The Knick

Two weeks ago as I was walking home from work, I passed signs on east 92nd and 93rd streets announcing that The Knick would be filming in the area. Francesca and I went to check it out on our lunch break and as we hoped the Upper East Side was being transformed into early 1900s New York.

I don't usually pay much attention to things filming around New York, mostly because I feel weird about gawking, but I am pretty much obsessed with The Knick. I have been going through withdrawal ever since I finished the first season and just knowing that they're currently filming the second is making me even more impatient.

The first thing we came upon was a row of trailers, labeled with some names I recognized—Cleary, Dorothy Walcott—and others like "rough female prisoner." The next street over was cleared of cars and four horse-drawn carriages were parked outside of the Synod of Bishops Russian Church, which was being transformed in the New York State Department of Health.

The horses for the carriages were down the next block, accompanied by handlers in period costume. Another set location was also being set up in a beautiful ivy-covered brownstone and gas lamps were being added down the street.

We circled back to the Dept of Health set and watched them for a while—it's fascinating to see how much work goes into filming what will probably end up being fairly quick scenes. My favorite part was when they started laying the "brick" street, which was made of sections of interlocking rubber mat. I also loved watching the people standing around in full period costume as they talked on cellphones or listened to music. It was fun to be able to walk out of my office and spend an hour in 1900s New York and now I'm even more excited for the second season.