Snowfall Record in NYC

It took, what felt like hours, to decide if I should drive or take the train to NYC today for the NY Times Travel Show this weekend. The big winter storm discouraged my buddy Chick from driving south but not me. Regardless of the warnings and accidents, I was on my way by 2pm and made Beacon for a connecting Metro-North train ride by 4 pm.

Beacon got pummeled in several feet of snow with cop cars and emergency crews doing their best to help dig out the city. Tree limbs hanged dead down on live electric wires and cars were buried so deep it was hard to tell if they were vehicles or snowdrifts.

The train proved the wisest form of transportation. It wasn't a second late and I sat next to a friendly woman from Manila who told me her life's story. She also gave me a fabulous description of her favorite Filipino restaurant in Queens and what I should order if I go.

Once at Grand Central Terminal I was told that the monthly record for snowfall that had stood for 114 years had been broken in the last 2 days. Manhattan had received 36.9 inches, the most ever for a single month.

I hurled my 20 pound backpack over my shoulder and trekked northward. I was determined to walk 40 blocks to get my exercise in in lieu of my nightly run.

I almost always stay with the same friends while in the city, my favorites being a Doctor/Anesthesiologist couple on the Upper East Side with two young kids that love card tricks and Italian food.

Walking from Grand Central 40 blocks proved treacherous. Stupidly, I wore thin canvas sneakers but dodged deep puddles and jumped snowbanks until the last five blocks when I slipped and got soaked. I felt so smug avoiding the worst of it until that happened. Nobody should venture to NYC in February without Mukluks.



During my trek, I remembered why this city survives as well as it does. It has a wonderful sense of humor. Even in the worst of snow storms someone found the energy and good nature to build a little snowman and seat him at a bus stop. Restaurant owners did the same by turning Frosty into an advertisement for a fine dining establishment.

Finally, after a 4 hour journey and several layers of wet clothes, I met up with my friends at my scheduled arrival. Not a minute shy but a few seconds early. The small dryer in their beautiful apartment was a blessing in disguise.

Now, onto the New York Times Travel Show in the morning. Check back soon.