Big Things

Last night was pretty magical, as far as nights by yourself go... I walked 8 short blocks to Astoria Park (about 1/2 mile), which runs along the E. River facing Manhattan. I walked through the park, very cute, designed for families with strollers to push their kids around! There was huge pool nearby and tons of people camped out on blankets all over the grass.

Why?

It's at the foot of the Triboro bridge which cuts through massive portions above the NY skyline. Put simply, the Triboro foot is MASSIVE. Think the size of a casino as the left foot of the base of the bride but now bring it up as tall as the Vegas Paris Tower. It's so impressive to stand (or sit on the grass) next to the enormity of it all, never mind you just look left and there's the Brooklyn bridge and Manhattan. Stalin, with his love of fascist design, would have been most pleased! I felt small and nature was definitely trumped!

I actually had to pause for a few seconds to appreciate how this thing must have looked to 1900s eyes. Wow. Then I moseyed on down to the river walk and watched the sun set over the city. Magnificent colors and bold shapes slowly gave way to that familiar NY skyline at dark, again, with the Brooklyn Bridge lights shining over all of it, in much the same way the electric paintings do. In fact, I felt like I was in one of those light-up paintings!

This was my first real chance to really enjoy the city, and as it was, I felt forced to flee the home because my roommate has a boy from Boston over. I didn't really have anywhere to go Friday or Sat. night, so I just went walking around the city. Friday night was bizarre, as I attracted to me an awkward, but otherwise cute drunk boy lost looking for the tube station. I got a lecture from my friend here already on why that kind of thing doesn't happen to women like her, and evidently it has to do with a bitch vibe. I'm not sure I have that much paranoia to draw from (not have been born and grown up with the basic fears a lady needs to survive in big cities) but I tried it as I walked around the neighborhood and it just didn't seem appropriate. Too many nice faces out there living normal lives. Shrug. No, I don't have any danger filters; one of my favourite pastimes was walking around london at all times of night high, drunk, or trippin', so sober, I feel safe most anywhere.