An Odoriferous City
Spring has finally come, and with it warmer weather. I have finally been able to shed that extra blanket, that jacket sprinkled with road salt, and walk down the street in just a sweater, and pants of course. Not only has this weather brought with it the shedding of clothing, it has brought the sweet smells of this city.
In New York City, the frigidity of winter air seems to paralyze the odors, or else they paralyze the senses. But come spring, come heat and sun and humidity, those smells thrive. As I left work yesterday I was overcome by the aroma of baking cookies. It lasted a block before it was replaced by the smell of roses outside a corner deli. As I crossed the street, the stink of old spit made me cringe. Passing an open cellar, I caught a wiff of rot. Then, at W Broadway, I was hit by the sweet fumes of an espresso machine. And as I passed a construction site, the wonderful mix of asphalt and rain made me smile.
This, this is the thing that makes the city and winter all worthwhile—spring.
Tags: 7. USA, 7A. New York City
Drea
Wow, after reading your post title, I thought you would talk about something exactly opposite. I visited NYC once on a humid day in August, and there were a lot of smells – none of which I would classify as sweet. Anyway, just dropping in. Great blog.