Nov 6, 2014

So it's raining and you're stuck in Midtown...

MIDTOWN of all places! No, it's not charming, pretty, or pleasant. There's trash floating where the pavement dips at the corner, and poncho-wearing tourists still plague the sidewalk. This was precisely my dilemma today. And I had planned to give you all a sparkling, classic New-York-style blog tour of my old neighborhood. Bummer. Thankfully, I have had my fill of rainy days in midtown and have developed a list of things to do despite the weather. 

The New York Public Library 
This is where I was headed today to do some research for a paper, and I guess I was glad the weather gave me a reason to stay indoors, otherwise I would have had no motivation whatsoever, to study. While this is not the branch to visit if you are looking for a "fluff" novel, it's the perfect scene for photographers, as well as a fascinating site for historians. Note to the gutsy: do refrain from sliding down the banisters, no matter how tempting it looks... the security guards are not interested in allowing you to fulfill any childhood dreams.

30 Rock has been my favorite place to steal away for an hour or two to study or just people watch. It is essentially an underground labyrinth filled with shops and restaurants. I have come here dozens of times and still cannot claim to have explored it all. If any of you manage to get farther than I, i.e. into any "Staff Only" areas... I'd love to hear about it! You can also pull up a chair and watch the ice-skaters go around on the rink while staying warm and dry behind the floor-to-ceiling windows. If you're looking for a good meal, Tri-Tip has salads and Philly cheese steaks that are to die for.

The Plaza Hotel
Can someone please draw the definitive line where midtown technically ends? I'm not quite sure if the early 60's counts as midtown... but it's not the park yet and not Hell's Kitchen so... who's to say? The plaza holds a special place in my heart... I hope one day to spend a week or two there when I have a couple thousand or ten to burn. Mostly, I just lived (and still do) vicariously through Kevin in Home Alone 2. Also, did you know there is a completely pink, tutu-festooned room in the basement completely devoted to Eloise everything? It would be my dream-come-true if only I was about 14 years younger... That's totally not me in the pic btw...I don't even know that person...



So next time it rains, it's not the end of the world... Go somewhere random and push the envelope. Don't let the weather stop you from exploring anywhere and everywhere! 

Stay classy, my friends.

-H

2 comments:

  1. This is really cool :D totally digging the pictures

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