It’s a rainy day here in New York today, perhaps fitting of the date: 9/11. The clouds are unleashing a veritable torrent and one can’t help but think of why. Gear Patrol prides itself by having writers based in a variety of places throughout the U.S., but Manhattan is our home base. It’s a great city, this.

No need to relish on the date, it’s meaning, or consequences - we’ll leave others to ponder and wit. Nonetheless, I thought we’d publish a photo we took recently from a rooftop not far from our office. It’s the Empire State Building, freshly infused with a $100 million dollar eco-renovation. Perhaps more appropriately, considering our economic climate (and its ever-so-slow recovery) and today’s date, is some history on the building. The Empire State Building was built during the Great Depression and it still stands as a remarkable piece of engineering and American ingenuity. Sure, we get tired of the gobs of tourists that crowd the streets here, but I never tire of watching people marvel at what this city and country offers.

Have a great weekend, folks.

Here’s a song for the day: “Empire State of Mind”, by one of Brooklyn’s very own, Jay-Z.