NYC Stimulates the Five Senses

Recently, my wife and I spent a weekend in New York City (a place where you use the word “spent” a lot). It’s been a long time since I was in Manhattan, and while there, the phrase that kept coming to mind was “sensory overload.” The Big Apple provides relentless stimulation for all five senses.

First, the sense of sight. You can visit many other big cities, but there are certain sights you can only see in New York. For example, on Sunday morning we were at a church on Sullivan Street, and when we stood on the front steps and looked northward, we could see the Empire State Building rising above the skyline. When we looked south, we could see the Freedom Tower gleaming in the sun. I’m pretty sure there are no spots in either Torrington or Waterbury where one can view such landmarks simply by turning your head 180-degrees.

 

Walking the sidewalks in New York is a visual smorgasbord. The people, the buildings, the vehicles, the street vendors, the stores, the restaurants just keep coming at you, as if you put a video on fast-forward. For the sense of sight, I would grade NYC an A-plus.

Next, the sense of taste. Seemingly every five paces you’ll see another exotic restaurant. They say the best food in the world can be found in New York, and I believe it. In two days, we went out to eat four times, and each time the food was great. Although at Sunday brunch, we had to wait almost an hour to be served our omelets, which we had ordered “no cheese.” The waitress apologized and explained that the cook made them with cheese and had to redo our order. Then, oblivious to the irony, she offered us a free dessert for our troubles: cheesecake. For the sense of taste, I give a grade of A-minus.

The sense of touch also gets a full-scale workout in New York, especially on the subway. At first, it seems OK: everyone has their own seat or their own spot to stand while holding the rail. But then you come to a station and the doors open. Four people get out and 40 people get in. All of a sudden, you are squished shoulder-to-shoulder with a multitude of total strangers. If you are not a touchy-feely type of person, this can be a bit disconcerting. For the sense of touch, I give New York a grade of C.

Next is the sense of smell. While walking a couple blocks, you take in aromas that you haven’t smelled in years. In a matter of minutes, these are the thoughts you have: “Wow, what is that restaurant cooking? It smells great. Ooh, how long has that garbage been sitting there? Hmm, what is that chemical smell? Are there refineries in Manhattan? Ug, what kind of perfume is that girl, um, guy, um, person, wearing? It’s awful!” For the sense of smell, I give New York a D.

Finally, the sense of hearing. This is the most noticeable, profound, and relentless aspect of being in the city. Everything is loud: the people, the trucks, the construction crew’s jackhammers, the ambulances, the trains, and the freelance percussionists in Washington Square Park. An intense wall of sound assaults your ears non-stop. At night, even the 11th floor hotel room offers no respite, as the sirens and other street noises are quite noticeable. For hearing, I give a grade of D-minus.

All in all, we had a good time. But in my view, New York is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. (Ooh, that’s catchy. I should copyright that phrase.)