Finally! Fireworks on the Fourth

Last year my hopes for a great first NYC 4th of July were about as high as the fireworks I dreamed of seeing explode over my beloved city. Having only lived here for a month, I would have been satisfied to watch the fireworks festivities by myself - just find me a good spot and a radio tuned to the patriotic music - but I was quite relieved to have been invited to a barbeque (something to do, with people!) Before accepting the invitation, I did inquire as to the location and if, indeed, it was a desirable vantage point for fireworks. All worries assuaged, I sat back and relaxed until the big day arrived...and it arrived with thick gray skies and a stormy forecast. And then a mid-day call - the barbeque was cancelled, bad weather to blame.

As the rain teetered from pour to drizzle back to pour, I watched with a glum face as all my fun and fireworks washed down the streets and into the gutters. As the 9 PM fireworks show approached, Jane, Cameron and I zipped up rain jackets, tightened our hoods and grabbed umbrellas, and we walked down the block to the East River and joined many others who had gathered to salvage a bit of the 4th of July spirit. Our spot was decent, and as we watched the first firework soar into the air and explode in a glow of color, our "oohs" and "aahs" quickly changed to "boos" and "hoos"...the rest of the fireworks show was completely covered with a huge cloud of smoke hanging low in the air! We did celebrate small victories of seeing colors peak here and there from the edges of the cloud, and we even found the humor in the situation as we wiped rain streaming down our faces. But hearing the loud claps and booms of the fireworks exploding and knowing there was such fabulousness on the other side of that cloud finally sent us back inside the apartment to watch the final minutes of the live national telecast. Inside, we were dry and we could see all the colors, but in hindsight, I love the memories of standing out on the street with all the other disappointed New Yorkers.

But this year the saddness of rain and clouds was gone (admitted, not forgotten) because I had a ticket to the Macy's Fireworks Spectacular! Televised on NBC! Serving free food and drinks! That ticket practically guar-an-teed a perfect spot to see fireworks bursting over the city! Though July 4th again taunted me with overcast skies and sprinkles, the weather did not blanket my spirits as I put together a red-white-and-blue outfit and headed to Brooklyn to enjoy the festivities.

As the show began, the rain peppered down, and the flop of last year threatened my thoughts, but this time, my eyes sparkled with the flashes of fireworks overhead!



Thanks to Macy's "star" employee - my roommate Emily - for winning tickets to the show!


How patriotically fantastically fun is our Uncle Sam?!


One of the many Founding Father heads bobbing around - George Washington tried to chop my neck with that axe! (Macy's used these in the Thanksgiving Day Parade - one of the only things I could see at the parade other than the balloons!)


"You Are Being Photographed" - I think we all know I have no problem with this information!


Even with the clouds and dreary sky, the city looked beautiful as it twinkled to life. See the Empire State Building's red, white and blue lights?


Overwhelmed with 30 minutes of constant fireworks from the three barges along the East River.


"Ooh! Ahh!" The glitter fireworks are always my favorite! And notice the television camera at the bottom (not bad if the only thing blocking the view is the camera broadcasting the event to the country!)

Katharine McPhee, Tiki Barber, Natalie Morales, and Gavin DeGraw - hosts and performers - signing off from the NBC telecast.

Following Emily's daredevil example, I joined her on the stage acting like we were supposed to be there, and I walked right up to Tiki and asked for a picture!