The Rink and the Ring
At this time of year I'm always of two minds regarding midtown Manhattan: I'm anxious to see the fabulous, elaborate holiday decorations but I also want to stay far away from the hectic, bustling crowds that overflow the shops and stores and make the sidewalks impassable.
This evening I was in midtown, only a few blocks from Rockefeller Center, when I decided to take a short detour and get a quick look at its legendary massive Christmas tree (currently an 88-foot tall Norway spruce from western Connecticut) and fabled ice skating rink.
I slowly waded through the masses in the Channel Gardens that lead from Fifth Avenue to the holiday display, snapped a few photos of the tree, and moved forward towards the skating rink. Despite the patient, smiling security guards, the throng around the railing was at least 12 deep and many were trying to push and plead their way to the front ("We came all the way from India for this!" "We flew here from Texas just to see the ice rink!" "Please let my sick little boy through to see the skaters!").
I extricated myself from the crush and started to walk towards the subways when I saw a spot, right near the elevator, where relatively few people stood. I headed there and squeezed in between a large family from Connecticut, another from Russia and an excited group from Italy.
As I leaned towards the railing to take some photos, the surrounding crowd jostled me and I concentrated more on keeping my balance than watching the action on the ice. When I looked up, I noticed an attractive young couple standing stock still in the middle of the ice. I took a couple of shots of them, a few more photos of the crowd in the rink, and left.
When I got home and looked through the images I'd taken, I realized what I'd inadvertently captured. Since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll let the photos (sorry for the poor quality) tell the story of the boy with the blond hair, the girl with the pink scarf, the rink and the ring. 
The 88 foot tall tree at Rockefeller Center 
Looking onto the skating rink 
The ice is crowded 
A couple skates to the center of the rink 
He drops down on one knee 
The clinch; looks like she said "yes" 
He presents the ring 
They don't even notice the gathering spectators 
They skate off as the crowd applauds
The Rink at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
WNBC's Tree-Cam
posted by annulla @ 12/02/2006 10:27:00 PM
17 comments
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17 Comments:
Nobody does Christmas like NY and I could hardly wait for the page to load to see your photos.
But what you captured ... so sweet,
so New York.
OMG, that is adorable! I can't believe you got those shots by accident. Wow.
That's so cool. Wouldn't it be fun if you had some way to get the pictures to them. You would be part of family history!!
That's one of the best shots of the tree I've seen this year!!
Someday, I'll see New York, the tree, everything. Until then, I'm glad I have you to show me.
Wren, the Internet is a mysterious place; if enough people see the photos, perhaps someone who knows the couple will find their way here. Stranger things have happened.
That's so great! Through all of the busy, bustling crowds, and crazed shoppers/tourists, something pure and wonderful was taking place in that very moment. I love it! And thanks for your comments on my blog - glad you like that new painting!
That's so beautiful. New York City is my second favorite city in the world, next to Paris. I would love to live in New York, especially at Christmas time.
Those are great photos.
Cheers,
Josie
Some times the quality of the photos doesn't mean as much as the subject of the photos. Excellent moment captured in time!
Thanks for the comment on my blog, and I am glad that I stopped by. This is a great story, and the fact that you captured it in photographs is phenomenal! Love the photo of the tree. Christmas in New York City is wild! I remember going there for three of four days right before Christmas, it must have been in 2002 or so, and you could not even get into Macy's.
I wonder if they will ever find out that their special moment was captured.
Magical... thanks for sharing.
Perfectly put by so many that posted..simply magical!!! Thanks for sharing
What a Christmas present. Magical candid shots. I got a lump in my throat looking at them.
I have never been to NY, but this is the kind of story i like to hear. it seem the city breeds these moments. but then again, my projection of what NY is all about could be only what I have been allowed to see. These pictures are beautiful.
Thanks for your comment, by the way.
Great pics. It must feel a whole lot more like Christmas in New York than it does here in Bangkok.
Those are really great pictures but where is the link to Brians Light Show? :-D
What a great sequence to capture on camera.
What a great sequence to capture on camera.
What a great sequence to capture on camera.
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