I almost forgot that I had an appointment in the city yesterday morning.
It was on my calendar, but for some reason I had a mental block against it.
You might say that I was in a fog.
Fortunately, I remembered the night before,
and set three alarms to make sure that I got myself out of bed.
I woke up to a rainy and foggy day.
Drat.
It's never fun walking around in New York when it's raining,
but it's downright miserable when I can't hang out in a coffee shop,
or pop into a store to kill time before my appointment,
because of my own personal restrictions due to the pandemic.
Fortunately, by the time I arrived, there was only a light drizzle,
which allowed me to pull out my camera, and walk around midtown for a bit.
Directly across from St. Patrick's Cathedral,
Atlas holds up the heavens on his shoulders.
Last fall, I wanted to go to the Observation Deck, but kept putting it off.
If only I knew then that a pandemic would put that visit on hold for a very long time.
The Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center are decked out in fall splendor,
seemingly oblivious to Covid-19.
Saks Fifth Avenue (seen above-center, and below) has its Christmas outfit on,
ready and waiting for holiday sightseers.
FAO Schwartz, the toy store renowned the world over,
is stocked and waiting for shoppers.
I'm happy to report that there was a little more life in midtown
than the last time I was there back in July .
It was pretty empty, as most businesses based there
continue to have their employees working from home.
(For those who are unfamiliar with the city's neighborhoods,
midtown is primarily a commercial district, not a residential area).
Rockefeller Center was still deserted, but then again,
it was raining.
Clearly, midtown Manhattan has not recovered yet.
New York City as a whole has a long way to go.
HOWEVER.........
Contrary to reports that Manhattan is a ghost town,
or besieged with violence,
well, it's just hogwash
(and on this particular day, fogwash).
I assure you, the Big Apple is alive and well.
On recent trips to the Upper East and West Sides,
which are primarily residential areas,
neighborhoods were bustling - looking almost normal.......
with
kids going to school, and plenty of folks enjoying outdoor dining
(myself included), biking, running, walking, and shopping.
And almost everyone was wearing a mask.........
even Atlas.
Back on the Jersey side of the Hudson River,
the George Washington Bridge, enshrouded in fog,
was a photo opportunity too irresistible to pass up.
Apologies to bloggers I haven't visited lately.
I'll be by soon.
And hopefully, it won't be another month until my next blog post.
Stay well.....And VOTE!
