Name Dropping

So, this past weekend, I worked at a wedding in the Rainbow Room. Even as I wrote that, I hesitate to do something as crass as name dropping. Not to mention how hard it is to maintain my anonymity when I give out such details. Anyway, I'm taking a break from working on the pictures I took during the event to consider what it was like, my first opportunity to be at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

I honestly can't comment much about the public access areas, since I went in through a multiple checkpoint secure truck entrance where I had to show my drivers license more times than I have in the past three years. I had once read some story about New York City having an underground city as extensive as the above ground structures and after driving down a ramp that brought me at least thirty feet below street level, I can believe it. This drive below ground was after a couple of check points with lots of security cameras. I suspect that it would be wiser of me not to detail exactly what I saw and move on to the room itself.

Going to the top of the GE building and seeing Central Park sprawled out below on one side and the Empire State building on the other was an awe inspiring sight. One thing that irks me greatly is that I was too busy to take any pictures of it all. I suspect you might pick up a boyish enthusiasm as I try to give a perspective of what it was like to be nearly seven hundred feet in the air.

Cars were smaller than the width of my thumb at arms length, people nearly indistinguishable as moving blobs of color. Looking down on aerial cranes and other buildings was very cool. I leaned on a railing, almost doubled over to see if I could see some of the streets below the building. (Still a safe distance from the window though, I mean it is seven hundred feet up!) I could see a hint of Times Square from one side of the building. And the restrooms! A room length window that you could look out across the New York skyline. The guys saw the northern side of the building, I suspect the ladies had the better view.

The Rainbow room was a twenty to twenty five foot high room with moving circular dance floor and terraced levels in the corners. (A few words on that moving dance floor: It is slow and jerky and after I stepped off of it, the entire room continued to move as if I had gotten tipsy. Standing at the side of the moving dance floor, I felt the room was moving and the dance floor was standing still!) Centered above the dance floor is a large dome and when standing directly beneath the dome, speaking out loud returned an echo of those spoken words.

I also recalled how little power was available in the room and we had to be careful not to blow a circuit. Another thing that I didn't expect: The staff was courteous and helpful, even to guys on my crew. Which isn't always the case when you enter some catering halls. (This fact alone makes me want to book the place if I ever have an event of my own to celebrate. Are you listening catering hall personnel?)

Well, enough of my comments on someone else's affair. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the food I was served (Chilean sea bass and filet mignon!). And the load wasn't onerous since there is a raised loading dock, which is hardly ever the case. Now, I must get back to work on these pictures!