The Meatpacking District is where all the ‘meatpackers’ hangout… Apparently. There are a few stores and cafes where these ‘meatpackers’ spend their time, packing meat and other such things. I don’t know if they really do that. I didn’t take much notice, as I was heading straight for The High Line.

The High Line is this new public space/pseudo park that used to be a train line running above the streets of New York. It’s really a good example of how New Yorkers understand public space. Especially now that it’s summer, everyone is out and about drinking up the sun with their skin. There are parks literally everywhere. And these parks are generally where they do the majority of their skin-drinking. Every park has an assortment of places to sit, play, shade, talk, relax, play chess, play table-tennis… Lots of good things.

On the High Line there are lots of benches to ‘chillax’ on and even a theatre-type seating area where the ‘play’ is the cars driving by on 10th Ave below. There were lots of people milling about today, so I assume it’s a success. It’s a nice urban alternative to hanging out in a traditional park.

Oh and there’s this big amazing building on-top of the High Line named The Standard. It’s a hotel owned by the uber-everything entreprenuer Andre Balazs. Apparently the thing to do at the moment is to hire a room and have sex up against the window. Patronage at the cafes below is skyrocketing.

06/16/09 -- Meatpacking District > New York -- 0 Comments