Digital Johnny, Real Johnny

New York City Trip: Day 2 Recap - Snow!

So, not much really happened yesterday, but I'm going to write a long-ass blog about it anyway because I'm incredibly hung over and have nothing better to do at the moment... I was a little hungover, got ready slowly - dreading going out in the snow - put on five layers of clothes, one of Renee's hats, my scarf, gloves (not snow-weather grade as I later found out), the only kind-of-appropriate shoes that I had, grabbed my umbrella and headed out.

I was immediately cold and sad because whatever beauty there was in the scene was diminished by the unforgiving wind that blew snow horizontally toward me and tried to turn my umbrella inside-out all day. It was so cold I stopped at one of the little 99 cent stores on the way to the subway station and got a beanie. As I was getting out my wallet, I noticed the zipper on my cheap chinese-print bag was already broken. The vendor noticed too and tried to talk me into buying one of his hundreds of knock-off designer purses. I showed him that I had just given him my last two dollars, one of them paid with quarters and nickels and went on my way. The first day I rode the train, Monday, I noticed that it was pretty bumpy, but because I was a little hungover, I actually feared a couple times that I was going to be sick right there on the train. I thought to myself that it sure wouldn't be the first time that someone puked on the subway and that made my nausea go away for some reason. Luckily, I wasn't going far, just to 59th and Lexington, then I followed the map Renee made me to her office, trying to shield myself from the horizontal snow that seemed to come from a different side every few seconds.

Subway tracks at Broadway station on the N/W line, Queens

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Once there, we had mexican food delivered and it was amusing how every couple minutes someone would come up to her office door and make the unmistakable "is it OK if I come in?" gestures and faces... b/c Renee has a real office (that she shares with her boss, who is behind a partition so he can't really see her or the door) with a glass door that says "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY! KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING!" I was very impressed. Having a real job is cool.

She works hard for the money, so you better treat her right

From there, I decided that I was going to see Central Park (for the best map, click on "The Central Park Locator" then the "Go to large view of whole map print" link at the bottom) despite the wind and snow. I was cold, I was miserable, but it was beautiful and I met some nice guy named Joe that walked around with me for a while and showed me some good pictures to take.

A pretty golden statue in the Grand Army Plaza at Central Park South and 59th

A snowy path into the park

A random tiger statue

Looking south from a tunnel

The Pond

The Mall

Bethesda Terrace

Under the terrace: a nice place to take a break and where all the pigeons in New York must roost for the winter

The Angel of the Waters Fountain

View of the West Side from Bow Bridge

A little stream/waterfall in The Ramble

After Joe had to leave for some appointment, it got even colder and the snow started coming down even heavier and my feet and hands started to really get cold. I had no idea where I was in the park and I couldn't see any buildings because of the clouds and snow, so I had no way of knowing which side of the park was closer. I walked over 79th, through Shakespeare Garden, by the Delacorte Theater and headed East because I (erroneously) thought I was closer to the East Side. I had stopped taking pictures because my hands where so cold I didn't want to take them out of my gloves to operate the camera and when I tried to, snow would get on it and I'd have to open my jacket to get to dry piece of clothing to wipe it off. I walked past Turtle Pond and the huge lawn at the center of the park. I really wanted to see the gigantic lake but had no way of knowing how close I was to it or where it was... and all I wanted in the world at that point was to get back to Renee's apartment and check my toes for frost-bite... and I couldn't stop berating myself for being such a California princess. I started to feel lost and desperate; all I could think of were the words "frost bite" and "irish coffee", so I took one last picture, hoping that would make me feel better, but I dropped my glove in the snow doing so and it got all wet and I thought I was going to cry.

King Wladyslaw Jagiello... but all it really says on it is "POLAND" (btw, check out how hard it's snowing in this one)

Finally I saw a huge building (The Met) and got to 5th Avenue. I really want to go to the Met, but it was almost 4:00 and it closes at 5:30, so I headed up to 86th, then over to Lexington to get on the subway. I was walking really fast, rubbing my hands together and muttering to myself. The subway felt steamy and was incredibly crowded. I got back to Queens and since the outer lock to Renee's apartment is super hard for me to open, I went into the only bar I saw between the subway and her house. Renee would later tell me this is the divey-est bar in the neighborhood, and I should have picked up on that because it's an Irish bar with a bartender that doesn't know how to make an Irish coffee (they didn't even have coffee) or a tequila sunrise, so i got a white russian with rum instead of vodka. All 4 guys in the bar were very nice, the bartender didn't let me pay for any of my drinks and I came home. All and all it was a good day, but I was glad to be inside and warm. Renee and I watched America's Next Top Model (I'm sooooo sad April got kicked off!!!!) and I drank raspberry vodka and coke during the show, then we went (literally) across the street where we were (literally) the only customers for a good half-hour and I drank more vodka.

So, I'm incredibly sick today, the ground is all covered with snow outside, it's dark and cloudy (but bright because of the snow) and I don't think I'm going to go outside until it's time to start some St. Patrick's Day drinking. Man, I'm such an alchy-retard. Happy 3-17 everyone!!!

Posted by Kristina at March 17, 2004 08:19 AM