What I'll Miss Most: Grand Central

[During my last week in New York, I figured it might be fun to reminisce about some of my favorite memories I've made and places I've been in this concrete jungle where dreams are made of. Plus it's way more interesting than anything I'm up to in real life, aka packing/cleaning/nothing.]


For the better part of two years, almost every weekday my routine has led me through the most beautiful building in New York. Sure, there are lots of impressive structures all around the city, real life art installations taking up a block wide and stretching a mile high, but for me, the most stunning architectural feat is hidden inside. (Pretty much the only time the phrase "really beautiful on the inside" can be said without being offensive.)

See what I mean, nestled below the Chrysler? 

Anyway, the place I'm talking about is Grand Central Terminal. Maybe you already read it in the headline and this is no surprise. Maybe you read it and then immediately forgot it. Like when someone introduces herself to you and you forget her name (or, more correctly never learned it) because you're too busy trying to make sure you have an answer ready for when she asks you yours. Because you're a conceited idiot.

Just me? Where was I?

Grand Central, seriously stunning. And the weirdest part is, it's a train station. frustrated commuters, homeless people, mouses scurrying around the subway tracks. But none of that matters.

The cream marble, floor to ceiling. The Tiffany's gold lamps and big-bulb chandeliers. And above it all, a turquoise sky lit up by Astrology figures.

Technically this was the day Occupy Wall Street was there (coupled with new Apple store madness)
so it's slightly less charming.  But still, even though this does not do it justice, it's beautiful.

Sometimes it's easy to forget the little things when you see them every day. Once something is a habit I find it's harder to carve out the individual memories.

But that never happened with me and that space in the city. Although the rest of the commute - the sardine-squeezed subway, the cattle herd mentality - monotonously faded away into the background, every time I walked into that grand room - I mean that's it's name! - I made sure to appreciate it.

Because it really is stunning. And I will miss it.

Tourist tip: This is a really good place to go when it's raining and you're looking for a non-museum activity in Manhattan (there's shopping, food, etc.)