"March" Madness at NYC Pride

W Hotels offered some eye-candy
as they floated down the street.

Today was the NYC Pride March, part of Heritage of Pride (HOP). It's pretty amazing what a group of strong willed folks can do when they band together to celebrate freedom of expression.

From Dykes on Bike-Cycles to Flaggots, from Macy's to the Gay Peruvians Of The Americas the NYC Pride March had it all.

Last summer I stood for five hours in the heat, melting and developing a significant sun burn on the back of my neck. We stood at the corner of 6th Avenue and Greenwich and got a great view but there was no shade and the number of people massed around us (thanks to the wide sidewalk) was nearly unbearable. This year we managed to slip down to Christopher Street and Hudson, the last intersection before the parade ends. It was nearly an accident that we got such a great view. We'd strolled down from 14th Street and 9th Avenue (we'd been to the Apple store in the misguided hope that I could replace my busted iPhone). The conversation with their "genius" went something like this:

Me: Excuse me... I'm sure you don't but it's worth asking. Do you have any iPhone 4s in stock?

Genius: Um... (blush and giggle)... no. I don't think we have those.

Me: I figured. More will be available on July 17th right? At least, that's what the website says.

Genius: Um... (another blush and giggle)... I dunno. (She seems flustered.) I mean, maybe. I don't think we know.

Me: Ok. You've been very helpful. Thank you.

End scene. I mean, really... she wasn't even sure when they'd be available. I'm pretty sure that she could check on HER iPhone 4 that was carrying around. But I digress.

Undergear models buying lunch at a
sausage vendor. The humor is not lost.

Anyhow, from the Apple store we spotted the Pride street fair and, being both hungry and curious, we ventured in.

The fair was pretty sweet. Every vendor had something free to give you as you passed and I can't begin to recall how many petitions I signed to revoke this and to repeal that.

Starving, I decided to grab a $6 cannoli... yes, expensive but that's the nature of a street fair. Sadly it was the most horrifying over-doughed, ricotta cheesed filled abomination I'd ever suffered. A quick toss into the nearest waste bin and we were off to find a spot for the March.

Around 12:15pm we headed down Hudson and, although there were dozens of barricades ready to go, very few were put up. The crowds hadn't really gathered yet - except on one long span of Christopher Street which we decided was too painfully full to try to navigate. Instead we crossed the street and found, to our surprise, that the southeast corner of Christopher and Hudson was almost empty and had a great view of the March - and as a bonus it offered seating on the curb and bicycles locked immediately behind us so no one could (or should) cram up against us.

The anti-cramming didn't last but we didn't care. The March was fun, the costumes were hilarious and the sentiment was heartfelt. A good day overall... even if fixing/replacing my phone was a failure... but it's a minor frustration when you consider the struggle and perseverance that has inspired NYC for 40 years.

YAY PRIDE!

(Note: More pics are available on Facebook.)