Blizzard Nemo, which had stranded me in New York during Fashion Week for an extra two days, had blown itself out by Saturday night, and the streets were starting to look clear by Monday, my last day in Manhattan.
I had ridden the 6 train to the Upper East Side to run some errands. Once done, I was going to pick up a cab on Fifth Avenue to take me the twenty or so blocks down to the Apple Store. But, as I wandered across Fifth, I glanced into Central Park.
It was like an eery, empty other world, with a thick mist hanging over the still deep snow. Of course I immediately forgot all plans for hailing a cab, and walked straight into the Park.
Along with throngs of excited snow-drunk New Yorkers, I had tramped through a foot of snow in the Park by Columbus Circle on Saturday morning under bright blue skies, but this afternoon I had the Park almost to myself.
Lampost: Narnia?
I could just about make out the buildings of Fifth Avenue through the mist swirling over the iced boating pond.
I was wearing my Hunter snow boots with their ice grip soles, so knew I could forge ahead and remain upright…otherwise I would have been flat on my back like several other tourists I saw attempting to walk through the Park.
As I walked south towards the Plaza, I cut through the Central Park Zoo.
And for the very first time in all my years in New York, I finally saw a sea lion undulating his way along the rocks.
As I reached Central Park South, the fog started to lift.
A magical, haunting lost half hour.

11 comments
Lucy Singh
Beautiful photographs, sublime actually. I was held up in San Francisco for the two days that you were in NY where it was sunny and beautiful. I was very happy to be there rather than New York! But it looks like you appreciated it particularly the sea lions which my dog loves to watch in the morning!
LLG
@Lucy Singh: Thank you Lucy: what a lovely thing to say. I guess as a visitor it’s all wonderful novelty: not so wonderful if you have to commute/work in it! LLGxx
Haidee
Beautiful 🙂
http://cargocollective.com/haideedefraine/
Anna
God, I just love New York. There’s something about a place that has featured in so many childhood favourite films that still invokes excitement as a thirty-something. I can almost imagine Macauley Culkin running past you scattering a train of marbles behind him. Gorgeous pics – looks magical
Amy
Those images are awesome. Wish I could have been there. Blizzard or no blizzard!
Amy
http://www.thenewladytimes.com/
Jacinda
beautiful post. divine atmosphere in those pics, my kind of day. what an amazing moment in time. xx
Lia
Absolutely, utterly beautiful, eerie pictures. And I am beyond excited to have found your blog!
Jo
Goodness!! Amazing pictures!
Fab blog
http://primeministeroffun.blogspot.co.uk
xoxo
Clare (SparklySexyCool.com)
So beautiful – I have a photo taken in exactly the same spot as the one third from the bottom in late December. Randomly then it was blue skies and actually reasonably warm!
I love New York so much! Can’t wait to go back one day x
Lia
Oh and thank you for popping up on my blog this afternoon, was lovely to see a new face. And because I am totally crushing like an absolute lunatic on this blog, I’ve followed your twitter! Blog crush overload.
Lia x
Dana
What lovely pictures! I would have also abandoned the cab and taken to the park! Days like that are so lovely and rare….
thanks for sharing.