When my subway arrives at the Rockefeller Center stop each morning I hear the train conductor make an announcement something like this “Now arriving Rockefeller Center, transfer to the B,D,F,V; Top of the Rock.”
“Top of the Rock?” I know what that is — that’s where you can buy a ticket and go to the top of Rockefeller Center and take in the view of NYC. It is a classic Tall Thing to Climb — great for the many tourists who mill around Rockefeller Center hoping to see Al Roker. But how did they get it so that the MTA is advertising for them? That’s such odd product placement. They don’t mention Central Park, or MoMA, or the Waldorf-Astoria or even the ice rink — just this overly-branded, kinda lame, overly-priced TOP OF THE ROCK. It’s not even the best “Tall Thing” in NYC. Besides the Empire State Building, even the view from the Citibank Building in Long Island City is better.
How much money would it take for me to get the MTA to announce “Will Hines’ house” whenever the L train pulls into Lorimer St?
On my iTunes now:
Company Calls Epilogue by Death Cab For Cutie from "We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes"
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Sep 28th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Depends…how tall is your building again?
Sep 28th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Can I make that transfer from the B/D/F/V to the Top of the Rock in-station or do I have to get out and swipe back in?
Sep 28th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
For a while, I thought it was just a charming bit of schtick the conductor was working in there…like his signature thing that he said.
But then I noticed other conductors saying it. Felt less special.
Also: Purnell will get the MTA to announce UCB at the 23rd St A,C,E stop. Give it a year.
Sep 29th, 2007 at 12:21 am
The Top of the Rock offers a great view of the Empire State Building.
I hate heights
Oct 2nd, 2007 at 3:13 pm
how about “transfer to the B,D,F,V; http://www.willhines.net?”