Winter in the City

New York was a great success—far fewer tourist targets than our trip in November with the Brits, and definitely felt more able to get from point A to point B. We survived the Chinatown bus with little incident—unless you count the guy who was snoring so loudly that I thought he would inhale his tongue, or the fact that the bus driver kept assuring us that it was a “good, strong bus line!” I’m not sure the metaphor of health and buses go together, but for $60RT I’ll take it. And, of course, there is nothing like spending time with a cousin like mine—just as sassy, newly brunette and always got my back.

Some highlights:

-The pillows at the Marriott Marquis. They made up for the Mall of America/Minority Report theme of the 50-story hotel.

-Visiting the Wall Street Bull (or, as my little German friend calls it, “The pig at Wall Street”) and getting our picture taken whilst surrounded by a throng of Euros who were all diving toward The Bull for a picture as if it were Santa Claus. Apparently, it is a “must see” for the rest of the world.

-Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close and realizing it’s not as big as you think.

-The Neue Gallerie and lots of real life entertaining chats with this charming lady about (among other things) Gustav Klimt’s obsession with naked, “reclining” ladies and big blue smocks.

-Taking the Shoe Express elevator at Saks Fifth Avenue and admiring the beautiful creations up close and personal.

-Sipping a glass of wine at The Algonquin Hotel

-The wonderfully quintessential elderly New York couple sitting next to us at Zabar’s—insert Billy Crystal-impersonation here: “What would make you think I would want that in my coffee? Eh?” I heart the Upper West Side.

-The Strand Bookstore. And I’ve only ever made it to the first floor!

Some lowlights:
-Walking through a brief blizzard on Fifth Avenue in boots NOT made for walking.

-Times Square.

-The homeless man peeing in our subway car and yelling like a maniac ala Samuel Jackson’s crackhead character in “Jungle Fever.”

-Freezing to death on a park bench OUTSIDE of Magnolia Bakery with a so-so cupcake and spilling Café au lait on my coat

-Watching “Cloverfield” illegally on the Chinatown Bus while stuck in the Holland Tunnel.

I feel, with this, my sixth trip to New York City, I have finally cracked it just a little bit. It is so larger than life that it is difficult to get a grasp on what is a real rhythm of the city and what is just imagined from images and characterizations you have seen elsewhere. It’s always a familiar and foreign experience when I visit, a lot like a dream, actually. Now I feel like next time I return, I can go to specific things without stress and pressure to run from one thing to another.

In other news, Virginia rocked it for Obama! I have never been so excited to cast my vote—seriously. Last time, not so much. Viva Change!