Self-Portrait TUESDAY
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Wearin-O-the-Green while applying Make-Up as reflected in a Window…
Just when I needed it most, fate and circumstance intersected sublime! What better place to run away from home to than New York, NY?
And what better zip code than 10017 — aka Midtown Manhattan. My friend E & I planned our annual excursion months ago, getting a great reservation at the Hotel Barclay. We love this neighborhood because it is a great jumping off point for all things north, south, east & west in the city.
Little did we know that the long weekend we picked would coincide with an enormous International Event:
“World leaders are gathering in the U.S. city of New York City for the 63rd annual plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The General Assembly formally opened last week, when diplomats met to settle administrative issues and set this year’s agenda.
But the coming week is expected to attract far more attention, as the heads of U.N. member states take turns addressing the assembly. Those addresses begin on Tuesday and include speeches U.S. President George Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”
We were staying just a couple of blocks from the UN and our hotel (and every hotel for blocks around Midtown) was filled to the brim with maximum VIPs: heads of state, diplomats, ambassadors, and their minion. We found a message on our phone from the management advising us that we had to be moved to another room because the Secret Service had cordoned off our hallway (WHO was our neighbor??) Around the corner from us, at the Waldorf-Astoria, President Bush hosted an event for over 400…
Everywhere you looked, for blocks and blocks, there were Secret Service Agents, international police and guards, limousines, black SUVs, NYPD, and more.
Right after we checked into our room, we hit the streets for some fun and had to skid to a halt as a caravan of vehicles passed, one fully loaded with SWAT police hanging out the window with maximum weaponry. Whoa. D.e.e.p. breath.
The only thing left to do was look UP! AND ah, that’s why we love Midtown: there was the beautiful Chrysler Building in the clouds and we were soothed by the blue, blue sky…
Were we still glad we tripped into Manhattan (and a little bit of history)? Oh yeah, like the Bowery’s new New Museum of Contemporary Art says so succinctly (sculpture by Ugo Rondinone)… (See full size bldg here.)
…coming up next: small adventures on the west side of town…
What fun! It seems like there is always something BIG going on in the city when we go, but no matter what it’s fun. I love the first shot – it’s amazing!
It has been far too long since I was in NY. It’s exciting and fast and tasty (Carnagies on 7th), not to mention the shopping, so much shopping and so little time…. The sheer size of Macy’s is daunting, not to mention Bloomies……. We can not forget the Metropolitan, Modern or the Gukenhiem… I need to take flight and go back to NY for a visit… 25 years is too long. I loved your post, it makes me miss my single days when I had no worries…. ah, youth.
Eeee, who knows who you might see at an international gathering like that? Exciting!
That is a neat window picture!
What a week to be in NY. When I lived in Manhattan I always stayed out of midtown during the opening of the UN — it is pure chaos.
Are you still taking the 66 to work or do you have a new routine now?
ooooh I wish Id known the whens cause I would have warned you about the cluster *$^& midtown becomes during the GA (last year I was caught in a lock down, there are machine gun armed men outside my office and I can see sharp shooters when walking :))
on the bright side… last one Bush will ever be speaking at!
Ps Chrysler Building is my favorite in town :)