Dear Friends,
Just got back from a few days in New York City with my brother. We listened to Beowulf interpreted by Seamus Heaney on the way down.
Its not the thing you fear, but the mother of the thing you fear.
A perfect trip downstate, not one hitch, arrived at the Edison hotel on 48th street and all was astonishingly smooth. Had guava margaritas and spinach soup at a nearby mexican restaurant and made our way down to the village on foot to listen to some jazz. (over 50 blocks away) In the village, but looking for a particular spot, on Waverly place and Christopher street. Really turned around and couldnt find our way, although we were in the village already. I knew I could orient myself if I could find Washington Square Park, so asked a couple of cops who turned out to be real comedians: How do you get to Washington Square Park?
"You want to buy drugs?"
"Its miles away"
"You cant get there from here"
"Are you gonna carry her?"
"If you walk straight through that blue neon sign on that building, you might get there eventually"
This was Buds favourite part of the trip.
At the jazz club, eating a knish, drinking beer, listening to jazz with my brother in the heart of Greenwich Village...I felt as though I was in heaven. We listened to Dave Binney's Balance. OUt of this world saxophone playing and drumming. They played for two hours straight.
Tried to take the subway home, something was wrong so we walked. NOw its about 1am. We're walking home on this beautiful night and there is an old black man playing the trumpet as beautifully as I have ever heard in my life. THere is no one around, its 1:00 in the morning, still and quiet and this gorgeous trumpet playing. I went over to him and he sang me a song, and again, this lovely clear sweet voice comes out. I am amazed at this singing and playing. He tells me he used to play with Otis Redding. I invite him to join us for a coffee. He says he's got to stay and spread the word of Jesus. I tell him I'll put in a few words if he'll sing again. He does, and we part. The cops might have been Buds favourite part, but this was definately mine. We continue our walk uptown in the middle of the moonlit and starry night. We are walking up seventh avenue. We smoke a bit and Now its 2am and we pass a hot dog stand and I realize I am starving, only eaten a knish four hours ago. So have the most delicious hot dog I ever tasted and another intimate discussion with the hot dog vendor. (in the middle of the night on a deserted street) Feels like some sort of alternate universe. We get to Times Square (not deserted at all) and have cheesecake and peppermint tea at the Roxy deli. Collapse at the hotel with blistered feet. (Bud had old bandaids)
Next day took the subway uptown to 96th street, tried to find the hotel we were originally going to stay at but couldnt. Walked through Central Park, another blissful thing for me, although if it was just me, I would have lingered more, we walked across quite quickly. To the Neue gallery on 86th street, but it was closed. We had lunch there and walked to the MOMA. AHHHHHHH.........................................................................................Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Monet, Pollack, Jasper Johns, Kadinsky:"Colour directly influences the soul" , Jeff Wall photographic exhibit.....after a few hours we left there reeling........sat on the floor at the Metropolitan Opera waiting for $20 Rush tickets to see Turandot. They ran out 3 people ahead of us. Still, we were overwhelmed culturally already, so altho a little disappointed, we realized we were a bit too full for Turandot at the Met. Ate and drank some more, read The Times, and decided to just walk around Times Square a bit. Someone handed us a flyer for a comedy club, what the hell, neither of us had ever been to a comedy club before. There were 8 of us in the audience. About 15 comedians at 5 minutes each with horrible over priced drinks and terrible comedy. But for some strange reason, it was a lot of fun.
Left the next day. Went to two cemeteries in Queens to try and find our grandparents, but to no avail.
Back to Albany. Eating, shopping, watching tv. This has its place and its good to do those things with my folks. HOpe to have my Israel plans in place on Monday.
Just got back from a few days in New York City with my brother. We listened to Beowulf interpreted by Seamus Heaney on the way down.
Its not the thing you fear, but the mother of the thing you fear.
A perfect trip downstate, not one hitch, arrived at the Edison hotel on 48th street and all was astonishingly smooth. Had guava margaritas and spinach soup at a nearby mexican restaurant and made our way down to the village on foot to listen to some jazz. (over 50 blocks away) In the village, but looking for a particular spot, on Waverly place and Christopher street. Really turned around and couldnt find our way, although we were in the village already. I knew I could orient myself if I could find Washington Square Park, so asked a couple of cops who turned out to be real comedians: How do you get to Washington Square Park?
"You want to buy drugs?"
"Its miles away"
"You cant get there from here"
"Are you gonna carry her?"
"If you walk straight through that blue neon sign on that building, you might get there eventually"
This was Buds favourite part of the trip.
At the jazz club, eating a knish, drinking beer, listening to jazz with my brother in the heart of Greenwich Village...I felt as though I was in heaven. We listened to Dave Binney's Balance. OUt of this world saxophone playing and drumming. They played for two hours straight.
Tried to take the subway home, something was wrong so we walked. NOw its about 1am. We're walking home on this beautiful night and there is an old black man playing the trumpet as beautifully as I have ever heard in my life. THere is no one around, its 1:00 in the morning, still and quiet and this gorgeous trumpet playing. I went over to him and he sang me a song, and again, this lovely clear sweet voice comes out. I am amazed at this singing and playing. He tells me he used to play with Otis Redding. I invite him to join us for a coffee. He says he's got to stay and spread the word of Jesus. I tell him I'll put in a few words if he'll sing again. He does, and we part. The cops might have been Buds favourite part, but this was definately mine. We continue our walk uptown in the middle of the moonlit and starry night. We are walking up seventh avenue. We smoke a bit and Now its 2am and we pass a hot dog stand and I realize I am starving, only eaten a knish four hours ago. So have the most delicious hot dog I ever tasted and another intimate discussion with the hot dog vendor. (in the middle of the night on a deserted street) Feels like some sort of alternate universe. We get to Times Square (not deserted at all) and have cheesecake and peppermint tea at the Roxy deli. Collapse at the hotel with blistered feet. (Bud had old bandaids)
Next day took the subway uptown to 96th street, tried to find the hotel we were originally going to stay at but couldnt. Walked through Central Park, another blissful thing for me, although if it was just me, I would have lingered more, we walked across quite quickly. To the Neue gallery on 86th street, but it was closed. We had lunch there and walked to the MOMA. AHHHHHHH.........................................................................................Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Monet, Pollack, Jasper Johns, Kadinsky:"Colour directly influences the soul" , Jeff Wall photographic exhibit.....after a few hours we left there reeling........sat on the floor at the Metropolitan Opera waiting for $20 Rush tickets to see Turandot. They ran out 3 people ahead of us. Still, we were overwhelmed culturally already, so altho a little disappointed, we realized we were a bit too full for Turandot at the Met. Ate and drank some more, read The Times, and decided to just walk around Times Square a bit. Someone handed us a flyer for a comedy club, what the hell, neither of us had ever been to a comedy club before. There were 8 of us in the audience. About 15 comedians at 5 minutes each with horrible over priced drinks and terrible comedy. But for some strange reason, it was a lot of fun.
Left the next day. Went to two cemeteries in Queens to try and find our grandparents, but to no avail.
Back to Albany. Eating, shopping, watching tv. This has its place and its good to do those things with my folks. HOpe to have my Israel plans in place on Monday.
