Notes from NYC Pt 2: Adventures in the City

This is the second in the line of three stories about the three-day road trip to NY I made with Fro and Charlie Nemes. This second piece is about us going to see New York City, as well as a historical marker for my personal interests.

On Saturday morning, we all pretty much promptly woke up around 10:00AM or so. We showered our disgusting sweaty bodies and then started questioning what to do with the day. We eventually decided that we would take the train into the city.

Once we got directions to the Train Station, we were off. After we got to the station, the hard part began: Finding a spot. It took us a nice twenty minutes before we finally decided to just park at the VERY top of a parking garage. We briskly walked around the block, getting slightly lost until we found the station. We bought our tickets (which were 13.50, outrageous), and waited for Fro who noticed that there was a door that led directly next to our parking garage, so we didn't have to walk ALL around the block. He ran to his car, and then bought his ticket just in time to get to the final door on the train.

During the entire train ride we made it our duty to annoy the fuck out of everyone by singing songs. We sung everything from "What I Got" by Sublime to "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. As the various people stared, we also noticed the beautiful countryside.

When we finally reached the city, we stumbled into the huge cathedral hall. The architecture there was beyond amazing, and for a second we kinda just stared in awe. We found a visitors booth, and we got a city map and the train schedule.

We stared at the City Map and decided to walk a nice 20 blocks to Central Park. Along our enormous walk, I noticed the city. I noticed how this rich end of Manhattan just rushed from one place to another, seemingly like a robot. It was a nice moment of realization of what the concrete wonderland does to people.

As we were walking down a block... we saw none other than THE "Good Burger: Home of the Good Burder" from the movie Good Burger, with Kenan and Kel. Seeing this as a priceless opportunity- we stopped and ate (but we kinda made Fro pay). It was an intense burger, but not worth the 6.75 spent on it.

Eventually- we found ourselves at Central Park. We walked around for quite a while, and then as we were sitting next to a bridge listening to a saxaphonist... it hit me, a place we HAD To go. After telling Charlie and Fro we decided to go. Charlie was hesitant because of the walk... but we kinda coerced him into coming with us.

When we started walking towards our location I called George and told him where we were headed to which he said "Fuck you guys, I want to come". As we were leaving Central Park, we saw the Subway station- something that Amber's family told us NEVER to get on to. We went down to the station- read the subway map and decided to ride. We paid for our tickets and stood near the doors.

After we found that we were headed in the right direction, we found another one. On this one, we stood by the doors again, but Fro and I sang the entire time, obviously annoying people. During a tight turn, I screamed quite loudly "WE'RE GONNA DERAIL!!!!" to which people started staring and then I went "I'm kidding, we're not gonna de-rail.", an elderly lady kinda just started nodding along when we started singing "Stand By Me". In the middle of the subway ride we started hearing music. For some reason I just thought it was some stupid Subway music... but it turned out to be a real Jazz musician playing the trumpet in the middle of the subway train, doing a killer job at that.

After we got off the train, we found where we were and where we were supposed to be headed. After walking for a nice bit, we came to it... 315 Bowery St... the old location of the greatest punk club to grace the world, CBGB.




We walked into what one was CBGB's (which is now a clothing store, but they kept a lot of it the same) and you could just feel the energy. To be able to walk on the same floor as some of my favorite bands was amazing. Saying you walked on the same floor as Johnny Cash, Henry Rollins, Joe Strummer, and so many others is a feat that only so many people can say.

It's odd, I mean- I never thought I'd be able to feel that intense and feel that insane in a place... but knowing that my heroes have been there, played there and been one of the people that have watched the shows is an amazing feeling.

After we wandered around that place for about 20 minutes... we decided to leave and hopefully catch the 8:45 train back to Poughkeepsie. As we walked 40 blocks, we got inside and it was 8:42... too late to catch the train. The next train was at 10:05, so we had some time to kill. We walked around the block outside, and enjoyed the sights. On the train ride home, it culminated with us scaring people with our singing (including making 3 or 4 people actually move), and just yelling stuff out through the traincar.

Once we returned to Amber's home, she was sitting out front reading- as we brought a bag of 15 Tacos from Taco Bell. We all ended up in the Sun Room until 4 AM when Amber started being sleepy-grouchy. Shortly thereafter- we all went to sleep.

All in all, it was a pretty amazing day. From seeing the spot where they filmed a part of Home Alone 2 to standing on the same floor that was once shared by Dee Dee Ramone. It was a day that will always stick with me, forever.

- Josh.