness of the average Midtown street market — everyone from artists to food vendors packed together in one space — but on a much grander scale thanks to the sheer size of the park and the amount of visitors flowing in and out at any given time.

Oh, and as for that lush green lawn, well in its place is an upper level with more food vendors and a large ice skating rink where yours truly ice skated for the first time in 2025. I will say, staff at the rink is very attentive, especially when you fall backwards and hit your head on the ice (ouch!). Cell phones, headphones and backpacks are not permitted on the ice, so make sure you have a friend on the sidelines to not only cheer you on, but to snap any photo or video you might want. At the end closest to the library is a Christmas tree — the lighting of which is a highly-attended event with musical performances and even fireworks. It’s no Rockefeller, but if you want an opportunity to take a photo with a NYC Christmas tree up close and without having to wade through an immense crowd, Bryant Park is your best bet. If the tree at Bryant Park isn’t to your liking, you might want to consider the cozier spot coming up next.

2. The Sunken Plaza At 1221 Avenue Of The Americas

Our next location is a public space that's privately owned by the Rockefeller Group. While the name Rockefeller conjures up images of a Rockefeller Plaza bustling with visitors trying to squeeze past crowds gawking at the iconic Christmas tree to get into FAO Schwartz, this prime photo spot is much more intimate than that. The Sunken Plaza sits right in front of the McGraw-Hill Building on Sixth Avenue, the result of a renovation project which was completed in 2023. Just as its name implies, it lies directly at the foot of a set of stairs that take you from the sidewalk to a cozy environment with round seats and a few plants.

While the plaza remains mostly empty (at least from my observation as someone who has walked past it every week for the past two years) it undergoes a transformation during the holiday season that makes it a major attraction, especially at night. This isn’t due to a spectacular fireworks display or an elaborate lighting ceremony but the result a very pretty tree with a hole in it (no seriously). The Sunken Plaza doesn’t boast an enticing food market or a meet and greet with Santa, it simply gives visitors the chance to step under a walk-through tree decorated in warm LED lights and golden ornaments and strike their favorite pose for a picture-perfect holiday photo. I will admit, it’s a guilty pleasure of mine to stand at the top of the stairs and look down onto the plaza every December to watch happy friends and families hurriedly decide what kind of photo they want under the tree.

A few things to consider before making this the next stop on your NYC holiday vacation: First, you’ll need to bring someone with you. This isn’t a situation where a selfie, done with or without the aid of a selfie stick, is going to result in a photo you’ll be happy with. My suggestion would be to have your companion wait at the top of the stairs so that when your turn arrives they can include most, if not all, of the tree in your photo. Second, although daytime photos, like the one I included in the beginning of this section, can look good — the tree, with its warm light and gold ornaments — really looks best in the evening. Lastly, there's a line and a staff member making sure everyone gets on it. Although you might prefer a photo in the evening, as the day goes on the line tends to get longer, so plan accordingly. If you’d like to avoid lines and are looking for something that looks just as impressive in the daytime as in the evening, my next location will meet all those requirements without taking you very far.

3. Giant Ornaments On Sixth Avenue

Let’s say you’ve made your way back up the stairs of The Sunken Plaza and still in the mood to take more holiday-themed photos of yourself, but you want to avoid the cliché Christmas tree photos everyone else is posting on social media or you don’t feel like grabbing a train or a taxi for your next selfie. Well, the following suggestion is actually made up of several locations along Sixth Avenue that are all one street down from each other. The giant ornaments on Sixth Avenue are comprised of three awe inspiring displays of classic Christmas decorations that are impossible to ignore as you make your way down this stretch of Avenue of the Americas.

Formerly known as the Exxon Building, 1251 Avenue of the Americas — now owned by Japanese real estate company Mitsui Fudosan — is famous for being one of the 100 tallest buildings in the U.S., and the size of the water fountain right in front of it doesn’t disappoint either. At 85 feet by 116 feet, the fountain takes up a sizable chunk of space — serving as a Zen spot in an otherwise busy neighborhood where one can relax and listen to the sound of running water. However, the fountain is most famous for being the home of the first set of giant ornaments on our list. Situated right inside the fountain itself are a massive set of steel-reinforced fiberglass red ornamental balls. The balls were first displayed in 1993 and were designed by Stephen Stefan of Venue Arts. The balls and the fountain are illuminated in the nighttime, creating the perfect place for photographers and families posing first thing in the morning or in the evening as they make their way back to their hotel.

Our next set of ornaments are just as striking in size and scale as the previous ones, but it’s their location that has captured my attention as a lover of NYC history. Right in front of 1271 Avenue of the Americas is a set of giant candy canes, the bottom tips of which are stuffed into a mound of fake snow below. The white and red striped sticks are also illuminated at night and their position right across Radio City Music Hall makes them the perfect place for a photo that includes not only the whimsy of giant ornaments but an iconic NYC landmark which is also dressed up for the holidays (if you can get the right shot).

Before you head over to the next location on our list, take some time to look down and notice the ground, where alternating waves of white and grey resembling the sidewalks of Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach make up the path right in front of one of NYC’s most iconic buildings. The skyscraper where the MLB store and the Rockefeller Group now call home was once the headquarters of Time Inc. Originally known as the Time & Life Building, 1271 Avenue of the Americas is completely occupied by major U.S. brands and even served as the fictitious home of advertising agency Sterling Cooper Draper Price in the award-winning AMC series Mad Men. If the mix of big business and holiday cheer is something that speaks to you, our next and final set of ornaments will not disappoint.

Formerly known as the Equitable Building, 1285 Avenue of the Americas is now home to UBS, a wealth management corporation and their art gallery. The most interesting aspect of this building are the grey pillars on its bottom level, facing Sixth Avenue. Just as synonymous with the holiday season as candy canes and ball ornaments, nutcrackers — decorative dolls that resemble toy soldiers — can be traced to 17th century Germany. The toys spread to the rest of Europe in the 1800’s and by the end of the Second World War they were popular with American buyers as well. These gigantic decorative dolls rest upright against nearly all of the grey pillars of 1285 Avenue of the Americas where visitors can be seen walking all the way back to the edge of the sidewalk so that they can fit the entirety of their immense ornaments in their photos. If posing for photos isn’t your thing and you’d prefer a more interactive experience, then our next suggestion might be more to your liking.

4. The Urbanspace and Grand Central Holiday Markets

Once again I am grouping several locations under one category, but given that these markets tend to offer similar products and are often made up of the same vendors, I feel comfortable putting them under the same umbrella. The Urbanspace Markets are comprised of the Herald Square Holiday Market near the famous Macy’s in Midtown Manhattan where the Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place, The Union Square Holiday Market at a public park located at a historic intersection where Broadway and Park Avenue meet and the Columbus Circle Holiday Market near the southwesternmost entrance of Central Park. The Grand Central Holiday Fair is located in Vanderbilt Hall, right across from French restaurant Grand Brasserie.

The most distinct out of all of these is the Herald Square Holiday Market, which is almost entirely made up of food vendors. With a festive Macy’s serving as the backdrop, this is the perfect holiday market for those looking to grab a quick bite and a seat nearby. The Union Square, Columbus Circle and Grand Central markets feature a more diverse selection of vendors with artists, artisans and clothing designers amiably chitchatting with potential customers. While these markets are all smaller and feel more intimate than Bryant Park’s Winter Village, they retain the wonderous maze-like feel of getting lost among the sea of visitors and vendor sheds that make you forget the outside world even exists.

Honorable Mention: The Classic Cab At The Hilton Hotel

Circling back to Sixth Avenue, there's one attraction I never miss out on when I’m getting photos of the giant ornaments. As a lover of classic cars and vintage products in general, you can imagine my joy as I spotted this classic checkered cab right in front of the entrance to the New York Hilton Midtown hotel for the first time two years ago. Every Christmas since then I’ve come down to the hotel during the holiday season in anticipation for the cab’s return. This year I managed to catch the crew setting up the white fence that surrounds the vehicle.

There's a small white bench right in front of the fence that allows for seated photos in front of the iconic New York City taxi. If you make your way to the back of the car you can find Christmas presents that have spilled out from the trunk and onto the “snow” below. In front of the cab is a sign offering directions in case you’d like to tag the company behind the cab on your social media posts.

5. Rockefeller Center (Yes Really!)

As cliché as it sounds, no holiday trip to New York City is complete without a visit to 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where a spectacular tree lighting ceremony is broadcast to millions around the country every year. As a kid, I would watch countless performers sing in front of that massive tree and wish that I could take part in the experience myself. Now as an adult, Rockefeller Center is often part of my morning commute and getting a good look at the iconic Christmas tree doesn’t seem like such a daunting task anymore. This is in part to a couple of tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, which I’m more than happy to share with you.

First, avoid Rockefeller Center at night. While crowds can be large at the plaza during the daytime, especially during the holiday season, they are most unbearable in the evening. To make matters worse, clothing store Saks Fifth Avenue, which is located right across the street from Rockefeller Center on the East side of Fifth Avenue, puts on a daily light and music show in the afternoon going into the night. Even if you approach from the side furthest from the tree, you will still have to compete with the throngs of spectators waiting to hear their favorite tunes blast from the speakers of the designer clothing store. The tree is not illuminated for the entire day, its lights turn on at 5AM and go off at 12AM. While I’m not suggesting you rouse your family awake at dawn to go see the tree, I am saying you have a window of time before noon to go see the tree and avoid knocking into strangers after every other step.

Second, approach from the south. There are a number of ways to enter Rockefeller Center. You could take the orange line of trains which lead into the 30 Rock building and exit on the side closest to the tree, not ideal given that you will be far too close to the metal barricades surrounding the tree to get a good photo. You could try entering through Fifth Avenue, but as I just mentioned, the crowds will make this a tedious and time consuming affair if you do this at the wrong time. Your best bet is to approach from the south. There's a wide open space near the Nintendo store that is almost always empty with the exception of when The Today Show is holding an event in the area. You won’t have to worry about cars either, as the space is exclusive to pedestrians. You’ll be far enough from the tree to be able to fit all of it into a photo and close enough to marvel at all the beautiful lights adorning it.

Conclusion

I hope that this guide has helped you decide which holiday attractions in New York City you’d like to visit. Whether you’re a tourist arriving from another country or a local who is venturing out of their comfort zone for the first time, my only wish is that you feel safe and informed enough to enjoy the spectacular sights New York City has to offer during the Christmas season. This list doesn’t touch on all that the city has to offer, but as a local New Yorker as well as a photographer with several years of experience under his belt, these are the sites that most spoke out to me during the past few Decembers I’ve spent documenting New York’s transformation during the holidays.

I also hope that you’ve learned a bit of history when it comes to the buildings surrounding these iconic locations, which are pretty awe-inspiring in their own right. If you’ve enjoyed this article I ask you to consider subscribing to my YouTube and following me on Twitch and Instagram for a more visual showcase of NYC during the holidays.

Social Links

YouTube

Instagram

Twitch

X/Twitter

The mind beneath the muscles is just as impressive…

Few individuals are so successful in their fields that their name transcends cultural and generational barriers. Where basketball has Michael Jordan and music has Michael Jackson, the movie industry has Arnold Schwarzenegger. You need not be from America — where the seven-time Mr. Olympia has called home since 1968 — or to have watched any of the Terminator movies to quote his famous one-liner, “I’ll be back” or imitate his unique Austrian accent. Schwarzenegger’s nearly five decades in the spotlight make him part of a dying breed — a household name — something that has become increasingly difficult to accomplish in today’s fragmented entertainment landscape.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of sitting down and watching Arnold — a three part docuseries by Netflix on the life of the bodybuilder turned movie star turned Governor of California. In it I found a very frank Arnold, surprisingly blunt when it came to the candid discussions about his difficult upbringing, the tragic losses that plagued him and the affair that diminished his nearly-perfect standing in the public eye. However, I also saw in the elder statesman a model for a “modern” form of masculinity — one that neither demeans others nor shrinks from its obligations to society. I also noticed that Arnold represents the quintessential American dream — an immigrant with the decks stacked against him, but who’s perseverance and work ethic ultimately pay off — making his life and the lives of those around him so much better.

Competition and Camaraderie

The first episode opens with a look at Arnold’s upbringing in Austria. To be honest, I had never once heard of or thought about Schwarzenegger’s childhood until I sat down to watch this series. Gustav, Arnold’s father, was a former military police officer who served in World War II. He was also terribly abusive to the young Arnold. It is not difficult to see how Arnolds competitive streak — which would drive him to the pinnacle of success in three unrelated fields — has its roots in a childhood that saw the small Arnold pitted against his older brother Meinhard for his parents approval. This is a matter explored much later on in the series when Arnold is forced to confront a crisis of motivation following the death of his mother.

Arnold’s success in the bodybuilding world can be attributed just as much to the friends he made starting out in the industry as to his competitive drive. As Arnold himself says, you can call him many things, but “self made” is not one of them. These formative friendships are prominently featured in the first episode and remain a consistent theme throughout the rest of the docuseries. Some of the fellow bodybuilders even join Arnold as he travels to America to pursue wider success. This joyful, supportive environment that Arnold finds himself in is a perfect model for today’s young men who need just as much help relating to each other as they do relating to the opposite sex. Not once do we hear about Arnold’s friends resenting or sabotaging him, even when his star power begins to clearly eclipse the success of those around him.

Perseverance In A Foreign Land

One fact from the docuseries that truly shocked me was that Arnold was a millionaire before he ever starred in a Hollywood movie, having entered the real estate business in California. Still, the majority of his financial and critical success came by way of his notorious action hero roles. However, it wasn’t easy for the Terminator star to get his foot into the door of Tinseltown. Executives were unconvinced that they could sell someone of Arnold’s size as a star at a time when smaller actors like Al Pacino dominated the big screen. Even when he landed the same role as his hero Reg Park — Arnold’s lines were dubbed over before the release of Hercules In New York.

His accent was clearly a problem for the higher ups in Hollywood. Instead of being discouraged he persevered and leaned into his strengths until he landed the titular role in the 1982 hit, Conan The Barbarian. From then on there was a healthy competition between Schwarzenegger and Rocky star Sylvester Stallone to define the action hero genre. By Sly’s own admission, Arnold won.

Arnold — who’s Hollywood story began with rejection for being different — is now a household name specifically because of his distinctive look and voice. Its a story many immigrants and minorities can relate to — being both hated and celebrated for what makes you unique. Arnold has become synonymous with American culture, in particular the resurgence of American pride and self-esteem of the 1980’s — as the series so masterfully points out — just like many aspects of immigrant and African American culture that were once shunned by wider society have become an inextricable piece of the American cultural tapestry.

Assimilation & Accountability

Perhaps the greatest example of Arnold’s complete assimilation into American society is his successful run as governor of California. The third and final episode of this docuseries serves as a retrospective on Arnold’s foray into electoral politics — from the advantages he had as an outsider without political baggage to his deft use of personal likeability to schmooze with political rivals to his willingness to cross political lines to achieve noble goals like getting California on the environmentally conscious track its presently on. The line between confidence and hubris can be razor thin and despite all of the praise and acclaim with which he entered the world of politics, Arnold left office as a politically unpopular governor who’s proposals were often shut down by the rest of the political apparatus in California.

Arnold’s time in public service would also be marred by an all-too-familiar form of controversy in the world of politics: sex scandals. During his candidacy for governor, Arnold faced a slew of accusations of inappropriate behavior from his days in the entertainment industry. While the series emphasizes the vague nature of the accusations in question, its important to note that Schwarzenegger did in fact take responsibility for his past behavior and apologized on the campaign trail. I struggle to praise anyone doing the right thing only when under pressure, but to his credit, Arnold’s expression of contrition puts him at odds with today’s uniquely shameless brand of carnival barkers who cry “fake news” when their unseemly actions are exposed.

There’s an elephant in the room from the moment the series begins. Anyone familiar with Arnold’s story can pinpoint one moment when his charm, money or perseverance could not help him spin the narrative to his favor in the public eye. The first two episodes completely avoid the issue, but as the third episode gets under way and the viewer is presented with photos of Schwarzenegger’s family, those of us savvy about the former bodybuilder’s trajectory can only wonder how deep into this final installment we must venture until the difficult topic is touched upon. Despite the family man image he attempted to present on the campaign trail and in office, Arnold was hiding a dirty secret: a love child with his housekeeper.

Arnold is surprisingly frank about his affair. I wondered if he would even speak on the topic in this series, but to my surprise he takes full ownership of the situation. There’s never a moment in the series where he disparages his ex-wife and member of the Kennedy political dynasty, Maria Shriver. Nearly every word he speaks about her is glowing praise for her role in raising the children. As for the lovechild? Arnold emphasizes his desire to avoid making his out-of-wedlock son feel like he was unwelcome in the world because he was the result of an affair. Arnold seems genuinely remorseful and aware of how the affair affected all of his children’s lives. Again, it might just be the contrast between Arnold’s old-school mentality and the shamelessness of present-day public figures caught doing wrong, but Schwarzenegger somehow walks away from this incident looking like a decent, albeit flawed, guy.

The Elder Statesman And A Model For Masculinity

Although his political and bodybuilding careers have come to an end and his acting roles are not what they used to be, Arnold still remains a fixture in American society. His climate activism, denunciation of rising fascism and charitable works — most notably his $1 million donation to Los Angeles fire relief following the wildfires that devastated the region — make him an admirable elder statesman. At a time when masculinity finds itself in crisis and charlatans have arrived to fill the hole left by an absence of male role models, Schwarzenegger stands at odds with the toxic examples of others by proving that one need not be a brute to be a man.

All throughout the docuseries, despite numerous hurdles, Schwarzenegger displays a stunning lack of self-pity, an undying perseverance and a laudable bluntness that every young man should want to emulate. His lack of bitterness towards his ex-wife, his openness to new experiences and the genuine love of people he displays in this series should make anyone going down a darker path question what kind of man they’re really on track to becoming. While he’s best known for his physique, this series proves that its not the muscles that make the man, its his character.

Conclusion

I give this series 5/5 stars. It did an amazing job at holding my interest the entire time. Production-wise the abundance of decent footage and photos make you feel like you’re right there as the events are unfolding. There’s a decent balance between the time spent on Schwarzenegger’s current life and the events of the past. The three episodes follow a coherent narrative and structuring the docuseries into three individual parts dedicated to each of Arnold’s three successful ventures was a brilliant idea.

If you enjoyed this review be sure to check out my other posts and follow me on social media for updates on what I’m working on next. Thanks for reading.

Social Links:

• Instagram
• X or Twitter

Prologue

One Saturday in the middle of May a couple of us content creators got together in Chinatown for a networking event. We spent four hours catching up with familiar faces and making new friends. While the gathering was fun on its own, it was the “after-party” that I enjoyed the most. A group of us spent the evening going from spot to spot trying out ube, pork, skewers and enjoying the sights and sounds of a historical NYC neighborhood draped in darkness. It was one of those magical nights you tell your friends about for years to come. As the evening came to a close, one of the more experienced creators turned to me and asked, “So what’s the next big stream?”

When I first started watching IRL (short for “In Real Life”) streams most of the creators I followed were based in NYC. While all of New York has its charm and beauty, Midtown stands out as an epicenter of culture, creativity, entertainment and energy. The flowing crowds, art installations and cultural events make Midtown the perfect backdrop for a livestream on Twitch. Watching these streams motivated me to spend more time at the landmarks that these creators showcased on their platforms. In October of 2023 I decided that I was not satisfied by simply visiting these locations by myself, I had the urge to bring along an audience of my own.

Naturally, I stuck to what I knew best. A lot of my earlier streams centered around Times Square, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center and Columbus Circle. Of course, there were a few exceptions. I made a couple of visits to the 9/11 Memorial and spent quite some time enjoying the live musical performances at Washington Square Park. While visiting these places for the first time on stream was plenty exciting, several months into my creation journey and the content felt repetitive. I needed something that would both excite my audience and motivate me.

Fresh off the heels of two parades (St. Patrick’s and Easter) and after being live during the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the city in April, I decided it was time for a change. I had spent most of the day during those three streams on 5th Avenue, and while all of these events were exciting in their own right, having the same backdrop for all three made me sick of being in Midtown.

I grabbed my selfie stick and after a couple hours of research made my way down to Chelsea. Walking The High Line (an elevated train line that was transformed into a public park) was a major turning point for my channel. It was a viewer’s recommendation that I was able to turn into a reality, which made me very happy. More importantly, though, it made me realize that the kind of engagement I wanted from chat was only going to come from having content that was more distinct from what I had done in the past.

Weeks after walking The High Line I made a trip down the west coast of Manhattan on my way to see The Intrepid (an aircraft carrier that serves as a museum) which caught the attention of many of my peers on Twitch. Not only did they enjoy the livestream, I got a lot of positive feedback on the highlight video of that day that I published on YouTube.

As the creator networking event drew closer I resolved to do one more big stream. For my first stream outside Manhattan I would cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot. I made my plans known, from then on out I only wanted to do things on stream that I had never done before. When the creator I mentioned earlier asked me what my next big stream was, little did he know his own travels around NYC had inspired me to go somewhere special.

Inspiration is the name of the game as far as IRL streaming is concerned. It is very unlikely that someone who starts streaming now is going to reinvent the wheel when it comes to how things are done in this space. Streamers in the same city are likely going to visit the same locations, attend the same events and even share the same audience. However, every creator has a distinct perspective that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd.

Without a speaker blaring music or sound alerts, my content relies heavily on my ability to narrate the experience in front of the viewers eyes. My love of history and art sets me apart from some of my peers who rather live in the moment or prefer the viral over the aesthetic. This is why even though I wanted to do something entirely unique for my next big stream, my inspiration was the visit to Roosevelt Island that my peer had made several months before. I knew that my take on this tiny underrated island on the East River would be unlike anything the IRL audience had seen before.

I knew next to nothing about Roosevelt Island. As a matter of fact, I had completely missed my peer’s livestream from the island a couple of months ago. What I did know was that the island was mentioned by both that streamer and their chat constantly. There was something on that island that captivated IRL viewers, I just had to figure out what it was. Although our streamer friend tried his best to point me in the direction of different landmarks on the island worth visiting, my brain struggled to absorb any information after nearly 6 hours of nonstop socializing. In the haze of adrenaline I managed to make out a few keywords:

• Tram
• Park
• Smallpox (???)

Unfortunately it would be another ten days before I could start to unravel the mystery of Roosevelt Island.

The Plan

After a brief illness I woke up one morning determined to stream. Travel is stressful whether you’re streaming or not, but getting around on those days following a period of sickness is particularly anxiety-inducing. “Am I going to have access to a restroom?” “Will I be able to get home in a timely manner if my condition worsens again?” These are questions I’ve unfortunately had to ask myself on more than one occasion during my journey as a livestreamer.

Indeed, many viewers would be surprised to learn the extent of my poker face, having streamed in the midst of illness, fear and even heartbreak. However, this particular morning I felt no worry whatsoever. This happens from time to time and if I had a way of figuring out what puts me in this carefree mood I’d happily trigger this state of mind before every single stream. I knew this morning was special and I had to capitalize on it.

I had already gone live once after the networking event, again in Midtown breaking down the events of the past Saturday for those who weren’t able to attend and visiting the recently re-activated Portal (an art piece allowing people in Dublin, Ireland and Flatiron Plaza to interact with each other via webcam). Starting yet another stream near the TKTS stairs in Times Square felt like taking a step backwards. Then I remembered… Roosevelt Island.

I had not only mentioned Roosevelt Island to all those people at the after-party, I had also brought it up on stream. I have a hard rule against promoting streams and not following through. So, in order to hold fast to my self-imposed rule and to capitalize on the chill mood I was in, I decided it was time to pay Roosevelt Island a visit. One small problem — I still knew next to nothing about the island itself.

I was on the fence again. Sure, I had stumbled into situations where I had no idea what was going on before only to be rescued by some very helpful chatters who were willing to do research on the fly. However, the majority of my most recent streams had included some degree of research. I had a rough idea of the different art pieces I wanted to see on The High Line. I had a couple of facts on hand about the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge before crossing it. I knew enough about The Intrepid after visiting the museum as a child to keep some new European viewers entertained. Not wanting to enter a potentially successful stream entirely blind I turned to one of the world’s greatest resources of information, YouTube.

The last time I relied on YouTube for help on these sorts of matters I found a video from a former Twitch streamer. He highlighted certain entrances/exits to the Brooklyn Bridge that turned out to be very convenient when it came time to exit DUMBO and enter Chinatown while live. Watching someone go through the steps of finding these locations in real-time made it much easier for me to absorb the information than simply looking at a map. This surprised me, as I had never been much of a visual learner.

While still in shock at how much I had changed since the days when simple text or a map would suffice, I nevertheless searched for Roosevelt Island on YouTube, hoping that I would strike gold and make my way across the East River with enough crash course knowledge to deliver at least two hours of engaging content.

I still credit Manny’s video as the reason I decided making the trip was worth it. Manny Explores — a travel YouTuber who’s content centers primarily around NYC — has apparently made several videos from Roosevelt Island, one of which showed up as the first result on my YouTube search. I don’t know if it was Manny’s unassuming nature or the way in which he moved around the island with total ease (probably a combination of the two), but I instantly knew this was something I could pull off. After cramming a few tidbits of information about the island’s north and south ends I was ready to make the trip.

Getting There

Getting to Roosevelt Island isn’t particularly difficult. Of course, you can always make your way to 2nd Avenue and board the tram located between 59th Street and 60th Street. I opted for a more conventional mode of transportation — the F train. I knew that foregoing the amazing views that the tram could offer was a big risk, but I needed to know how reliable the F train was in case I had to make a quick exit off the island. If anything I could (and did!) ride the tram back into Midtown from the island towards the end of the stream.

It was a short ride from Midtown to Roosevelt Island. Upon exiting the F train I realized just how beautiful the station actually was. It bore no resemblance to the dark and often dreary train stations I had become accustomed to in the rest of NYC. Honestly, the only other station that bore any resemblance was World Trade Center Station beneath the Oculus in the Financial District. I took my time making my way to the exit. Indeed, it seemed like no one else who had arrived along with me was in any sort of rush. Stepping out of the station I immediately recognized the mosaic across from me as the one Manny had pointed out in the beginning of his video.

I crossed the street and took a left. Now I was directly under the Queensboro Bridge. I nervously made my way down a street with no clear pedestrian path as several vehicles moved past me. It wasn’t long, however, before I came across a couple of benches and a pair of locals pushing strollers down the sidewalk. Unsure of how long it would take me to get from my current location to one of the key spots on the island, I decided to sit down, set up my tripod and go live anyway.

Going Live

The opening shot is a gorgeous view of the Queensboro Bridge stretching from the top right hand corner of the screen across the East River and into a neighborhood my audience was all too familiar with. I still had Manny on the mind as I pressed live and made sure to credit him and our streamer friend for all their help during the first few minutes of the video. Less than twenty minutes into the stream and I had already come across the first landmark on what would become a long journey up and down Roosevelt Island.

The FDR Hope Memorial

Roosevelt Island gets its name from America’s longest serving president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As I approached the FDR Hope Memorial I rattled off a few facts I learned in middle school about the U.S.’s 32nd Commander In Chief. I told my audience — many of whom are not Americans — that FDR had been stricken with polio, which left him wheelchair bound and how the media — in a gesture of empathy that would be entirely unheard of in today’s political climate — did their best to hide the president’s medical condition from the public.

As I circled the two statues — one of FDR in his wheelchair stretching out his hand and the other of a disabled girl in crutches reaching out to him — I couldn't help but be touched by a quote engraved on the ground in front of them.

“All communities become more like Roosevelt Island: accessible, inclusive and welcoming”.

The path preceding that quote was filled with engravings highlighting different laws passed in order to make the lives of disabled Americans easier.

Most Americans are familiar with the concept of a propositional nation: that the U.S. was founded on the principles of freedom and equality for all individuals that call its territories home. However, this was the first time I had encountered a propositional neighborhood, one dedicated to making sure the needs of its disabled inhabitants are acknowledged and addressed. Two weeks after my visit and the aforementioned quote still pops into my mind every now and then.

After exiting the memorial I made my way over to a set of very comfortable reclining chairs. Sitting back I could imagine what it would be like to be there all on my own, without having to worry about entertaining chat. With a great view of the Manhattan skyline straight ahead one could easily spend an afternoon there gazing across the water, contemplating life.

If there's one thing I love about Manhattan its the hustle and bustle. There's always something going on. However, as I sat there on an island filled with thousands that felt eerily empty, I could almost sense time come to a stop. It had been a hectic couple of weeks, in between a demanding stream schedule, social engagements, falling ill and the near-dissolution of a very close friendship, this was the first time in months that I truly felt at peace. Remembering my obligation to the audience still tuning in, however, I got up and made my way to the southern end of the island.

The Smallpox Hospital

I practically ignored one of the most significant pieces of history on the island as I walked over to the Four Freedoms Park, which was unfortunately closed. Turning back around, chat was able to spot the Smallpox Hospital before I had a chance to properly introduce it.

Opening in 1856, the 100-bed hospital was an attempt to quarantine patients affected by smallpox, which still ravaged New York despite the availability of a functional vaccine. Today only the ruins of the hospital’s exterior remain. My mind instantly drew a parallel with the present day and as I turned the camera around to film a segment for YouTube I couldn’t help but mention the extant coronavirus pandemic.

The ruins are an eerie sight. They reminded me of similar structures that can be found throughout the game map of Red Dead Redemption 2, which I fully played through on stream. As a lover of history I oscillated between feeling creeped out and privileged to be able to see a forgotten remnant of history with my own eyes.

The Cat Sanctuary

We were in desperate need of a palate cleanser and the cat sanctuary delivered just that. Up until then the only wildlife I had come across with great frequency were the geese. The island is teeming with geese who feel right at home standing just feet away from the humans walking about. These cats move freely in and out of the sanctuary gates. Some of them rushed past me when a shirtless jogger (who I tried my best not to record) stopped to talk to one of the staff members of the sanctuary.

As I made my way over to read a display about the island’s wildlife another cat came over and laid down right in front of me. Naturally, these cats melted chat’s heart and if it were up to me we would have spent much more time getting to know our new friends. However, I realized we were racing against the clock when it came to my phone battery so I hurried along towards the next destination.

Walking past Cornell Tech, I could feel the vibe of the island shifting. The closer to the center, the more it resembled mainland Manhattan with one glaring exception. Absent from the island were the major fast food chains that adorn the rest of NYC’s streets. A Starbucks and Subway were the only examples of New York consumerism I could find on my way to Main Street. As I attempted to make it to the north end of the island, I had no idea I was about to come across a structure that had been standing since the 1700's.

Blackwell House

Before the City Of New York took control of the island, Roosevelt Island had changed hands — and names — multiple times. Archeologists credit the Lenape, a group of Native Americans from the Northeastern Woodlands, as the island’s first settlers. In 1637 the Dutch purchased the island from the Lenape and commanded the territory until their surrender to the British in 1664.

In 1668 British military captain John Manning acquired the island for a brief five-year stint until the Dutch retook ownership and forced Manning to live on the island as punishment. The island took its name from the exiled captain, becoming Mannings Island. Manning’s stepdaughter became the new owner and after marrying, ownership was transferred to her husband, Robert Blackwell, who’s family settled the island for over four generations.

In 1796, Robert Blackwell’s great-grandson constructed a wooden home on the island that now bore his family’s name. As I crossed the street I could not believe I was standing in front of one of Manhattan’s oldest homes. The house still looked to be in great condition (from the outside at least).

Unfortunately, signal issues — which had become more persistent since moving closer to the island’s core — prevented me from fully appreciating Blackwell House with my viewers. Chat would later inform me that the house had also been used as a living quarters for wardens of the various institutions that once called the island home, such as the penitentiary and the almshouse.

The Chapel Of The Good Sheppard

Moving beyond Blackwell House, I could immediately tell we were entering a more residential area. The streets, which had been practically desolate since I arrived now saw a slightly greater movement of people. Tucked away from the island’s more aesthetic extremities, this region resembled some of Manhattan’s more quieter neighborhoods. An art gallery, a deli, and even a laundromat gave this section of Roosevelt Island a quaint charm comparable to that of Manhattan’s northernmost streets.

Construction noise near the Chapel Of The Good Sheppard made me feel right at home. I took the opportunity to rest my legs, summarize the day and welcome in new viewers while sitting at the tables in front of said chapel. Then, walking past a modern looking restaurant that promoted live jazz music on one of its posters, I continued my journey to the lighthouse.

Jack McManus Field

Past the supermarket and beyond some small art displays was Jack McManus Field, best described as “a soccer field with a view” (due to the skyscrapers visible in the distance) by one of my audience members. It was one of the only outdoor recreation spots that I had come across on the island.

Tucked away from the rest of the street by vegetation, the field’s entrance was adorned with metal archways that instantly caught my attention. I actually hesitated, as the thought of being all alone in a soccer field seemed kind of depressing to me. To my surprise, there was a small group of men kicking a ball around deeper into the field. I sat at the bleachers and contemplated out loud if I would be able to live on an island so far away from the restaurant chains that I had taken for granted in mainland Manhattan.

Emergency vehicles were a common sight on the island. I passed by a number of police cars, spotted an ambulance near Cornell Tech and as I walked past the rest of Jack McManus Field I could see a number of fire trucks in a lot across from me. It was comforting to know that the island, tiny and peaceful as it was — could respond to any emergency in a timely manner. Looming behind Pony Field (another near-empty park) was a sight that would quickly become discomforting the more I learned about it.

The Octagon

The first thing that stood out to me was the white façade. The color and size were unlike anything else I had spotted on Roosevelt Island. Then I noticed the grey dome, adorned with an American flag flowing in the breeze. “This must be a government building of sorts”, I thought to myself. The theory made perfect sense to me. Blackwell House was too tiny and antiquated to host any significant political presence. If there was some degree of authority on the island, it must be housed in that gigantic and ornate building. Little did I know I was heading towards The Octagon, a residential building with a very dark past.

The name “The Octagon” is actually a reference to the distinctly shaped tower that serves as an entrance to the attached residential building. When the City Of New York acquired the island it did so with the purpose of housing prisoners and the mentally ill. The Octagon, a decade after the construction of the island’s penitentiary, opened as an asylum. I’ve never been one to give in to superstition or pay any great mind to the supernatural, but there was a palatable negative vibe to the place.

Although it seemed like chat agreed with me, The Octagon — with its 500 residences — houses grills, tennis courts and a private pool. Something made me wonder if this was an issue of class. If there was a certain callousness that allowed those who could afford the luxury apartments to compartmentalize the evils that went on at that location (which we will talk about more later on!) and the easy living that they now experienced.

The Girl Puzzle

I was still on the lookout for any familiar sights from Manny’s video on my journey towards the lighthouse. I had a hazy memory of bronze head statues, which I mistakenly thought were in the Four Freedoms Park that I had been unable to enter earlier. However, as I approached the island’s northernmost tip, I realized that the heads were right in front of me.

The round mirrors and bronze heads adorning the north of the island are a monument in memory of journalist Nellie Bly. The Girl Puzzle, by American artist Amanda Matthews pays homage to the enterprising reporter of New York World newspaper fame who went undercover at the aforementioned insane asylum to expose abuses and injustices at the hands of asylum staff.

Nellie Bly’s 1887 book, Ten Days in a Mad-House, chronicles her epic journey through the city’s archaic mental health system. It shows how she successfully convinced many individuals in said system that she was mentally ill despite being of sound mind and how her — as well as the other patients of the asylum — were mistreated. It is definitely a tale worth further exploring if you have the time. I did not expect to come away from my trip to Roosevelt Island with a new personal hero, but Nellie Bly’s name is one that I will hold in high regard for the rest of my life.

The Lighthouse

I couldn’t help but become a bit emotional as I approached the lighthouse. In August of 2023 I stood in front of the first lighthouse I had even seen in person. The Little Red Lighthouse sits just under the George Washington Bridge in Manhattan. Also known as Jeffrey’s Hook Light (after the section of the Hudson River by the same name) the thick red structure bore little physical resemblance to Roosevelt Island’s lighthouse. However, both lighthouses have come to mark very special moments in my life.

In the summer of 2023, certain personal circumstances forced me to be outside of my home for many hours during the day. Although I could come back home in the evenings, I had nowhere near the level of comfort I enjoyed for most of my life, having to sometimes sleep on the floor and wake up before sunrise. This was an emotionally and physically trying period in my life.

Having never been confronted with a situation like this before, I was understandably aimless. I passed my time visiting the local parks in my neighborhood, sometimes walking in circles to alleviate boredom. Eventually, I decided I was going to capitalize on the free time available to me and start visiting some of these landmarks that I had seen on other livestreams.

Being able to make content out of these travels was an unforeseen benefit. Actually, I had been in a bit of a panic during this time, as I had to put my desktop streaming career — which had just started to see some success — on hold for several weeks. I started off slow, visiting Times Square and several city parks nearby. However, it was my trip to The Little Red Lighthouse, a journey through wooded areas and an isolated Manhattan coast, that showed me I had the wherewithal to go anywhere and do anything. As I tipped my phone up and snapped what I still consider to be one of the best photos I have ever taken, I had unknowingly begun a journey that would bring me right to the edge of Roosevelt Island.

It was those miles-long walks around the city, kicked off by the journey to The Little Red Lighthouse, that helped bring my body and mind into a kind of shape that I could be proud of. That ensuing confidence allowed me to go on all the adventures that the latter half of 2023 and the past few months of 2024 have seen me undertake.

As I stood there in front of the Roosevelt Island lighthouse, I couldn’t help but feel that I had reached another checkpoint. I had a consistent audience, those who I had spent the last four years watching now considered me one of their peers and I had officially shed the old mold of running around Midtown holding my cell phone in my hand for two measly hours. If I walked away from it all then and there — something I had seriously considered given how challenging the past two weeks had been — I could hold my head high with pride in all that I had accomplished.

My streams are often filled with these sentimental moments. My first proper stream started in front of the Empire State Building, which housed some of the first radio shows I ever listed to. I was awestruck seeing the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for the first time in person — mostly because for years it had been a tradition for me to watch the lighting on TV with family. Visiting the Intrepid for the first time as an adult was so special because I could still remember posing for a photo in front of it as a child with a family member that has since moved very far away. Before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time I paid a visit to the DUMBO neighborhood where a trip there two years prior with my closest friend reignited my love of photography. It was no surprise then that my brain drew an instant parallel between the two lighthouses and what they mean to me.

With little battery left on my phone I had no other choice but to scurry back near The Octagon and catch one of the free red shuttle busses. This marked another first for my stream. Taking public transportation while live in Manhattan is not a wise decision. Signal is inconsistent — at best — on the subway and busses can be both slow and crowded in more populated areas. However, I knew I wanted my audience to see the entire tram ride back to Midtown and I wasn’t sure if chat — or even I for that matter — had the energy for the entire walk back.

As I fitted a charging case to my phone I could tell the shuttle bus driver was very experienced. The bus moved speedily throughout the island, coming to various quick stops at key spots. It wasn’t long before I was thanking the driver for the ride and dismounting in front of the tramway. One of the most exciting experiences of my life was just feet ahead.

The Tram Ride

I swiped into the tramway station with my MetroCard and waited alongside the growing crowd. As I tried to pass the time at the station an old friend “raided” me. Raids are when one creator ends their stream and sends all of their viewers over to another channel. I was ecstatic to have an even larger audience for the tram ride. I greeted many of the familiar faces coming into my channel and summarized the past two hours for them. One very astute chatter recommended I wait for the second tram in order to get a better seat at the front. I hesitated — I was exhausted and anxious to end stream — but ultimately followed her advice.

The doors of the second tram opened and I hurried to get a front row seat. Contorting my body a bit (the seats face inwards for some reason) I was able to give chat a great view of what lied ahead. I hadn’t been on a tram before and didn’t know what my reaction would be. I never thought myself someone afraid of heights, but when I had gone to see the Intrepid just weeks prior I found myself gripping the rails that separated the walkway from the vast water below for dear life. The last thing I wanted was to embarrass myself — not only in front of the tram filled with strangers — but in front of the now much larger audience watching along on Twitch.

As the tram lifted and dangled us right above the East River I felt nothing but ease. The state of total relaxation that I had woken up with that morning had thankfully lasted all the way through to this moment when I was at the same height as the Queensboro Bridge. One viewer pointed out the skyscrapers that adorn Billionaires’ Row — a neighborhood known for its expensive luxury apartments housed in various supertall buildings.

All in all it was a 5 minute ride back to Midtown. Arriving for the first time at the 2nd Avenue tramway station I could only utter one word that is often-overused on my stream: surreal. Much like that one evening in May when I prowled the streets of Chinatown with some of my favorite creators and viewers, I knew I had come away from an experience that I would be talking about for years to come.

Summary

Nearly two weeks later and I can safely say that my trip to Roosevelt Island changed me.

First, it made me more appreciative of the creators who have come before me. There’s always the allure of being the first creator to an event or location. However, I couldn’t have produced a quality stream without Manny’s video serving as a roadmap for all there was to see on the island.

Second, it instilled in me a greater desire for travel. While I love Manhattan, nothing beats the novelty of streaming somewhere entirely new. My reactions — as significant to the stream as what goes on in front of the camera — could not be what they were if I was merely doing my usual rounds in Midtown.

Third, it made me more considerate of the plight of the disabled. That quote at the FDR Hope Memorial still affects me to this day. Think of how radically different the world would look if we prioritized the needs of the approximately 1.3 billion people around the world who suffer from some sort of significant disability.

Fourth, it made me more appreciative of how far I’ve come. It is undeniable that I both personally and professionally as a content creator have changed tremendously in the last 8 or so months of livestreaming.

Fifth, it made me aware of the importance of taking chances. I had every reason to stay home that day. I was considerably ill just days before, I had only a cursory knowledge of a place I had never visited before and I was reeling from the sudden deterioration of a close friendship. Despite all that I decided to hop on the F train and embark on what has been one of my favorite adventures so far.

Epilogue

As that magical night in Chinatown came to a close the haphazardly assembled posse that had dined and laughed together under scaffolding and streetlights slowly trickled into the the train lines below. Some faces I expected to see again, others I knew were gone for good. When my turn came to descend into the subway and make the slow journey back home, the three of us who still remained turned to each other. The creator who had inquired about my next big stream embraced me and as we stood toe to toe with each other paid a compliment that still rings in my ears so many days later. “I like what you’re doing”. Well, after Roosevelt Island I can safely say I like what I’m doing too.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this story be sure to watch the companion video above and check out my social links for updates, photography and alerts for when I go live.

Social Links:

• Twitch
• YouTube
• Instagram
• X or Twitter

This past Monday I completed my first playthrough of LA Noire (2011). Its the third full playthrough I’ve done on stream, along with Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2. I’ve wanted to buy this game since it first came out nearly thirteen years ago, but never got around to it. Every now and then I would stumble upon a clip of LA Noire on YouTube and it would pique my interest again, but not enough to convince me to make the purchase. It wasn’t until I came across another pair of comedic content creators on Twitch who were doing a playthrough on stream that I decided I wanted to try the game out for myself. Also, it didn’t hurt that LA Noire was on special in the Playstation Store (who doesn’t love a bargain?). As a lover of both open world games and media from that era, LA Noire seemed right up my alley. I had an absolute blast and I’m very grateful to all those in chat who joined me for the fun.

LA Noire’s compelling plot, incredible music and challenging gameplay kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire ten streams it took to complete the main story. After wrapping things up I decided to make this review in the hopes that it will help anyone who is on the fence, much as I was for several years, familiarize themselves with LA Noire’s intriguing universe and decide for themselves whether this is a game they’d like to dedicate a significant amount of time to.

Warning: significant spoilers ahead!

Set in 1940’s Los Angeles, LA Noire follows the story of Cole Phelps (voiced by Aaron Staton of ‘Mad Men’ fame) as he rises through the ranks of the LAPD. A veteran of the 6th Marine Regiment, Phelps starts off as a patrol officer, eventually working his way up to the role of detective. Over the course of his career in law enforcement, Phelps is assigned a number of different partners — all of whom are disagreeable if not outright hostile to our protagonist. The gameplay is — for the most part — entirely linear. A cutscene presents a new case, followed by directions from one of the LAPD superiors. Then its off to the crime scene, where Phelps speaks to the coroner, examines the deceased and looks for any clues that could aid in resolving the case. Once a lead is found, Phelps and his partner travel to a new location in search of more clues and to interrogate anyone who might be of interest. How quickly a case is resolved depends entirely on how well the player does during the interrogation and clue collection process. As the player progresses through the different bureaus of the LAPD (Patrol, Traffic, Homicide, Vice and Arson) it becomes more difficult to bring cases to a satisfying conclusion. Dark, green-hued flashbacks that play at the end of every case give us a glimpse into Phelps’ past in the USMC. Cutscenes triggered by the discovery of newspapers throughout the game world inform of the big picture storyline unfolding in the background alongside the game’s more evident plot.

Before taking a deeper look into the gameplay itself, I think its important to acknowledge all the different elements that go into creating such an epic open world experience. The city of Los Angeles is as much a star of the game as Detective Phelps or any of his partners. Much can be said about the vintage architecture, the classic storefronts complete with colorful awnings and retail signage that are synonymous with big cities in America. As a native New Yorker, driving down certain streets in-game felt like entering some of the less tourist-y parts of my city. Indeed, its easy to forget that the events in this game are set 80 years in the past. The muted color palette and gritty streets — aspects that are undoubtedly meant to create a realistic depiction of mid-20th century California — have the unintended effect of making LA Noire’s open world seem more contemporary compared to, say, Grand Theft Auto V. Sure, coming across a newspaper salesman with his stand propped up against an enormous building or entering Reggie’s Café, a quaint spot on the corner of 9th and Olive complete with a jukebox and red tile flooring, do instantly ruin the illusion that the game is anything other than a time piece. I guess what I’m trying to say is that where GTA V tries too little with its harsh daylight and Red Dead Redemption 2 tries too hard with it’s hyper-dynamic environment and ever-changing weather system, LA Noire exists as a comfortable middle ground that doesn’t visually overwhelm the player.

As beautiful as the streets of LA Noire are, the building interiors are impressive in their own right. The game map is littered with accessible laundromats, clubs, bars, movie sets and stores. The sheer number of accessible interiors available in LA Noire is in stark contrast to Rockstar’s other titles. As the player explores the game map they discover new landmarks — some of which are relevant to uncovering the mystery of the BD Killer during the Homicide desk. One such location — my personal favorite as a matter of fact — is the Hall of Records. Located in North Broadway, west of City Hall, the Hall of Records houses the Property Records office and the LAPD Records office. While the grand exterrior cannot be ignored, its what lies inside that makes this landmark unlike any other in LA Noire. Through its doors you will find Roman-style busts, a spiral staircase, a gorgeous stained glass ceiling and a dangling chandelier. The magesty is certainly befitting a loacation of such importance. Those who have had the pleasure (or displeasure depending on the occasion!) of entering one of the massive government buildings in the U.S. for the first time will certainly recognize the feeling of total awe that comes over when one is standing on those marble floors, surrounded by history. I was very impressed that the developers were able to capture this familiar feeling so effectively.

No conversation about the atmosphere of LA Noire would be complete without acknowledging the incredible soundtrack that serves as a constant mood-setting backdrop to LA Noire’s gameplay. Composed by Andrew Hale and Simon Hale, LA Noire’s score consists of original tracks as well as over thirty licensed songs by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, which are featured on the in-game radio. The original tracks were recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, England and are inspired by the real-life scores of films from the 1940’s. The game’s main theme — featuring soft precussion, jazzy piano playing, and some moody trumpeting — instantly creates a vibe of melancholy and nostalgia from the minute the player enters the starting screen. As the player advances to the main menu, Cole Phelps is seen walking in the background near a brick wall, the screen entirely black and white, while the trumpet from the simply named "Main Theme” title track blares in the background. Among all the incredible songs the make up the original score, my personal favorite has to be “New Beginning, Pt. 1”. The swelling percussion and trumpet accompanied by the intense violin always makes me perk up on my way to solve another case.

As I mentioned previously, the gameplay in and of itself is pretty linear. Each case opens with a title and cutscene that gives the player a glimpse into the fate of the victim(s) in question. Jump to Detective Cole Phelps in the police station accompanied by whichever respective partner is assigned to him during that particular bureau desk. On each of my streamed playthroughs I’ve always taken a generous amount of time to appreciate the game world, looking at every piece of artwork on the walls, going down every alley and observing the distinct architecture. It was easy to keep my audience engaged while doing this in Red Dead Redemption 2 because the game’s side missions, Easter eggs and general lore all but require an obsessive attention to detail in order to be understood in full. Admittedly, it was much harder to get viewers excited about this kind of exploration during the GTA V playthrough — both because my audience had changed quite a bit since the Red Dead days and because GTA’s silly, over-the-top vibe does not lend itself to thoughtful interpretations of in-game art. However, I had acquired a reputation among some of my older viewership for the attentive gameplays and I was determined to retain it going into my LA Noire playthrough. Unfortunately the game itself never states outright which moments are time-sensitive and which ones can be approached more leisurely. I spent the entirety of my playthrough wondering if some invisible clock was going to run out or whether the time I had spent exploring the police station was affecting the case I was working on at the moment.

I fully appreciate the convenience of navigating in this game. While both Red Dead Redemption 2 and Grand Theft Auto V require some degree of familiarity with the game map, I only had to manually set waypoints during one section of the game — the part in which the player must travel to different landmarks searching for clues left by the BD Killer. During the rest of the playthrough I very easily got to where I wanted to go just by opening Cole Phelps’ notebook and selecting my next waypoint by clicking on one of the available locations written down. Locations are crossed out when you’ve found all remaining clues there. To make things even easier for the player, simply approaching a vehicle and long pressing the corresponding button will make Cole’s partner “drive” to the next location (it simply fades the screen to black and transports you to your chosen waypoint). I would caution against doing this, given that driving around is the simplest way to discover new landmarks and come across the street crime side missions.

Speaking of side missions, there are a total of 40 street crime cases available while playing through each bureau desk (except for Patrol). These unassigned cases range from minor crimes like petty theft to more serious ones like bank robberies. While driving around during a case, a call might come in on the dispatch about one such case or the player can simply stumble upon the crime in progress by driving in the direction of a red figure on their mini map. If the player fails to complete all 40 unassigned cases while playing through the main story they can select Cases from the main menu and pick “Streets of L.A.”, a free-roaming mode that allows you to complete the street crime cases from that particular bureau. Each bureau has its own set of street crimes.

Despite how convenient I found the waypoint navigation system in LA Noire to be, there was one major drawback that made getting around particularly obnoxious when I was just starting out. Unlike practically every other game of its type, there is no line indicating what direction the player should go in on the mini map. Instead, the player can tap the respective button on their controller and Cole’s partner will indicate whether the player needs to turn left, right or continue going straight. This annoyed me to no end when I began my playthrough. I even found myself thinking, “at least Crazy Taxi had a damn arrow.” As I became more familiar with the map layout I didn’t have to rely on my partner for directions as much. However, not having clear indication of where I needed to go meant getting lost and getting lost meant significant downtime on stream that potentially motivated viewers to go elsewhere for their entertainment.

During the rides between different points of interest on a case, Phelps and his partner engage in chit chat. Some of these lines of dialogue have to do with the case being handled while others reveal intimate details behind the personal lives of the two men. Cole has — at best — diplomatic, if not outright hostile relationships with nearly all of his partners. This makes it all the more special when either of the two detectives in the vehicle opens up about their private lives. For example, Rusty Galloway (voiced by actor Michael McGrady of ‘Southland’ fame) confesses to having been married and divorced three times — not too shocking for a cynic in the throes of alcoholism. Perhaps the most significant revelation is when Phelps tells his Vice partner, Roy Earle (Adam John Harrington), that he is married with children. Earle uses that information, along with knowledge of the affair his partner is having with singer and German exile Elsa Lichtmann (Erika Heynatz & Claudia Brucken), to protect himself from the consequences of his rampant corruption in the Vice bureau — all at the expense of Phelps’ reputation. The car conversations also expose Phelps as a stickler for the rules. His do-gooder personality — endearing at first — can become quite grating over time, especially as the player comes across more and more three dimensional characters during their gameplay.

Upon arriving at a crime scene Cole is informed of the details of the case and left to examine the deceased. I quite like the fact that the player does not need to be too precise when arriving at locations for the opening cutscene to commence. The bodies of the deceased vary greatly in appearance — some with their eyes rolled into the backs of their heads and others entirely charred (during the Arson cases specifically). Typically one can examine the head, arms and torso of the victim. Cole often turns the heads of the victims to reveal ligature marks on their necks. Sometimes whether or not a victim is (or was) wearing a ring is relevant to the case. Other times victims will have objects in their hands that are of use to the detectives. In cases where the torso can be examined, it is usually because the victim has a wallet identifying them in their jacket pocket. After examining the body, the player is meant to look around the general area for clues. A special ability called “Intuition”, which is not always available to the player, can reveal the exact locations of all relevant clues. Some clues come in the form of objects that need to be manipulated by moving the left joystick. This game mechanic can be particularly annoying in the sense that the player has to hold the joystick in a precise position for a period of time in order for Phelps to properly examine the clue. Apart from the clues there are often miscellaneous objects scattered about. At first I thought it was kind of funny that instead of finding a clue I came across a piece of trash. However, as I progressed in the game and the locations that needed investigating grew larger, I became a bit irritated at the fact that so many of the objects I was picking up were completely irrelevant. Having to wade through so much junk in order to find a handful of clues at any given spot ruined the pace of the game for me. In my opinion, the Intuition skill should not be point based. Instead, it should be available to use twice during a case — once for a location of your choosing and the next for a line of questioning of your preference.

Sometimes witnesses or persons of interest are readily available at the crime scene. It is better to interrogate these individuals after you have found all possible clues at that location, as each clue opens up a potential line of questioning or serves as evidence for Cole when he is accusing the witness. I’m willing to bet that anyone who is familiar with LA Noire, even if they’ve never played the game before, is also somewhat familiar with the interrogation mechanic in the game. A clip of Detective Phelps interrogating Oswald Jacobs went viral several years ago because of just how expressive the witness’ face is. New motion capture technology allowed for cameras to pick up on an actor’s subtle facial movements and accurately display them on their character model. Facial expressions were always billed as an essential part of the interrogation process when the game first came out, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pay much attention to them when I was playing. Logic, evidence and a bit of social skills goes a long way in helping to decide whether you play good cop, bad cop or accuse the individual being questioned. Do not assume that your ability to ace the interrogations depends heavily on your capacity to accurately read facial expressions.

LA Noire is — in fact — a tale of two stories. At the forefront you have Cole Phelps’ rise through the ranks of the LAPD. This is the most evident storyline in that in unfolds right in front of the player’s eyes in real time. The player is immersed in it and without the ability to skip cutscenes, its quite difficult to miss out on Cole’s story unless the player is getting up and leaving the room every time a cutscene plays. In the background, however, evolves a big-picture storyline that eventually takes center stage and upends the routine pace of the game. In short, the Marines Cole served with in the 6th Regiment come across military surplus morphine and illegally distribute it. One of those veterans, Courtney Sheldon (Chad Todhunter), finds his way to a primary antagonist in the game, Dr. Harlan J. Fontaine — a clinical psychologist who sounds entirely too much like Frank Underwood from ‘House of Cards’ for me to not mention. Fontaine is voiced by Peter Blomquist, who also voices Micah Bell in Red Dead Redemption (guy must have a thing for irredeemable villains). Sheldon and Fontaine form a student-mentor relationship and Fontaine agrees to treat another Marine, Ira Hogeboom (J. Marvin Campbell), while also taking the surplus morphine that Sheldon has access to for supposed medical use. Fontaine promises to invest the funds gained from the sale of the surplus morphine into housing for war veterans. In reality, Fontaine is manipulating Sheldon the entire time and never plans on actually building homes for GIs. Instead he becomes an investor in Leland Monroe’s (John Noble of ‘Lord of the Rings’ fame) Suburban Redevelopment Fund, which is running an insurance scam with the aide of some of the highest-ranking figures in Los Angeles.

Fontaine is a central figure in LA Noire and 90% of his story unfolds entirely in the background. If that sounds strange — that's because it is. Scattered throughout different locations on the game map are thirteen newspapers that tell the tale of Fontaine and his associates. Upon coming across one of these newspapers, the player has the option of triggering a cutscene revolving around Fontaine or Sheldon. Although the newspapers are difficult to miss as one progresses through the game, there's never any indication of just how significant these cutscenes are — without which the events towards the latter half of the main story make much less sense. I was ready to treat these newspapers just like the newspaper clippings in Red Dead Redemption 2, cute little collectibles that mean very little in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, I’m just glad I chose to watch most of those cutscenes anyway.

Much like the newspaper cutscenes, the importance of the war flashbacks that play at the end of every mission is not immediately apparent. These flashbacks are essential to understanding the dynamics between Cole and some of the other Marines the player encounters throughout the game. I strongly recommend paying attention during these as well.

After Cole’s fall from grace — thanks in no small part to the actions of the self-serving Roy Earle — I found myself controlling an entirely different character for the first time. Playing as Investigator Jack Kelso was jarring to say the least. I had grown emotionally attached to Cole Phelps and while his affair did dim the rose colored glasses through which I saw him, I was ready for Cole to have his redemption arc. Kelso’s section of the game presents the sharpest deviation from the routine gameplay yet. Sure, the pursuit of the BD Killer at the very end of the Homicide desk is quite distinct from anything the game asks players to do beforehand, but at the end of the day I still felt like I was chasing after a suspect and looking to put him away just as I had done many times before. With Kelso its not as clear what the endgame is. He’s not a detective or an officer of any kind for that matter and the bureau responsible for tackling figures like Leland Monroe (Kelso’s primary antagonist) has already expressed disinterest in taking his actions seriously. The Kelso section is also the first time the player finds themselves without a partner, which unfortunately means no one to rely on for directions while driving.

The change of pace after beginning the Kelso section felt like going from an American procedural cop show like ‘Law & Order’ to the end of an action movie. In true action movie fashion, our hero Cole Phelps gets his redemption, but at the price of his life. Something struck a sour note during the final confrontation between Kelso and Ira Hogeboom — a disturbed veteran from the 6th Regiment hiding out in the River Tunnels — that I just couldn’t get through this review without mentioning. The game presents Kelso killing off Ira as a positive. It insinuates that Ira is better off dead. While Hogeboom is no saint, he is suffering from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — due in large part to having been ordered by then-Lieutenant Cole Phelps to torch a cave filled with civilians during WWII. Given what a significant issue PTSD is among veterans in the US, I found the game’s handling of Ira’s demise to be a bit disappointing. Ira deserved proper treatment, not a quack doctor like Fontaine. To be fair, I don’t think there was much in the way of awareness or availability of proper mental health care for the average Joe in the 1940s. Its just fun to imagine an alternate timeline where Ira escapes the fate that befalls every other member of the 6th Regiment (with the exception of Kelso) and recovers from being Fontaine’s Frankenstein monster, eventually leading a semi-normal life on a farm somewhere.

Ira also lacks “final boss” energy. Fontaine — from the very beginning — is presented as an unscrupulous and unrepentant manipulator. Given that he ruined the lives of so many of the men Cole proudly served with, it would’ve been a fitting end to see someone wholly evil like Fontaine square off with someone almost entirely good like Phelps. If not Fontaine then Roy Earle would’ve made an equally fitting — if not better — last antagonist. Earle is the polar opposite of Phelps, a crooked cop who sees his purpose as managing crime instead of eradicating it. Earle throws Phelps under the bus to save himself, destroying Phelps’ family and reputation in the process. These two are natural enemies and the fact that the game ends with Earle eulogizing Phelps made me feel just a bit ill.

I couldn’t help but choke up after seeing Cole’s casket draped in the flag during the closing moments of the main story. Going by chat’s reaction, they were pretty moved as well. I’ve spoken at length on stream about how Red Dead Redemption 2 impacted me on a personal level. Arthur Morgan remains in the eyes of many as the best video game character in history. That playthrough could not have come at a more fitting time in my life. Arthur Morgan made being a decent person seem worthwhile. In contrast, Cole’s is a tragic tale — someone who seemed destined for greatness, but who’s one mistake lead directly to the destruction of his family and ultimately, his death. While infidelity would hardly break a person in the present day the way that it did Cole in 1940’s America, its hard not to look at how harsh and unforgiving we’ve become as a society when it comes to judging the faults of others — particularly those who excel in their chosen fields. Do-gooders can sometimes fall the hardest. Everyone assumes that if a decent person falters, its because they were putting on an act from the beginning. Those who are harsh towards Cole following the revelation of his affair have hardly the same tone for the openly corrupt individuals that make up the Vice desk. If Cole Phelps leaves any sort of legacy its in the people saved from his dogged investigating — the women spared after the BD Killer was no more and the families safe in their homes after the Suburban Redevelopment Fund was exposed. Cole’s desire to stay on the job even after being disgraced and his lack of self-pity are admirable. There's a lesson there to be learned about why doing right by others is more important than personal glory.

Its hard to imagine an LA Noire 2 gracing our computers and consoles one day. The development team, Team Bondi, faced a slew of accusations from former staff members concerning long work hours and verbal abuse. Just three months after the release of LA Noire, Team Bondi transferred its assets to KMM Interactive Entertainment and went out of business. However, Rockstar retained ownership of LA Noire’s IP, meaning they have the right to release a sequel whenever they want. In the mean time, we can only speculate as to what a second installment would look like. Would players find themselves starting off where they last left — only this time as Jack Kelso? Would the developers bring back any of the characters from the previous game at all?

Its not hard to see LA Noire fans excited to play as Kelso. The final war flashback shows him to be just as principled as Phelps. The few moments he spends with Elsa reveal Jack to be more charming than Cole. The closing scene inside the chapel during Cole’s funeral, where Kelso embraces having been neither Cole’s friend nor his enemy, reveal the kind of complexity and three dimensionality that players have come to expect from protagonists in Rockstar titles. A safehouse for Kelso — to be expected in a modern LA Noire with a proper open world — would give developers a reason to deviate from the police station → crime scene → point of interest routine that dominated so much of LA Noire’s original gameplay. Speaking of a proper open world, it would be nice to see Kelso roam around the game map in-between missions as a private investigator, spontaneously encountering the occasional side mission. Unfortunately, Rockstar seems more occupied with its more recent projects, so until they say otherwise us LA Noire fans will be left wanting. There is, however, a clear path forward if they ever chose to make a sequel — at least in my eyes.

Summary:

LA Noire requires the player’s concentration without overwhelming them with visual input or time-sensitive tasks. The graphics hold up quite nicely for a game released over a decade ago. As far as original scores go, this is the best in-game music I’ve come across yet. Gameplay can often feel repetitive — at least until the end of the Homicide desk. Shooting and hand-to-hand combat, which I didn’t touch upon much in this review, feel quite dated. Getting around can be either convenient or annoying depending on which aspects of the navigation you focus on. Car handling is more comparable to GTA IV than GTA V. Although a lot of fun, the game lacks that big title feel one often associates with other Rockstar titles. The main characters all have realistic personalities, although Phelps is lacking some complexity that even an affair with a German exile singer couldn't afford him. The overall plot, while hard to follow at times, does wrap up quite nicely. There are no loose ends or questions left unanswered, at least from what I could tell. 3.5/5 stars.

I had a great time playing LA Noire on stream. Chat was engaged with the story until the very end. This was the most successful playthrough I’ve done when it comes to total view count. I have a feeling that LA Noire and Cole Phelps will occupy my mind for the foreseeable future just like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Arthur Morgan stuck with me for months after completing the main story. I can recommend this game to anyone who, like myself, loves media from the time period LA Noire is set in. While the open world leaves much to be desired — the sheer beauty of the game world, the amazing music and engaging plot can keep any player mesmerized for days. If you enjoyed my playthrough of LA Noire or this review be sure to follow me on Twitch, Instagram and X/Twitter to stay up to date with what I’m doing next.

Social Links:

• Instagram
• Twitch
• Twitter/X