New York City Subway Stations: 23rd Street

I'm rarely on the platform of New York's 23rd Street subway station, although I'm often above it.

Where Broadway, 5th Avenue and 23rd Street intersect is a popular area, especially in the summer. The lines at the Shake Shack, the outdoor eatery in Madison Square Park, can be an hour or more long. But the wait is worth it, with a table within a stone's throw of the Flatiron Building.

Although Paul and I are often in the neighborhood, we rarely go into this subway station, opting for the pleasant walk to the 14th Street/Union Square hub. But when Paul sprained his ankle Memorial Day weekend, we did without some of our usual walks.

That meant I got to see a station -- and the hats that decorate its walls -- in person. I normally just glance at them from an express train as it rushes by. I was excited: I got to take some photos I'd long been meaning to snap.