My 4th Fourth in NY, NY.

This year was my 4th year watching Fireworks in NYC. Last year was my favorite company/activity wise, but this year the show itself was definitely the best yet!

First, in typical New York fashion, I attended a rooftop BBQ hosted by friends who conveniently live a block away. The sun was out, music was going, and the Hot Dogs washed down nicely with Margarita Mix and ice. Yummy!

Then, I meandered to Macy's 33rd Annual Show which moved from the East River back over to the Hudson River (for the first time since 2000) to blast 120,000 explosives off of not three but six barges! All of this was in honor of America's 233rd Birthday and the 400th Anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson.

Since I moved here in 2005 I have always watched the Fireworks blaze over the East River. My first year was from a rooftop, my second year was in Battery Park watching the Liberty Show, and my third year was back to the East River, parked on the FDR highway front and center with a group of great friends. In comparison, I prefer the East River. With the closer proximity and un-obscured view sitting out on the FDR provides, it feels more personal. But, I gotta say, six barges along the Hudson (compared to 3 on the East River) definitely lit up the sky far more spectacularly than I've ever seen!

Amaya and I made our way down to the Henry Hudson Pkwy around 7pm to get good seats for the 9:20pm show and made it just in time for a beautiful sunset.
Ironically, Amaya and I have spent all of my NYC 4th of July's, save for last year, together. It just worked out that she was able to come visit for that holiday every year. There was always an adventure, and some of our most treasured stories come from those celebratory evenings.
Tonight was different for two reasons:
1) It wasn't raining (a first ever!) and
2) Amaya isn't visiting, she now dwells on the Upper East Side and is carving her own nook in NYC.
One thing that hasn't changed is how nice it is to keep tradition alive and continue watching things get blown up with her. :)

The Macy's Show kicked off after the Statue of Liberty Fireworks finished way down at the tip of the island (which we could see even from 40th St.; a surprising treat). It was all timed perfectly, each barge in precise sync with the others despite being spaced along 33 blocks of riverside City. Every eruption was breathtaking. A wonderful 26 minutes of bursting skies, excited intermittent applause, and quiet moments to reflect on how thankful I am for my freedom. It's humbling and overwhelming to think about just how expensive freedom is and the debt owed to those who paid it.

When it was over, the masses converged and the thousands upon thousands who come out from Jersey, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, all made their way out in as orderly a fashion as could be pulled off. The way we pull it off is by taking over the streets and walking right down the middle. It's the one day a year that pedestrians get their revenge on cab drivers. No matter how much they honk or scream, everyone on foot just laughs, claps, hoots, and hollers right back. Some even wave as the bumper to bumper traffic of all kinds has no chance of getting home until we've all made it home first. Neener-Neener! ;P

The show ended around 10pm. I was home at 10:3o. I love mass transit.

As I rounded my street corner, Spanish music blared from open car doors, the blocks were dotted with families sitting out on lawn chairs enjoying the 75 degree night of perfection, and illegal fireworks began spouting off in the middle of the street. Cop lights flared and the car sped up the street and stopped next to the forbidden sparks. Not because it was illegal, but to enjoy the show. When the rockets stopped, they put their lights back on and went to take care of more pressing issues.

I love freedom. I love New York.