New York City: Frozen Fingers & Questionable Bagels
okay, so new york. it’s…a lot. i’m a freelance photographer, and honestly, i usually chase the *sun. this trip was a bit of a mistake, fueled by cheap flights and a desperate need to escape my aunt mildred’s cat.
i just checked and it’s…like a refrigerator out there right now, seriously. -4.1 celsius, and it feels like -4.1, which is just rude. the wind is doing this thing where it tries to steal your soul, and the pressure is apparently 1031, whatever that means. humidity’s at 59, so everything feels damp and miserable. i swear my camera lens is weeping.
spent most of yesterday wandering around greenwich village, trying to find a decent coffee. i’m a bit of a snob, okay? it has to be just right. i ended up at this place called “the daily grind” (super original, i know) and it was…fine. someone told me that their bagels are legendary, but honestly, they tasted like sadness and regret. i’ve had better bagels from gas stations. you can check out other coffee shops on Yelp.
my airbnb is in bushwick, which is…interesting. the walls are thin, and my neighbor seems to be practicing the tuba at 3 am. i’m pretty sure he’s doing it on purpose. if you get restless, philadelphia is just a quick train ride away. the people here are…direct. like, really direct. i asked a guy for directions and he just pointed and grunted. charming.
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“apparently, there’s a secret speakeasy hidden inside a laundromat. you need to know the password, which changes daily. it’s something about a pigeon.”
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i tried to go to a museum yesterday, the met, but the line was insane. i overheard someone complaining that it took them two hours just to get inside. i’m not waiting in line for two hours for some old paintings, no thank you. i’d rather photograph pigeons. speaking of which, there are a lot of pigeons here. they’re judging me, i swear.
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“don’t eat the street meat. just…don’t. unless you want to spend the next three days regretting your life choices.”
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my gear list is pretty basic, honestly:
canon eos r6 (obvs)
24-70mm lens (my baby)
50mm lens (for that blurry aesthetic)
extra batteries (because nothing is worse than a dead battery)
a really warm *coat (essential)
hand warmers (lifesavers)
a portable charger (for my phone, duh)
a healthy dose of cynicism (also essential)
i’m thinking of checking out some live *music tonight. i found a listing on Time Out New York. i heard that there’s a really cool jazz club in harlem*, but i’m slightly terrified of getting lost. i also saw something about a rooftop bar with heated lamps on TripAdvisor, which sounds promising. i’m also looking at some local photography groups on Meetup.
honestly, new york is exhausting. but it’s also…kind of amazing. i’m still trying to figure it out. maybe i’ll stay another day. maybe i’ll just go back to my aunt mildred’s and face the cat.
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