Above it All: Rooftop Bars
There is an iconic image that will almost always sweep through a person’s mind when they think of Manhattan: the New York City skyline. This emblematic scene is much more than a familiar landmark; it seems as though the totality of New York, the physical and the social, is enveloped in this display of buildings. At Manhattan Sideways, we discover remarkable places left and right, but what about up? Sometimes, in order to find and fully appreciate the gems of a side street, it is necessary to leave the ground. Here, we honor the side streets on a whole other level.
At the turn of the century, thespians started a trend, seeking out rooftops for amusement, relaxation, and relief from the smoldering heat and humidity. Today, high above the pavement, New Yorkers mingle in bursts of laughter made soft by the wind and decompress on lounge chairs carefully laid out under the sky. Rooftop frivolity and repose remain staples of summertime in Manhattan. It is from these heights that we may see the full glory of the cityscape. Stepping onto the roof of a towering building, we are suddenly on par with the skyscrapers, sharing in their majestic atmosphere.
In 1962, Gerry Goffin and Carole King wrote and recorded a song that encapsulates the sensation of going to a New York City rooftop to unwind. Made famous by The Drifters, the lyrics to “Up On The Roof,” tell it all. Lines such as, “I get away from the hustling crowds and all that rat race noise down in the street up on the roof” and “Right smack dab in the middle of town I found a paradise that’s trouble-proof up on the roof,” seem to express not only why people go to the roof, but also what they get from being up there. Lifted to another world, we find it easier to breathe.
