Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Beautiful Empire State

New York City, Night from Empire State

How long have I lived here and never bothered with you? Empire State, building of movies, dreamers... marker of the night sky. I see you when I fly home from the West, when I remember to look.

And you watch out over my city, ever tall against the wind.

On this night, with Alissa Wilkinson, Caleb Seeling, Jeffrey Overstreet, Ron Kelsey, Christina (is that right? did I get that right? you, the sweet actress who welcomed me with your smile and your spirit?) I finally ride to the top. (We try to go to the IAM space and that doesn't work out; you are Plan B.)

It's so cold I don't want to be this high in the sky, but oh the lights, the rivers of lights, blues and yellows, whites. Is that Long Island I see? And now New Jersey.

Tell me again why I never bothered with you?

Leaving Empire State 1

Leaving Empire State

Empire State Inside

Empire State Building photos, by L.L. Barkat.

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13 Comments:

Anonymous Maureen said...

Pretty grand up there, isn't it?

At night you don't see the grit but oh, the excitement of everything being open and up near the sky, of being part of that great mass that flows rather than walks, waits at no light, yells no matter the hour, and gives lane markings no respect. They who live there wouldn't have it any other way, and, you know, neither would I when I'm visiting.

5:09 PM  
Blogger SimplyDarlene said...

Wow, it is all so amazing to this country girl. I have never seen a big city at night, only a glowing hue set against the dark sky, seen miles and miles away. So, neon lives in the city and comes out to play at night?

6:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

good plan b.

it is so much that way, isn't it? why don't we go and see the sights and the good views in our own neck of the woods?

6:44 PM  
Blogger Sarah said...

That was one of my favorite parts of NYC! Love your pics, too . . . mine ended up all blurry ;(

8:24 PM  
Blogger Laura said...

I never made it there on my trip last year. But we went to the top of the Rock and I waved to that "building of movies." Oh to be a metropolitan gal.

I think I could get used to that.

For a while anyway.

9:31 PM  
Blogger Bought as is said...

Wonderful L.L.!
Reminds me of 2 things. Paris with "my girl". ...and the words of a Rush song: "...the evening plane rises up from the runway, over constellations of light, I look down into a million houses, & wonder what you're doing tonight..."
I love the pics too.

11:10 PM  
Blogger Louise Gallagher said...

I've been to the top! And it was divine. From the top -- even in daylight -- you see what man can build and it is grand!

Love this post.

9:56 AM  
Blogger Dianna Woolley said...

I would say also that it is a magical place, particularly at night - although the deco sites of the building are good day or night. Anyway, I think the ES might have been a forgotten treasure until the "towers" fell. The view from those massive buildings was literally breathtaking day or night. It would be my guess that the ES visitor rates have risen since the "towers" are no longer with us. I believe that were I to visit the ES today, there would be little on my mind but the sad memory of 9/11....like they were sisters in exploring the heights together.

11:31 AM  
Blogger ELK said...

as so often happens the amazing is right in front of us . you shared such beauty in these shots

3:52 PM  
Blogger Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

How I love this.

A trip to NYC is on my list of places to see one day.

Isn't that something how we often don't engage in the activities available to us right under our noses?

Here in my part of the world, we've got rodeos, and hay-rack rides and community soup suppers and all sorts of Iowa-ish things that I regularly miss. It's a different sort of beauty than yours. But like you, I sometimes don't "bother with it."

I should see if I could get up on top of the grain elevator in town and take some birds'-eye-view photos of my world to share. Wouldn't that be a fun group-writing project? For all of us to find a high place and shoot photos of what's below?

I so appreciate the beauty that you've shared here.

And ... I so appreciate you.

10:12 AM  
Blogger Billy Coffey said...

What a gorgeous picture of the city! And this coming from a country boy.

2:05 PM  
Blogger JoAnn said...

Oh my! Gorgeous shot, L.L.!

Strikes me right "there", too...I'm so guilty of the same thing, living instead in Los Angeles County, home of many marvels, yet I do not "bother" with them.

When I look at all of those tiny points of light, each a token of the existence of one or more human beings, it amazes me that God can take the time to know each and every one of us so intimately!

7:32 PM  
Anonymous children of Eve said...

It's best to go up when it's very cold out....none of those loooong lines. Beautiful pictures.

11:19 AM  

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