I Heart New York
October 30th, 2005As I snuggled into my punky-colored seat on the Friday night flight, I thought how appropriate that the first song on the new CD I’d purchased for my trip was called Marching Bands of Manhattan. That’s because that’s exactly where I was going –A few days ago, somewhat spur-of-the-moment, I loaded up my iPod with new Death Cab For Cutie, drove to the airport, and got on a Song flight headed for New York.
A veritable virgin, this was my first time in the city, and I have to admit, being there gave me a very special feeling… I think you’d call it love.
If you’ve never been, New York is every bit as exciting, eccentric and excessive as it appears on TV. Yes, Trump Tower with its sold-gold façade really does glitter gaudily from 5th avenue. And yes, the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center is filled with clumsy, apple-cheeked children, even at this time of year. And it’s true, Central Park is smack dab in the middle of the city with its tree-lined canopy, offering an amazingly relaxing retreat from the concrete and clamor that surrounds it on all sides.
In New York I:
* Felt my heart swell as I looked down 86 stories from the top of the Empire State Building to see hundreds of taxis zip past thousands of landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, and The UN and Chrysler Buildings.
* Figured out what enterprising Nigerians do when they’re not scamming kind-hearted, gullible folk via e-mail – They sell high-dollar watches and handbags for dirt cheap, out of cardboard boxes, on the DL in Battery Park.
* Saw two holes where steel structures had been in the days before September 11th. A metal memorial, fashioned from two beams, made in the shape of the cross, reminded me that this city is scarred, and I felt an immense sadness as I stood looking on the street.
And I guess it’s kind of poetic that a girl, (your mistress), who once referred to herself as the “Pimp of Produce”, would adore, so much, a place called The Big Apple. View my NYC flickr photos here.
mwahahahanni
October 30th, 2005
I’ve never been to New York, but would love to go. What inspired you to go suddenly?
October 30th, 2005
Adrienne - My sister-in-law is a traveling nurse. She’s stationed in Long Island until Thanksgiving, so Angelface and I wanted to be sure to see The Big Apple while we had free housing.
October 30th, 2005
You ever been to Chi-town? You need to come here. I’m bad like this, whenever people talk about NY, I get defensive and jealous and tell them that they should come to Chicago, which in my totally neutral unaffected-by-the-fact-that-I-live-in-and-love-this-city opinion is much better! But NY is a cool place to visit! Glad you had fun, and nice pics!
October 30th, 2005
I’m glad you had fun. NYC is a beautiful and interesting place.
October 31st, 2005
I love visiting NYC! If I had known you were going I would have stowed away in your carry-on baggage.
Because you were in NYC, you missed getting to go with us to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show performance Saturday night at the Universal Cineplex. I think you would have liked it and I know I would have loved to see you dance to “Let’s Do The Time-Warp Again”! LOL
October 31st, 2005
Dima - I’ve never been to Chicago, but it’s on my list of places I *have* to go. I’m a freak about Frank Lloyd Wright and am dying to see his architecure in person.
Amanda B - isn’t it the best?
MAT - Oh man, I am so sad I missed Rocky Horror this year… I mean nothing says fun like celebrating transvestites from transexual translvania! Oh well, I sat next to a transvestite on the plane back from New York. He wore Lee Jeans and practical pumps, so maybe that counts for something.
November 3rd, 2005
you hit some good stuff while here, excellent.
there is never a dearth of amusing, oddball folk to ogle while sipping a coffee in union square, pounding a beer at ‘the slaughtered lamb’ in greenwich village, or squished against some random taller-person’s armpit when riding the subway (any line will do, though for real winners i recommend the L and Q trains). that’s my favorite ny pastime. people watching, not armpit squishing. just to clarify.
November 4th, 2005
Lizzy - Thank you so much for commenting! I checked out blog. I see you’re from Brooklyn. You know what I always think of when I think of Brooklyn? LL Cool J. He has that song “I represent Queenie, I was raised down in Brooklyn”… or whatever.
Next time I go to NY, I will have to check out the ‘Lamb. I was sad we didn’t make it to Greenwich village, because that’s where Conor Oberst lives - he’s the totally tortured, Bright Eyes. It’s like my little fantasy that I’ll see him on the streets of New York or something, after I read an article about him called “The Loneliest Boy In New York.”
Perhaps I’m just retarded.