Manhattanhenge 2011 - July 13

Manhattanhenge - July 13, 2011 in Times Square.

Best Manhattanhenge ever.



Photographers:












Goodbye Manhattanhenge. See you next year!

Times Square in the rain

It was a rainy day in New York so I went to join the tourists taking pictures in Times Square. It was sometime in the end of February when I went. It wasn't very cold but the more it rained, the more everyone cleared out. It was down to just a few of us with umbrellas and digital cameras. And then I was on my way too.

Tourists posing with umbrellas


Steam and cabs


Olive Garden, cabs and Wicked billboard


Trying not to slip on the slippery steps!


A man walking down the TKTS steps

Times Square on the coldest night of the year

I stopped by Times Square on what felt like the coldest night of the year. I had heard of the 'Lighthearted' structure that was set up by the tkts booth at 45th Street and Broadway. It had been set up for Valentine's Day and it was a few days later so I wasn't sure if it would still be there, since Valentine's Day was over, and it was!

While I was there, I decided to stop into the Visitor Center across the street to see what new set-ups they had inside (and mostly to warm up!)

The tkts sign - Mamma Mia is 40% off!

The 'Lighthearted' structure

There is a cool post by NYC <3 NYC here.

Inside the Times Square Visitor Center

The Wishing Wall

BROADWAY!

The New Year’s Eve Centennial Ball which dropped in 2007

New Year's Eve in Times Square

8 hours of standing still, unable to reach into my pockets because it was so crowded. 8 hours of watching a clock count down by seconds, minutes and long hours. 8 hours in a white michelin man coat when it was almost 50 degrees out. 8 hours surrounded by strangers who luckily, were pretty tame and well-behaved.... I did it!! I did Times Square for New Year's. It's been a goal of mine for several months now. Last year I went out of town and I couldn't stop thinking about how I should have stayed and gone for it, so this year I knew there was only one New Year's Eve option for me. 

When I first got to Times Square around 3:45 pm, every inch of every block already seemed to be filled to capacity. I was standing at 47th and Broadway for a while but was kicked out by Police who decided to turn this perfect viewing spot into a safety zone. We were forced to leave Times Square and walk toward 8th Avenue. From there I realized I might not have a chance of getting back into Times Square, so I turned around and headed down to 46th along the barricades. Police weren't letting anyone else in, and I feared I wouldn't get to see the ball drop after all. But then one by one, a few of us were let into a clear area on Broadway, between the two performance stages where Ke$ha, The Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block and Taoi Cruz performed, and next to the American Eagle store and Bank of America. From there, my perfect view was born. 

Some Nivea giveaways blocking my view

The host on stage

After 6 hours of standing around, it's now 2 hours to go!

Best looking 59 I've ever seen.

Taio Cruz performing "Dyanmite" and "Higher"

Glitter confetti. Released not just during Ke$ha's performance, but all through the night!

And the final moment after the ball dropped at 12:00, which I tweeted live after taking a few shaky photos amidst all the commotion!

Times Square V-J Day kiss

As part of the 65th anniversary of the U.S. triumph over Japan, a statue created by Seward Johnson was put up in Times Square last week, based on the famous photograph V-J Day in Times Square by Alfred Eisenstaedt. We've all seen it, and know at least some of the story behind it, like how the nurse in the photograph was identified some 30 years later in the 1970's as Edith Shain. No one knows who the sailor was or is though.

Life-size sculptures of the kissing nurse and sailor have been put up in Times Square in past years, but this year a large-scale bronze sculpture was erected for a kiss-in reenactment on Saturday, August 14th.

I didn't hear about it until the last minute so I went by on Monday night while it was raining and with what felt like 10 lbs of groceries in each hand, snapping away before it was to be taken down.

Until next year!

Times Square live video!

The new Forever 21 in Times Square (which took the old location one of my old favorites, The Virgin Record store), has a large video screen above them that displays live footage of pedestrians on 46th and Broadway. This central spot of Times Square usually attracts the biggest crowds. Just a block or so south of the tkts booth in Duffy Square and near the Lion King on Broadway and MTV's studios, there's already reason enough for Tourists galore to stand in this spot!

One night while taking a bus through Times Square, I decided to join the large group of people waving at the reflective video screen. I quickly hopped off the bus and joined them in waving at the screen as well, only to have a hard time finding myself because, well, EVERYONE was waving so we all looked pretty much the same!

This is just as much fun for a local as it is for an out-of-towner, so if you are around, I suggest stopping for a fun glimpse of yourself braving the crowds of one of the brightest attractions on Earth!

The Forever 21 video screen above the new store

Me on the screen!

Move over! We can't see ourselves!
(a model spraypaints over our waving hands and smiling faces)

Times Square during the day

Times Square is a place I find myself in at least once a week. Having lived in the city for almost three years, it's not normal protocol for a local to be found here, but I can't help it that the subways all stop here and I have events to get to that are nearby! (and really, I'm happy to spend time here; rather than avoid it I embrace it!)

Times Square during the day is quite a sight. Nothing like it is at night...

Looking south towards 42nd Street (from 49th)


The tkts booth at 47th and Broadway

Where I began my night

A year and a half ago I moved from Florida to New York. Last week I voted via absentee ballott through Pinellas County, Florida. I'm glad I did because Florida was one of the "iffy" states. See how close it came!?

The screen below ABC Studios in Times Square, New York



Go NY!