Loaded

It occurred to me looking at this photo that NYC is really loaded - not just with money, but with icons. It explains why New Yorkers can be quite cynical - everywhere we look there are spectacular vistas, frequently with MULTIPLE icons. In this shot alone (taken from DUMBO, Brooklyn) we have the Brooklyn Bridge, the Municipal Building, the Empire State Building and last (and least) the Verizon Building. And there were numerous other notables in view but not framed by this photo (South Street Seaport, the Financial District, the Woolworth Building, the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges). When leaving my office daily, I see the Chrysler Building framed by Grace Church looking north (click here) and the Woolworth Building to the south. Walking home through SOHO's historic cast iron district, I see the Empire State Building framed by Washington Square Arch (click here). Only Paris comes to mind with such a plethora of notable places and things that are household names. There are numerous activities, industries, businesses and services that NYC stands out as a center for - publishing, advertising, finance, music, dance, theater, film, law, fine arts, architecture, parks, street life, fashion, retailers and dining - there are over 17,000 restaurants in Manhattan alone. We are used to superlatives - biggest, most, best. As far as being loaded in the classic money sense, we've got that too, of course. I remember being stunned by an article in the Wall Street Journal that gave the number of 10 figure annual bonuses in the city ...