Back to Manhattan after Sandy

"It is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and what id sone in love is done well."  Vincent Van Gogh

           Back to Manhattan after Sandy, and it’s amazing.  New York City is a truly resilient beast.  Thankfully, Hx3 was not affected at all, no power was even lost.  (Kristi was able to reach out to friends living in the East Village to give them a place to shower.)

City Hall Park

            I had a chance to get to Lower Manhattan as I went to an orientation for New York Cares.  (Similar to the organization I have done a lot of volunteer work with in Boston, but older, and bigger.)  The offices are in the Financial District a few blocks away from the miraculous St Paul’s Chapel.  When I picked up a few things at Century 21, they were doing a dollar for dollar match for donations for victims of Sandy.  Impressive.

Boat Basin in Central Park

            Friday night before Kristi went to work, we had a bite to eat across the street at Sojourn, one of our homes away from home.  Delicious as always.  I hung in that night as I arrived quite late the night before.

Jazz Performers in the Park

            Saturday I had tickets for Eve Ensler’s new play.  It was grey but mild so I decided to walk through Central Park as the first annual Jazz and Colors (30 Bands, 30 Locations, 1 Set List) was taking place.  Central Park has been closed twice for a few days each in the last couple of weeks, first because of Hurricane Sandy, then due to a Nor’Easter one short week later.  There was still plenty of color left on the trees.  A beautiful walk surrounded by awesome jazz…doesn’t get much better than that!


Jazz Performer in the Park

       Eve Ensler has written yet another provocative, moving, and disturbing play in Emotional Creatures, the secret life of girls around the world.  The cast of young Women was amazing.  It is playing at the new theatre complex, The Pershing Square Signature Center which is a great space.  After the play I decided to indulge myself with a glass of wine and a light bite at their bar.  I ended up spending a lovely couple of hours chatting with another interesting New Yorker, Muriel, who had taught in High School, and actually performed in showing of Ms. Ensler’s most famous play to date, The Vagina Monologues.  My new Friend is like me in that she has a passion for travel, so we swapped stories a bit.  Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped into Valhala to have a quick visit with Kristi before heading home.

The Film Center on 9th Avenue

            Sunday I had been invited by Alex, a regular at Valahala to join in an International Food Tour of Hell’s Kitchen.  His company, Manhattan Walking Tour (www.manhattanwalkingtour.com ) is the official tour company for Times Square with its office actually located in the information office at Times Square.  I actually got to meet the founder of the company, Gary as he was giving this tour.  His love and knowledge of his home town, and in this case, his neighborhood, was apparent as soon as I met him.   It was a wonderful few hours on a perfect fall day spent with a really great group of people.

            Home to spend a few hours in the Hx3 with Kristi before heading back to Boston for another work week.

Check out my website: www.wildberrytraveling.com.  And, perhaps refer a friend, or family member if they need guidance for trips to New York City?  Thanks!