Beyond the Grid, Vol. 13 - Sunsets, Snow, and a Six-Pack

A look back at my first year in New York City from a Brooklyn rooftop.

Aug 14, 2025

I put up a note on Substack recently and shared some photos from a walk around NYC, which sent me digging through some old hard drives. I found a folder from 2014 that I had dramatically labeled 'BIG CITY LIFE.' It was full of photos from my first year in the city, but the ones that really stood out were all from one place: the roof of my first apartment.

I was a pretty bright-eyed Aussie back then, just moved to Williamsburg. It hit me pretty quick that Manhattan looks best from a distance anyway, so living in Brooklyn suited me just fine. That rooftop was my spot. My escape.

The after-work ritual was simple. Grab a six-pack of Coronas, head up to the roof, and just watch the day end. Honestly, a sunset over that skyline never gets old.

An elevated view of the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Manhattan Bridge at sunset. The sky is a dramatic orange, and the buildings are silhouetted against it, with the East River in the foreground.

A wide, elevated view of the Lower Manhattan skyline under a dramatic, cloudy sunset. The clouds are colored orange and pink. In the foreground are Brooklyn rooftops and an elevated train line, with the Williamsburg Bridge visible on the right.

A close-up shot of the Williamsburg Bridge's steel tower, silhouetted against a golden orange sky at dusk. A small airplane is visible in the sky in the upper right corner.

The Lower Manhattan skyline is silhouetted against a golden orange sky at sunset. One World Trade Center is prominent on the right, and small lights are visible in the windows of the dark buildings.

An elevated view over a dense city neighborhood at dusk. A major highway packed with cars cuts through the scene, with the red taillights of the traffic glowing brightly. A large bridge spans the background.

A wide view of the Midtown Manhattan skyline at sunset, seen from an elevated viewpoint in Brooklyn. The Empire State Building is prominent in the center, and the city lights are beginning to turn on against the orange sky.

A detailed, medium shot of the Empire State Building standing prominently among the Midtown Manhattan skyline at dusk. The sky is a soft gradient of orange and grey. Many of the surrounding buildings are lit up, and smoke or steam can be seen rising from some of the rooftops in the foreground.

A close-up shot of a Corona Extra beer bottle sitting next to a small, instant-style photograph. The photograph itself shows a colorful sunset over a city skyline. Both items are resting on a grey, textured surface.

But it wasn't all sunsets and beers. That rooftop was front row for the crazy snowstorms, too. I’d go up there just to watch the city get completely buried under a blanket of white. Everything would go quiet. A totally different beast.

A wide, elevated view of a city neighborhood during a heavy snowstorm. An elevated subway train crosses through the middle of the frame, and below it, a park with a monument is covered in snow. The streets and buildings are all blanketed in white under a grey, overcast sky.

A wide, elevated view of a snow-dusted cityscape under a heavy grey sky. In the foreground are the rooftops of Brooklyn, including a prominent building with a large dome. The Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State Building, is faintly visible in the hazy distance.

A wide view of the Midtown Manhattan skyline on a cloudy winter day, seen from across the East River. The rooftops in the foreground are dusted with snow. The Empire State Building is prominent on the left side of the skyline, with steam rising from a nearby building.

Now it’s 2025.

I haven't lived in the city since the end of 2019, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I was driving up to a job in Massachusetts recently and saw the skyline from a distance, and the nostalgia hit hard. I don’t know if I still have that same wide-eyed energy about the place, but I’m grateful for the perspective that kid from Australia had.

Maybe I’ll do a print run of one of these soon. Let me know if you’d be into that.

Cheers,

Benny

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Beyond the Grid, Vol. 13 - Sunsets, Snow, and a Six-Pack

A look back at my first year in New York City from a Brooklyn rooftop.

Discussion about this post