Writing Weekend

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”     Sylvia Plath

The Blue Room @ The Algonquin

Excited for a nice long weekend, I got onto my Bolt Bus late Thursday night after work.  Arriving in time to wish Kristi good night, I continued with my sleep as well.  Friday was a treat as we were able to spend it together.  We “Lunched as Ladies” at the Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel in Midtown.  It is pricey, but I had a Blackboard Eats code (www.blackboardeats.com.  Free to join, it will offer codes to restaurants in different cities.  I don’t believe Boston is part of it.) for 30% off, so our $90 bill became $60.  We thoroughly enjoyed our calamari, quesadillas (huge), and homemade potato chips and onion dip (Remember when onion dip was a staple of entertaining? I haven’t made it for years, may have to do it again).  The Algonquin is one of NYC’s famous older hotels, a National Historic Landmark since 1987, and was a haunt for many literary notables. 

 From it's website: From its inception, manager (and later owner) Frank Case created a vision for The Algonquin as New York’s center of literary and theatrical life. His enduring fascination with actors and writers led him to extend them credit, in the process luring such luminaries as Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. and John Barrymore.
 
Famed women flocked to the hotel as well, as The Algonquin was unconventional early on in accommodating single women guests. Over the years, these have included Gertrude Stein, Simone de Beauvoir, Helen Hayes, Erica Jones, and Maya Angelou.

Three Nobel laureates visited on a regular basis, including Sinclair Lewis (who offered to buy the hotel), Derek Walcott, and most memorably William Faulkner, who drafted his Nobel Prize acceptance speech at The Algonquin in 1950.

Friday evening we went to the Metropolitan Room (W22nd between 5th & 6th Aves.) for a jazz cabaret. Kathryne Langdord gave us a lovely evening of entertainment.  I was able to get those tickets for $4 each through Play by Play!

You know when you’re playing on the internet?  You get lost for hours, and sometimes find really interesting things, but can’t remember, or have no idea how you found it?  Well, that happened to me a month or so ago, and I found the International Women’s Writer’s Guild (www.iwwg.org).  From its website: The IWWG, founded in 1976, is a network for the personal and professional empowerment of women through writing and open to all regardless of portfolio. As such, it has established a remarkable record of achievement in the publishing world, as well as in circles where lifelong learning and personal transformation are valued for their own sake. The Guild nurtures and supports holistic thinking by recognizing the logic of the heart--the ability to perceive the subtle interconnections between people, events and emotions- alongside conventional logic.

Sculpture found on Park Ave

I gave myself the gift of going to the IWWC Spring Big Apple Conference.  It was amazing.  I met so many incredible Women.; all writers, all supportive and encouraging of each other, with no selfish agenda.  I felt like I had been on a major retreat.  In Saturday’s workshop, “Mother May I?  Woman and Words Since Betty Friedan,” we were led and guided by Eunice Scarfe, a published author who teaches at University in Canada.  At lunch that day I simply went to downstairs to the restaurant, Smorgas Chef, and thoroughly enjoyed Swedish meatballs, & lingonberries, chive mashed potatoes, julienned vegetables, and gradd sauce, with a lovely glass of Rose.  I was joined by another enjoying the Conference with me.  She is the Director of an Opera Theatre and has worked all over the world!  I went home exhausted.

Scandinavia House

Sunday the day began with a book fair of published IWWC authors.  It was enjoyable speaking with these lovely Ladies, and I purchased a few of their books.  Then Amy Ferris lead us in another great writing workshop, “Righting your Life by Writing Your Life”; an amazing morning.  Amy Ferris is an author, editor, screenwriter and playwright. Her memoir, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions From a Midlife Crisis (Seal Press) is off-broadway bound.  I had lunch with another interesting Lady who is an NPR broadcaster in Baltimore, is giving away her Yoga school started many years ago before yoga became the fashion, and is thinking of teaching in a Masters of Science Program of Yoga at the University level.  The afternoon was spent “pitching” your book ideas, projects, to as many as eight agents.  I met with seven, and got some great, thoughts, suggestions, and guidance.

Sunday night, before I headed out for the evening, I was pleasantly surprised to have some crackers, cheese, and wine with Kristi  Then I again treated myself! to Rita Wilson’s Cabaret at Under 54, sight of the venerable Studio 54 from the 70’s.  The Cabaret is located downstairs where the VIP Lounge was.  So I enjoyed the space of the famous Andy Warhol, et al and all their bacchanalia!  Standing behind me in line were Ed Burns and his wife, Christy Turlington (beautiful).  And, yes, Ms. Wilson’s Husband, Tom Hanks, was in the house, sharing his wife’s crooning with Dianne Sawyer, and I believe Harvey Weinstein!  Fun, and the food was delicious!

Outside The School of Practical Philosophy

Monday, I chilled, cleaned, then went into zombie mod when Katie called, and my Niece texted asking if I was okay.  The Marathon Bombings had just occurred, and my office is less than a block from the Marathon finish line.  They forgot I was still in New York  I started my Philosophy and Sustained Happiness course that night.  (right on our street, 79^th, just a few doors from Central Park!).  I wasn’t much of a contribution to the class, but I’m glad I went, and will make up for it next class!

My Ladies really weren’t comfortable, or happy, with my plan to head home on a very late bus, in light of the confusion and chaos Boston was that night.  So, I got up very early Tuesday morning.  I would have made it to my noon patient, except our whole neighborhood in Boston is part of the Bombing crime scene so we couldn’t go to the office.  It’s Wednesday now, and we don’t know when we can go back..Please pray for my Hometown, most especially the Families of the Angels killed and hurt.