The High Line Is New York City's 'Make-Out Park'

Ed Yourdon/Flickr

Union Square may be the loneliest place in New York City, but, not to worry, the High Line has now been dubbed the "make-out park of New York City." This according to a Parks enforcement officer who spoke to the New York Post, which today reports on the High Line as the drinking-est, most romantical park in New York City. Or, at least, the drinking-est, most romantical park in which the most people are caught and ticketed for drinking. Between January and November, 113 summonses for drinking outside in the park were given, mostly to tourists and lovahs who wanted to toast with wine or champagne as they watched the sun set. (A/K/A, these are not hardened criminals, nay, they are more "the philharmonic crowd and the upwardly mobile.") In any case, they can't help it.

"It's the romance, the lights, the sunset. People get lulled into a magical place where they think they don't have to abide by the law," said Geoffrey Croft, of the watchdog group NYC Park Advocates.

How adorable.

Back in the summer Runnin' Scared heard from a French tourist indignant at his treatment at the hands of one of the parks employees for precisely this: "At one point, around 1:00 pm, a young lady ...who was obviously working for the High Line Park...suddenly «appeared» next to our table and without any introduction, just said with a very unpleasant tone of voice: «No alcohol in the High Line Park. Or you pour it and drink it now, or you leave the park.» ...We were so shocked by the way she talked to us, not only because she was very rude, but most of all, because her attitude was totally at the opposite of the spirit of your wonderful place... friendly and peaceful."

The good news is, most public drinkers get warnings and are allowed to go free without even paying a fine. The bad news is, all the freaking PDA. You really need a drink to cope with that.

A quick, if not scientific, check of Missed Connections shows absolutely nothing for the High Line, meaning...these sexy boozers are not looking for love; instead, they may have already found it. Which means, how about get a room? Perhaps at the nearby Standard. Drinking is fully legal, and there's heat -- plus you can still share your make-out with the rest of us.

After all, tis the season for drinking indoors.

That's why they call it the High Line [NYP]
Related: Ingrid Burrington, Researcher of Missed Connections: 'The Loneliest Place in NYC is Union Square'

[JDoll / @thisisjendoll]

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