Week 21 Milder weather finally

                            "Instead of thinking outside the box, get rid of the box."  Deepak Chopra

Still feel like I’m recovering from a couple of very busy weeks.  How did I work full-time, and run the All Night Party all those years (among other things)?  One answer could be that I was 15-20 years younger.  That’s okay, I do thrive in being busy and productive; which is good as I have been invited to take on some more projects; more on that later.

Seen while on errands

 I used to hate errands.  Dealing with traffic, parking, in and out.  Of course, I appreciate that being on Sabbatical, and having the huge gift of time changes everything.  But, simply jumping on a train for a couple of stops, then walking; past the Plaza, Central Park, then down 5^th Avenue, somehow makes it more exciting.  I actually giggled as I passed a Guy my age nonchalantly walking down the street smoking a joint.  “Yes, Bob, the times, they are a’changin”! 

Following my errands I went to one of my favorite places, the Library for a free reading.  From the NYPL website: Break-A-Leg Productions presents: "Delicious Comedy Reading Series" (Love Lasts Beyond February 14) -"The Square Root Of Love," by Daniel Meltzer, an O. Henry and Pushcart Prize winning author of many stories, memoirs, essays, poems, and plays. This stage reading portrays four preludes to love from youth to old age, from innocence to maturity.

·         In The Square Root of Love, two genius level college students discover that Man or Woman does not live by intellectual pursuits alone. 

·         A Good Time for a Change finds a successful executive and her handsome young male secretary ready to make a change. 

·         The Battling Brinkmires are George and Marsha Brinkmire, a middle aged couple who have come to Haiti to get a "quickie" divorce.  This one has a surprise ending. 

·         In Waiting for to Go, we are on a jet waiting to take off for Florida. He's a retired plumbing contractor who thinks his life is over she's a recent widow returning to her home in Hallandale."

It doesn’t get much better than that!  My Memoir Class is also keeping me busy.  Just getting there and back takes up a good part of my Wednesday.  No complaint, as it’s interesting, with lovely Ladies.

The Algonquin

Lobby of the NY Bar Assoc.

I joined my new friend and hairdresser at her Toastmaster’s meeting for a luncheon.  I have always been fascinated by Toastmasters.  We’ll see.  As always, I love seeing different buildings in the city. The SEC Rough Riders Toastmasters meets at the NY Bar Building in Midtown.  It’s beautiful.  Because I was right across the street, I decided to do some reading in a place I just recently read was one of the best places in the world to read!  The Algonquin Hotel, made famous by Dorothy Parker and Friends for their lunchtime Round Table.  It is lovely.

Kris and I finally caught up, and lunched as ladies at the little French restaurant, Lucien, in the East Village.  It was a long, leisurely one with wine.  The perfect French onion soup and cassoulet, followed by tarte tartin were just what the doctor ordered for a drizzly, foggy day.  A lovely nap was the icing on the cake.

On a perfectly mild day, my Philosophy friend and I celebrated after class with a great lunch salad at Hi-Life in our 'hood.  We then went down to the Village for some culture.  Classical pianist Emir Gamsizolgu led us in a Birthday party for Chopin at Caffe Vivaldi.  I was delighted when my Friend announced it was the most relaxed she had been in a very long time.  A perfect Saturday afternoon.

From Gallery website

To complete my week I ventured down to Essex Street Market (which is very awesome) to meet with a new friend at Cuchifritos Gallery & Project Space. We met and melded well while working wth Artivists for Vday.  We are planning another project together.  Another dream getting fulfilled; having a life in the arts?  A very interesting performance piece is taking place in the gallery.  A young photographer, Kathleen Ching, has a solo exhibit, Pain is Invisible, presented and supported by the Richard and Mica Hadar Foundation.   Very interesting.
 
Walking to my train through the LES into Soho, enjoying the mild weather, I passed a gritty little bar, Sweet and Vicious, advertising hot spiced cider and a heated patio. Don't mind if I do! I thoroughly enjoyed my first outdoor cocktail (spiked with whiskey) while catching up on some reading. Lovely way to end a nice Sunday.