a determined walking Liam
What a day! A planned Saturday February 13 outing with a dear friend, all set, with meeting places and times. A play at 2:15 PM at 59E59 http://www.59e59.org/
I am a member and am all puffed up with the perks I would be receiving all day-discounted parking, free drinks, discounts tickets, restaurant discounts.
Followed by dinner at Blossom http://www.blossomnyc.com/site/ In between, meet at Starbucks, the train for me, a car and parking for her.
I have often written of my LIRR adventures, and this day began at the New Hyde Park train station. I arrive at 11:25 for my 11:35 train. Our play is at 2:15PM on the East side, so I allow for trouble and a 40 minute walk up and across town, west side to the east side. Something is immediately amiss. The board says the 11:35 train is delayed, but the 12:35 is on time. My suspicions rise. Why? If the first one is delayed, then a domino effect must ensue, derailing all the "on-time" trains coming after mine. This turns out to be true. The DELAY is changed to CANCEL and the waiting room erupts. The group is a raucous, irreverent diverse mix. It is Saturday and all seem to be headed for social events, so the disappointment turns into humor. The LIRR is reviled with glee. We hear an announcement that they are ordering another train to stop for us at 12:07PM, adding only a half hour to my trip. It comes around 12:10 and those on the train grumble when we pack in. I get to Penn by 12:50 PM. As we pull in, the conductor announces "the first four cars will not platform, go east everyone" more grumbling and an undercurrent of anger towards the New Hyde Park train orphans ( as if we caused this to happen)!
I try to look as if I am from Huntington knowing the New Hyde Park group is irrationally being blamed for the non-platforming train. My coat says "North Face," but I am sure the Huntington travelers took it for "New Hyde Park Face."
I trot off for my walk uptown , dreading Broadway which pulls me west like a magnet. I resist Broadway's pull and trek along, freezing cold and in awe of those pedestrians wearing short jackets, gloveless, scarfless and hatless.
see my suggested route up 5th Avenue in blue-(I actually walked up Madison)-you will see the logo for the Starbucks -where we have planned to meet.
I have sent the Starbucks address to my cell. I get there, go in, get my latte, sit and wait. This is a great Starbucks, two big lounge chairs, coffee bar in the middle, banquettes in the back, nooks. What a fine meeting place! I glance at my messages and see the address I have is not this one. I am in the wrong Starbucks!!!!
Text message exchange
me- I am in the wrong one
friend-I am in the parking garage
me-going to the right one
where?-57th/Lex
me-now in the right one
But I wasn't-this one was merely a kiosk, a shell of a real Starbucks, like an indoor hot dog stand.
Turns out, I was in the right one originally. Here I sit in 2nd Starbucks on a rickety stool, drinking the latte from the luxurious Starbucks. My friend arrives, having just left the correct Starbucks, buys her drink. We then advise the standing patrons to go to the nice one across the street. See I can be a tour guide!
Play-stunning, passionate all that http://www.themaninroom306.com/
Friend never found the discount lot recommended by 59E59. So we are snagged for typical NYC garage prices, not the promised $15 rate.
Must be hidden from the street, a secret entrance, I vow to find it another day.
Next stop, dinner
Back to the west side-Blossom. Not easy to get in. Only windows,
no door it seems. We walk into "Bamboo." The Host immediately looks at us and says "you want 'Blossom'." (Double quotations marks, I looked it up)Yes, we do. She explained that we must follow the signs. The Blossom's door is unmarked looking like the door to an upstairs apartment. We gingerly open it and are in!
Our meal has many luscious, fresh creative dishes-(parsnip soup-yummy)
ravioli with cashew cream, pine nuts and white mushrooms 
vegan classic lasagna, tapioca cheese, ground seitan, roasted eggplant over marinara 
chocolate ganache with a snowball 
and Heller cabernet
and more not shown.We plan for me to be on the 7:51 PM train at Penn. This all falls apart when we get stuck on 34th and realize even if I run making the train is impossible. Then I notice I am without tote. The tote holds the NYTimes, USA Today, a library book, Time magazine, my 59E59 membership card, directions and a tiny notebook. We ride back downtown to Blossom. Tote has been turned in. We ride back to Penn, on 8th Avenue this time. I am dropped off and soon see all the 8th Avenue entrances are closed due to a concert. I must walk all the way to 7th Avenue.
On the way I see the Empire State with Valentine's Day colors
I snap it. Why not? I now have 45 minutes to hang around Penn to catch the 8:51PM.I arrive home at 9:30 PM.
An amazing journey!
I notice on Sunday that my sunglasses are missing-they come back to me Tuesday. Thanks, friend.
What can I say about my performance? Certainly not as stellar as the actor in our play. I choose to see it as just a jaunt around town. Things lost, things found. Too much multitasking, too many items with me. One change- I am no longer bringing a tote bag. I am getting a huge bag, maybe suitcase size, like the homeless, I must carry a lot with me to deal with possibilities. What if the train gets stuck? I need reading material. A song pops into my head.
East side, west side
All around the town
The tots sang "Ring-a-Rosie,"
"London Bridge is Falling Down."
Boys and girls together,
Me and Mamie O'Rourke,
Tripped the light fantastic,
On the sidewalks of New York.
from wikipediaLiam waits at home trekking about the yard in the snow (he is back by the fence)
walking the perimeter
thinking, which way next, east side, west side? Woof, woof
