A Very Special Day

     "Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes."
                                                                                              Charles Dickens

                Some days are so special, they warrant their own post.  Wednesday was that kind of day.  The weather this year has been wonderful, hasn’t it?  My first full week in New York City this year has not disappointed in that regard.   It has been a perfect Autumn thus far.  Not wanting to waste it, I decided to head out to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. 

            Grand Central had sent me an email about a special Martha Stewart “American Made” event in the Vanderbilt Hall.  “For two days, we're bringing the pages of Martha Stewart Living to life, with editors, experts, and American Made honorees showcasing the season's best artisanal and handmade crafts, gifts, food, DIY projects, and design.” Since I had to go through there to catch the Metro North train to the Botanical Gardens, I stopped in and poked around.  Interesting, you can always find some unexpected happening in this city!

            It was an easy, comfortable ($11 round trip) to the Botanical Gardens, just 3 stops from Grand Central.  I never think to use my AAA card when buying, or traveling, I need to do it more, as it gave me $4 off the $20 entrance fee.  On Wednesdays and Saturday mornings from 10-11 a.m., the grounds of the Garden are free, but I specifically wanted to see “Monet’s Garden exhibit, so I happily paid the admission. 

Fiore




Butterfly

            What a beautiful setting!  Almost immediately, I came upon a gorgeous sculpture, Butterfly, by Manolo Valdes, which I quickly realized was part of his Monumental Sculpture exhibit for the Botanical Gardens.  From the Garden’s website: “Drawing inspiration from the Garden's natural landscape, acclaimed Spanish artist Manolo Valdés brings seven towering sculptures to five distinctive sites in a captivating showcase of the relationship between art and nature.”  As I roamed around I came upon all of his beautiful pieces.

Haupt Conservatory

            Before heading into the Monet Exhibit, I decided to get a bite to east.  The Garden Café was a delight.  I had a bowl of potato leek soup, half a chicken salad sandwich, and a cup of lemonade for under $9.  (wine and beer are also available, but too early for me)  Taking advantage of the gorgeous day, I ate on the patio.

            Then I headed into the truly beautiful Haupt Conservatory which housed Monet’s Garden exhibit. Monet wrote to his friend Paul Durant-Ruel in 1890: “I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.”  And to his stepson, Jean-Pierre Hoschide, “My most beautiful work of art is my garden.”

Elizabeth Murrays' Photos of Giverny

From the Exhibit

 The Curator, Professor Paul Hayes Tucker of the University of Massachusetts Boston is the world’s leading Claude Monet scholar and an expert on Impressionism.  He and his team definitely achieved their mission of creating a stunning tribute to Monet and his beloved gardens.  Included in the exhibit were two rarely seen paintings of Monet’s, one of which has never been seen in the U.S., along with historical photographs in the Rondina and LoFaro Gallery.  Photographs of Giverny, Seasons of Giverny, images taken by Elizabeth Murray, hung in the Ross Gallery.  A wonderful Impressionistic afternoon!

Po from Sarah B on Yelp

                                 From there I headed to Greewnwich Village as I had a Northeastern Cider and Cheese class booked at Murray’s Cheese on 254 Bleecker Street.  Kristi was in the area, so we met for a quick bite.  What we fell upon, literally, across the street from Murray’s on Cornelia Street was Po, one of Mario Batali’s first restaurants.  We shared Po cured tuna, white beans, artichokes, chili-mint vinaigrette followed by Pappardell, braised duck ragut, washed down with a glass Falanghina wine.  Delicious!

Murray's Cheese Shop

We bid farewell till later.  Kristi went off to rehearsal, and I back across the stret to Murray’s.  From it’s website: “Our mission is to bring you the greatest cheese selection while staying true to our Greenwich Village roots. A New York City landmark since 1940, we search the globe to find the tastiest cheeses and specialty foods for New Yorkers and the entire country to enjoy.”  I have been a fan for years, and always wanted to take one of their classes.  Discovering it was Cider Week in NYC, what better time or place?

Aaron Foster, head buyer for Murray’s Cheese, and Ezra Sherman of Eve’s Cidery in the Finger Lakes District of New York guided, and entertained, us through a couple of hours of great cider and cheese.  As a matter of fact, two of the cheeses we tasted were from the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Vermont, one of the proud recipients of Martha Stewarts’ American Made Award!  It was a delightful evening.

Days don’t get much better than this one!

           

Birthday Road Trip

                          The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and        lie about your age. ~Lucille Ball

                 Road trip for Katie’s Birthday weekend, I’m delighted she decided to come to NYC to play with us for her Birthday!  We drove down together after work on Friday and actually made pretty good time.  I was nervous as the week before there had been a 45 mile backup on the Mass Turnpike, but we had no real issues.

from Joe M on Yelp

                By the time we got to our the Happy Healing Home and unloaded the car (took advantage of it and packed it full!), we were hungry.  Deciding to be real New Yorkers, who eat late, we set out.  Stopping in first at Sojourn across the street, it was too crowded so we just walked.  It took a block to find something interesting .   We poked into Bocca on 2^nd Avenue and 78^th Street and decided to stay.  Sitting at the bar we thoroughly enjoyed our shared salad, and a pasta dish for each of us.  Delicious, not too expensive, and a block from home.  Perfect.

                Saturday, we dragged Kristi out of bed and went for a very long walk in Central Park.  It was a gorgeous autumn day.  Looking for the chrysanthemums I had heard so much about we walked along the resevoir up to the Conservatory Garden @ 105^th Street.  Never found the mums, but oh my, the gardens are magnificent.  We came upon  a couple of weddings, gorgeous.   After two hours of walking we decided we owed it to ourselves to have a lovely lunch/brunch @ Cascabel Tacqueria on 2^nd avenue & 80 Street, around the corner.

                Kristi then headed off to work where upon Katie and I hunkered down to started a Downton Abbey marathon.  After watching most of Season One, we dragged ourselves off our respective perches and had a long, leisurely walk to Valhala, on 9^th Avenue and 54 Streets to visit with Kristi.  Finding ourselves hungry we then moseyed along 9^th looking for a bite to eat, and literally bumped into “the Girl next door”” from home.  She and her Brothers, along with my Ladies, fell in love with the arts together, with “Dirty Dancing” being a major instigator.  Her Friend recommended a great little place, Hourglass Tavern on Restaurant Row, W 46^th Street, where we had another wonderful late night supper.  We closed out the evening back @ Valhalla waiting for Kristi to get off her shift.

                Sunday was a truly decadent, luxurious day watching all of Season two of Downton Abbey in our pj’s eating all the comfort food I brought from home.  It was a perfect Birthday celebration for Katie which gave us a restful place of mind to start Monday with a bang.

                 We had a our noon date with Tatzu Nishi’s Discovering Columbus at Columbus Circle.  A Public Art Fund Exhibition (www.Public ArtFund.org.), “Tatzu Nishi is known for his temporary works of art that transform our experience of monuments, stautues, and  architectural details.  His installations give the public intimate access to aspects of our urban environment and at the same time radically alter our perceptions.  For his first public project in the United States, Nishi was chosen to focus on the historic statue of Christopher Columbus.”    It was very cool.  After climbing five stories, you walk into a living room with the statue of Columbus being the focal point.  The  views from the living room window were amazing.

                Following that interesting experience we became “Ladies who Lunch”.  We went across the street to Nougatine @ Jean George on 1 Central Park West and had a long, decadent lunch, with wine, of course!  One of the most renowned chefs in the world offers a 3 course lunch for $33 that is amazing in a lovely environment.

                Very happily satiated, we walked long the Park and ambled into the Plaza for a post lunch glass of champagne.  Too crowded.  So, I took my Ladies to one of my favorite places a few short blocks away, the King Cole Bar at the St Reis Hotel on 55^th Street between 5^th and Madison Avenues.  Awesome.  However, major awkwardness ensued when two Ladies on either side of us who we were happily chatting with turned the conversation into a political one, diametrically opposed from each other, it got interesting, quickly.  So, not only Men do that.  We abruptly bid our adieus and left

                Kristi had to go out to Westchester for rehearsal for an Original Binding Production show later in the week.  Katie and I went home and rested.  Once again, rising to the occasion we went out for yet another late dinner.  Katie found a sushi restaurant she had visited with her College Roommate’s Family.  This time we had to walk three blocks to Sushi of Gari on 78^th Street between 1^st and York Avenues.  This was the real thing, not supermarket stuff I buy on the way home from work!  Really great, interesting, and beautiful! (if not cheap.)

               We joined Kristi at Sojourn, right across the street from home, our new Cheers, where Everyone’s learning our names!

 

 

Allowing myself to be

East River...3 blocks form home

"Spend the afternoon.  You can't take it with you."
                                                                   Annie Dillard, writer

                Allowing myself to be….a New Yorker?!  When I shared with a Patient all the things I was doing during my “Winter in Manhattan Odyssey”, her response was: “That’s great, but you know New Yorkers don’t do that, right?”  (She still owns, but rents, her UWS apartment.)  I admitted that yes, but I had set an example with my Roomies at that time and made them take more advantage of what NYC has to offer!

            Now, since I have a year (although already a month has flown by!), I don’t feel as compelled to be “out there” every moment.  Arriving to the apartment around 1:00am Friday, Kristi was right behind me as she worked the early shift!  So, we sat up chatting (and yes, drinking some wine) for a couple of hours.  But that’s a huge point to this year, as well, healing, and being together.

East River @ twilight



Kristi was up and out fairly early as she actually went home to Milton for a fund-raiser for a dear friend who was tragically killed a couple of years ago.  I had the Happy Healing Home to myself.  I read, wrote, researched some goings on in the city, and got very lazy.  If anything, I’m finding there’s too much to do in this city I’m loving more each week!  Finally, at around 6pm, I made myself get dressed and get out.  None of things I researched got done.  But I did my meander my neighborhood, loving the possibly last summer like evening for the year.  

Sojourn fro our window

Being very hungry, I decided to treat myself to the restaurant literally outside my window, across the street.  I am so glad I did!  Sojourn (79th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) is wonderful.  It seems to be a happening spot for the younger crowd based on the noise with our windows being open.  But early (especially by New York standards) it’s great.  As always when alone, I sat at the bar and had a lovely chat with a Lady from the neighborhood.  She proceeded to introduce to me to Everyone, so I now have my place where people have learned my name!

 

Mike Kelley's Memory Ware

Saturday I had booked another afternoon with New York Gallery Tours (www.nygallerytours.com).. Rafael Risemberg had chosen the Upper East Side, my neighborhood, so it was especially enticing.  I had the added pleasure of finding the Lady who first introduced me to Raphael’s tours, the photographer Robin Platzer (Twin Images).

James Rosenquists' Meta Universe

                It was a wonderful few hours.  Rafael had chosen 4 Galleries in mansions, one in a carriage house, and 2 in traditional spaces.   One of the mansions was actually the site of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Wedding Reception.  What a treat!  This time I really liked most of the art. 


Jean-Michael Othoniel (my favorite)

After the tour I went to Midtown to pick up some information for Wild Berry Traveling at the official NYC Information Center   (www.nycgo.com) on 7^th Avenue between 52^nd and 53^rd Streets.  There are a few other locations in the city as well.  Being in the neighborhood, I decided to try my luck for tickets in for the Book of Mormon lottery.  (2 ½  hours before each show you can enter the lottery which is 2 hours before…great seats for well under the going ticket price, right now only $33).  Alas, no luck again.  Decided to pop in and see Kristi at work at Valahalla (on 9^th Avenue @ 54^th Street) for a bit.  

Karin Kneffel

O Zhang's I Am Your Mirror

Sunday became another lovely lazy day.  We did throw clothes on to go across the street to Sojourn, this time for brunch.  We decided we will become regulars! 

Monday, we both worked!  I started working on my website for Wild Berry Traveling, and if I do say so myself, I'm liking it and am quite proud of myself! (with lots of help from Kristi!)

From Tina C on Yelp

Before heading home, I had the hankering for French onion soup.  So I researched on Yelp and found a little bistro, Le Moulin Cafe, on York bewteen 76th and 77th, 4 blocks away!
 

Another Music-filled Weekend

       "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you imagined." 
                                                                   Henry David Thoreau

 

Original Binding Production Inc Logo

  Another weekend filled with music, this time back in New York City.  Kristi was invited to be a founding member of  Original Binding Productions Inc.  From their Facebook page: “Company Overview:  A not-for-profit multi-media production company with a focus on community and nurturing the growth and performance of original work.”  I have been very fortunate to attend a few of this amazing group of artists’ productions.  This last weekend of September they staged “Paul Caron’s Acoustic Cabaret”.  It was a remarkable and thoroughly enjoyable production.  And yes, Kristi sang!  (Another thing I’m learning is that there are theatres tucked into every neighborhood of New York, in many unassuming places.)

Concert Stage

            Saturday I had another amazing adventure.  I spent the day at the Great Lawn on Central Park volunteering for the Global Citizen Concert.  Years ago, when I brought a dear Friend and two of her Daughters to New York for their first adventure here (I’m the only person she trusted enough to do this!), one of the Girls asked how I knew so much as I shared little tidbits of history, and trivia about New York,  I replied, reading.  That is how I food out about this concert.  I cannot remember for the life of me where I read about it, but when I did the week before the concert, I sent an email.  Simple as that, that is what I have started to do for many things.  When I see something interesting or worthwhile, I ask to volunteer. It’s awesome, especially since I’m on a tighter budget now.  Win-win, I spend enjoyable time with interesting people, helping in my small way.

Directing VIPs

           From their website: “Global Citizen (www.globalcitizen.org) is a tool to amplify and unite a generation’s call for justice. It’s a place for you to learn, and act, to bring an end to extreme poverty.

Global Citizens know that a world that deprives 1.3 billion people of their basic rights and opportunities is unjust and unacceptable. We celebrate the efforts made to cut extreme poverty by half, but recognize more still needs to be done. We know that people living in extreme poverty are working hard themselves, and that we need to learn and take action to change the rules that trap them in broken systems.

We use Global Citizen to learn more about issues, so we can take effective action for change and find opportunities to support campaigns and organizations creating sustainable change. Right now Global Citizen is in launch phase, but in coming weeks and months it will feature new issues, with the latest information and action opportunities, so you can take effective action for change.

Every person has a part to play in writing the story of the end of extreme poverty. Become a Global Citizen, and start your journey here, today.  Global Citizen is powered by the Global Poverty Project. We're a not-for-profit organization whose vision is much like yours: to live in a world without extreme poverty. (www.globalpovertyproject.com)”

            Sunday, both of us being exhausted and bone tired from our busy weekends, we cocooned in our Happy Healing Home, reading, chatting, and ordering burgers from bed!  We ate them on the couch, though.  I’m a true New Yorker now! 

 

Life is Good..the Festival

    "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."  Maya Angelou


                 Not going to head to New York every weekend.  Don’t want Kristi to get sick of me and it can be a bit exhausting, running back and forth, but I’m not complaining!  As I’ve already said, to fill my time, and not sit around wallowing, feeling sorry for myself, (definitely getting tired of that) I have been doing some volunteer work.  For a couple of years I have been trying to volunteer at the Life is good Festival, and finally this year I made it.  Who doesn’t smile when they see any Life is good products?  I have been a fan for years.

             From the Festival Guide:  “The Life is good Company began with two brothers, $78, and an old van just biding its time.  One sketch and a good old house party later, the amazing optimism of Jake was born.  Today, Life is good is committed to spreading the power of optimism and helping kids overcome poverty, violence and illness.  100% of all the funds raised from this Festival will go directly to the Life is good Playmakers, our nonprofit committed to helping kids overcome poverty, violence and illness by partnering with the teachers, social workers, and other frontline professionals who dedicate their lives to care for them.”

                Life is good Festival has been held almost in my back yard for the last few years, at the Prowse Farm in Canton, right at the foot of the Blue Hills.  Saturday was dark and cool when I woke up, but wasn’t raining, thankfully.  By the time I got to the Festival, the sun was shining, and the rest of the weekend was the quintessential perfect Autumn weekend.

                       I was placed in a beverage tent, serving beer, wine , soda, and water.  How perfect a job was that for me?  Brought back many memories of all those basketball and football games when the Girls were in High School; although in those days, of course, there was no beer or wine involved (that’s when I could have used one!)

              The Captain of my tent was an awesome guy.  He has been working for Life is good for a relatively short time in New Hampshire.   A victim of corporate layoffs at JC Penney, he was working in a neighborhood restaurant where Life is good people come to play, and one told him of the opportunity at the company.   When he asked if anyone had heard of “The Secret” (the book by Rhonda Byrne that prompted me to have my “Winter in Manhattan Odyssey”), I knew this was a special man.  How any men read that type of stuff, and admit to it?!

                We had a good team that Saturday, another great guy, Jim, looks a bit like Santa and was the perfect “bartender” greeting and selling for the Kids.  There were many others, of course, but we felt like we created a great working core.  Jim and I made sure to get ourselves back into Mark’s booth for Sunday.  And, we hope to repeat it next year!

            Walking around on breaks, it was unbelievable.  It is truly a family event with lots of activities, games, PLAY, for the kiddos.  Parents were happy with the great music.  And, as I said the weather could not have been more perfect.  I’m hooked.

              Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds were the headliners for the Festival.  He was the last to play Sunday night.  My Girls always went to his concerts when they were in high school (so of course those were fun nights for me with the worry), now it was my turn to hear him live.  Pretty amazing.  All throughout both days, there were many other great musical acts, of course, including Dan Zane & Friends, Michael Franti, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Sarah Jarosz, and so many more.

                A truly wonderful weekend, I read in the Boston Globe $1,000,000 was made for the Life is good Playmakers to continue their amazing work.

               

Settling into "home" in New York

"I love grocery shopping when I'm home. That's what makes me feel totally normal. I love both the idea of home as in being with my family and friends, and also the idea of exploration. I think those two are probably my great interests."      Yo-Yo Ma

A shop in the neighborhood..gotta love the UES!

                   I’m happily settling into living in New York for the weekends.  Took a late BoltBus after work on Thursday night, and surprisingly was not alone.  Thank God I can sleep, or at least dose, most of the way.  Since it was a bit slow going and the bus didn’t get into Manhattan til 1:30am, I treated myself to a cab to our apartment.  (Trying to limit myself to cabs and stick to the MTA most of the time, though.)

            Slow to wake up on Friday, read the Boston Globe online with a cup of tea, Kris had an appointment in the Sutton Place neighborhood midday so I met her and we meandered all the way home along 3^rd Avenue, poking around in the shops, learning our neighborhood.  And, treating ourselves to a lovely gelato!

From their website

Kristi’s old Roommate was getting married that nght so she went home to get ready and I then headed over to my market, Agata and Valentina.  It was the start of the Jewish Holidays and fascinating to watch all the Ladies checking on their food orders.  There was a special on rotisserie chickens, and the nice young lad was actually cutting them up for people, so I joined the crowd.  What is better than that?  I got some spinach to go with it, cheese to compliment the crackers at home, and happily brought this week’s bounty home feeling like quite a New Yorker.  We both picked at the chicken all weekend, and a very proud Mom moment happened when Kristi told me that during the week she made a stock from the remains, and then a soup.         

Grand Central Library from Linda Y on Yelp

Kristi went off to the Wedding and I very happily stayed home and started to watch the show Everyone seems to love, Downton Abbey.  Saturday I woke up and went down to the Grand Central Library on 46^th Street for a free yoga class at 11:00am!  Kristi had told me of free business classes the Science, Industry, and Business Library offers (that branch, is in Murray Hill on Madison @ 34^th Street).  While perusing the New York Public Library website, I noted that there are many classes of all varieties, including these free yoga classes!

From Lynn N on Yelp

            It was a beautiful day so I decided to meander home, again.  It took me much of the day to make my way up to E79th Street, shopping along the way and picking up odds and ends for home.  I even stopped at the coffee shop in my “old” neighborhood, Orchard House Café on 1st and 58^th.  It was awesome.  Once again, I happily bunkered down for the evening when Kristi left for work.

The Lowline Park Exhibit

            Sunday I headed down to the Lower East Side as I wanted to check out an exhibit of the new Lowline Park.  Much like the Highline is a park on an old elevated railroad line that winds up the West side near the Hudson River, the Lowline would be a subterranean park in an abandoned subway station below Delancey Street.  Cool concept.

A Lady Bather I encountered in Soho!

            I then meandered the streets and headed over to Little Italy for the San Gennaro Festival; and quickly meandered out.  I forgot the reason I don’t go to the North End Festivals in Boston.  They are crazy crowded with lots of food I’m trying to stay away from.  My walking took me into Soho where I decided to head back uptown.

Firenze from Yelp

            Did some writing and decided to treat myself to dinner before heading home on a late bus.  I walked around the neighborhood a bit and decided to try out a little Italian place on 2^nd and 82^nd, Firenze.  The construction of the 2^nd Avenue Train line is under way again (has been off and on for many years) and it is really affecting many of the small businesses.  It was a real “old-fashioned” type of place where I had a delicious meal, and was taken very good care of.

           

             

First Weekend "Living" in New York City!

           "All our Dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."  Walt Disney

            First weekend “living” in Manhattan for a year!  I went down after work on BoltBus Friday night. (I have booked BoltBus to try it out, 3 round trips worth of tickets for just about $100.  With BotlBus after 8 one way tickets, you get one trip free. So I have just 2 to go!) 

            Getting used to my late nights again in New York City. There’s truly something about that.  This city is just one giant night owl.  Saturday morning I headed out to take a walk along the East River and the skies opened up.  So, being right across from my new favorite market, Agata & Valentia, I went in for a cup of coffee (which came with 2 free mini-blueberry muffins!).  I picked up the neighborhood newspaper and happily read, while people watching. (Apparently I just missed a Robin Williams sighting as people right behind me were excitedly chatting about it!).  It continued to pour so I picked up some delicious chicken burgers stuffed with spinach and provolone, homemade tabouli and went home.   Read and visited with Kristi as she was beginning to stir from her night at work and we shared the bounty I had brought home.



"Some of the most bequiling paintings of fin-de-seicle Paris".  The New York Time..from the Jewish Museum website

            I then headed out for the day. First to the Jewish Museum (on 5^th and 92^nd), which is free on Saturdays.  There was an Edouard Vuillard: A Painter and His Muses exhibit which looked interesting.  I knew a bit about him, and I loved what I learned and saw.  He lived in the heyday of the Paris Salon world, and his benefactors, Misia Natansan and Lucy Hessel were two of the best “Society Ladies” of his times.  Oh my, how I would have loved to been a part of the Paris Salon world.  The company I would have kept: poets, writers (Colette), composers (Debussy, Ravel), theatre (Caruso), artists (Picasso, Laurencin, Cocteau), and designers (Coco Chanel)!   How much fun would that have been?!  (When I started Artemis Connections a few years ago, that was exactly what I envisioned, and dreamed of..)

          Leaving the Jewish Museum, I happily meandered the streets of the Upper East Side.  Oh, my, have you ever really just given yourself the time to do that?  The homes and buildings are truly magnificent.  I tried to get some pictures, but couldn’t capture any well with my trust-worthy IPhone (although, I must say, that little camera on my IPhone is pretty amazing!).  Passing a small gelato shop, Ciao Bella (E 92 between 5th and Madsion), I decided I owed it to myself. 

The Guggenheim Museum

Guggenheim Atrium

          Then I went to the Park and read for an hour while waiting for 5:45pm.  The Guggenheim (5th Avenue and 89thStreet) is pay what you want form then to 7:45 pm.  I was not alone with that plan, but thankfully the line moved quickly as the skies had opened up again.  The major exhibit was “International Abstraction 1949-1960”.  I finally decided, and accepted, that I am not a fan of abstract art.  I understand it’s blasphemous to not love Jackson Pollack, but there, I admit it.  There was also a major retrospective of a renowned photographer, Rineke Dijkstra, primarily of children.  Her work haunts and disturbs me, and makes me sad?  I did enjoy the museum’s own collection, a little of this, and a lot of Picasso, who I’m starting to like a bit better.  The Museum itself is something to behold, of course, being considered one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces.


The "Met" @ Dusk

                   From there I started walking down 5^th Avenue, truly content. 
Passed by the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and continued to the Carlysle Hotel.  I had decided to treat myself to a glass of wine at Bemelman’s Bar in the Carlysle Hotel.  Ludwig Bemelman, the author of the Madeline series of books, painted a famous mural in the bar.  Beautiful.  I noticed a Woman sitting alone, so I asked if I could join her, and my one glass turned into a few.  But it was worth it, as we had a delightful evening together.  She is a psychologist with the Navy and works at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. (Thank you for that!).  She was in New York for a conference, and treating herself to a vacation her as she’s originally from the East, and went to college in Cambridge.



Bemelman's Bar from The Carylse Hotel website

              (At one point we both noticed an “elderly Gentleman” hanging around behind us…we had a good giggle acknowledging that with neither would he get lucky!  Full disclosure: I have always been boy crazy.  I remember chasing the boy next door when we were 4 or 5 and trying to kiss him.  His brothers would hold him down so that I could.  I have always been a boy watcher.  I now find myself checking out the 30 somethings..ewww, I know.  The 70-80 somethings may, or may not, be checking me out….so, there we have it!)

            After a wonderful day and evening, I happily went home!  Did I mention that this whole day was spent walking?! 



The King Cole Bar at The St Regis Hotel. Photo from Yelp

              My new Friend had another Bar she wanted to check out while she was in town, the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis, also adorned with a famous mural.  This one is by Maxfield Parrish.  Having been there I assured her it was wonderful.  We made plans to meet there Sunday @ 5pm before I headed home.  I enjoyed their tuna tartar as a light dinner before my bus ride.   We also chatted with another Lady, an ESL tutor living on Long Island.  I was able to make two lovely connections, sharing my business cards for Wild Berry Traveling, while having a lovely time!

TImes Square

Broadway on Broadway Stage

              Sunday was a gorgeous day and I didn’t want to waste a minute before meeting my evening date, so I willingly headed to Times Square as there was a celebration of Broadway on Broadway Hosted by Kathie Lee Gifford, excitedly pushing her upcoming show “Scandalous”, it was actually a great couple of hours!  Not too crowded, it was Times Square after all, but to be entertained with music and performance by shows such as Once, Stomp, Bring it On, Spiderman, Chicago, a Motown medley, and more on a late summer Sunday was wonderful.

                I then meandered home through a street fair that stretched for blocks in my neighborhood.  I used to be enamored of these, but now having been to a few, I realize that they all hawk the same stuff..jaded New Yorker already?!  I did, however, pick up a cute a bamboo plant for our new Happy Healing Home.  Learned that bamboo brings luck…definitely could use some of that, right now!