Damkier's Travels: New York City Culture

Manhattan Skyline and Brooklyn Bridge

After flying and driving nearly 5,000 miles over two weeks, I finally arrived in New York City. By the time I picked up the keys to my sweet apartment in Queens, I had already succumbed to the effects of travel including exhaustion and a possible cold. This was not great combined with the continued heat and humidity from an untimely and massive national heat wave. Fortunately, arriving in one of my favorite cities reinvigorated my soul and prepared me for a week in the Big Apple.

Times Square at Night

New York is unabashedly a big city. They fully embrace being a large and in charge. At the same time, I have always enjoyed the friendly residents and the feel of the city. Even though you are on an island with millions of people, walking though the streets can seem relaxed and open. Yes, if you are in the tourist areas or wandering during rush hour, you are going to be swamped. Outside these times and areas, New York is actually quite pleasant and enjoyable.

Greenwich Village

All jokes aside, New York is a great place for comedy. Why not spend my first night in the city at one of the famous clubs? I squeezed in to the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village for an expensive, but hilarious performance including Jim Norton, Colin Quinn, and Judd Apatow. Lots of big names perform and attend, so it is common to see celebrities all over the place. Fortunately the air conditioning was cold and the jokes were hot, all within a 20 minute subway ride.

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore

On a much funnier day, I was able to attend a taping of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore that airs on Comedy Central on cable. The show was very funny and topical, being filmed during the Democratic National Convention. Compared to other TV shows, the process was much more fun with better music and the ability to take pictures inside the set. It is also a great show.

Underneath the Brooklyn Bridge

I also had the chance to spend the day in Brooklyn. By this time, I had to scale back a lot of my previous plans due to the relenting heat and illness, but I was trudging along across the East River. The area has become very gentrified with lots of young, rich people moving into the area dramatically changing it. This has caused a weird balance of old and new in the neighborhood, but this is typical of the area even from the beginning. Gone are the Dodgers, but they are now home to the Nets and Islanders, so things are looking up for the scrappy little borough!

Inside Richard Rodgers Theatre for Hamilton

You really need to see a Broadway show when visiting New York. There are shows all the time ranging in topic from light to dark with many even advertised on the morning news. To ensure the maximum number of jealous friends and family, I was able to score a ticket to Hamilton. This Tony award winning musical has earned a lot of praise and fame across the spectrum. After attending, I can verify that this is one of the best musicals I have ever seen. The music and performances are fresh and engaging, and the subject matter is intriguing and enlightening. Everyone cheered and cried and left the theatre feeling like they just experienced something special. Not bad for a Thursday night!

Central Park Rocks

Even strangers know about Central Park. What you do not appreciate until you visit is the sheer scale and size of the park. Once you enter, you quickly disappear into an urban forest and garden park that reminds you of the suburbs or a rural location. The park has many features including various lakes and hills with some major rock formations. Yes, the nannies, professional dog walkers, and hundreds of joggers will quickly bring you back, but the park is massive and easy to wander. It was still too hot to linger too long, but it is perfect for a short walk and an iced cold brew coffee.

NorCal in the Lower East Side

One special pilgrimage was to Finnerty's Pub. Many Giants fans have heard tale of the famous sports bar dedicated to Bay Area sports teams, serving as the official gathering point for expats in Manhattan and beyond. I stopped in and enjoyed the very low prices for drinks, but otherwise nonplussed by the basic and a little dicey interior. However, when you are surrounded by Yankee and Jets fans, having a little San Francisco probably feels great.

Entrance to Men in Black Headquarters

So many movies and television shows have filmed in New York, that you will often see many locations that stand out. Men in Black shot several key scenes at Battery Park and Flushing Meadows with the iconic structures still standing. Of course Katz's Delicatessen has their famous When Harry met Sally scene, but fans of Sex and the City, Ghostbusters, Seinfeld, and countless others will often find their special scene just wandering the streets. It really is a great background for any production.

Manhattan in Manhattan

For me, wandering the streets is the best part of New York. There are museums, restaurants, plays, sports, shopping, and lots of other diversions, but riding the subways and walking the streets is just plain fun and very interesting for me - even fighting the heat and cold! Please enjoy the rest of my pictures below.