There is No Business Like Snow Business

I woke up early in the morning anxious to see the result of Juno, a.k.a #snowmagadon. As most New Yorkers, I was very disappointed when I looked through the window and saw that we are not covered in snow more than usual. There was so much preparation to this storm, everything was shut down, schools, subway trains, stores and offices, cars were banned off the roads and many were given a day off work. In this case, the math is simple; one day off + heavy snow = Central Park. So there I go. The park was packed and everybody was happy and smiling. Sledging was one of the main attractions. Even the smallest hills had someone sliding off of them. Kids and adults alike, were all just having fun sledging down the hills. I especially liked the mother and two children sliding with their hyper energetic puppy. Another popular activity was building snowmen and (of course) taking selfies with them.

Remember when a week ago I said that: "Piles of snow were quickly turned into snowmen, popping up under every tree, like mushrooms after the rain"? Well, after Juno there were giant snowmen popping up. Some of them were definitely the tallest snowmen I have ever seen. Walking through the park felt like touring a snowmen museum. Absolutely fabulous! Between all the humans, dogs visiting the park enjoyed the snow as well. They were jumping and running, sniffing and digging.

Finally, the sunset painted the sky in pink. This was the appropriate ending to a perfect snow day after the storm. And the most important lesson I have learned is that if you don't have a sledge, you can always slide on a piece of cardboard. 

When the sun set, people pored from the snow hills into the roads. They were holding their sledges and the street lamps lit their way back home.

Winter Storm Juno

Wow! Never in my life have I seen so much snow. The snow showers started early this morning, but at that point it was just another snowy day in the city. Late afternoon, when I went out, it was absolutely spectacular. Everything was covered in white; cars, bikes, mail boxes, garbage bags, people jackets, umbrellas and hair. Even the tons of salt sprinkled on the roads and sidewalks were not able to fight the snow. I was walking on ice blocks and occasionally my boots sank into huge piles of snow. Yes, it was pure fun!

After walking on the 8th avenue for less than a minute, I was promptly covered with snow. There was a pile of snow on my backpack, another one in my hair and some fair amount on my boots. Also, my camera changed its color from black to bright white. I firmly resisted the cold as well as my parents panic messages from Israel, telling me to take a cab or at least the subway. 

I was filled with Adrenalin, so the cold didn't bother me. Surprisingly, although the city is in the middle of one of its biggest storms ever, the people I met on the streets were cooperative and were kind enough to avoid blocking my view and even pose for me. It seems that the snow is making people happy. Or maybe because I'm happy, people are smiling back?

I love the fact that the light reflecting from the snow makes the pictures look warm and welcoming. To me, the colors in this post match the feelings I had while strolling the streets. When I first came to New York I felt that this city is cold and hostile. I could not be more wrong and I'm happy I can now see kindness and warmness on every corner of this amazing city.