I very rarely find myself in midtown Manhattan, it is just too busy with tourists and expensive to boot. But I do go up there for Meetup.com now and then. While walking to the train one day I happened upon this statue, a tribute to a well-known icon.

Now, this wasn’t the first time I’d seen this giant, more than a story tall, Hello Kitty, but for some reason it became just another piece of the background and I’d smile, then promptly forget it before having a chance to write it down. Finally, I got my act together to share it! This is the outdoor art space of the Lever House on Park Ave. between 53rd and 54th street. It is a building of slick architecture housing art exhibitions among the business in its halls. I have never actually been in the building come to think of it. But you don’t have to step foot inside to see some unexpected art. There is no designated time frame for how long you can encounter larger-than-life Hello Kitty by Tom Sachs, it has already stood since mid-2008, but it is worth stepping out to see. There is also a Miffy statue to behold in the plaza as well.