Observations from the Road: The “There are Worse Places to Spend a Blizzard (Day 2)” Edition

Central Park after the Blizzard of 2016

After 27 inches of snow fell in Central Park over Friday evening and Saturday, Sunday dawned bright, clear…and cold! So after being fortified by breakfast, I decided to wander out to see how New York City was faring as a follow-up to yesterday’s There are Worse Places to Spend a Blizzard.

First, a check of 5th Avenue at 54th Street. When I was at that intersection last evening, it looked like this:

5th Avenue in NYC during the blizzard 01 23 16

5th Avenue at 54th Street shortly after 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 23rd

While the hustle and bustle in the roadways hasn’t picked up, there are many more people out walking through this part of the city by mid-day on Sunday.

5th Avenue at 54th Street after the blizzard on Sunday morning

It was great to be out with the “crowds” (using that term loosely). I saw dog walkers…and (small) dogs wearing booties. I saw people gawking at the Trump Tower. I saw men (mostly) doing the hard work of shoveling snow (with the main culprit in bad sidewalk maintenance being the luxury store Bergdorf Goodman.) I stopped by and saw the handiwork of old friends George Taylor and John Boody – Opus 27 – built by Taylor and Boody Organbuilders in Staunton, Virginia, for St. Thomas 5th Avenue in 1996.

Taylor and Boody Organbuilders Opus 27 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 5th Avenue (photo credit: Taylor & Boody Organbuilders)

I also worked my way up to Central Park to see those 27 inches. New Yorkers – being New Yorkers – were out in force. The bicycle tours were doing a brisk business. Snow angels were being made. Selfies were the preferred photo of the day. And there was an outbreak of manners, as people waited turns to walk through small breaks in the snow and help older walkers navigate icy patches. It was a great day to be out.