Thursday, September 27, 2007

I miss New York

Downtown Manhattan
Copyright byNicolas Masse available via a Creative Commons License



Evening: New York

Blue dust of evening over my city,
Over the ocean of roofs and the tall towers
Where the window-lights, myriads and myriads,
Bloom from the walls like climbing flowers.
by Sarah Teasdale


As dusk falls, the buildings of New York light up the sky like Christmas lights. Evening is when New York looks its best, like a movie star dressing for a red carpet event. The lights of New York blanket the city scape in an evening gown of diamonds and pearls. Walking down the streets of Manhattan, you brush up against strangers bustling by in clever conversation with friends or cell phones. Passing an underground subway station entrance, you hear the screech and whirr of a train as a burst of air whooshes up the stairs assaulting you with the underground stench of tunnels and stale air. The odor quickly passes and is replaced by the competing scents of hot dogs and sauerkraut of a corner hot dog vendor against that of the gyro stand right next to it. Crossing the street New York style, nearly clipped by a fast moving bus. The brash horn of an impatient taxi driver echoes in your ears as it weaves through the well choreographed traffic. Walking again, headed uptown, the lights of oncoming traffic shimmer like an ocean wave. You look up at the sky, there are no stars. But one hardly misses them.

22 comments:

Chris Eldin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris Eldin said...

but nowadays,
I'm lost between two shores.
L.A.'s fine, but it ain't home,
New York's home, but it ain't mine anymore.
I am, I said.
To no one there......"

from my favorite Neil Diamond tune. I saw him in concert 15 years ago, and had front-row seats.

I need to visit New York with my children. It's driving distance from me.

Larramie said...

My favorite city, how it energizes. Thank you, Ello!

Stuart Neville said...

Perfect timing for me as my excitement builds for my vacation. :)

Lisa said...

I went on my fantasy NYC vacation in May and I just want to go back...there is a Woody Allen movie (I love them all) that hardly anyone has seen -- a musical called "Everyone Says I Love You" and the movie takes place over a year in New York (and Venice and Paris). Every season, the MC says, "Springtime is my favorite time in New York", explains why and then with the turn of the season she tells us she meant to say summer, or fall or winter...there is something mystical and magical about New York City.

Precie said...

You had me up until the last two sentences.

I need stars. :)

But then, I've known for years that I'm not really cut out for NYC life. Like the saying goes, it's a phenomenal place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

And yet...I think I need to plan another trip to the Metropolitan Museum... :)

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

My parents live on the upper west side now, near the 72nd street pier. First thing I do when I go home is head for Gray's Papaya and get some hot dogs with mustard and onions and a soda for $2.50. Cheapest and most delicious eats in town! Fall is my favorite time in NY - it's also when I miss it the most.

Merry Monteleone said...

I've never been to New York... being a writer, you'd think I'd be clamoring to get there to go to a writing convention, shmooze with agents or see a play... okay, wouldn't say no to any of that, but my first stop would be Yankee Stadium, because I just can't pass up a good ball park - there are a few I'd like to see and that's one of them.

Your description makes me think an awful lot of Chicago, actually. There's nowhere else I'd rather live, so it's a compliment, even if we're smaller. Besides, it's just good to know there are people in other cities that know better than to put ketchup on a dog!

SzélsőFa said...

Once I've read in some other blog that someone, who used to be living in NewYorkCity also misses it the most when it's autumn.
I've spent a few days in NCY, too... I was scared. All. The. Time.
And I would miss the stars, too, as Precie said.
But I understand that we are different.
If we all wanted to live on the countryside, that would be overcrowded :-P

Vesper said...

Thank you, Ello, for this beautiful glimpse of Manhattan! Oh, I miss it so much...

Hello, I'm visiting from Jason's blog.

Katrina said...

Beautiful review of NY but I would miss the mountains, the bubbling brooks and the stars. It reminds me how we are all unique in each & every aspect of our lives.

Anonymous said...

Great capture of the feel and life pulse. Great writing, Ello.

Anonymous said...

BTW, I've add you to my blogroll. Welcome to the Fireflies.

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Lisa - I think I know the movie you are talking about! But I can't recall the name - but that dialogue strikes me as very familiar!

Precie - I have stars now - but not NY. It's a tradeoff.

Hey Merry - the only proper condiment on a hot dog is mustard. And in New York, we have the best onion sauce to go with it! BTW I love Chicago! Great city, great eats!

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Hungarian Tree! My husband is scared of NY also, which is why we don't live there now. But alot of it is perception. If you were up near my parents part of town, you would have enjoyed yourself. The museums, Lincoln Center and Central Park are all in walking distance (well, walking distance in NY terms - cause New Yorkers can really walk!) I hope you will try it again someday.

Vesper - great to see you! Thanks for sharing your love of NY with me.

Katrina - Nice to see you! Yes, it is so interesting how different folks are - I'm such a city person, but I have such a great appreciation for nature and our world. Thank God for mountains and bubbling brooks!

Jason - Thank you very much! What a nice compliment!

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Church lady - my kids love visiting my folks in NY. They think NY is the funnest city in the world. I have to agree.

Larramie- are you a transplant?

Conduit - I forgot to say that I did this post after hearing about your trip and I started missing home. Have a great time!

Merry Monteleone said...

Hey Ello,

I just dropped back in to let you know that I tagged you here

The Anti-Wife said...

New York scares me too. I've been there a few times, but mostly on business. If I went there with someone who really knows the city and could show me around, I might feel differently.

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Well you will just have to coincide visiting there with me or any of the other blogger friends that are from NY and we will show you a good ole time!

Melissa Amateis said...

I have never been to NYC. I want to visit someday, but I confess, it's not on my list of "must-see's." Of course, that list is mostly European cities.

Danette Haworth said...

Wonderful description!

Ello - Ellen Oh said...

Thank you ladies!