1. There is a dirty rectangle on the ceiling of Grand Central Station. When the ceiling of the main concourse was restored in 1994-98, a patch was left untouched to show just how filthy it had been. It took us forever to find it, but now that we know it's there, we can't stop picking at it.
2. There are ALWAYS batteries on the subway tracks. A great mystery to us. Every station, every time. We always look and they are always there. Why? What are they used for? Are they left over from back in the days when walkmans used AAs? Wait, maybe this is where all of the "batteries not included" end up.
3. There is a "tropical beach" off the coast of Manhattan. We found a place to get our feet in the sand without straying far from Manhattan! We took the free ferry ride, rented bikes and spent the day in (relative) quiet on Governor's Island. The island boasts a fort, an outdoor art gallery along the bike and foot paths, laid-back attitude and a sandy beach -- complete with a snack shack and plastic palms. We discovered new sides of Lady Liberty and the busy heliport across the channel. A perfect tropical getaway in the middle of the city.
4. The TSA bins have ads. It's bad enough to have to strip down, dismantle our luggage and expose the ugly, mismatched socks we threw on before heading to the airport, it's all for safety and we're all for that. But this is going a bit too far. Who gets the money? Frankly, it kind yanks our chain.
5. 40% of the subway system is above ground. And it's LOUD. The trains rumble noisily overhead -- setting off car alarms in their wake, but they're still referred to as subways.
-Over five million people ride on an average day.
-There are 840 miles of track.
-The deepest station is on 191st Street in Manhattan at 180 feet below street level.
-Back when tokens were still in use, thieves would suck tokens from the turnstiles with their mouths. Yuck!
6. Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Manhattan's Little Italy is not the only game in town. The Bronx version might be even better. We love Saturdays on Arthur Avenue when the markets are in full swing. Fight little old ladies for the best cuts and finest cheeses before settling down to some of the most delicious Italian food this side of the Atlantic.
7. New Yorkers are just as crazy about their dogs as the rest of the country. Maybe more so. This pampered pooch was spotted taking a stroll in Central Park on a fine sunny day. While most of the canines you see are small, we do have a theory on the seldom seen large ones. We figure they're status symbols.
Huge dog = huge... apartment.
8. You can get any kind of food you want -- on a stick!
This food wagon, specializing in stick food, even has octopus among it's fare. We've also seen fish balls, tofu, potato "chips," fried sugary snack food products, chocolate covered fruit and cheesecake! You name it, and some ingenious New Yorker will cook it up, skewer it and send you along on your way without causing you to miss a step.
9. The Whispering Gallery at Grand Central Station. Walk around Grand Central Station until you find the Oyster Bar Restaurant and a bunch of folks who look like they just got sent to "time out." Were these folks exceptionally naughty? Nope, they are sending secrets to each other via the Whispering Gallery. Whisper into one corner and a buddy can hear it behind you in the opposite one all the way across the hall! We tried it out -- it really works! Kinda creepy, but fun.
10. The portable toilets are fit for a king. Who wouldn't feel fancy using a port-a-potty like this one? We grabbed our scepters, took a deep breath and tried out this "Royal Flush," only to find the name a just a bit misleading. The throne was comfortable enough, and it got the job done, but we find it a stretch to call it royal and it certainly did not flush (that would have been just plain weird).
Kudos on the cleverness, though we have to give our top "portable restroom service" name to these guys in Texas.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
Did we miss anything? Have you got a one to share? Leave a comment!
