They may not be saffron, but The Gates are actually kind of cool. I revisited them this weekend, in the sun, to discover that there was actually something quite powerful about the whole thing.
I wasn’t planning on going back, but I had visitors this weekend who insisted that they absolutely had to see them. Reluctantly, I put on my shoes and hat, grabbed my camera (just in case), and we headed out to the park. To my surprise, it was actually quite pleasant. I think I might even have seen a little bit of saffron:
And just when my cynical side was starting to show its jaded wings, Christo and Jeanne-Claude drove by in a Town Car, happy to see all of the smiles they have brought to so many faces. It was then that I instanteously lost any hatred towards these saffron flagsāthe whole project is just too altruistic to dismiss.
“See? Aren’t you glad that we dragged you back here?” one of my friends asked me. “Otherwise, you would have gone through your whole life hating The Gates.”
I guess she has a point.
But, really, more than anything, my friends showed me the kind of optimism that only outsiders seem to have — the understanding that this city can be so overwhelmingly beautiful and spontaneous, sometimes so much so that the people who live here start to forget.
A fellow Xangan, Terra, recently asked me what her friends should do in New York City when they come to visit. She went on to inform me of two upcoming music events in the city that I should attend.
Terra, I might add, lives in Vancouver, and knows more about what’s going on in this city than I do. She would have been a better tour guide for her friends than I.
After two decades of living here, I’m so numb to the goings-ons around me that I just tune most of it out. Half of the time I’m broke, and the rest of the time I’m doing something like looking for parking spots or walking my dog. So it’s refreshing when out-of-towners come to visit, because they always have exciting plans.
I told Terra to make sure that her friends see The Gates. I hope they did.
Last night, during the snowstorm, in the wee hours of the morning, my friend and I decided to trek over to the park to see The Gates. Even then, in the dark shadows of the park, I could see a little bit of saffron.
And then a cop car pulled up, sirens blaring and lights flashing.
“THE PARK IS CLOSED. IT WILL REOPEN AT 6 A.M. PLEASE LEAVE,” said a voice over a loudspeaker.
Unaware that an open public space was even capable of shutting down, we turned around, slightly disappointed. It was getting pretty cold anyway, though, so we turned back around.
“THANK YOU,” said the cop.
[Note: If you look carefully, you can see the po-po off in the distance in the photograph below.]
Overheard in New York City“Mommy, we need a dog so we can walk around in Central Park with a dog,” said a little boy.
“Well, honey, we’re getting a dog, but we have to wait until it gets made,” said the mother.
“Gets made?” (uh oh).
She tried again: “We have to wait until the puppy is born.”
“Well, then why can’t we just take the Mommy Dog instead?”
“I was dating this guy, who was a teacher, but I broke up with him when he told me that it was called “Shakespeare in the Park” because William Shakespeare had actually performed in Central Park.”
An elderly woman, in her mid-seventies, leaned over to pet my dog. “Your dog reminds me of… oh, drat, what’s that dog’s name? I can’t remember. I think I’m having a senior moment.”
“That’s the thing about love — it’s so unpredictable.”
14 responses so far ↓
1 tektoo2 // Feb 21, 2005 at 11:16 am
Sometimes, all it takes is seeing things from someone else’s point of view. Most of us walk through life “Jaded”, and when the blinders do come off, we are amazed to see whats acutally out there. Unpredictable, yes!
2 iamabiottch // Feb 21, 2005 at 1:14 pm
I am probably going to sound like a teeny-bopper when I say this, but I love the necklaces you are wearing in your picture. They are so pretty.
–Megan
3 doctorperky // Feb 21, 2005 at 1:46 pm
It is hard to find the time to appreciate the place where you live, wherever it is. It’s easier to appreciate someplace new. Tourists only see the good stuff, natives have already been there, done that. I absolutely loved the (very small) city I was visiting last week simply because I had time to wander around and appreciate it. I suspect if I lived there I’d hardly ever get to the part of downtown that was so wonderful.
4 Didya_evawonda // Feb 21, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Sirens don’t flash, they blare. Lights flash.
I love your photos- especially the bottom one of the snowstorm. Great…and the flag even looks like saffron (-colored fabric) in that light!
5 mydogischelsea // Feb 21, 2005 at 2:00 pm
Good catch, erNAY (Dida_evawonda). I will make the appropriate corrections.
6 sunshineboy78 // Feb 21, 2005 at 2:19 pm
We went today in the snow. It was so beautiful I think I peed my panties. I mean, I liked it better than pirates of penzance.
7 trcs // Feb 21, 2005 at 7:52 pm
… so fun to click on your blog and see my name mentioned a few times. Even more fun to see all of your great photos! Since your first post on The Gates I have seen and heard about them several times, and I had to laugh a little each time because it reminded me of you, and your post, and saffron. haha.Isn’t it kind of crazy that not too long ago you and I had no idea the other even existed in this world, and now there is something that reminds me of you? Wow, sounds like I’m getting all romantic here or something! haha. I just mean to say that… well.. I’m not sure actually. ha. It’s just funny to think about.Annnyway… I’m rambling - one of my methods of procrastination. I suppose I should get back to my work now….Have a great week
8 Jules27 // Feb 21, 2005 at 10:26 pm
True words, bloggerina! I often feel the same way in London. Which is why I enstated the “see something new and free every weekend” plan which has been enjoyable and relatively successful so far. Huge cultural centres like NYC and London are overwhelming - in their beauty, history, choice, etc. If we get overwhelmed and miss all of it, just because we can never possible enjoy all of it, it’s… bad. My language skills are slipping. But you catch my drift. Love NYC for all of us who do!!!
9 McCrakin_Phil // Feb 22, 2005 at 1:37 am
i want to see these gates u speak of(in person) but i havent been to NY since i moved and that was back in 2000. i know five years doesnt seem that long but it is since im only 22. I miss city life. Question, do u have that NY accent. I never got it. Im originally from Chicago.
hope u dont mind my babble.
10 Jay_galk25 // Feb 22, 2005 at 2:45 am
I love you, I love your xanga, I literally am in glee reading when I see you have a new post, best find of the year hands down :).
Jay “Rawr”
11 McCrakin_Phil // Feb 22, 2005 at 12:00 pm
jmkenaya… hmmm thats johnny aka Bitch Tits. he’s what one would call a moron. Thats my boy though. as for what the comment meant, he’s random. im black so thats where the big black cockiness thing came from… and he’s asking for an ass whoopin with that whole “my nuts for your throat” bs. All in all it’s the randomness that is known as Bitch Tits.
12 Leonidas // Feb 22, 2005 at 12:48 pm
we do take for granted what we see everyday. And at the same time we find our eyes wandering for the exotic. Perhaps that is the gift of the gates because it forced everyone who saw the park day by day to look at the beauty anew…you bring up great points through your experiences in this…
13 esm1313 // Feb 22, 2005 at 12:53 pm
My name is known to some as Solomon (though don’t take its biblical pretensions too seriously). I like long walks in the snow late at night and safron and getting kicked out of parks.NY City (I would never go to NY state) was better than ever in February. I’d love to go in March, but I am afraid that it is a ripe time to get bushwacked, as things between third parties could have a strange way of intervening (how ironic — the previous sitch has now ben reversed). Though if the Tracker takes an old dog to warmer climates, this Capitol boy might just come back up and get that beer that is so righfully his.Enough of these cryptic messages… Take care, ESM
14 sunshineboy78 // Feb 23, 2005 at 3:53 am
wtf?
see above