Tag: NYC

A Smile from the FDNY

I know there’s an image of New Yorkers being somewhat hard-boiled when visitors get googly-eyed over the charms and flash of NYC, but on a recent visit, I saw the opposite, thanks to the FDNY.

We were walking past a firehouse not far from Times Square, and the bay was open. The sun was shining and a breeze was blowing. A few firefighters in uniform, all guys, were standing in front of the engine, enjoying a quiet moment and chatting. 

Photo by Holger Woizick on Unsplash

Maybe it was the music that got our attention. We turned to see a pedicab going by, blasting Jay-Z’s  “Empire State of Mind,” with the vocals of Alica Keys soaring over the traffic sounds. And in the back of the pedicab, a woman flashed a huge smile at the firefighters and shouted, “Hey, boys!” She held up her phone and snapped a photo as they smiled and waved. No one was trying to play it cool. 

Photo by Morgane Le Breton on Unsplash

It was a small moment, but there was not a trace of “jaded New Yorker” to be seen anywhere. The pedicab continued ferrying its enthusiastic passenger, the firefighters chuckled, and we were left with smiles that lasted more than a few blocks.

Pantsuit March: Joy in the Face of a Bruising Campaign Season

All the stars aligned, and there we were, marching over the Brooklyn Bridge to celebrate National Pantsuit Day and cheer for Hillary Clinton.

We were in New York City on a Friday night  to see Hamilton.

As if that wasn’t charmed enough, we found out about a Saturday event: the Pantsuit March.

March organizers
March organizers

I loved the details in the event posting for the Oct. 22 march:

Signs: We’ve got a bunch of awesome ones for everyone. Feel free to bring your own too, but let’s keep them positive. Love trumps hate.
-Weather: The great thing about pantsuits is that they can stand up to anything…sexism, inequality, and RAIN! Join us, rain or shine!

My wife Bonnie and I preparing to march!
My wife Bonnie and I preparing to march!

Yes, it was blustery crossing that bridge with a festive group of men, women, children and a few dogs. There were colorful pantsuits, plastic pearl necklaces, and energetic chanting.

Joyful
Joyful

In the face of so much negativity in this campaign, it was pure joy– something I won’t soon forget.

mom-2-girls

You can read more about the march here at the Huffington Post, which includes a full report of how it was organized.

pantsuit-march