I've done some of those touristy things (okay, mostly just the Empire State Building) but hell, I was a tourist in NYC. I did not gab at the top of the Empire State Building because I just couldn't get over what people had built that I was standing on. So beautiful. What I don't bother with is touristy outdoors shit--I don't ever need to see the grand canyon because who cares, if you believe God made the world, it's like, yeah, pretty, whatever. But for people to work together long enough to throw together the Empire State Building? THAT is something.

I'd never heard it referred to as "St. John the Unfinished" and I adore that.

If I ever make it back to NYC, by the way, the first place on my pilgrimage will be the place Helene Hanff lived a good chunk of her life:

https://stacyhorn.com/2013/12/19/happy-holidays-citizen-reader-and-thank-you/

Loved this article; thanks.