I Love New York — a July Empire State theme

On July 1, a Muscovite couple ascended death-defying heights to the pinnacle of the once considered tallest edifice in the world in order to display love.

Unharnessed or tethered by restraints, Moscow nationals Angela Nikolau, 33 and 32 year old Ivan Kuznetsov (aka Ivan Beerkus) kicked off the month by showing the entire world the extremes they would challenge in order to prove a point.

Recently profiled in a Netflix documentary titled “Skywalkers: A love Story,” the two are reportedly residents of New Jersey and children of Russian circus performers.

On one of the hottest summer days ever, the duo daredevils (ouch!) made their way to the Empire State Building, climbed to the spire of the structure — braving the heights at 1,400 feet above ground — to publicly dedicate love for each other.

Ivan even used the old-fashioned one-knee proposal to dramatize commitment.

According to reports, afterwards he said he “had to do something special for the engagement.”

The couple also punctuated their message by unfurling a banner which read: “When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace.”

It might be a cliche to apply the phrase “only in New York,” however, in fact, on this occasion, the statement would be relevant.

Three days later, a year-long speculation proved accurate that pop royal Taylor Swift would publicly express eternal love for 36-year-old Travis Kelce in the Big Apple.

The couple chose the Madison Square Garden location to stage their shared commitment.

He, of course, is the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end football player, and she has cheered him on throughout a number of his games.

Born in Westlake, Ohio, his Midwestern upbringing must have impressed the Reading, Pennsylvania native, who reportedly was raised in Tennessee.

In 2019, the singer/songwriter declared affinity for the venue on her milestone anniversary birthday by telling fans:”where would I want to spend my 30th birthday?”

Little did the Swiftie loyals surmise the notion of a destination wedding at the 19,000-capacity space seven years later.

Not only does the landmark structure identify universally with sports and concert patrons but it ranks supreme among the most alluring venues to generate media attention from the Empire State.

Needless to say, the back-to-back exhibitions of love emphasized a tourism theme ad campaigns have promoted for decades.

Although the latter, private invitation-only banner event did not cause unnecessary disruptions of city services, when a neon sign informed confirmation with a “JustT&T Married” lighted billboard, everyone seemed convinced that the $20 to 25 million affair was official.

It’s the kind of fairy tale story every city might appreciate.

That two love stories inked historical affiliation to the Manhattan borough made the first week of the month destination Cupid.

To add to the T&T spectacle, reportedly, the couple were gifted their “something blue” by the once reputed world’s tallest structure.

In case you missed it, the Empire State Building lit up with a cool blue hue on July 3.

And what better way to say ‘I love You’ on the 250th anniversary of America’s independence than with a flotilla of ships cruising the harbor on a hot, steamy day.

The very next day, a love letter to America found tourists and fun seekers forced into barricaded areas in order to get a glimpse of the once-in-a-lifetime nautical parade of sailboats and ships from Sail4th 250.

Love seemed to add a canopy to the July skyline, with fireworks being the main attraction.

Going forward, cool heads will prevail in parks, pools, and listings provided by the progressive Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Upcoming events include Harlem Classical Theater’s Othello in Marcus Garvey Park, running from July 5 to 26; Shaggy in Central Park on July 9; Movies Under the Stars; and municipal pools to chill.

Catch you On the Inside!