Day four in NYC

Hotel wouldn’t let me check out late. I was ready to stay in bed until the cab came for the airport. Oh well.  Packed, showered, dressed and out by 10:12.

I stayed at the Quin Hotel (a Hilton property) on west 57th street. This street was quite a hub of artists and musicians especially after Carnegie Hall was built (less than one block from the Quin) in early 20th century.

The Quin was formerly known as the Buckingham and hosted artists such as Georgia O’Keefe and Marc Chagall. Across the street is a lovely building with large bay windows — the plaque on the building (in photo) explains that artists lived and worked in these spaces, including my fave American Impressionist Childe Hassam who painted a holiday scene with flags of this street (in photo). 

The next photo shows some more buildings on the street including the one on right that has Steinway carved into the building — from a time when many music-related businesses were here. The art & antique store on left is a reminder when many prominent galleries selling current works by Picasso and other early 20th century artists.

I like the ghosts on this street. 

I am walking around New York, mostly Broadway and Times Square area. There’s a building here called the Brill building. In the late 1950s and ‘60s a lot of pop music publishers worked here; a ton of huge hits from that era came out of this building — Carole King, Burt Bacharach, Paul Anka… All sorts of talented people worked out of this building. But it faded away by end of the 60s with the British invasion and other things going on in the world. And pop music publishing moved elsewhere.

Now there’s no acknowledgment anywhere around the building that it’s anything special. There’s some other business that rents it out and a CVS downstairs. It was designated a historic landmark in the last decade, but they haven’t put up any plaque.

I took some photos of the outside and then I went to the lobby and took pictures of the absolute gorgeous elevators. The building is from the 1930s I believe and is beautiful just in its own right. I mentioned to the security guard that I was interested in it because of the famous music history. He had no idea this building had any special significance at all.

Finally bought Jon’s sardines. 

Stopped at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Said a little prayer for Stephen Colbert, who I’m sure is fine. Sorry I never got to see a show.

Had blah pizza and bought a croissant for the airport. Had nice taxi ride with a lovely man with 4 sons who spent years in Colorado. Airport was a breeze and I was at my gate more than 2 1/2 hours early. Got to chill out in reclining seat and charge my phone. 

Bye NYC. Until next time!

Day three in NYC

SO! Today I was lazy in the morning and lolled about in bed quite late— two days of walking will have that effect. I had made plans in evening  for a theater date with a friend so I had all day to myself and I did not rush. My plan: rent an ebike, make my way to to Met Cloisters museum, which is 7.4 miles away. I had a list of sites to see along the way.

In the past I’ve rented Citibikes which charge by the minute. And they have no lock or helmet. I’d have to return the bike when I got to the Cloisters or anywhere else I wanted to go inside. Then hope I can find a new bike to rent later. OR! This year, I tried a local shop that rents e-bikes. Citibike for 6 hours would cost more than $150. But at the shop I was able to rent an ebike for $90 until 6 pm — including a lock and helmet! So I saved as much as $60, while being safer and having more flexibility.

So off I went into Central Park on an e-bike and the weather was PERFECT. Absolutely phenomenal. I cannot stress enough how lovely the temperature and the park and the whole ride was. 

I went to St John the Divine Cathedral — which I adored and where I spent more than an hour (more on that separately). And I rode over to Riverside Park, and up to Grants Tomb (closed, as I knew) and Columbia University. 

At this point, I’d really enjoyed the biking. And I was less eager to go into a museum. I know the Cloisters is lovely and is in a park that would be nice in this perfect weather. But it was another half hour more plus then time at the museum and then an hour plus back south and I worried I’d be so tired and stressed on the ride back.

Instead I rode over to see the outside of Alexander Hamilton’s house (also closed). Then I rode to see the church led by the father of Michael Forsyth’s dad for 30+ years. 

Next I discovered Santa Claus St (aka St Nicholas Ave) runs straight through Harlem! And then over to the Apollo Theater — which doesn’t seem quite so edgy now with a Gap across the street and a Banana Reouvlic next door. Of course, a white woman doing a self guided Ebike tour of Harlem also  suggests it’s not as dangerous as once considered.

And finally at 4:00, I finallly stopped for “lunch” at Melba’s for soul food. The mac & cheese was literally to die for. It’s true — it was way better than white people mac & cheese. 

Then I rode back to the bike store, arriving at 5:55. Got my moneys worth out of that bike! 

Google Maps says I did just over 12 miles, but there was some back and forthing. And this ebike wasn’t as easy to ride as my bike at home, and those north Central Park hills — hoo whee. I definitely got a great work out.

I saw so many neat old brownstones and buildings and took photos of barely anything. I only got honked at once, so I think I was a good NYC bike citizen. 

Evening:

I felt like I was perhaps settling for my 3rd show to see an intimate rom com called Two Strangers: (Carry A Cake Across NY).  And yet, … I LOVED it. The two actors were fantastic, the set was clever, the story was unexpected, and many genuine laughs. 

And I got to see it with my pal Phyllis Jo. And we made a friend from Minneapolis. Though we never got her name. 

Day two in NYC

Things I did today instead of doom scrolling:

1. Stopped at Tiffany jewelers, but did not have breakfast
   
2. Took photos of Art Deco decorations on NYC buildings
   
3. Hailed a cab successfully
   
4. Learned about and admired Roy Lichtenstein’s art
   
5. Blissed out on Whitney Art Museum’s 5th floor terrace, overlooking Highline park
6. Inspired to make notes of art projects to do
7. Deleted phone game I’d been playing obsessively and had started spending $$ on which I’d promised myself I wouldn’t
   
8. Walked through Greenwich Village
   
9. Said prayer for LGBTQ+ community at Stonewall
   
10. Ate a perfect grilled cheese sandwich
    
11. Bought more fancy chocolates
    
12. Researched cool buildings and cool street makes I saw   
    
13. Blissed out on a PERFECT autumn day in Washington Square Park with NYU students, a jazz trio, artists, freaks, Hare Krishnas and pigeon
14. Resisted telling college kids around me: ENJOY THIS. It will never get better than a perfect autumn day in a park laughing with your friends. It can be as good, but it’ll never be better. 

After taking this photo and starting to head out under the arch, I spoke with the artist at that table. And I bought a piece for Peter. 

Part 2:

Gratitude Oct 19

I am grateful for changing plans, the internet, cute welcoming restaurants, beef sandwiches and Beaujolais wine, and comedy legends.

SO! I made plans yesterday that today I’d go to a particular slightly expensive restaurant, Monkey Bar. I’d read reviews of their $40 prime rib French dip and figured I’d splurge. The glasses of wine start at $20. (Justified after “saving” $40,390 yesterday! 😜😃)

But then this afternoon I was just so relaxed at Washington Square and stayed longer than planned, and then rush hour taxi ride took longer too. So I scratched that idea and just went to my hotel. 

So I was chilling in my room, thinking about my plans to go to Carnegie Hall across the street at 7:30, but I thought I really *need* to eat something first. Looked at restaurants around hotel/Carnegie hall… found a cute little French place around the corner… which lo and behold… has a French dip (doesn’t mention if it’s prime rib…), and it’s $27 and the wine is $10. 

So this time, I saved $23… 😃 Which is good since I spent $111 to go to see John Oliver, Josh Johnson, mary beth barone, Roy Wood Jr and others at Comic Relief at Carnegie!

NEXT

On the elevator at Carnegie Hall, this tall black man behind me speaks. And I said, I could believe you were Roy Wood Jr if you told me you were. Sounded like him mostly. He laughed and said in fact he did a podcast with Roy for years. 

Huh!

So I looked him up. His name is Ralph Cooper III. And then I messaged him via Instagram which is cringe, but whatever. Also, after seeing Roy Wood Jr at the comedy gig… the two do NOT sound alike. What was I thinking. 

EDITED TO ADD: and he wrote me back and thanked me and now we follow each other.  

Day one in NYC

I’ve been in NYC 2 hours* and I’ve touched Cyndi Lauper’s clothes**, bought two discounted theater tickets*** — $83 total! — and am about to eat NY pizza****. And I’ve walked 7500***** steps so far. 

* Was up at 4 am to get to airport by 5, to deal with a surprisingly packed airport, and an especially long security line, to arrive at my gate five minutes before boarding. All that pain and hassle was worth it because then I was in Manhattan by 11 am. 

**Couldn’t check in to hotel yet, so  I checked my suitcase and wandered out of the hotel. Immediately next door is an auction house with a display of Cyndi Lauper clothes through the years and Stanley Kubrick props (two separate auctions, of course). I got to touch Cyndi Lauper’s clothes — first off she’s tiny, as I knew. I told the 20-something auction house employee that I saw Cyndi Lauper the first time in 1983! The Kubrick stuff is expected to go for tens and hundreds of thousands. No touching them — they were under glass.  I decided against bidding on an axe from The Shining that is expected to go for $40,000. 

***I wandered to the box office of the theater showing Oh Mary, where I used the phrase I learned from a theater-savvy friend: “rush ticket for one.” I got a ticket for $43 for tonight. Per the show’s website, the only tickets left for tonight were more than $400. Then I walked to the box office for the theater showing Schmigadoon, and did the same and got a ticket for $40 for this afternoon. I’d already passed the TKTS booth with the 45 minute long line where discounted Schmigadoon tickets were starting at $81, or $91 per the website. Now,  my seats may (probably) suck… but it’s always fun to save a few hundred dollars. I did my part for the Theater paying full tourist price in prior years.

****Best pizza. Good and greasy. Also, I’ve now come to theater district enough that I’m at a pizza place I’ve been to before. Yay Carnegie Pizza on 41st St.

***** Tax season, I often have days of less than 2000 steps — something I say every season I won’t do again, and yet I do.  A trip to NYC certainly gets me moving again. Love a walkable city.  

ACCOUNTING ADDENDUM: so I saved approximately $40,390 today. This trip is paying for itself! 😆😆😆💰💰💰

Dessert before two shows: German chocolate cake 

THEATER

Schmigadoon was delightful and clever and great dancing and laughs. But you can save yourself a trip to NYC by watching the Apple TV show. The musical was nearly word for word exactly the TV show. Fun to see live, but having seen the TV show, I wasn’t quite so blown away by the musical.

Oh Mary! Good campy fun and crazy revisionist history. It was funny. But did not live up to the hype of the most amazing cutting edge show ever. I enjoyed it… but not enough to see it again when it tours through Tampa.

Got free merch from both shows thanks to Robyn. I didn’t go overboard: a cup and magnet at Schmigadoon and a set of ones from Oh Mary!

ADDED: Two years ago in Italy, my aunt and my daughter and I stopped at Venchi chocolate in Florence Italy. And the chocolates are so good, I was slowly savoring them day by day. Still had a few when we were in Naples and my bag got stolen — CLASSIC Naples story. My bag had a couple small souvenirs from Florence and Venice and the last of my Venchi chocolates. So then today I was walking down 7th Avenue in New York and there is a Venchi chocolate. So I bought myself some yummies and I will do my best not to let my bag get stolen this time. 

End of day: 13,680 steps. And I’m in bed at 9:30 pm.

Things I did the last 3 days instead of doom scrolling

1. Overslept
   
2. Dealt with kitchen sink clog at son’s condo, talking to two plumbers 
3. Drove home to my house and cuddled my cat who missed me
4. Went Victorian-themed craft & mocktail event at the library
5. Watched end of season 1 of Traitors US while starting to pack for NYC
   
6. Met plumber, paid to have sink repaired; realized I should find a YouTube explainer next time
7. Got COVID vaccine
8. Signed up for a nature sketch class 
9. Booked mini Orlando vacation 
10. Filled out 8 birthday cards 
11. Dyed ends of my hair purple 
    
12. Helped assemble a bed
    
13. Helped reduce freezer overload by finishing coffee ice cream 
    
14. Went to” Swantoberfest” at local swan-themed brewery with hubby and daughter 
15. Decorated our garage doors with magnets   
16. Napped with hubby & cat 

What a morning

The bad morning actually started before I woke up! I was having anxiety dreams about bookkeeping and about having messed up some bookkeeping. I woke up at one point long enough to realize that it was definitely a dream, and I had not actually done the bookkeeping I thought i had done. And i went back to sleep, and in the next dream, it resolved itself that whatever the dream bookkeeping was, I had done it properly. But good lord!

Gremlins have taken over Peter’s apartment! Peter and I both overslept an appointment — though in the gremlins’ defense, we didn’t set alarms. Then my laptop and the kitchen disposal died at the same time. What a morning.

Isn’t it nice when someone doesn’t post just the good stuff on social media? 😆😆😆😆😜

Peters physical therapy is rescheduled. Laptop is better after it rebooted itself without prompting. And plumber is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Life is already looking up.

Happy National Dessert Day

prompted by my friend AG:

Fruit dessert? Pears and cheese 

Cake? I like a lot of cake — as long as it’s not dry. My faves include: German chocolate cake, classic vanilla cake with chocolate buttercream, lemon, gingerbread 

Pie? Apple, or pumpkin but only the last two weeks of November, or chocolate chess pie 

Ice cream flavor or ice cream/topping combo? Coffee or chocolate mint chip or vanilla with hot fudge sauce 

Cookie? All of the ones I make: lime sugar, cocoa thin, gingerbread twigs, chocolate cherry, curry, peppernuts, gingersnaps — that’s off top of my head 

Brownie? Yes with Walnuts

Cheesecake? Margarita cheesecake — the only one I’ve ever made and it’s hubby’s fave 

Other dessert/sweet you love? Tiramisu. Apple crisp.

Basically I love sweet.