I lived in NYC for just short of 8 years, and in that time I think I ventured uptown perhaps four times. Furthermore, I'm a hardcore East Side kind of guy, and so the Upper West Side is like a complete and utter mystery. I have absolutely no idea what goes on up there. No idea.
Until now. I've spent the past 3 days up on 105th and West End. Some quickie first impressions:
1. Homeless people up here are either strangely well dressed or absolutely out of their fucking minds. I just walked by a group of the latter and felt like I'd wandered onto the set of Panic In Needle Park.
2. It seems that wifi has yet to be invented, much less free wifi. This includes the supposedly amazing, borderline legendary Hungarian Pastry Shop, or whatever it's called. When I politely asked the barista whether there was wifi, she looked at me like I'd just stumbled in from Hungary.
3. So that's where the Seinfeld diner is.
4. Lo and behold the 1 train. Where have you been all my life? This has got to be the best subway line in Manhattan. Wow. I'm meeting a friend at the Ear Inn tonight and can't believe I'm not dreading the schlep over there. It's a Brave New World on the West Side, let me tell you.
5. Cats are absolutely disgusting (ok, perhaps that transcends the Upper West Side. not sure). Seriously, though, are they supposed to go days without eating? Is this normal?
6. If you happen to be a racist, there's a wonderful Avenue by Avenue segregation thing going on up here. Whitey, stick to Broadway. Blacks, you take Amsterdam. Repeat.
7. Tired of crowded cafes? Try the ghost town-like Upper West Side!
8. I haven't witnessed many things as pretty and romantic as Morningside Park in a light rain. Wow. By the way, there's a place in NYC called Morningside Park. News to me.
9. Waking up to NY1 again is like coming out of a thirty year coma and being greeted by your wife Cate Blanchett who tells you you've just hit the Powerball jackpot. My God, how I've missed In The Papers.
10. I'm literally half a block from Riverside Park, which I hear is quite awesome. Of course, I've been too lazy to check it out. Oh, well. Maybe next time.
1 comment:
"But maybe it's best to live somewhere else and spend one week per month in NYC. It's like rediscovering the city over and over again. Kind of nice, at least for now"
Exactly. It's great to go there on occasion. It puts you in the mindset of wanting to go out and see things, knowing you're going to spend a fortune but not thinking twice about it.
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