Love Letters To New York City III

Dear New York City,

There are times when one falls in love, but thinks to oneself upon the falling “Oh no. This one will end tragically.” Just that gut feeling ya know? The one where you know you are less of a person having fallen, doing things that are out of your nature because you can’t help it.

It was while walking in a rain that fell upon me during a Thursday night. Strangely I wasn’t cold. I was more concerned with my non-scarf tying skills than my non-crossing the street against a “Don’t Walk” sign skills. The bottom of my scarf grazed the wet pavement. At that moment, I imagine I must have looked like a 3-legged alien trying to dart out in front of the taxi, when a gentle hand pulled me back. And because I’m not that smart, I tried a second time to cross in front of cab. The cabbie honked at me as the same hand had to pull me back. How many people know for sure when they’ve fallen hard? Maybe it was because I was a bit intoxicated from the few hours before, the rain ruining my hair and make-up, blinding my eyes and soaking my jean jacket and pants. I was very much aware of everything when I shouldn’t have been. But that’s when I knew. It just felt right and natural. I fell in love.

So to further deepen my love for you New York City, I spent the next few days wandering your streets. I immediately knew upon turning the corner of E. 34th and Park Ave., I could live there. I want to walk my 70 pound doggie Otis on your sidewalks and pick up his poopies in a plastic bag like New Yorkers do. He would love the constant bustle and sights and sounds as much as I do, with the exception of the constant singing of sirens. That he hates, but I could buy him some earmuffs to dampen the pitchiness, couldn’t I? And then one day when I get too lazy to walk him, I can hire one of those dog pack walkers to walk him.

And by the time I'd made it down to 34th, I was crossing the street like a native, against the "Don't Walk" sign and no one was honking...

The Empire State Building was my destination. For a brief moment I felt like I was walking into a never ending valley of buildings with walls so high I couldn't see the sky except to look directly upward. But then to my relief, the Empire State Building leapt into the sky...

While window shoppers window shopped around me, and buses, cars and taxi's sped by, I was taken a bit by surprise by the yellow daffodills in planters by the street. Their color was like a splash a happiness across a canvas of concrete, glass and exhuast fumes...

Finally I arrived at the Empire State Building. People mulled around the lobby, talking in hushed whispers...

Where does one go to get the most fantastic view of NYC ever? That's right...the 86th floor...

It was on top of the ESB I fell in love again. I can't even tell you how long I stayed up there. It must have been hours. My eyeballs where frozen from the wind...

When I finally made my way back down to the street, I knew exactly what direction to walk to find Macy's...

Cute little clock thing right outside Macy's...

Overwhelmed by the hugeness of Macy's and it's dedication to an entire side of a store to nothing but purses, I needed air. I walked to find myself passing beauty salons with lines out the door as women waited their turn for a lunch-time eyebrow grooming. And can I say NYC women have the best eyebrows ever? Then back on 5th Avenue, I ducked into a nothing over $10.99 store and I happened upon an old man contemplating a dvd. When I passed him I snook a peak at the dvd he was holding barely inches away from his face. On the cover was a topless blond with her legs spread and the title read, "Smell My Panties!" Okay so this is the part where I tell you how immature I am. I wanted to tell every person that I passed on my way to the checkout that there was an old man in the back trying to decide whether or not he should buy "Smell My Panties!"??? I was laughing all the way up to the checkout. When I finally got there, I was still smiling. The clerk, she was not smiling.

So more walking on 5th Avenue, distracted by the smell of food coming from the street vendors and purse stands...and traffic and "Walk" "Don't Walk" signs. Until finally, I discover I'm, at the New York City Public Libary, and that Bryant Park is just around the corner...

I spent another few hours just wandering around Bryant Park. Sadly no pictures since the card on my camera had filled up. Oh ye of little picture taking prepartation skills...

It wasn't until I was half way back to my hotel that I realized I slipped an extra card in my purse. Just in time to catch this...

I'll admit it right now. I'm in love with the Chrysler building. If I could be a building and buildings could have babies, I'd want the Chrysler building to father my baby buildings. And how happy was I to find my beloved Chrysler was so close to my hotel...

I made it back to my hotel to a hot shower and then fell into a much needed nap. And instead of dreaming of the usual random and seemingly meaningless things, I dreamt of walking in the rain in NYC and falling in love, because I'm a hopeless hopeful romantic like that.