A New York New Wave Morning...

[Frau_Blucher]

I wanna share some recollections of this morning for no good reason really. After a long night in the city capped by several martinis and staying up ‘til 1:00am to watch New Order on TV, I inexplicably wake up before dawn and feel compelled to walk the city. I was staying on the upper west side and had to eventually get to Sloan-Kettering WAY over by the East River by 9:30. I end up walking the whole freakin way but have an absolute adventure and discover kind of a cool thing...cameras today embed a time stamp in their EXIF files, so I know for example that this picture looking east across Central Park from my hotel room was taken at exactly 5:43AM, right after I woke up:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42706025.jpg">

Since I'm up and I like a little photography, I'm thinking I’ll make use of the dawn light. I crank up some Matt Bianco on the laptop to get me going; corny but super bouncy stuff like “Get Out of Your Lazy Bed” and “Whose Side Are You On?” I shower, dress, put on the iPod to my Sunday Morning New Wave Chill playlist, and head out toward the park. But guess what, the Pod playlist of course lists all the lengths of the songs too! So tonight it dawns on me that I can figure out pretty closely what song was playing during each particular picture and moment this morning. For example, I look south on Columbus Avenue and see this cool moonset behind the dawn-lit buildings. It’s not quite 6:30 which means that the Sunday’s “Here’s Where the Story Ends” was likely playing:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42807922.jpg">

I get in the park and go toward The Ramble, a dark tangle of trails across from the Museum of Natural History. At 6:45 the sun hasn’t hit the valley areas yet and My Bloody Valentine's “Sometimes” sets an anticipatory tone:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42706033.jpg">

I find my way to an outcropping at 6:50 facing west, and wow, the sunlit buildings are really striking against the still-dark park. Dream Academy’s killer cover of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” is playing...SO cool!
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42807931.jpg">

6:57 and I’ve made my way over to the gorgeous Bow Bridge and it’s Crowded House’s “Weather With You”:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42807963.jpg">

At a little past 7:00 on the other side of the bridge facing south, I’m digging the mirror effect of The Lake and outlying buildings, but it’s just a bit too breezy for a perfect glassy effect. Nevertheless, the Smith’s “Half a Person” lends to a mellow atmosphere:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42807934.jpg">

Through the bridge at 7:05, it’s nice to see that others are taking the time to soak up the quiet morning too. The Sun’s starting to poke out in the open areas and Joy Division’s “Atmosphere” is on...Dude!
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808153.jpg">

But back by the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, it’s still a quiet idyll in the shadows, and Thomas Dolby’s “Airwaves” is perfect:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808228.jpg">

Higher up and heading south down Literary Walk, the light is really starting to stream through the precious American Elms. It about 7:20 and “Doot-Doot” definitely played at some point here:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808266.jpg">

I’m bummed that I kinda gotta pee now, so I veer east through the tunnel with the Balto dog statue...
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808296.jpg">

...and through other tunnels past both the Children’s and Central Park Zoos. The Chameleon’s “Tears” and Brian Eno’s “Deep Blue Day” make an appearance through here. But before I sprint across 58th St and 5th Ave, I glimpse this beautiful field of tulips near The Pond:
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808323.jpg">

It’s not quite 8:00 yet, I cross-reference my playlist...wait, is it really possible that Strawberry Switchblade’s “Trees and Flowers” was playing?!
<img src="http://www.pbase.com/myirwin/image/42808331.jpg">

Must have been because I know Heaven 17’s “Let Me Go” is after that and came on as I strolled to the Plaza Hotel to take a huge leak. A bunch of other great tracks come and go as I eat breakfast then make my way over to York and 66th; The Go-Between’s “Streets of Your Town”, Roxy Music’s “To Turn You On”, and a redux of “Please Please Pleast Let Me Get What I Want” (the Smith's original this time) among others. The real kicker is that 9:30 comes and The Church’s “Under the Milky Way” is just about to trail off as I see my colleagues – a perfect ending. They can’t believe I've walked this whole way. I can’t believe what a damned fine morning it’s been already.

[egg-roger]

Beautiful!

Thanks for sharing.

[design_femme]

THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL! I love your post!

I think a bunch of us should do the same in our respective towns and cities and report back likewise. Once my crazy freelance stuff finishes up, I might just do the same thing…

[2Nu]

Hey that is brilliant! (Beautiful photos and insightful prose ta boot)
Reminds me of a NW version of <a href="http://www.quietamerican.org/vacation.html" target="blank">this</a>
Perhaps the sitemaster can dedicate a new topic heading for such musings. (ya reading this Master P?)

PS: Hope some of my trax make it onto your 'pod' [;)]

[ekahob]

And you got to pee at the famous Plaza hotel before it closes down Saturday to get converted into condos.

OH, and nice story and photos too. I like the music angle. I don't know how many times the right song has come on my iPod at the right time. It's serendipitous.

[googoomuc]

Man I miss that city....
You have a great eye,nice photo`s

[KYYX4ever]

cool!
thanks for sharing. Those photos are AWESOME. It makes NY look very lush and verdant. I love this time of year, when nature reawakens and rears its budding head(s). As a gardener, I get very excited.
Plus, I love the musical commentary. That really puts some thoughtful demeanor on the pix.

[waukena]

awesome travelogue, Blir...you know The Park really well...the Bow Bridge is my favorite, designed by Calvert Vaux himself if I'm not mistaken...and The Ramble/Bethesda is my favorite place in the park besides the Meer/Conservancy Garden...you were going to Sloan-Kettering...everything ok?

[Frau_Blucher]

Wow, thanks for all the great comments guys. designe_femme, I'm in Boston almost every week - don't let me beat you to the punch. Ekahob, I didn't even know that about the Plaza - the doorman was perfectly upbeat and business-as-usual. And 2Nu, once I'm home for a decent stretch, I'm gonna fire up those tracks - looks like a great selection.

BTW, I'm re-listening to the same playlist as I cover some emails this morning. HOLY CRAP, I forgot about the Roxy Music "To Turn You On" lyrics:

It´s raining in new york
On fifth avenue
And off broadway after dark
Love the lights, don´t you
I could walk you through the park
If you´re feeling blue
Or whatever
Spring summer whenever
Winter through fall
I´d do anything to turn you on

Whoah! LOL! I definately tuned in and turned on!

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by waukena[/i]
<br>...you were going to Sloan-Kettering...everything ok?
[/quote]
Oh right, duh, sorry. Just business thankfully. Thanks!

[nowhere girl]

I loved the post and the pictures! It makes me want to visit NY!

Nowhere Girl

[nowhere girl]

I loved the post and the pictures! It makes me want to visit NY!

Nowhere Girl[8D]

[nowhere girl]

I loved the post and the pictures! This makes me want to visit NY!

Nowhere Girl[8D]

[toddrighteous]

thats some really great photography there!
i love how you can find such beautiful scenery in such an ugly concrete jungle like NY.
great job!

[brock]

That beats my morning by a New York mile....

Next Friday I'm gonna commute by bike along the river. Inspiring!!