Surreal NYC

A COVID Diary – NYC Shutdown

Surreal NYC
  • ABOUT
  • ABOUT

Images

Times Square, NYC - empty
Times Square, NYC – empty
Lincoln Centre, NYC - empty
Lincoln Centre, NYC – empty
Empty Times Square, NYC
Empty Times Square, NYC
Grand Central NYC
Empty Grand Central
Empty Central Park, New York City
Empty Central Park, New York City March 2020
Grand Central Station empty
Grand central
Grand Central Station, NYC
Grand Central Station, NYC March 2020
Metlife Building, New York City
Metlife Building, New York City
St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Empty Madison Avenue, NYC
Madison Avenue, NYC
Grand Central station, NYC
Grand Central station, NYC
Rockefeller Centre, NYC
Rockefeller Centre, NYC
Eleanor Roosevelt staying safe
Lunch empty Columbus Circle
Deserted Westside Highway, NYC
Empty Times Square
Lone skater, Times Square
empty New York City
Time Square, NYC
Fifth Avenue, NYC.© Mark O'Toole Not to be used without permission.
Fifth Avenue, NYC. Empty
Lincoln Centre, New York City
Lincoln Centre, New York City. Empty March 2020
Grand Central Station, NYC - Empty
Grand Central Station, NYC – Empty
Times Square, NYC
72nd Street Subway station, NYC
72nd Street Subway station, NYC March 2020

Recent Posts

  • Three years and one pandemic later… August 18, 2023
  • The little engine that could August 28, 2021
  • Summer of Firsts July 15, 2021
  • Hope Springs Eternal June 29, 2021
  • Grand Openings and New Beginnings May 26, 2021
  • Homeschooling – RIP & other news April 27, 2021
  • Moderna Man March 24, 2021
  • Voice Call March 20, 2021
  • 500,000 February 23, 2021
  • Tunnel light & moving images January 31, 2021
  • A Pandemic Christmas December 23, 2020
  • Home Schooling – Part II. Lessons learned. December 6, 2020
  • Lines, Q’s & Coups November 25, 2020
  • Banana Republic November 2, 2020
  • Man with hammer

    The Times are a Changin’

    August 10, 2020 /

    "..here's a picture I took today of a man menacingly brandishing a hammer in the middle of Broadway on 79th street.....What started as a story about rightfully concerned parents worried about their family's safety has turned into a race / white privilege issue."

    read more

    You May Also Like

    A Tombstone to the Past

    May 19, 2020

    Perspective is Everything

    August 15, 2020
    Homeschooling schedule

    Homeschooling – RIP & other news

    April 27, 2021
  • Atlas wioth Mask, Rockefeller Centre, NYC

    Lessons Learned While the City’s our Oyster

    July 21, 2020 /

    The kids, wide eyed, marveled at all the flashing neon, while not understanding the significance of it being empty. To them, they were the first kids on the moon. They wandered around empty Soho & Tribeca streets, kicking a ball like street urchins from Newsies.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    A Pandemic Christmas

    December 23, 2020

    Moderna Man

    March 24, 2021
    Indoor dining NYC

    Summer of Firsts

    July 15, 2021
  • 42nd street shut down

    The Show Must Go On

    July 5, 2020 /

    I have many friends who make their living as actors, musicians, writers and indeed the entire support eco-system that goes into producing great works of art....they will see better days ahead, for all things must end and the phoenix will arise from the flames.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Home Schooling – Part II. Lessons learned.

    December 6, 2020

    Perspective is Everything

    August 15, 2020
    Indoor dining NYC

    Summer of Firsts

    July 15, 2021
  • Central Park during COVID lockdown

    In stillness, there is life: Running through a COVID-quieted New York City

    June 20, 2020 /

    With the world now on pause, COVID’s timeout has given me a beautiful running experience I thought I’d never have. The world may have been on hold, but that didn’t mean I needed to be.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Atlas wioth Mask, Rockefeller Centre, NYC

    Lessons Learned While the City’s our Oyster

    July 21, 2020
    Mark O'Toole, writer/director

    Three years and one pandemic later…

    August 18, 2023
    Lines NYC

    Lines, Q’s & Coups

    November 25, 2020
  • UWS Protests - Night 5 of Curfew

    The Un-United States

    June 7, 2020 /

    "...what stuck me even more was the dense air of menace that permeated the air. The heavy police presence and the odd gaggle of loitering people. Just waiting. For the sun to go down."

    read more

    You May Also Like

    A Tombstone to the Past

    May 19, 2020

    Home Schooling – Part II. Lessons learned.

    December 6, 2020

    Perspective is Everything

    August 15, 2020
  • George Washington statue

    Downtown Then & Now. And hopefully “then” again.

    May 30, 2020 /

    I was afforded the opportunity to see the city in ways most have never seen. My runs and cycles allowed me the chance to film the city asleep. The absence of people and traffic, replaced by singing birds and occasional bicycle bells as they whizzed by, made it easier to traverse.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Central Park during COVID lockdown

    In stillness, there is life: Running through a COVID-quieted New York City

    June 20, 2020
    UWS Protests - Night 5 of Curfew

    The Un-United States

    June 7, 2020

    Moderna Man

    March 24, 2021
  • A Tombstone to the Past

    May 19, 2020 /

    I decided to film some of my runs to visually document what I was seeing. For like all things, this must end and when it does I hope it's a document to how things were during this extraordinary time. We can look back, nod and say bravely we survived this.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Man with hammer

    The Times are a Changin’

    August 10, 2020
    Mark O'Toole, writer/director

    Three years and one pandemic later…

    August 18, 2023
    Homeschooling schedule

    Homeschooling – RIP & other news

    April 27, 2021
  • Haunting NYC Run – part 1

    May 8, 2020 /

    I'm left running the abandoned streets of America's greatest city, witnessing eerie desolation and haunting beauty.

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Home Schooling – Part II. Lessons learned.

    December 6, 2020
    Sky high salad prices

    Ice Cream – You Scream – NYC’s Rising Food Prices

    August 31, 2020
    Mark O'Toole, writer/director

    Three years and one pandemic later…

    August 18, 2023
  • Facemasks & New Beginnings

    May 1, 2020 /

    I’m doing a short post this week. It may be short, but it’s oh so sweet. (I’m working on a larger piece for the coming weeks). On the day the US Dept. of Labor announced another 3 million filed for unemployment (bringing the overall US total now to 30 million out of work), I started my new job. And have a terrific boss. It was a relief to have some good news in the midst of legitimate gloom and doom. And if it’s any indication of brighter things to come, I unbelievably had a second offer and another on the way. Onboarding a new job remotely has been a hoot…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Man in Yellow Hat

    Making Traditions seem “Traditional” in a Pandemic

    October 31, 2020

    A Tombstone to the Past

    May 19, 2020

    Voice Call

    March 20, 2021
  • Day 8 – A COVID Diary NYC

    March 26, 2020 /

    It’s Day 8 in NYC and I can already see the effects of a total commercial shutdown. One of the greatest cities in the world, a city I call home and the epicenter of the #COVID-19 outbreak in America, brought to its knees. I never imagined myself and my family, and by extension you reading this, would ever live through a global crisis such as this. It’s almost unimaginable. I now find myself looking at life through a dystopian like prism. Distorted. Raw. Grim. I recoil in horror when I see people shaking hands, kissing, touching, coughing and the like on TV and films – streaming to masses in every…

    read more

    You May Also Like

    Indoor dining NYC

    Summer of Firsts

    July 15, 2021

    Voice Call

    March 20, 2021

    Tunnel light & moving images

    January 31, 2021
Newer Posts 
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.

To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Subscribe to Surreal NYC for updates

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

2026 © Mark O'Toole Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mark O'Toole and SurrealNYC.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.