The summer wind

I'd like to be able to tell you all that I'm totally a Manhattan Insider, and can point you to all the trendy hot spots and swank nightclubs. Unfortunately, I'm still learning the turf - and tend to still do the tourist thing from time to time. However, I'm not nearly as bad as some of the tourist rubes you'll come across. It's not unusual to just be walking along and have a group of 5 people just stop dead in their tracks and start taking pictures of....a building. Any building. It doesn't need to be a famous one. Insert your own joke here about Japanese tourists with cameras and camcorders.

Anyway, last weekend my buddy Sipe was in town so we did NY from tip to tail:

Here is the view from our box seats at Yankee Stadium. Twins won, and I took pride in jumping to my feet in full Twins regalia each time a Twins homer went out or Santana struck someone out. Kinda got a few chills hearing the National Anthem sang at Yankee Stadium.

Our next stop was The Empire State Building. It takes about an hour to get through security and get up all the elevators to the top, but the view is definitely worth it.

The Chrysler Building on the left, and looking downtown on the right. The World Trade Center was right in the middle of that cluster of buildings. Those of you with careful eyes may be able to pick out the Statute of Liberty.

Looking down on the city. Just a few taxis.

A shot looking uptown - Central Park in the distance.






From there, we walked uptown and did a lap in Central Park. After seeing all the runners in the Park, it was all I could do not to take off with them and leave Sipe in my wake. Central Park really is all it's cracked up to be - tons of people just picnicking, throwing a Frisbee, and rolling around on the grass making out (two dudes were having a *very* good time....um....)

Our last 2 stops were Times Square and Ground Zero. Times Square is like being in a glass of champagne - just popping and fizzing all around you. Lastly, as the sun was setting, we went down to Ground Zero. You can't really see a whole lot there, but they've definitely started rebuilding some new towers. A few makeshift memorials were scattered by the nearby NYFD station.

Ground Zero. Kind of eerie - but mostly just looks like a big construction site you'd see in any city.
Times Square. Neon signs, more neon signs, and lots of guys rapping on the street. There also is a GIANT Olive Garden.

Who goes to Times Square and eats at Olive Garden? Wait. What am I saying. Those breadsticks are ridiculous.

The only thing left to do was find a swanky hotspot and run up an obscene bar tab. Done and done.