Midnight At The Empire State Building
New York City is the reported city that never sleeps, so time from time I thought I’d post what’s going on at midnight in the Big Apple. I just found out that the Empire State Building is open till two in the morning, perfect for a stop at the witching hour of midnight in New York City and a chance to confront my fear of heights all within one post. But first, a little liquid courage!
I really have a fear of heights, so I thought I'd have a beer or three to bolster my courage before we go. I think I'll start with the 24 ounce can.
Okay, time to hit the road, the liquid courage is firmly ingested!
And one for the road, discreetly disguised in this vitamin water bottle.
Okay, straight up Sixth Avenue to 33rd Street.
But when I get there, these two smiling fellows tell me that it's closed due to low visibility. It seems that if it's foggy out, the Empire State Building closes.
And true, it is foggy, but I wish they would've announced this before I bought my ticket online an hour ago! And is it me, or has the Empire State Building mutated into the Cardboard Box Man...aaaahhhh!
According to their website they're open 365 days a year, rain or shine, maybe they should say if it's foggy you're shit out of luck. At least the ticket can be used again, we'll try this again next week.
And so to try and salvage this doomed evening, I thought I'd take you to the bar in the Empire State Building and maybe find some action there.
Here it is, The Empire Room.
It was kind of dead at the bar and nobody wanted to be photographed. This is one of those nights where you can't win. I should've gone to the Bronx Zoo!
I thought I'd get something to eat, just to get a photo of some food, something, anything to save this post, but I was told by the bartender who didn't want his photo taken that the kitchen was closed. That's the thing about doing a blog live, it doesn't always work. This is a good example. Here I'll show you a great equation for a shitty post.
An empty bar +
More of an empty bar =
Exit, stage left. What do you do when your post of the evening falls into the toilet?
You go across the street to the Papaya Dog. (Sorry, Al!)
Get a dog for a buck fifty...
And try, try again tomorrow. Hey, you can't script this stuff and it doesn't always work. We'll try this again next week. Hopefully tomorrow's post works better, now time to drown my sorrows in this dog and the beers left at home!
Further Reading: Wikipedia, Shades of Fun and IMDb.
Closed, Empire State Building, Fog, Fuck! Posted on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 9:58AM
Reader Comments (35)
even when you "fail" its a win for us! love the foggy shots of the empire state building. you going to try again?
Love the first photo of the post ... and the surprise link !
I don't get the foggy closure ? ... who cares ? .... why are they open rain or shine and not fog ? It would have made for some awesome shots of the city if you had gotten up there :(
UFB to the ESB !!!
Zzzz... Time to call it a night, whether you want to or not Hahaha! Many, many years ago, in the early 1960s, when I had taken my girlfriend up to the Empire St. Bldg. and they let us into the slim needle that was on top, the security guard told me, "If you kiss her now you'll be kissing her at the top of the world!" He left us all cramped in the little space and I kissed her. That was the most awesome kiss I ever had, and I still remember it as if it was yesterday. Mwahhhhh!!! At least you had some beer, right?
The post was all worth it just for that first picture of the empire state building. It's a beaut!
At least the cop at the door didn't notice the amber color of your 'vitamin water' or that little rill of foam...
Fear of heights is no joke. I have them too, but I also absolutely love the views up high. Oddly I don't get them up on mountains or other natural formations -- just man-made things. The couple of times I've been to Empire State/World Trade heights, it takes me a good 15 minutes for my body to adjust and enjoy, but those are a tough fifteen minutes.
@Bobby D: Yep, I bought the ticket, so I'll try again next week, hopefully it won't be foggy.
@GENE: Thanks! I agree, they claim to be open in the rain, but not in the fog? I would've loved to have gotten some foggy shots of the city up there. I'll ask them about this next week.
@Mykola Mick Dementiuk: That sounds like a nice memory! And yes, beer helped take the sting out of the closing!
@Jason: Thanks, I wish I could've gotten more from up top! I can't wait to ask them next week why they close for fog!
@Jaws: I had drained the bottle before I got there. I was a little foggy myself on arrival!
@Spike: I hear you. I have the fear in buildings, mountains and even in elevator rides! Luckily there's beer for the fear!
Marty, That vitamin water bottle reminded me of the piss filled pickle jar on Living Color. You should have gone over to Top of The Rock at Rockefeller Center. But they are only open till Midnight.
You know the guards have awesome parties when it's "too foggy" out right?
The only night I went to Windows on the World (The Best Bar on Earth) the cloud ceiling was beneath us.
I figured I'd go back on a clear night. Best to get around to things sooner then later.
@Danny ...... I agree about the Rock -- I think you actually get better pictures from there. At the Rock you are on the 70th Floor ...... the Empire State Building - either the 86th or 102nd Floors ..... the new WTC building will be the 104th Floor. Lots of opportunity to get up there !
The fog did it ....
Saturday, July 28, 1945
@danny the freelancer: I don't remember the piss pickle jar from In Living Color. I thought about Windows on the World, but it was after midnight by then and I thought it would be closed. I'm try the ESB next week, they can't keep a good man down!
@csp: If only they'd have invited me! I never did make it to Windows on the World and I guess I never will.
@GENE: I had never heard about the plane crashing into the ESB! UFB! Thanks for the linkage!
I will point out that the evening was not that bad. The Empire Room Bar is a beautiful time warp. Almost a throw back to the sixties with that furniture and dated look,,,,I really liked that. I have been to that bar, just the perfect spot after a trip up,,,or before. Then you went to that damn Papaya,,,,but I look at the picture and see massage on second floor,,,,dessert after hot dog? Should of tied this trip up ESB to Cameron's trip in his sub to the deepest ocean (7 miles) which he should be heading towards any minute now.
ACCCCCCKKKKKKK. The Empire State Building is the Mother Ship for the Cardboard Box Men!
BTW, I had to go back and read the zoo post again ... it made me laugh as much the second time as the first.
Marty, I believe Windows on the World closed back in 2001. I believe it was sometime in September of that year. Can't remember the exact date. (Trying to forget it, actually.) ;-(
@Al: The Empire Room is nice, but the two times I've been there it's been a little boring, probably better to go with a crowd or just to sit and relax. I thought of you in that Papaya! And I had no idea about James Cameron's submarine trip! I just googled it and found out, pretty nuts!
@roadsidewonders: I'll see if there's any more CBBM mutations inside. Glad you are still getting larfs out of my misadventures at the Bronx Zoo, I need to get back there too!
@Bruce Davis: I think we'd all like to forget that day, I know I would!
"Squaaaarrrrrrk!" - The Bronx Zoo Peacock.
Call Mel Gibson, It's a conspiracy I tell ya!!!!
I've only been up once and I puked when i got up there..
TMI?
when all else fails weeners work wonders....
Mistah Marty.....man this must be your week. Battin' at LEAST about a .1000 this whole week......Dylan post was BRILLIANT ........and today you get that ball lost in the fog......and not only did you catch the ball.......you threw the runner out at home. NICE save!
I'd think about buyin' that change 'yer life lottary ticket TODAY!
Keep on chooglin'.
Way to make lemonade out of lemons. Sure its a rather bland, watered down lemonade, but hey--they can't all be winners. All in all another enjoyable post. Man that is one sad bar.
@Jaws: That damned peacock is still following me!
@Gidget: I called Mel and he called me "Sugar Tits!" I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or not! And yes, when all else fails, pull out the weiner...or something like that!
@DrBOP: Thanks! And I'm getting that lottery ticket for sure!
@legitimatebeef: Thanks! I hear you about the bar, the sad thing is, as Al noted, it's a nice place, but always a dead zone in there. And they could use some snacks on the bar. We'll try the ESB next week!
I was atop the ESB once with a friend when it was "zero visibility". I still have the ticket stub somewhere that says that. Anyway, what we saw was unforgettable: a layer of cottony clouds with just the tips of the tallest buildings poking through. I'll never forget it. I wish I'd taken a photo, but I didn't have the expertise (or a camera) at the time.
@Katrink: I'm still pissed that they closed it last night! They could just tell you that it's foggy and those that didn't want to go, could come back on another night! I'm anxious to go back next week and ask them about this. I bet I could've gotten some cool shots.
@Marty...Maybe you need to lick your tits and find out?
I'm not licking your tits for you!
and I dont want to know if Mel licked them...
inre:ESB
Don't forget to prepare for your next attempt. The line gets awfully long.
Man. I like the vita water trick and I hate New York for not allowing go cups. In my mind that is one of the greatest things about New Orleans. Anyway, after years of living in and around NY it dawned on me a few months ago to get a coffee cup at a deli OR at the dreaded starbucks, and then buy a cheap can of beer, I like tecate or modelo, pour beer into cup and start walking around like you're in NOLA. By the time you're done, there's usually another deli or bodega nearby so you can refuel. I hope no cops read this comment otherwise they're gonna be shaking down everyone with a starbucks cup in their hand. Street Drinking is VERBOTEN in New New York.
Now I know I am a fan of your work, I feel like an insider with the Papaya Dog reference from your other blog.
The Top of the Rock is a very nice view, get the impression a lot of folks don't know about it.
There used to be an Indian restaurant called Nirvana that was on the 30th floor of a building overlooking Central Park with a gorgeous romantic view. Used to dine there with my wife when she was still my girlfriend. I think the place closed, but my marriage is still open.
@Gidget: I know you don't want to know this, but Mel licked them. I just sold the tape to TMX for big bucks!
@csp: Ha Ha ha! I don't think the ESB would approve of that ESB!
@randall: I've been doing the hidden beer trick since I spent a morning in jail for brown=bagging a beer when Giuliani came in and "cleaned up" the city.
@DaveW: Ha! Welcome to the insider's club! I'll Google around and see if I can find Nirvana on the internet, I have a feeling I'm just going to come up with fan sites though!
Fuck me Marty, a night in the slammer for drinking a goddam beer in the street? I used to brown bag it in the Guiliani days and worst I got was to pour it out and I still carry a grudge for that and believe the city owes me $2!
Shades of Clark Griswold and Wally World!
But even in the fog and closings, you manage to take us on the trip and pull off a good blog.
Somehow, your improvisational skills take hold and it still turns out well.
Good talking to you last night. Been too long.
Keep up the great work Daddio!
@Spike: Yep, thrown in the pokey for a can of beer! It's a long story I'll tell you next time we hang out.
@"Boris:" Ha! If only John Candy would've been there! Thanks and great talking to you as well, Daddio!
Sorry it didn't work out, but at least you got a papaya dog! Also, I think your fridge would look better with Miller Lite in it. Stay tuned...
@Biff: There will be Miller Lite stocked in there upon your next trip here, I promise!
I Think They Lied & Where Closed Because What Happen in Toulouse France !
I Been There on Rainy & Foggy Weather !
@JHwang: I don't think so. I'll ask next week when I go.