I just returned from New York City..........Ask me anything....

[mrmpa]

spent 2 days with my 21 year old nephew who had never been there. I've been but it's been 25 years.

[HipChick]

1. How were the crowds?

[mrmpa]

2. Monstrous, just monstrous..............

thank God, my nephew is 6' 7" tall, if we got jostled, I could still spot him ahead of me. Also it was Santarchy night, there were hundreds of people dressed as Santa, elves & Christmas trees.

The nice least crowded place we went to was Bryant Park. We watched as a man proposed to his girlfriend while ice skating.

[HipChick]

3. awww...

the crowds have been horrendous...

[rug]

9. They're tourists.

[Major Nikon]

4. Did you have any picante sauce?

[mrmpa]

5. No, I didn't ride in on my horse..........

didn't eat anything that needed it.

[Burma Jones]

6. Why I just got back too, why the hell didn't you look me up? I was the one dressed like Santa

It was Santacon, thousands of drunk Santas.......

I drove up Friday from DC to see my Brothers and a Polyphonic Spree Holiday Extravaganza....

[mrmpa]

16. Maybe we should have a "ride board"......

here at DU, where we could post where we might be traveling to. Then we might be able to meet up with each other, if we are so inclined.

[Burma Jones]

25. I believe there used to be such a thing.........

I had a full car though.....

[MiddleFingerMom]

7. My BIL was president of an ad agency in Manhattan and his office was within CLOSE proximity to...

.
.
.
... the route of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We went to his office (which was equipped
with a fairly impressive bar) and had Bloody Mary's before walking down and finding good curbside
spots for the parade. It was REALLY cool (though the balloons are much smaller "in person&quot until
the New Yawk mommies started showing up with their strollers.
.
"HEY, YOU FUCKING FUCKS!!! WHY DON'T YOU FUCKING MOVE OUTTA DA FUCKING WAY... MY
FUCKING BABY CAN'T SEE THE FUCKING PARADE!!!"
.
I'm really not exaggerating (OK... very much). We beat a quick retreat back to his office and had
more Bloody Mary's until our world was right again.
.
.
On the other hand, I went back for Christmas and about 2-3 days before Christmas, we were
having dinner in a fine restaurant in Little Italy. These three very drunk, very ancient Italian men
came in carrying their horns (trumpet, sax and French horn) and, hitting 3 out of 4 notes correctly,
played 3 soft and beautiful Christmas songs before the maitre d' brought them all shots and
escorted them to the front door. They got a long and very appreciative ovation from the diners.
.
.
.
There IS something about New York.
.
.
.

[KurtNYC]

8. 5 things NYC taught me

1. Energy attracts like energy. If you are happy you attract happy people (and a few pan handlers). Angry people will also meet their match.

2. People love to help other people. "hey you dropped something" , giving directions, donating, etc. NYC is an environment where you can see a need and help in real time.

3. We don't really need cars.

4. The media is a fun house mirror, distorting all that it sees. NYC is entertaining and endlessly stimulating. It's traditions and mom-and-pop owned stores are far more wholesome than the TV jokes and R rated movies would ever let on.

5. The peak of American culture happened between 1900 and 1942. For a variety of reasons it has been downhill from there but you can still feel the glow when you see the Chrysler building, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Terminal, the NY Public Library at 42nd and 5th and the subway stations of southern Manhattan.

[mrmpa]

23. I went specifically to see.........

an exhibit on NYC & WWII at the NYC Historical Society. It was very good. Also I am a history buff and love architecture & everything you said in #5 is so true.

[The Lord Fuzz]

10. Did you go to Little Italy

and how was your meal?

[William769]

12. Welcome to DU.

[The Lord Fuzz]

13. Thank you

[mrmpa]

15. Had................

shrimp fried rice (for me), nephew had duck and pork in Chinatown, followed by a canoli in Little Italy.

[MiddleFingerMom]

27. We also used to have dinner in Chinatown and cannolis for dessert in Little Italy.

[Sanity Claws]

11. Were you the two handsome men I saw on the 1 train yesterday?

[mrmpa]

14. He was the handsome young man, and I was..........

the attractive older woman.

[Sanity Claws]

17. Okay. Now I remember you.

It sounds like you had a good time.

[mrmpa]

20. One hell of a good time........eom

[TrogL]

18. Is that guy still there?

[mrmpa]

21. Nephew?.......No he's back home..........eom

[Scruffy Rumbler]

19. Did you see my buddy, John?

[mrmpa]

22. Went looking for him........but couldn't find him........eom

[Scruffy Rumbler]

24. Thanks for checking!

[Baitball Blogger]

26. Did you tell him that looking upwards is a sign of a tourist?

[MiddleFingerMom]

28. My BIL in advertising and I went to the top of the Empire State Building and he showed me...

.
.
.
... the billboards on the rooftops of nearby buildings, all angled upward to exclusively promote
products just to the people at the top of the Empire State Building.
.
.
.
One of the coolest things I saw (for me) was the guy at the top of the Empire State Building
who had the penny-stamping concession.
.
.
.
You gave him YOUR penny and for a dollar, he would kick-stamp it in his machine and turn it
into a copper medallion commemorating the Empire State Building.
.
What a MONEYMAKER -- in so many ways!!!
.
.
.

[mrmpa]

31. You know it now costs..........

$25 for an adult to go to the 86th floor. Prior to getting there, you must remove your coat & items from your pockets before you go through the metal detector.

I understand the psyche of NYC and 9-11, but having to remove everything on my body before going through the detector, just angers me. I had no metal on my coat (the metal is in my body) & I should just be made to walk through the metal detector.

[mrmpa]

34. At 6' 7" he had no choice but to look upward..........eom

[Aristus]

29. Did you visit the MOMA?

I don't know why, but the Museum of Modern Art has risen to the top of my list of things to visit if I ever make it to New York. (I've been within sight of the city five times, and never actually been in it...)

[mrmpa]

30. No to seeing MOMA......

went to the NYC Historical Society at W 77th & Central Park. I saw their exhibit on NYC and WWII. It was actually reallly good.

[Enrique]

32. how big were the rats?

i hear they're getting bigger every year

[mrmpa]

33. I've been hering that too...............

I used the subway exclusively, no rats seen. Walked the sidewalks, in early & late evening, when trash is put outside stores, no rats seen.

I hate rodents & I would have screamed had I seen one.

[annabanana]

35. You mean we let you

GET AWAY?

(rats)