New York, like most great cities, just demands to be walked and walked to explore it, but beware of New York, even walking 8 hours a day, keeping up your fluid intake in the warm humidity of June, there is the not so hidden danger – food, specifically, very high calorie count food which will never be walked off no matter how hard you try – so choose your food wisely!
If you really must go pizza, choose a thin crust pizza – if you are near Times Square and don’t mind an often noisy ambience, the very efficient service at John’s Pizzeria between 7th and 8th Avenue in 44th street (I think), is not a bad spot when in doubt – just don’t eat a whole pizza by yourself!
If you are near Times Square and can afford to indulge yourself, then Shula’s Steak Restaurant at Westin Hotel on the corner of 8th Avenue and 43rd Street produce a high quality petite steak in a 3 course pre-theatre dinner special between 5-7pm for about $50 plus wine and gratuity. The ambience is very quiet and subdued, just what you need to escape from the crowds.
If you want a better quality restaurant experience than is generally offered in the busy tourist zones of the theatre district near Times Square or Little Italy, head down to Greenwich Village or Tribeca.
Let’s get back to walking the city.
The multitude of billboards juxtaposed with abstract buildings make for interesting imagery.
And not so abstract.
The vehicles also often carry interesting signs, and invariably, the trucks such as this one, and the old styled school buses appear built like tanks. Seems fuel economy has not entered the American psyche given their pump prices are about a quarter that of the rest of the developed world.
And don’t forget the people, after all, apart from the massive buildings, Broadway and the Met, what else would really make NY interesting to visit?
Now, I’m not sure if these ladies saw me taking this image and realising I would be publishing it on the web but it was good of them to try to straighten their hair for the shot.
As for the guy on the bike, did I mention NY in June was very warm and humid, even hotter in the sun? I don’t blame him for cycling without his shirt in the middle of the city. What I couldn’t cope with his having to wear a suit in that climate!
Yes, I’m afraid ladies, not all have a 6 pack like this one:
But you can find real ones, even if they are still a boy at heart and insists on showing off his body by skating:
All of the above photos were taken with the Panasonic GH-1 Micro Four Thirds camera with Lumix 14-140mm kit lens.
Go to next post on New York for more pics.