Live From Times Square

New York takes out its trash on Saturday nights, too. I think all the trash that I’ve seen lined up on the streets is from one day. Which means that New York generates SO MUCH trash. And yesterday I was a part of it. By the end of the day it’s really a smelly city. I got breakfast at Starbuck’s yesterday (I needed a little reassurance, something familiar) and for whatever reason the inside of the store smelt like…someone had been sick in there that morning. Needless to say, I took my orange juice and mini-meal outside.
One thing I’ve noticed that I didn’t expect is all these little mini-water towers on the tops of most of New York’s buildings. They must be there for fire emergencies; I can’t see them emptying them and refilling them everyday- or maybe they do, and that’s how they get water to the uppermost floors. At any rate, the water towers are small in comparison to the buildings they perch on, and I like them.

After spending some time with Emily yesterday afternoon, I headed back to my hotel for some rest and relaxation. I hit Times Square alone later to find some truly ‘New York’ place to eat. But everything looked either really pricey or like fast food. I was in the mood to be waited on, but not to pay $100 for it. So when I finally came upon a Bubba Gumps, I knew the fight to find somewhere to eat was over, forget about finding something unique. I sat at the bar, because I was alone and it was the fastest way to get seated, and two girls from Wisconsin came in and sat next to me. We chatted and they decided to stay at the bar to eat rather than just get drinks. When one of the bartenders found out they were from Appleton, WC she got really excited because she had grown up there. A little while later the three of us (the WC girls and I) were treated to some delicious apple-shot thing. They knew what it was, but I didn’t, and I also didn’t feel the need to inform the bartender that I was only 20. And then she put our three meals on the same bill. So apparently she really thought I was from Appleton, too. Then we headed down to the Empire State Building, which was wonderful for getting the city into perspective, but I was wearing a skirt and the west side of the observation deck was windy. Suffice it to say that if anyone at any moment was not enjoying the view from the Empire State building, they certainly had a little show of their own going on on the building. Pretty sure I flashed everyone countless times. Oh well.

I’m going to meet up with my new friends this afternoon. What a fun unexpected perk!