Travelogue (continued)
Stardate 11-23-24-25-2006
New York City:
Spending Thanksgiving with Linda and her family has been a blessing. I love sharing meals with the people I care about. Linda's family has always been like a second family. Sitting around and talking with everyone - especially now that my son is an adult makes everything even more special.
*********
Friday dawned sunny and bright - the weather is incredibly mild. We are off to Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon Memorial, Central Park, possibly the Guggenheim and beyond...
We got on the subway and had to switch trains at one point in order to get to Central Park, West. It took us a little bit and asking (like the tourists we are) for directions but eventually we made it to the Lennon Memorial. The mosaic of the word 'Imagine' surrounded by people. Then walking past the Dakota where he had been gunned down. That was for me a very difficult and poignant moment.
Tony decided he did not wish to go to the Guggenheim after all (bummer). So instead we walked around the area that encompasses Central Park. There were tons of people milling about - it was after all the shopping mecca of the East on the busiest shopping day of the year...
We tried to go into F.A.O. Schwartz (huge toy store) - unfortunately, the line to get in wrapped around the corner and down the street so we opted out (bummer). We then headed to Saint Patrick's Cathedral, one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the US. I walked in and headed straight for the main alter. Tony & Linda did not apparently notice me doing this and stayed toward the back of the church. I think Linda headed to the gift shop. She sent Tony to track me down. My son found me as I wandered back up the main aisle - he began chastising me for 'getting lost' - um OK - now I know St. Pat's is huge but it's a contained place, I had no other place to go...
I took this opportunity to show my son around the different 'shrines' within the church. We went to see the 'Pieta' - we passed the entrance to the underground crypt where people like Pierre Toussaint, Bishop Fulton Sheen, and Terence Cooke (all in line for canonization) - the place reeks of the Catholic history of NYC. My son was extremely impressed with the magnificence of the church and the pipe organ - Catholic or not, if you ever get to New York you should really check out Saint Patrick's.
I too stopped in the gift shop to pick up some items for myself and my love. I also bought my son a St. Anthony's medal. I am not sure he will appreciate it - but I plan to get it blessed and give it to him as a talisman nonetheless.
We left the church and went to an Irish eatery called P.J. Moran's for a late lunch - it was nice but a bit pricey at $70 for 3 of us...
We then headed towards Time Square because Tony wanted to 'experience' the area - bad idea - again due to it being the biggest shopping day of the year it was far more crowded than usual. If airports are great places to 'people watch' then NYC is the capital of suck activity. So many people, speaking all different languages, having different backgrounds all sharing the common experience of being in one of the greatest cities in the world...
After wandering a bit we headed over to Bryant Park which was wonderful and a place I could have spent hours browsing through all the kiosk boutiques (as well as a small fortune) - but alas, my son got bored rather quickly and we left.
We headed home - if you are going to really spend some serious time in NYC, you really must learn to navigate the subway system in order to get around. Yes it's daunting but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy.
We got off near Linda's neighborhood and stopped at Vinny's a small Italian restaurant. Real Italian food - great little place...
Stayed up late this night ('till 2AM). The city is beckoning to me, rubbing off on me, calling me to come explore - I am not tired in the least as I write this down on paper - nor am I tired as I sit here transcribing even though I am working off of 5.5 hours of sleep - something about New York...and living out loud...I slowly begin to turn into a night owl again...and throw myself into writing.
*********
Slept in WAY late - until 11AM. Got up. Made coffee. Wrote more, talked over coffee with Linda (I could easily get used to this life - is it time to find a NY Times and look?)
The boys finally woke up around 2PM and Brett arranged for a car service to come pick us up. This was the night we were going to go to the East Village, and
Greenwich Village as well as other more 'hip' places...
We stopped at a store recommended by one of Tony's friends (Search and Destroy) great place to go if you are into hitting the punk clubs.
The East Village was filled with Bohemian shops and an atmosphere to match. I stopped into a Tibetan shop to peruse the oils. I felt so attune to this area, wandering under a crescent moon and finding a Moroccan boutique, buying oils to perfume my skin with to bring my love pleasure (as well as myself for scent is a very important part of who I am...)wearing oils that are as ancient as the culture that helped create civilisation...does something to me - it makes me feel exotic and in touch with a more primal inner woman/child...I become the harem girl...now if only I could find belly-dancing lessons...
We stopped at a coffee shop, briefly and then headed to The Slaughtered Lamb (think American Werewolf in London for dinner (I had the fish & chips). On the way to explore the other end of the Village, Brett took us to Papaya Dog - hot-dog stand (featured on the PBS special on hot dogs) - I even *gasp* ATE ONE!!! LOL - it was actually pretty good...
At that point, Linda decided to take her leave. Brett, Tony and I headed over to the Knitting Factory, a very avante garde club, one of the more 'in' places to hear and see upcoming and fresh new art/performance artists. We got to see Mixel Pixel - they were great and the opening act Valerie Geffner (local performance artist), was pretty interesting as well...
Afterwards, we walked through Tribecca then up to China town and then cut through Little Italy. Finally, we took the subway back. Wandering late at night - there IS no city on earth like NYC. There is a freedom to being out and partying and seeing a city so teeming with life, late night cafes, diners, all-night markets...people walking, talking, laughing, lovers sharing not-so-private-perhaps-they-should-get-a-room moments, the subways packed even at 1AM. I haven't been out and about like this in a big city in decades, it felt amazing, wonderful, almost like second nature and again here is it 2:30 AM - I need to stop journaling this 'adventure' so I can get up and go to mass in 7 hours...
Bonne nuit mes amis....
(more to come...again disregard the typos...I will fix later.)
New York City:
Spending Thanksgiving with Linda and her family has been a blessing. I love sharing meals with the people I care about. Linda's family has always been like a second family. Sitting around and talking with everyone - especially now that my son is an adult makes everything even more special.
*********
Friday dawned sunny and bright - the weather is incredibly mild. We are off to Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon Memorial, Central Park, possibly the Guggenheim and beyond...
We got on the subway and had to switch trains at one point in order to get to Central Park, West. It took us a little bit and asking (like the tourists we are) for directions but eventually we made it to the Lennon Memorial. The mosaic of the word 'Imagine' surrounded by people. Then walking past the Dakota where he had been gunned down. That was for me a very difficult and poignant moment.
Tony decided he did not wish to go to the Guggenheim after all (bummer). So instead we walked around the area that encompasses Central Park. There were tons of people milling about - it was after all the shopping mecca of the East on the busiest shopping day of the year...
We tried to go into F.A.O. Schwartz (huge toy store) - unfortunately, the line to get in wrapped around the corner and down the street so we opted out (bummer). We then headed to Saint Patrick's Cathedral, one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the US. I walked in and headed straight for the main alter. Tony & Linda did not apparently notice me doing this and stayed toward the back of the church. I think Linda headed to the gift shop. She sent Tony to track me down. My son found me as I wandered back up the main aisle - he began chastising me for 'getting lost' - um OK - now I know St. Pat's is huge but it's a contained place, I had no other place to go...
I took this opportunity to show my son around the different 'shrines' within the church. We went to see the 'Pieta' - we passed the entrance to the underground crypt where people like Pierre Toussaint, Bishop Fulton Sheen, and Terence Cooke (all in line for canonization) - the place reeks of the Catholic history of NYC. My son was extremely impressed with the magnificence of the church and the pipe organ - Catholic or not, if you ever get to New York you should really check out Saint Patrick's.
I too stopped in the gift shop to pick up some items for myself and my love. I also bought my son a St. Anthony's medal. I am not sure he will appreciate it - but I plan to get it blessed and give it to him as a talisman nonetheless.
We left the church and went to an Irish eatery called P.J. Moran's for a late lunch - it was nice but a bit pricey at $70 for 3 of us...
We then headed towards Time Square because Tony wanted to 'experience' the area - bad idea - again due to it being the biggest shopping day of the year it was far more crowded than usual. If airports are great places to 'people watch' then NYC is the capital of suck activity. So many people, speaking all different languages, having different backgrounds all sharing the common experience of being in one of the greatest cities in the world...
After wandering a bit we headed over to Bryant Park which was wonderful and a place I could have spent hours browsing through all the kiosk boutiques (as well as a small fortune) - but alas, my son got bored rather quickly and we left.
We headed home - if you are going to really spend some serious time in NYC, you really must learn to navigate the subway system in order to get around. Yes it's daunting but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy.
We got off near Linda's neighborhood and stopped at Vinny's a small Italian restaurant. Real Italian food - great little place...
Stayed up late this night ('till 2AM). The city is beckoning to me, rubbing off on me, calling me to come explore - I am not tired in the least as I write this down on paper - nor am I tired as I sit here transcribing even though I am working off of 5.5 hours of sleep - something about New York...and living out loud...I slowly begin to turn into a night owl again...and throw myself into writing.
*********
Slept in WAY late - until 11AM. Got up. Made coffee. Wrote more, talked over coffee with Linda (I could easily get used to this life - is it time to find a NY Times and look?)
The boys finally woke up around 2PM and Brett arranged for a car service to come pick us up. This was the night we were going to go to the East Village, and
Greenwich Village as well as other more 'hip' places...
We stopped at a store recommended by one of Tony's friends (Search and Destroy) great place to go if you are into hitting the punk clubs.
The East Village was filled with Bohemian shops and an atmosphere to match. I stopped into a Tibetan shop to peruse the oils. I felt so attune to this area, wandering under a crescent moon and finding a Moroccan boutique, buying oils to perfume my skin with to bring my love pleasure (as well as myself for scent is a very important part of who I am...)wearing oils that are as ancient as the culture that helped create civilisation...does something to me - it makes me feel exotic and in touch with a more primal inner woman/child...I become the harem girl...now if only I could find belly-dancing lessons...
We stopped at a coffee shop, briefly and then headed to The Slaughtered Lamb (think American Werewolf in London for dinner (I had the fish & chips). On the way to explore the other end of the Village, Brett took us to Papaya Dog - hot-dog stand (featured on the PBS special on hot dogs) - I even *gasp* ATE ONE!!! LOL - it was actually pretty good...
At that point, Linda decided to take her leave. Brett, Tony and I headed over to the Knitting Factory, a very avante garde club, one of the more 'in' places to hear and see upcoming and fresh new art/performance artists. We got to see Mixel Pixel - they were great and the opening act Valerie Geffner (local performance artist), was pretty interesting as well...
Afterwards, we walked through Tribecca then up to China town and then cut through Little Italy. Finally, we took the subway back. Wandering late at night - there IS no city on earth like NYC. There is a freedom to being out and partying and seeing a city so teeming with life, late night cafes, diners, all-night markets...people walking, talking, laughing, lovers sharing not-so-private-perhaps-they-should-get-a-room moments, the subways packed even at 1AM. I haven't been out and about like this in a big city in decades, it felt amazing, wonderful, almost like second nature and again here is it 2:30 AM - I need to stop journaling this 'adventure' so I can get up and go to mass in 7 hours...
Bonne nuit mes amis....
(more to come...again disregard the typos...I will fix later.)
posted by Colette at 12:34 AM
1 Comments:
I am jealous!
Hope the wonderful time continues.
Peace.
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