Also, I do not recommend driving into the city. It should be borderline criminal to own a vehicle within city limits. How does anyone ever get around or get anywhere on time? Traffic was ok until I hit 87 -- then BAM! slow crawl the remainder. I turned a bend around Pelham/Mt. Vernon and there it was, the gorgeous monstrosity of Manhattan. Google Maps failed me hard; I got off the highway and drove around what I thought was Queens for about 45 minutes, only to find out I was in the Bronx. A mass of vehicles and no lanes on the Triborough Bridge to Queens. Luckily I was freaking out about the bumper-to-bumper traffic and where I was going, so I didn't have the time or peace of mind to freak out about the fucking terrifying bridge I was on. Too many bridges. I got stuck in traffic on the GW Bridge a few years ago and man let me tell you -- not a fun feeling.
We stayed at a college buddy's place for the night in Astoria, which turned out being a predominantly Greek neighborhood. Cassimus wasn't even there, but he still hooked us up solidly and let us crash and gave us full-reign of the place. New York has to be the biggest melting pot anywhere. People people people everywhere. Honking cars, overheard languages I had no idea of, kids flying on skateboards against traffic, ethnic cops who barely spoke English themselves giving directions, OB/GYN offices in loft apartments, elevated trains, and New Yorkers blowing by tourists everywhere. I met up with Joe and we scouted out Manhattan a bit before we met Tony at LaGuardia. The three of us had dinner at The Athens Cafe where I was made fun of by the only blonde Greek girls I've ever met for not wanting any veggies on my gyro wrap. Lots of beers (can't recommend the Mythos brand), lots of conversation and catching up, and a running tally of ringer T's and great tits.Saturday was Yankee Stadium, the game, a very short walk in Central Park, much subway confusion, late lunch in Little Italy (the North End is better), and adieu to NYC. I was ready to leave and anxious for Mass. and the smaller but equally grand charms of home -- the evidence seen clearly on the rental car's speedometer. New York City: a magical delirium of noise, marvels, and $-signs.
A short list of things I saw:
- the Brooklyn Bridge
- Rockefeller Center
- brief glimpse of the park
- Wall St. & the NYSE
- a couple of Trump buildings
- Tiffany's
- the site of Gen. Washington's inauguration
- a replica of the Mayflower from afar
- the Statue of Liberty from very afar
- Battery Park
- Yankee & Shea Stadiums
- the millionaire and rich CEO helicopter landing pier and some very big Staten Island ferries
- street merchants! foakley's! bootleg videos! fake rolexes!
At one point, Joe and I were walking around Lower Manhattan, lost and trying to find our way after jumping off the subway. These were literally my first sights of Manhattan and I was more than a little disoriented. Suddenly I remarked to Joe: "Hey, I wonder what that big open space is...that real estate must be worth a fortune. I can't believe nothing's there." Joe looked at it, then me, then after a second he replied: "I think that's Ground Zero."
"Oh..."
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