Wonderful Town

"New York...just like I pictured it.  Skyscrapers and everything."  Living for the City, Stevie Wonder

My husband and I spent the past three days in New York City.  What an exhilarating time!  The weather was perfect, high Sixties, sunny, beautiful.  We stayed in Mid-Town with Marriott points.  It was fun as we were down the street from a W which rocked out with music and young girls in super tight, super short dresses.  We enjoyed free SKYY vodka cocktails late in the evening.We then moved to the Theatre District to n because we had points and  recently refurbished literary landmark, The Algonquin.    Historic, elegant, a blast from the nineteen twenties, the hotel and its famous Round Table clientele is a living history to all things literary and witty.

After numerous trips to the Big Apple over a thirty year span, I finally went to the top of the Empire State
Bldg.   On a clear day you CAN see forever.  I
thought of the wonderful scenes in "Sleepless in Seattle" and the race to get to the Observation Deck on the 86th floor  It's a bit more of a project to reach the deck than portrayed in the movie.  You enter the main lobby, go up an escalator to another floor, wait in snakey lines on the next floor.  After buying a ticket, you are herded into an elevator and squished like a sardine while you ascend to the 80th floor.Your next option is to climb the last 6 floors with no waiting or wait in another line to use another elevator.  All in all, my wait was about an hour but worth it.  I was by myself, chatting up people in line, most of whom were from other parts of the world.  You may take your time on the Observation Deck and, even though it's crowded, wait for a spot where you can get a clear shot.  They open up quickly.  I moved around the deck, shooting from all sides..  A very cute Canadian fellow was kind enough to take a few photos for me.

  

I visited the New York Public Library, a gorgeous edifice of knowledge and place I'd always wanted to see thanks to countless movies.  These Flickr photos of the front entrance and the beautiful Reading Room on the 3rd floor.  The library is one of the US's most important research libraries, home to more than 44,160,825 items.

We visited the High Line Park in Chelsea, something we'd wanted to see and happily found it after viewing Edward Steichen photographs in a gallery.  My husband was in heaven over that.  The High Line is a recycled, renovated rail line that extends about a mile and is now a raised park and walking area with lots of zeriscaping, green space & cool architectural details.  My husband took this terrific shot as we ascended the stairs to the top.  Another photographer was shooting, unaware my husband has a small camera hanging near his waist with which he can shoot unobtrusively. He calls it 

"Shoot the Shooter"  by Cole Scott

You're probably wondering if we went to Ground Zero.  We did take a stab at it, driving along the West Side Expwy and trying to see the fountains.  But so much of it is protected and the tenth anniversary of 9/11 had just passed.   We did get to see the Flatiron Bldg enroute!   

So much to do and see.  Next trip we'll visit the WTC memorial, see a show, visit at least one museum.  We're going to try to get there more than once every couple of years. Leaving you with my favorite New York moment from the movies.