Aaron had to be at work at 9:30am at his animation internship on 37th avenue and wanted me to take the subway into Manhattan with him. I declined citing the reason that it would be “too early” as it would feel like 6:30am to me. Really though I just wanted to say that I rode the New York City subway into Manhattan by myself.
I started out from 9th Street.
The subway is a mile from Aaron’s apartment. The ride was smoother than I expected and buying a ticket was fairly easy since any ticket any time any day to go anywhere is only $2.
Once in the city I got off at Times Square and came up into a new world. Then I realized how much it looked like Universal City Walk and Hollywood & Highland.
Right in the middle of times square a TV network (Good Morning America?) was shooting a live feed of sailors dancing with New York Knicks Cheerleaders. It made more sense when I learned later that this week was “fleet week”
The first thing I noticed about New York City was noise pollution. Even in Queens at all hours of the night you could hear car alarms and horns. In the city it is so terrible that at several intersections there are signs posted to warn of fines for honking. If the NYPD ever bothered to enforce this law they’d be able to pay off the national debt in under a week.
I called my parents and left a message on their machine before calling Aaron and setting up a noon lunch meeting five blocks south. We walked another few blocks in search of “authentic New York Pizza.” We found it at a small place called Spinelli’s that was across the block (diagonally) from Madison Square Garden. We ate on the second floor by an all glass window wall looking out on the intersection. I’ve pointed to it in the shot (taken about an hour later) below.
After lunch I realized I was only a few blocks from the Empire State Building. So, I walked down and bought a ticket. After an hour wait I was at the 86th floor eye-level with the smog. Did I mention the smog? Somehow NYC manages to have worse smog and air pollution (at least visually) than Los Angeles despite the fact that everyone rides the subway.
The smog is so bad that in this photo you can barely see past central park.
After waiting another 45 minutes to get down from the 86th floor I decided to test out my walking shoes and attempt again to make contact with my parents and other notables.
I walked up to central park via 7th Avenue.
I crossed the bridge used for the “ring giveback” scene in Spiderman 3.
I walked further up in the park and then exited on the east side and walked up the sidewalk just outside of the park. At one point I passed what was obviously a photo shoot for the kind of silly perfume/clothing/watch/shoes magazine ads seen in things like GQ.
I soon ended up at the Met. I didn’t go in though because I knew I wouldn’t have time to see much before meeting Aaron for dinner.
From the Met I walked east for quite a few blocks and then south in search of a Jamba Juice, a restroom and a nice place to sit down and attempt some more phone calls.
At 6:30 I met Aaron again on 37th Avenue for dinner. We walked a few feet to the end of the block and at dinner at Gray’s Papaya. Two (small) hot dogs and a (small) Papaya juice drink for $3.50. Apparently this was a steal for NYC. Standing room only, so we stood and watched the mass of New Yorkers leaving for home.
We then hopped on the downtown train and reemerged in China Town. China Town was wholly unimpressive – at least after seeing San Francisco’s. We walked further south past the government buildings (and a square which reminded both of us of Cleveland) and onto the Brooklyn bridge.
Here Aaron is seen shoving the cabling back into the ground after Dr. Octopus cut the strands. No idea where Spiderman was….
By the time we reached the first gate (seen in the photo) my feet protested loudly at the idea of walking all the way to Brooklyn. We examined a mini-map that I’d bought earlier in the day and discovered I’d already walked six miles or more. We hopped on the subway at the end of the bridge and headed back to Astoria, Queens.
Back in Astoria we swapped music and stories whilst munching on grapes and cheese.
