Shopping at Macy's

It's true you can find virtually anything you could desire, at one particular city block of Manhattan. At this one spot, you can purchase clothes for every culture, shape, size, age, species, or even era. Electronics, sports equipment, bedding, home furnishings, jewelry, cars, boats, RVs... you name it. Even, if you had enough money, a small country. Not to mention practically everything is discounted. You need a math degree just to figure out how the complicated markdown process of multiple discounts translates into a hard number.

All this, in one location, one HUGE location, at 34th and Broadway.

Macy's

Last night I decided to wobble my bike down 30 city blocks through a complicated and very narrow path of empty space that presented itself between J-walking pedestrians, impatient cabbies, other bikes, bike tour buggies, and Broadway tour buses. Why? to be a part of the huge humanitarian project that is otherwise known as: Christmas shopping at Macy's.


I have been to Macy's plenty of times since I have moved here. It's always crowded, there's always a sale on one of it's massive 9 floors, and I always seem to regret going there. But it's the same as getting really drunk and paying for it the next morning - somehow, you forget about how much you hated it, and do it all over again like a mindless automaton.

During the days leading up to Christmas, Macy's is somehow, quite unbelievably, even more crowded than usual. Since words can't really describe how crowded it is, I decided to shoot some video footage of what it's like.

Enjoy . . .

Keywords and phrases to cap my full year stay in NYC

Ice Skating at Trump RinkS/M/L Runs in Central ParkPacked like a sardine in a bar on New Years EveJoined a singles activities group, during the few weeks I was actually singleSwitched to MACBusiness Opportunities LoomingRENT, my god the rentAnyone remember a game called Golf?New BicyclePlaying FB Poker, a poor substitute for the real thingJoined a Composers Group - went to one meetingMixed Martial Arts white belt > yellow belt > orange belt > onabreakHey! That's my Bike!$50 min bar tab for Credit CardsMost. Expensive. Bowling. Ever. Composing, stay tuned for new songStolen BicycleHiking the Mohonk MountainsRiding laps around Central Parkcontracted some variety of illness once every other monthSipping a Beer Overlooking the Hudson River Docks Watching the Sun Sinking into the HorizonMessiah @ Carnegie HallSummer Beach Bike RideVisiting Fire IslandNY1 News Casts and their cheesy, yet oddly satisfying musicNew (again) improved BicyclePlaying tennis is the freezing coldPlaying LOTRO1001 combinations of 4 suits and 20 tiesGirlfriend ♥Hittin' the local watering holesPassionProject (new band)Yankees won world series, I stayed homePizza, mmm, bad... mmmm....Soccer pickup games around random parks, with random peopleWinter Wardrobe + Summer Wardrobe = Too Much WardrobeP.E.T.T. (Personal Electro Transport Thingy)Preston|Child Pendergast novels, right in my own backyardSubway nOob . . . . Subway ChampQuaker Oats Squares - Seriously, look into itFree Admission Saturdays at the Brooklyn MuseumWorld Cafe + Coffee + Book + Museum of Natural History Park Bench = AAAhhhhhhPardon me, excuse me, sorry, here's a dollar, HOOoonk! , Hurry up, no thanks, i'm in a hurry, no timeNavigating the horde in Times SquareRaw Spinach + Banana + Milk + Fage + Agave = damn good smoothieJazz Clubs in the VillageDodging Traffic on My BicycleMissing my piano, but the ones at work will doRain, Snow, Sun, Wind, Leaves, Lots of leaves, Lighting, Cold, Heat, Dry, WetAsk me which way the paper goes into the fax machine just one more time. Go on, I dare ya.Rockefeller Center, Giant Tree, and my Sister :)Air Guitar contest in Williamsburg