The Twilight Zone

Just before walking down the steps to enter the Train Hall en route to The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, I took a minute to look around and noticed that I was the only person in this section of the terminal. Are you kidding me?

 

Living in a city with nearly 9-million people, this seemed a bit odd; and for a split second, it felt like I was a character in an episode of the Twilight Zone!

 

As I stood at the top of the stairway, mystified for a brief moment, finally, I spotted signs of life, which was a guy wearing a hoodie, rolling his luggage, and sipping on a cup of coffee. Relieved to see him, I waved to his surprise while laughing at myself on the inside.

 

Now ready to go, I hopped on the escalator instead of taking the steps downstairs. Upon landing on the bottom floor, I immediately walked over to the giant TV monitor and watched a short video about the terminal's design and construction.

 

After satisfying my insatiable curiosity, I dashed over to the shopping mall and wrote this post along the way. 😊

 

Indeed, beauty is all around us, and I love learning something new and noteworthy by happenstance. Have a lovely weekend!

 

#nyc

 

Grand Central Library

While strolling down 5th Ave this morning, I came upon the Grand Central Library, and the sudden sight of its Lion statue wearing a blue mask stopped me dead in my tracks! By far, this is the largest mask I've seen during this pandemic!

 

Now captivated by this impressive-looking structure and the Patience & Fortitude banner perfectly placed on the left side of the main entrance, I decided to walk over to the Lion statue to get a closer look.

 

As I stood there directly behind the black steel barricade, admiring the three porticos and the allegorical figures on the attic frieze, memories of spending time in this magical place as a teenager started to flash in my mind.

 

I began to recall sitting in the Rose Main Reading Room, studying and writing with my favorite fountain pen, recording my thoughts into my vintage leather-bound journal. If you haven't been inside this enormous reading room, it is worth a visit when it reopens. It's literally about the size of a football field and has ceilings decorated with a cycle of murals and beautiful paintings that are sure to take your breath away!

 

After taking this trip down memory lane, I felt like writing and sharing a portion of my latest reflection with you by way of this post.

 

Share your thoughts, and enjoy the weekend!

 

#nyc

 

Union Square NYC

After getting bagels from a café near Grand Central Terminal yesterday morning, I drove over to the famous Union Square Greenmarket to pick up some fresh produce. Since this farmers market is full of small businesses and only open Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat, I figured this was an excellent time to patronize a few street vendors, especially during this crazy pandemic.

 

As I made my way down 5th Ave to Union Square, I began to feel and embrace the electric atmosphere associated with this area the closer I got to this iconic park. Keep in mind, on a usual Saturday, over 60,000 people shop at this market, so I didn’t know what to expect.

 

Once I arrived, as luck would have it, street parking was available, saving me 40 bucks! Now out of the car and walking towards the market shopping area, I spot the giant Metronome clock and the cool-looking rippling brick wall called The Vortex, which stands 100 feet tall and 60 feet wide.

 

Suddenly, I felt the urge to take a pic and capture my thoughts right at this moment. I decided to share this snippet of my journal entry for your reading and viewing pleasure in a rare Sunday post. 😊

 

Share your thoughts, and enjoy your day!

 

#nyc

 

Grand Central Terminal & The Met Life Building

I was out and about this morning hustling to get my errands done before the freezing rain hit the city when I bumped into a lady with a takeout bag from one of my favorite bagel joints. Since the bagel café was only two blocks away near Grand Central Terminal, I decided to head that way to buy a few to nibble on over the weekend.

 

Also, I figured this would be a nice place to draw some inspiration from for my Saturday morning reflection post. Even though I didn't have anything in particular that I wanted to contemplate, I always know that a worthwhile message will pop into my mind to share with you respectfully.

 

As soon as I arrived at the station entrance on the corner of East 42nd St, a conversation I had yesterday with a mentor on the value of writing a thoughtful note on a Valentine's Day card became the focus of my thoughts.

 

A bouquet of roses and Godiva chocolate are fabulous, and yes, it shows you care; however, expressing how you feel about that special someone in the written word from the depths of your soul can be everlasting. Long after the roses are gone, it's the words that will stay behind. They can be reread and touch your loved one's heart repeatedly, especially when you are not present.

 

Stay warm and have a romantic weekend! 💕

 

#nyc

Bow Bridge - Central Park

After being cooped up in the house for most of the week due to the recent snowstorm in NYC, I was ready to venture out from my neighborhood to see some different scenery. While getting dressed, the idea of going to Central Park popped in my head, and since I haven't been to my favorite park this year, I figured now would be a good time to visit.

 

A few minutes later, I was in my car driving to the park! The closer I got to the park's Columbus Circle entrance, my excitement level started to increase in anticipation of seeing Bow Bridge. This bridge is famously known as one of Central Park's most romantic spots for those of you not familiar. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, going here today seemed fitting, as thoughts of love and happiness were top of mind.

 

Now standing by Bow Bridge, absorbing the sights, sounds, and allure of this remarkable place, my creative writing juices began to flow, and the outline of a romantic poem appeared in my mind. I quickly turned on my voice recorder, closed my eyes, and spoke the words into the phone from my imagination.

 

The second I uttered the last word, I opened my eyes, pressed play to listen to the recording, and took a pic of a couple walking by while cherishing the moment.

Share your thoughts, and enjoy your weekend! 😊