Oct. 31, 2010
Trick or treaters (young ones) were out all day. Apparently it is the custom here for businesses to give out treats, so parents take their kids to all the local shops in their neighborhood.
I started the day by going to the Old Amsterdam Market. It wasn't as big as I thought it might be. It was smaller than the Pearl Market in San Antonio, I think. There was a much larger one at Union Square when I was there the other day. But many of the sales people were dressed for Halloween, and parents were there with their kids in costume. One cute one was a girl wearing a white apron and a chef's hat. I had my brunch there. I got a fantastic pork sandwich from Porchetta Restaurant. It was tender with a nice herbal flavor, and it had small chunks of crispy skin in it. Then I had a dried cherry-pecan scone as dessert.
From the market, I decided to walk to the Century 21 Department Store on Cortlandt Street. It is renowned as a place for getting specials in New York. My impression of it was that it is a lot like Stein Mart. Everything is discounted, and they have lots of name brands of merchandise. The store was full of shoppers buying big baskets full of clothing. I checked out the flannel slacks to see if they had a better buy than Costco. Their price was lower, but the pants needed hemming and they seemed to be of a lesser quality. It was so crowded that I was out of there within 10 minutes. But that gave me enough time to realize the Danes know about the store. Two different couples were shopping in different areas of the store and speaking Danish. Then at the subway stop nearby, another Danish couple was waiting for the train with a shopping bag from there!
Century 21 is right across the street from the World Trade Center Site. Still, nothing is above ground level there. They have cleared all the messages, photos, stuffed animals, etc., from the fences. And signs say that you can see the outline of the reflecting pools which will represent each of the original towers. I didn't investigate it, however. I'm ready for there to be a new building there. Then I will want to go see the building itself.
Unfortunately, the Halloween Doggie Parade never materialized for some reason. I went to the park where it was to be held. Nothing was happening. I sat and read for about 1 1/2 hours and bought a pineapple-carrot muffin from a market stall there for a snack. Then I checked again. Still nothing was happening. It's too bad. Guess the Alamo Heights Doggie Parade during Fiesta at home is still the best place to enjoy people dressing their pets in costumes and parading them.
After a rest back at the apartment, I headed out for the BIG parade--the Village Halloween Parade. The website says it has been selected as the best event happening anywhere in the world on Oct. 31. It was fantastic. It lasted about 2 hours. There were bands, organized groups, and individuals in it. Among the groups was one with its members dressed appropriately and performing Michael Jackson's Thriller, one representing Chilean minors and carrying a module like the one that brought them up, one where everyone carried long poles topped by "critters" with pull-wires to make their mouths open and close, etc. There was a small group of 4 men dressed as bugs and carrying a mattress--Bed Bugs! Because of the cold weather, the number of the more daring and adventurous outfits was limited, but there were some. One woman passed holding a cape closed; the man behind her said, "She's not wearing anything under that." I got some good photos, because a man beside me had a professional camera and kept asking groups to stop for a photo. Unfortunately, however, my battery went dead about halfway through the parade. A replacement I had went dead after 2 more photos! So I just enjoyed the rest of the parade without worrying about photos. Lots are already online from previous parades, and I imagine many from tonight will be posted within a day or two, also. Here's a link to Google Pictures.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Searching for Elusive Halloween Processions
Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010
It was a sunny day, but the air was still rather cold due to the continuation of high winds. If those winds would just disappear!! But I guess that is not likely in a city that is surrounded by water.
I decided it should be a rather lazy day exploring Park Slope in Brooklyn. It is considered one of the great neighborhoods in the whole country. There are two parallel streets that serve as shopping districts for the area--5th Ave. which is more multicultural and a bit poorer, and 7th Ave. which is more upscale. Between and on either side of both streets are small tree-lined streets filled with wonderful old 2- to 4-story townhouses which often are still individual residences. I walked both streets and wandered on the side streets. I stopped at a bagel shop to get a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese for a light lunch. Then I stopped at a park and read for about an hour.
From there, I walked to downtown Brooklyn, an area I check every time I come to New York. It was once a great government and shopping center. However, it went to seed about the time that downtowns all over America did (in the late 50s/early 60s). The potential for revival has been there, however. And somehow, Macy's, in the old Abraham and Straus Department Store building, has continued to hold on (although it has been in great need of remodeling for 30 years and still has not been touched). Well, today the area is finally going through a revitalization process. The sidewalks have been rebuilt and widened and the main street (Fulton) is being narrowed. There are now shops in almost every building, and some of the name-brand stores are coming into the area. New condominiums and offices have been built inside the district. It's such a pleasure to see this turn-around. It still isn't assured success, however. Too many of the shoppers seem to be poor Blacks and Hispanics with the whites in the neighborhood apparently driving their cars to the regional centers that are nearby. There is absolutely no reason, however, that downtown Brooklyn should not be as successful and trendy as the major retailing and government districts of Manhattan.
I was hungry for more pizza from Patsy's, so I took the train from Brooklyn to 116th Street in Manhattan. First, I walked to Costco and bought a cola. There, I enjoyed having dinner appetizers--Caribbean cheese with mango chutney, Irish cheese with bagel chip, guacamole with tortilla chips, bourbon-flavored boneless chicken wings, Italian bread dipped in spicy Italian sauce, pretzel M&Ms, warm cinnamon roll, etc. From there, I walked the two blocks to Patsy's and had a slice of plain pizza.
It was 5:30 p.m. by then, so I returned to the room and read for about two hours. It being Saturday night and the night before Halloween, I figured people would be out in costumes, so I left at 8:00 in search of them. I went to Greenwich Village where several got off the train and walked down the streets, but there was no critical mass of them to enjoy on the sidewalks. I took a train to Times Square thinking maybe they would be there showing off. A few were, including a man in a sailor uniform and a woman in a petticoat skirt recreating the famous picture from the end of WWII and a group of men in soft body pajamas. But again, there were crowds of people with few of them being in costume. I headed back to Greenwich Village to find things had not improved. Then I walked through SoHo where I saw more than elsewhere. None were parading for the benefit of watchers, however. They all seemed to be going to parties. Surprisingly, I saw more in the neighborhood closest to my apartment than anywhere else, but maybe that was because it was then 10:00 p.m. and time for going to parties. I'm quite sure now that that was the goal of those who were out tonight. Tomorrow will be when they are out for showing off to the public, and I plan to be there.
It was a sunny day, but the air was still rather cold due to the continuation of high winds. If those winds would just disappear!! But I guess that is not likely in a city that is surrounded by water.
I decided it should be a rather lazy day exploring Park Slope in Brooklyn. It is considered one of the great neighborhoods in the whole country. There are two parallel streets that serve as shopping districts for the area--5th Ave. which is more multicultural and a bit poorer, and 7th Ave. which is more upscale. Between and on either side of both streets are small tree-lined streets filled with wonderful old 2- to 4-story townhouses which often are still individual residences. I walked both streets and wandered on the side streets. I stopped at a bagel shop to get a cinnamon-raisin bagel with cream cheese for a light lunch. Then I stopped at a park and read for about an hour.
From there, I walked to downtown Brooklyn, an area I check every time I come to New York. It was once a great government and shopping center. However, it went to seed about the time that downtowns all over America did (in the late 50s/early 60s). The potential for revival has been there, however. And somehow, Macy's, in the old Abraham and Straus Department Store building, has continued to hold on (although it has been in great need of remodeling for 30 years and still has not been touched). Well, today the area is finally going through a revitalization process. The sidewalks have been rebuilt and widened and the main street (Fulton) is being narrowed. There are now shops in almost every building, and some of the name-brand stores are coming into the area. New condominiums and offices have been built inside the district. It's such a pleasure to see this turn-around. It still isn't assured success, however. Too many of the shoppers seem to be poor Blacks and Hispanics with the whites in the neighborhood apparently driving their cars to the regional centers that are nearby. There is absolutely no reason, however, that downtown Brooklyn should not be as successful and trendy as the major retailing and government districts of Manhattan.
I was hungry for more pizza from Patsy's, so I took the train from Brooklyn to 116th Street in Manhattan. First, I walked to Costco and bought a cola. There, I enjoyed having dinner appetizers--Caribbean cheese with mango chutney, Irish cheese with bagel chip, guacamole with tortilla chips, bourbon-flavored boneless chicken wings, Italian bread dipped in spicy Italian sauce, pretzel M&Ms, warm cinnamon roll, etc. From there, I walked the two blocks to Patsy's and had a slice of plain pizza.
It was 5:30 p.m. by then, so I returned to the room and read for about two hours. It being Saturday night and the night before Halloween, I figured people would be out in costumes, so I left at 8:00 in search of them. I went to Greenwich Village where several got off the train and walked down the streets, but there was no critical mass of them to enjoy on the sidewalks. I took a train to Times Square thinking maybe they would be there showing off. A few were, including a man in a sailor uniform and a woman in a petticoat skirt recreating the famous picture from the end of WWII and a group of men in soft body pajamas. But again, there were crowds of people with few of them being in costume. I headed back to Greenwich Village to find things had not improved. Then I walked through SoHo where I saw more than elsewhere. None were parading for the benefit of watchers, however. They all seemed to be going to parties. Surprisingly, I saw more in the neighborhood closest to my apartment than anywhere else, but maybe that was because it was then 10:00 p.m. and time for going to parties. I'm quite sure now that that was the goal of those who were out tonight. Tomorrow will be when they are out for showing off to the public, and I plan to be there.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Cold and Windy
Friday, Oct. 29, 2010
It was a big change in weather between yesterday and today. We started out with cold weather and rain. By the time I left the apartment, however, it was mostly cloudy with some spots of sunshine, and the rain had stopped. The wind, however, was so high that it made the day seem much colder than it really was.
I decided to go to the TKTS booth at South Street Seaport to see what plays they had for half price tonight. None of them interested me, and the off-Broadway plays I had considered seeing were not listed. There is a website where I could get half-price tickets to the ones that interest me, but I don't have a printer with me; I don't know if tickets can be bought at the website and reserved for pickup at the box office or not. Anyway, it isn't critical to me that I see any of them.
From there, I headed to Brooklyn. I decided to explore the Williamsburg district. It is a trendy part of the city right now, especially since it is just across the Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan. New development is occuring throughout the area. Yet Bedford Avenue, the main street, is a lot like the downtown of a village, especially on its northern end. It's a mixed neighborhood, but the Hassidic Jews stand out due to their clothing and the curls hanging in front of the men's ears.
At one time, Williamsburg was a Polish neighborhood. There are probably quite a few older Poles who still live there. I ate lunch at the Northside Bakery, a Polish bakery/restaurant. I ordered a cabbage roll and mashed potatoes. The roll was huge--as big around as a fist and about 6 inches long. It was stuffed with meat, rice, etc., and topped with a tomato sauce. Then I ate what they recommended for dessert--a donut-shaped sweet that was actually a circular cookie with a hole in it topped with cream and whole hazelnuts and dipped in a thick dark chocolate. My total bill was $5. I have to admit, however, that the sweet was a bit too sweet even for me!
I returned to town, because it was really too cold with the high winds to be outside exploring. I headed to Union Square to see what a New York branch of Whole Foods looks like. I was amazed at the business it had. I know that New York went decades with only small neighborhood super markets and an occasional small gourmet market. And I also knew that they had gone wild over Whole Foods since it arrived providing them with a real supermarket with a high-end emphasis. Well, now I can't believe that they put up with the crowds to shop there. The line of people buying 10 items or less wound around and through the store with an employee standing and holding a sign to indicate the end of the line for more people to know where to join! There must have been 75-100 people in that one line!! I couldn't even get close enough to see what the basket checkout lines were like. It was like all Whole Food stores--clean with lots of choices with an emphasis on high quality.
From there, I walked further up the street to Madison Square Park so I could explore Eataly, an Italian food specialty store with restaurants that just opened on Aug. 31. It was filled with customers and had just about anything Italian anyone could want. Already, there are many photos of the place on Google.
By then, I was tired and cold and returned to the apartment to read during the early evening hours. I went back out to explore my neighborhood in the evening. Some people were already out in Halloween costumes. I am hoping that it will be warm enough tomorrow night and Sunday night for there to be many more out. I grabbed some pizza from a local place that had a long line, but I was disappointed to find it was no where near the quality of what I bought at Patsy's yesterday. Then I returned to the room for the night. I'm tired from being so active the first few days of my trip.
It was a big change in weather between yesterday and today. We started out with cold weather and rain. By the time I left the apartment, however, it was mostly cloudy with some spots of sunshine, and the rain had stopped. The wind, however, was so high that it made the day seem much colder than it really was.
I decided to go to the TKTS booth at South Street Seaport to see what plays they had for half price tonight. None of them interested me, and the off-Broadway plays I had considered seeing were not listed. There is a website where I could get half-price tickets to the ones that interest me, but I don't have a printer with me; I don't know if tickets can be bought at the website and reserved for pickup at the box office or not. Anyway, it isn't critical to me that I see any of them.
From there, I headed to Brooklyn. I decided to explore the Williamsburg district. It is a trendy part of the city right now, especially since it is just across the Williamsburg Bridge from Manhattan. New development is occuring throughout the area. Yet Bedford Avenue, the main street, is a lot like the downtown of a village, especially on its northern end. It's a mixed neighborhood, but the Hassidic Jews stand out due to their clothing and the curls hanging in front of the men's ears.
At one time, Williamsburg was a Polish neighborhood. There are probably quite a few older Poles who still live there. I ate lunch at the Northside Bakery, a Polish bakery/restaurant. I ordered a cabbage roll and mashed potatoes. The roll was huge--as big around as a fist and about 6 inches long. It was stuffed with meat, rice, etc., and topped with a tomato sauce. Then I ate what they recommended for dessert--a donut-shaped sweet that was actually a circular cookie with a hole in it topped with cream and whole hazelnuts and dipped in a thick dark chocolate. My total bill was $5. I have to admit, however, that the sweet was a bit too sweet even for me!
I returned to town, because it was really too cold with the high winds to be outside exploring. I headed to Union Square to see what a New York branch of Whole Foods looks like. I was amazed at the business it had. I know that New York went decades with only small neighborhood super markets and an occasional small gourmet market. And I also knew that they had gone wild over Whole Foods since it arrived providing them with a real supermarket with a high-end emphasis. Well, now I can't believe that they put up with the crowds to shop there. The line of people buying 10 items or less wound around and through the store with an employee standing and holding a sign to indicate the end of the line for more people to know where to join! There must have been 75-100 people in that one line!! I couldn't even get close enough to see what the basket checkout lines were like. It was like all Whole Food stores--clean with lots of choices with an emphasis on high quality.
From there, I walked further up the street to Madison Square Park so I could explore Eataly, an Italian food specialty store with restaurants that just opened on Aug. 31. It was filled with customers and had just about anything Italian anyone could want. Already, there are many photos of the place on Google.
By then, I was tired and cold and returned to the apartment to read during the early evening hours. I went back out to explore my neighborhood in the evening. Some people were already out in Halloween costumes. I am hoping that it will be warm enough tomorrow night and Sunday night for there to be many more out. I grabbed some pizza from a local place that had a long line, but I was disappointed to find it was no where near the quality of what I bought at Patsy's yesterday. Then I returned to the room for the night. I'm tired from being so active the first few days of my trip.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Warm, Sunny Weather
Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010
Today was supposedly the last summer-like day for New York this year. Tomorrow and for the foreseeable future, the temperatures will be in the high 50s. Since November is arriving, it is doubtful that they will reach the 70s again. Today, it was about 74. So everyone was out enjoying the nice day. People were sunbathing, sitting on the lawns, rowing boats, etc.
I spent the latter part of the morning around New York University (NYU). I like that neighborhood, and it has improved so much over the years. Now lower Broadway near there has been transformed into one of the nicer shopping districts of the city. It has a combination of big stores (including a branch of Bloomingdales) and small shops including some (like the Shakespeare Book Store) that have been around for ages. I wanted to make a couple of reservations. First, I stopped at the Frederick Lowewe Theatre on the campus to try to make reservations for a percussion concert. Eventually, I was just told to show up between an hour and an hour and a half before the performance. Then I needed to wait until noon to reserve a seat for a play I want to see on Monday. During the wait time, I explored Washington Square, a nice park near the university, and then I headed to St. Mark's Place, a street lined with small eateries and shops.
At Washington Square, I sat on a bench and read from the novel I have with me. The square was full of people enjoying the day. Next to me, an Asian lady was feeding the squirrels. Before I knew it, one had hopped up on my shoulder!! They have lost all fear of humans.
On St. Mark's Place, I searched for a particular restaurant called Baoguette which is known for its good Vietnamese sandwiches--banh mi. I ordered mine spicy and to go. Then I continued to walk the streets as I ate it.
Back at NYU after 12:00, I went to the office of the theater department and reserved a ticket for Monday night. Then I headed down 12th street to find the end of the High Line, the raised linear park that has been built along the abandoned rail lines that used to bring meat and produce to the market area between Greenwich Village and Chelsea. I had a bit of trouble finding it, because it actually terminates a couple of small streets away from 12th Street. But when I did find it, it was full of people again enjoying the beautiful weather. I walked the entire distance of the portion of the park that is open. Two more segments will open later, and the next segment looks as if it is almost ready. Right now, however, the park terminates at 20th Street. It has spurred lots of redevelopment along the way with both old buildings being reconditioned for new uses and new buildings going up. Because the park is raised, there were great views toward New Jersey and toward Midtown.
I grabbed a train to head to Central Park. I decided it would be better to make my return visit today to get the photos while the weather was warm and many people were out than it would be to come on a cooler day even if that day would be sunny as is forecast for now. I entered the park at 72nd Street where many tourists were taking photos of the John Lennon monument near the Strawberry Fields. For the most part, I traveled the same route as yesterday except in reverse. I went through The Ramble where I got lots of nice photos of colorful trees. Then I stopped by Belvedere Castle. Eventually, I ended up at the northeast corner of the park at the Conservatory Gardens.
Since it was getting late in the afternoon, I decided to head back into Harlem to enjoy a snack as an early dinner. It amazes me how Harlem has improved over the years. I've always been curious about that section of the city. On one of my first trips to New York, I decided to explore it hoping that I would be safe. I entered from the north side of Central Park. By the time I had gotten to 116th Street, just 6 blocks into Harlem, I was uncomfortable. The buildings had graffiti, the sidewalks were strewn with trash, some lots were grown up, and adult men lingered in groups on the sidewalks. I turned and walked over a couple of blocks and then headed back south. On later trips, I took the subway all the way to 125th Street, the main east/west street in Harlem and explored it. Because of it being daylight and because so many people were on the street, I figured I would be safe. But the area still was depressing. Today, Harlem has changed. It is clean, buildings have been renovated, other buildings have been built from scratch. Remove the signs, and someone dropped off there would have a hard time guessing where they were in New York. It feels perfectly safe to walk down any of the streets. This afternoon, I walked about 8 blocks into Harlem and turned and walked another 8-10 blocks.
My goal was Patsy's Pizza at 118th Street and First Ave. It is a New York institution known for its coal-fired ovens. Their high heat produces a crust that is browned with burned spots. I got in line and ordered two slices--plain pizza (cheese and tomato sauce) which I topped with crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, and oregano. Then I stood at the window counter and ate them. UMMMM! They were big slices, too. Total cost--$3.50 plus tax.
Well, I was back within just 3-4 blocks of Costco, so I headed there to get a cheap drink and to score some snacks while biding my time until I needed to head to NYU again for the concert. I almost bought me a pair of the flannel slacks they were selling, but I decided not to. They have to be dry cleaned, and I wasn't sure about the appropriate size. Instead, I wandered and tasted samples. Also, I started noting more differences in products between this store and the ones in Texas. This one has Kosher food--meats, breads, and deli items. And among the specific items I saw that looked interesting and are not available in Texas were Jamaican spicy patties, cannoli, plantain chips, lamb shanks, Kirkland Ancient Grains Granola, kibbie balls, creamed spinach, lobster ravioli, taboule salad, and bread pudding.
The concert at NYU proved to be even better than I had expected. It was their Percussion Ensemble performing. What I didn't know in advance is that this is an annual concert that brings together their percussion group and their student composers. All twelve pieces that were performed were new compositions having their premieres. They were fascinating pieces--modern, sometimes strange sounding, but always fascinating. NYU must have a phenomenal music program. It has an enrollment of 1600 students and has 400 faculty members. The Percussion Ensemble consisted of at least 30 members, and they must have had at least 8 kinds of marimbas that were being played as a part of the concert. Anyone not knowing better would have assumed them to be professionals.
That took me up to 10:00 p.m., so I headed back to the apartment for the night. Thank goodness, the weather was still mild, because I had not taken my coat with me today. I was still in a short sleeve knit shirt. I walked a few blocks and caught the F Train back home, barely making it before I needed to urinate!! It's sometimes difficult to find toilets in New York!
Today was supposedly the last summer-like day for New York this year. Tomorrow and for the foreseeable future, the temperatures will be in the high 50s. Since November is arriving, it is doubtful that they will reach the 70s again. Today, it was about 74. So everyone was out enjoying the nice day. People were sunbathing, sitting on the lawns, rowing boats, etc.
I spent the latter part of the morning around New York University (NYU). I like that neighborhood, and it has improved so much over the years. Now lower Broadway near there has been transformed into one of the nicer shopping districts of the city. It has a combination of big stores (including a branch of Bloomingdales) and small shops including some (like the Shakespeare Book Store) that have been around for ages. I wanted to make a couple of reservations. First, I stopped at the Frederick Lowewe Theatre on the campus to try to make reservations for a percussion concert. Eventually, I was just told to show up between an hour and an hour and a half before the performance. Then I needed to wait until noon to reserve a seat for a play I want to see on Monday. During the wait time, I explored Washington Square, a nice park near the university, and then I headed to St. Mark's Place, a street lined with small eateries and shops.
At Washington Square, I sat on a bench and read from the novel I have with me. The square was full of people enjoying the day. Next to me, an Asian lady was feeding the squirrels. Before I knew it, one had hopped up on my shoulder!! They have lost all fear of humans.
On St. Mark's Place, I searched for a particular restaurant called Baoguette which is known for its good Vietnamese sandwiches--banh mi. I ordered mine spicy and to go. Then I continued to walk the streets as I ate it.
Back at NYU after 12:00, I went to the office of the theater department and reserved a ticket for Monday night. Then I headed down 12th street to find the end of the High Line, the raised linear park that has been built along the abandoned rail lines that used to bring meat and produce to the market area between Greenwich Village and Chelsea. I had a bit of trouble finding it, because it actually terminates a couple of small streets away from 12th Street. But when I did find it, it was full of people again enjoying the beautiful weather. I walked the entire distance of the portion of the park that is open. Two more segments will open later, and the next segment looks as if it is almost ready. Right now, however, the park terminates at 20th Street. It has spurred lots of redevelopment along the way with both old buildings being reconditioned for new uses and new buildings going up. Because the park is raised, there were great views toward New Jersey and toward Midtown.
I grabbed a train to head to Central Park. I decided it would be better to make my return visit today to get the photos while the weather was warm and many people were out than it would be to come on a cooler day even if that day would be sunny as is forecast for now. I entered the park at 72nd Street where many tourists were taking photos of the John Lennon monument near the Strawberry Fields. For the most part, I traveled the same route as yesterday except in reverse. I went through The Ramble where I got lots of nice photos of colorful trees. Then I stopped by Belvedere Castle. Eventually, I ended up at the northeast corner of the park at the Conservatory Gardens.
Since it was getting late in the afternoon, I decided to head back into Harlem to enjoy a snack as an early dinner. It amazes me how Harlem has improved over the years. I've always been curious about that section of the city. On one of my first trips to New York, I decided to explore it hoping that I would be safe. I entered from the north side of Central Park. By the time I had gotten to 116th Street, just 6 blocks into Harlem, I was uncomfortable. The buildings had graffiti, the sidewalks were strewn with trash, some lots were grown up, and adult men lingered in groups on the sidewalks. I turned and walked over a couple of blocks and then headed back south. On later trips, I took the subway all the way to 125th Street, the main east/west street in Harlem and explored it. Because of it being daylight and because so many people were on the street, I figured I would be safe. But the area still was depressing. Today, Harlem has changed. It is clean, buildings have been renovated, other buildings have been built from scratch. Remove the signs, and someone dropped off there would have a hard time guessing where they were in New York. It feels perfectly safe to walk down any of the streets. This afternoon, I walked about 8 blocks into Harlem and turned and walked another 8-10 blocks.
My goal was Patsy's Pizza at 118th Street and First Ave. It is a New York institution known for its coal-fired ovens. Their high heat produces a crust that is browned with burned spots. I got in line and ordered two slices--plain pizza (cheese and tomato sauce) which I topped with crushed red pepper, Parmesan cheese, and oregano. Then I stood at the window counter and ate them. UMMMM! They were big slices, too. Total cost--$3.50 plus tax.
Well, I was back within just 3-4 blocks of Costco, so I headed there to get a cheap drink and to score some snacks while biding my time until I needed to head to NYU again for the concert. I almost bought me a pair of the flannel slacks they were selling, but I decided not to. They have to be dry cleaned, and I wasn't sure about the appropriate size. Instead, I wandered and tasted samples. Also, I started noting more differences in products between this store and the ones in Texas. This one has Kosher food--meats, breads, and deli items. And among the specific items I saw that looked interesting and are not available in Texas were Jamaican spicy patties, cannoli, plantain chips, lamb shanks, Kirkland Ancient Grains Granola, kibbie balls, creamed spinach, lobster ravioli, taboule salad, and bread pudding.
The concert at NYU proved to be even better than I had expected. It was their Percussion Ensemble performing. What I didn't know in advance is that this is an annual concert that brings together their percussion group and their student composers. All twelve pieces that were performed were new compositions having their premieres. They were fascinating pieces--modern, sometimes strange sounding, but always fascinating. NYU must have a phenomenal music program. It has an enrollment of 1600 students and has 400 faculty members. The Percussion Ensemble consisted of at least 30 members, and they must have had at least 8 kinds of marimbas that were being played as a part of the concert. Anyone not knowing better would have assumed them to be professionals.
That took me up to 10:00 p.m., so I headed back to the apartment for the night. Thank goodness, the weather was still mild, because I had not taken my coat with me today. I was still in a short sleeve knit shirt. I walked a few blocks and caught the F Train back home, barely making it before I needed to urinate!! It's sometimes difficult to find toilets in New York!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Autumn in New York
Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010
I planned my route to New York to maximize the distance as a part of the plan to renew my elite status for another year in the Star Alliance. Therefore, I flew from San Antonio to Denver and then Denver to La Guardia. The day started fine. I was up early and ready early. I had already checked in, and it only took a moment to check my bag at the United counter. No one was ahead of me at security, so I was at the gate within 30 minutes after leaving home. I was upgraded to First Class, so that was also good. Even the breakfast was good compared to what I have gotten on United lately--scrambled eggs, two sausages, cheese-crusted potatoes, croissant, jam, wheat cereal, milk, and cookies. However, we were put in a holding pattern for 20 minutes outside of Denver. When we finally got approval to land, it was only 15 minutes before my connecting flight was due to depart. We were coming in so low that I could see details on the farms below us. Suddenly, the pilot pulled the nose of the plane up, roared the engines and banked steeply to the right. He announced that we had been too close to the plane in front of us and that he had been given the command to make a loop and approach for a landing again. We arrived at my gate just at the time that my previous flight had been scheduled to depart.
I rushed to try to find a board so I could check to see if it might have been delayed. However, I couldn't find one. Later, I discovered that all the time boards at the Denver airport are facing the walkway at the mid-points of the moving walkways so that they cannot be seen if you take the moving sidewalks!! What a crazy plan. It would be better to have them between the beginning and end of each of the moving walkways. Anyway, my flight was not on the board when I finally checked for it. I picked up a United courtesy phone which put me directly through to reservations in India. I had been rescheduled on the next flight two hours later. I was told to go to the gate to get a new boarding pass.
On my original flight, there was a good chance I would have been upgraded to first class again, since I had been on the waiting list for so long. However, I lost that opportunity on the next flight. Not only that, I had to agree to a center seat, something I really hate. Beyond that was the worry that I would miss my appointment for getting the key to my apartment in New York.
Fortunately, the Denver airport has free wifi. Unfortunately, it didn't work well at my gate which was at the end of the concourse. I had to grab everything and go back toward the center of the concourse to find a plug and a place where I could get online. I was able to do so and immediately wrote an e-mail to let the woman know that I would be two hours later getting to the apartment. Then I had problems with the connection again. I started gathering up my things to move back to the gate when I noticed my book I was reading on the flight was not with me. I had left it at the gate! I rushed back thinking it was likely that someone had picked it up believing it had been abandoned by a reader who was finished with it. When I got back to the gate, however, it was there. It was in a different seat, but I guess someone had seen my bookmark and figured I might return. Or maybe the lady who had given me my boarding pass had told whoever found it that I had been sitting there and would be returning for the flight. Either way, it was a relief to find the book since it is one that I have borrowed and must return.
The flight wasn't too bad from Denver to New York. I was between two thin passengers who ignored me for the most part. I was able to make the trip without needing to go to the toilet more than once, and I did that while my aisle neighbor was up to do the same. We arrived on time, and the rain that had been forecast had not come yet. My bag was on the flight. And I had no problems finding the bus station and buying a weekly pass. There was then an 18-minute wait for the bus I needed. However, when I got to the metro station where I had to change to the train, it came within a minute. I actually made it to the apartment 15 minutes earlier than I had expected. However, no one was there.
Fortunately, Uli, the owner, had given me the door code for getting inside. After ringing the buzzer several times with no response, I entered the code, went into the lobby, and pulled out my book to read. I had to hope that Lydia, who was meeting me since Uli is out of the country, had gotten my e-mail and would show up. It helped that at the Denver airport I had found a reply from her to an e-mail I sent in the morning giving her my flight numbers. That made me think she had probably found the later e-mail, too, and had just gone out somewhere with plans to come back and meet me. What I didn't know was that she had sent a phone number asking her to call me when I arrived. Therefore, it was 45 minutes before she showed up at the building to find me waiting.
The apartment is an old warehouse that has been converted. The floors are old wood that has wide cracks between the planks due to years of drying and shrinking. It has pressed tin ceilings. But everything inside is new. It even has a central air conditioning unit, although it isn't being used this time of the year. Lydia gave me a tour showing me where the light switches were, explaining about putting out the garbage, explaining about the gate key and elevator key, etc. She gave me an information page that Uli had left that gave further guidelines and included the password for the wifi. I was too tired to go back out, so I just relaxed after she left and spent some time on the computer before sleeping.
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010
The forecast for most of the time I will be here is great. Today is the one day with a bad forecast--100% chance of rain. However, it called for temperatures in the 70s. And sure enough, it was raining when I got up around 9:00. However, by the time I read the newspapers on the computer and cleaned up, the rain had stopped. It was cloudy, so I knew it could return at any time. I decided it was a good day for planning indoor activities.
The bus to Costco in Harlem goes right in front of the apartment, so I went out and caught it. The store is in Spanish Harlem, right on the East River with a view of Queens a cross the way. It is in a new complex that also has Target, Best Buy, Marshall's, and other stores. It was already noon by the time I was there, so I went directly to the food service area and got a hot dog--a Costco New York hot dog!! It was a bit different from the ones at home. There was no choice of a polish; only the hot dog was offered. The bun was bigger (deeper) than the one at home. The deli mustard seemed to be spicier. The price was the same--$1.50 for the hot dog and the drink. However, the drink cup was smaller than the one in Texas. It did include a refill, though.
I wandered through the store to see how it was different from the one at home. Essentially, it is the same, but there are differences. First, the men's department had nice Italian winter slacks (flannel or wool) for sale ($79). I would love to have those at home, since I like wearing winter slacks. They also had blazers in the men's department which they haven't been selling at home. There is no wine & beer department. The Christmas goodies department had 2-3 sweet items for sale that are not available in Texas--chocolate coated jelly rings, creme brulee cookies, etc. The housewares department had a tajine pot for sale which has not been in the stores in Texas. The bakery had some bread items and some sweet rolls that are not available at home. The food court had a carne asada roll, whereas the one in Texas has a chicken roll. After checking the store out and sampling most of what they were giving away--rice chips, caramel corn, cinnamon rolls, pretzel M&Ms, cheeses, etc.--I used the toilets and headed outside to check the weather again.
Since it was still not raining, I walked to the top of Central Park and made my way all the way through the park from north to south. Even with the cloudy, damp air, it was beautiful. The trees are still about half green with the other half changing colors. There are bright ones that are yellow or orange or red. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera. But that meant I could really enjoy just looking rather than thinking about what would make the best photos. I passed through parts of the park where I had never been before. I found a wonderful round garden with many blooming flowers and a fountain in a lake in the center. I found other sculptures and fountains I had not seen before. I went through the Rambles going north to south which I had not done before. (I had only gone east to west.)
As I made my way through the park, it began sprinkling again. I decided to head toward the Paris theater beside the Plaza Hotel in hopes that I would get there before the rain began in earnest and in hopes that it would be time for a feature. Luckily, I made it, and the film would be starting within 30 minutes. The Paris has been showing foreign and independent films as long as I have been going to New York, but I had never been there before today. I saw Maria's Will, a Mexican film that had a good review in TIME a couple of weeks ago. The cinema building was wonderful inside--clean, plush, and attractive. The film was very good. And there was a surprise element to seeing it here. The storyline is about an orthodox Jewish woman who has died. She has been divorced from her husband for 20 years and he is no longer religious. Many scenes were built around Jewish traditions and his trying to upset it all with his lack of reverence. Many in the audience were Jews, so they were laughing at the things that occurred. It was a good film, so I would recommend it.
The rain was coming down when I exited the theater. I walked around the corner and caught the metro to the New York University area. I figured I needed one more indoor activity, and they were having a play this evening. I arrived there about 5:45 p.m. and asked if they had any more tickets available for the play they were doing. I was assured that there would be tickets and told that the box office would open at 6:00 p.m. I waited and got one of only two unreserved tickets. It was a free production, but tickets were required.
The play was The Time of the Cuckoo. It is set in Venice in a pension where Americans stay. It was done by the graduate students in acting. There was an interesting casting aspect--actors changed rolls 2-3 times--not to fill out the need for many actors, but to show versatility playing different rolls. A man would be an American tourist at one point while another man would be an Italian gondola driver. Then later, they would have switched the rolls they were playing. It did help point out who were the better performers. And in a couple of cases, it also showed how important casting is as performers were better in one of their rolls than in another one. Since these are all aspiring actors (and since they have a bulletin board in their theater department showing the playbills of professional plays that include former students in rolls), I will say that the mostly to "make it" from this group would be Benjamin Mehl and Casey Killoran. Rafi Silver might make it, too, although it was not so good in one of his rolls. So anyone with a good memory who is reading this should let me know if you recognize any of these days among successful performers sometime in the future!!
It was 10:00 p.m. by the time the show was over. Shops were closing. I didn't find a place to eat along the route I was following back to the room, so I had a granola bar from my suitcase and called it a night.
I planned my route to New York to maximize the distance as a part of the plan to renew my elite status for another year in the Star Alliance. Therefore, I flew from San Antonio to Denver and then Denver to La Guardia. The day started fine. I was up early and ready early. I had already checked in, and it only took a moment to check my bag at the United counter. No one was ahead of me at security, so I was at the gate within 30 minutes after leaving home. I was upgraded to First Class, so that was also good. Even the breakfast was good compared to what I have gotten on United lately--scrambled eggs, two sausages, cheese-crusted potatoes, croissant, jam, wheat cereal, milk, and cookies. However, we were put in a holding pattern for 20 minutes outside of Denver. When we finally got approval to land, it was only 15 minutes before my connecting flight was due to depart. We were coming in so low that I could see details on the farms below us. Suddenly, the pilot pulled the nose of the plane up, roared the engines and banked steeply to the right. He announced that we had been too close to the plane in front of us and that he had been given the command to make a loop and approach for a landing again. We arrived at my gate just at the time that my previous flight had been scheduled to depart.
I rushed to try to find a board so I could check to see if it might have been delayed. However, I couldn't find one. Later, I discovered that all the time boards at the Denver airport are facing the walkway at the mid-points of the moving walkways so that they cannot be seen if you take the moving sidewalks!! What a crazy plan. It would be better to have them between the beginning and end of each of the moving walkways. Anyway, my flight was not on the board when I finally checked for it. I picked up a United courtesy phone which put me directly through to reservations in India. I had been rescheduled on the next flight two hours later. I was told to go to the gate to get a new boarding pass.
On my original flight, there was a good chance I would have been upgraded to first class again, since I had been on the waiting list for so long. However, I lost that opportunity on the next flight. Not only that, I had to agree to a center seat, something I really hate. Beyond that was the worry that I would miss my appointment for getting the key to my apartment in New York.
Fortunately, the Denver airport has free wifi. Unfortunately, it didn't work well at my gate which was at the end of the concourse. I had to grab everything and go back toward the center of the concourse to find a plug and a place where I could get online. I was able to do so and immediately wrote an e-mail to let the woman know that I would be two hours later getting to the apartment. Then I had problems with the connection again. I started gathering up my things to move back to the gate when I noticed my book I was reading on the flight was not with me. I had left it at the gate! I rushed back thinking it was likely that someone had picked it up believing it had been abandoned by a reader who was finished with it. When I got back to the gate, however, it was there. It was in a different seat, but I guess someone had seen my bookmark and figured I might return. Or maybe the lady who had given me my boarding pass had told whoever found it that I had been sitting there and would be returning for the flight. Either way, it was a relief to find the book since it is one that I have borrowed and must return.
The flight wasn't too bad from Denver to New York. I was between two thin passengers who ignored me for the most part. I was able to make the trip without needing to go to the toilet more than once, and I did that while my aisle neighbor was up to do the same. We arrived on time, and the rain that had been forecast had not come yet. My bag was on the flight. And I had no problems finding the bus station and buying a weekly pass. There was then an 18-minute wait for the bus I needed. However, when I got to the metro station where I had to change to the train, it came within a minute. I actually made it to the apartment 15 minutes earlier than I had expected. However, no one was there.
Fortunately, Uli, the owner, had given me the door code for getting inside. After ringing the buzzer several times with no response, I entered the code, went into the lobby, and pulled out my book to read. I had to hope that Lydia, who was meeting me since Uli is out of the country, had gotten my e-mail and would show up. It helped that at the Denver airport I had found a reply from her to an e-mail I sent in the morning giving her my flight numbers. That made me think she had probably found the later e-mail, too, and had just gone out somewhere with plans to come back and meet me. What I didn't know was that she had sent a phone number asking her to call me when I arrived. Therefore, it was 45 minutes before she showed up at the building to find me waiting.
The apartment is an old warehouse that has been converted. The floors are old wood that has wide cracks between the planks due to years of drying and shrinking. It has pressed tin ceilings. But everything inside is new. It even has a central air conditioning unit, although it isn't being used this time of the year. Lydia gave me a tour showing me where the light switches were, explaining about putting out the garbage, explaining about the gate key and elevator key, etc. She gave me an information page that Uli had left that gave further guidelines and included the password for the wifi. I was too tired to go back out, so I just relaxed after she left and spent some time on the computer before sleeping.
Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010
The forecast for most of the time I will be here is great. Today is the one day with a bad forecast--100% chance of rain. However, it called for temperatures in the 70s. And sure enough, it was raining when I got up around 9:00. However, by the time I read the newspapers on the computer and cleaned up, the rain had stopped. It was cloudy, so I knew it could return at any time. I decided it was a good day for planning indoor activities.
The bus to Costco in Harlem goes right in front of the apartment, so I went out and caught it. The store is in Spanish Harlem, right on the East River with a view of Queens a cross the way. It is in a new complex that also has Target, Best Buy, Marshall's, and other stores. It was already noon by the time I was there, so I went directly to the food service area and got a hot dog--a Costco New York hot dog!! It was a bit different from the ones at home. There was no choice of a polish; only the hot dog was offered. The bun was bigger (deeper) than the one at home. The deli mustard seemed to be spicier. The price was the same--$1.50 for the hot dog and the drink. However, the drink cup was smaller than the one in Texas. It did include a refill, though.
I wandered through the store to see how it was different from the one at home. Essentially, it is the same, but there are differences. First, the men's department had nice Italian winter slacks (flannel or wool) for sale ($79). I would love to have those at home, since I like wearing winter slacks. They also had blazers in the men's department which they haven't been selling at home. There is no wine & beer department. The Christmas goodies department had 2-3 sweet items for sale that are not available in Texas--chocolate coated jelly rings, creme brulee cookies, etc. The housewares department had a tajine pot for sale which has not been in the stores in Texas. The bakery had some bread items and some sweet rolls that are not available at home. The food court had a carne asada roll, whereas the one in Texas has a chicken roll. After checking the store out and sampling most of what they were giving away--rice chips, caramel corn, cinnamon rolls, pretzel M&Ms, cheeses, etc.--I used the toilets and headed outside to check the weather again.
Since it was still not raining, I walked to the top of Central Park and made my way all the way through the park from north to south. Even with the cloudy, damp air, it was beautiful. The trees are still about half green with the other half changing colors. There are bright ones that are yellow or orange or red. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera. But that meant I could really enjoy just looking rather than thinking about what would make the best photos. I passed through parts of the park where I had never been before. I found a wonderful round garden with many blooming flowers and a fountain in a lake in the center. I found other sculptures and fountains I had not seen before. I went through the Rambles going north to south which I had not done before. (I had only gone east to west.)
As I made my way through the park, it began sprinkling again. I decided to head toward the Paris theater beside the Plaza Hotel in hopes that I would get there before the rain began in earnest and in hopes that it would be time for a feature. Luckily, I made it, and the film would be starting within 30 minutes. The Paris has been showing foreign and independent films as long as I have been going to New York, but I had never been there before today. I saw Maria's Will, a Mexican film that had a good review in TIME a couple of weeks ago. The cinema building was wonderful inside--clean, plush, and attractive. The film was very good. And there was a surprise element to seeing it here. The storyline is about an orthodox Jewish woman who has died. She has been divorced from her husband for 20 years and he is no longer religious. Many scenes were built around Jewish traditions and his trying to upset it all with his lack of reverence. Many in the audience were Jews, so they were laughing at the things that occurred. It was a good film, so I would recommend it.
The rain was coming down when I exited the theater. I walked around the corner and caught the metro to the New York University area. I figured I needed one more indoor activity, and they were having a play this evening. I arrived there about 5:45 p.m. and asked if they had any more tickets available for the play they were doing. I was assured that there would be tickets and told that the box office would open at 6:00 p.m. I waited and got one of only two unreserved tickets. It was a free production, but tickets were required.
The play was The Time of the Cuckoo. It is set in Venice in a pension where Americans stay. It was done by the graduate students in acting. There was an interesting casting aspect--actors changed rolls 2-3 times--not to fill out the need for many actors, but to show versatility playing different rolls. A man would be an American tourist at one point while another man would be an Italian gondola driver. Then later, they would have switched the rolls they were playing. It did help point out who were the better performers. And in a couple of cases, it also showed how important casting is as performers were better in one of their rolls than in another one. Since these are all aspiring actors (and since they have a bulletin board in their theater department showing the playbills of professional plays that include former students in rolls), I will say that the mostly to "make it" from this group would be Benjamin Mehl and Casey Killoran. Rafi Silver might make it, too, although it was not so good in one of his rolls. So anyone with a good memory who is reading this should let me know if you recognize any of these days among successful performers sometime in the future!!
It was 10:00 p.m. by the time the show was over. Shops were closing. I didn't find a place to eat along the route I was following back to the room, so I had a granola bar from my suitcase and called it a night.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Plans Ready for New York
Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010--San Antonio
I will be leaving for New York on Tuesday for a week. Everyone keeps asking me about what I plan to do. Actually, until today I had no specific plans. I had some general ideas, but I just hadn't gotten around to looking at specifics. After spending much of today on the computer investigating things of interest to me, I can report the following:
Transportation: I plan to buy a weekly pass that is good for both the subways and the buses. I haven't decided yet whether to pay the full price of $27 for the 7-Day Unlimited Ride Card or to go to the metro office and get an ID as a senior which will allow me to pay $13.50 for the same card. The office is near where I will be staying. The unknown factor is how long the lines will be there. Once I have the ID, however, I would be able to use it each time I return to New York without having to go back to the office more than once every 5 years for a new card.
Cinemas: I had been looking forward to maybe seeing a foreign film or two that might not ever make it to San Antonio or be released on a DVD here in the US. However, I was surprised when doing my research. Like San Antonio, New York has fewer foreign films showing now; most "art" films are independent productions from the US. The foreign films that are showing are ones that will likely also make it to San Antonio. The one I have decided to possibly see is Nora's Will, a Mexican film that has won lots of awards. Another interesting fact is that the senior rate for admission to theaters offering foreign and independent films varies from being cheaper to being just a bit more expensive (from $6 to 9) than the senior rates here in San Antonio!
Museums: There is really only one museum that I have an interest in seeing. It is the Museum of Modern Art. It has been rebuilt since I saw it, so I am interested in seeing the architecture, the layout, and the art. If an exhibit at another museum catches my attention, I may go see it, but I have no plans for other museums at the moment.
Explorations: Among the places I want to explore are:
Fall Foliage in Central Park--Supposedly the black tupelo trees will be dropping red leaves in the open meadow below Belvedere Castle and the ginkgo trees in the Ramble will be dropping their leaves. There are other places to see leaves--Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the Green-Wood Cemetery which is also there--but I think that going to Central Park will be enough to satisfy me.
The High Line Park--A new elevated park that has built built on an abandoned raised rail track. I have read about it and want to see it and experience it.
New Amsterdam Market--Held each Sunday, this will be near where I am staying and should make an interesting outing on Sunday morning when nothing else much will be happening.
Eataly--A new Italian food and drink complex. I doubt if I will like it, but it has just opened and should be worth exploring to see what it is like.
Costco Harlem--Manhattan has its own Costco now. I'll check it out, eat a cheap hotdog while there, and maybe buy something to take back to the apartment for my dinner.
Special Events--It will be Halloween while I am there. There are two events related to it that I hope to attend:
Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade--The dogies are dressed in costumes by their owners and compete for prizes.
Village Halloween Parade--Anyone in a costume can join in the procession while 60,000 others watch from the sides of the street.
Dance:
Modern Dance at the BAM
Movement Research at Old Judson Church
Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:
The Accidental Pervert
Gatz
Off Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:
Balm in Gilead
Skin Deep
Reefer Madness, the Musical
Letter from Algeria
Dining: I have created a dining guide to small, inexpensive restaurants throughout New York including interesting neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. I always like to go to local neighborhoods and try the small restaurants which are often operated by immigrants. Some of the neighborhoods I may explore beyond Manhattan are Park Slope, Astoria, Long Island City, and Williamsburg.
I will be leaving for New York on Tuesday for a week. Everyone keeps asking me about what I plan to do. Actually, until today I had no specific plans. I had some general ideas, but I just hadn't gotten around to looking at specifics. After spending much of today on the computer investigating things of interest to me, I can report the following:
Transportation: I plan to buy a weekly pass that is good for both the subways and the buses. I haven't decided yet whether to pay the full price of $27 for the 7-Day Unlimited Ride Card or to go to the metro office and get an ID as a senior which will allow me to pay $13.50 for the same card. The office is near where I will be staying. The unknown factor is how long the lines will be there. Once I have the ID, however, I would be able to use it each time I return to New York without having to go back to the office more than once every 5 years for a new card.
Cinemas: I had been looking forward to maybe seeing a foreign film or two that might not ever make it to San Antonio or be released on a DVD here in the US. However, I was surprised when doing my research. Like San Antonio, New York has fewer foreign films showing now; most "art" films are independent productions from the US. The foreign films that are showing are ones that will likely also make it to San Antonio. The one I have decided to possibly see is Nora's Will, a Mexican film that has won lots of awards. Another interesting fact is that the senior rate for admission to theaters offering foreign and independent films varies from being cheaper to being just a bit more expensive (from $6 to 9) than the senior rates here in San Antonio!
Museums: There is really only one museum that I have an interest in seeing. It is the Museum of Modern Art. It has been rebuilt since I saw it, so I am interested in seeing the architecture, the layout, and the art. If an exhibit at another museum catches my attention, I may go see it, but I have no plans for other museums at the moment.
Explorations: Among the places I want to explore are:
Fall Foliage in Central Park--Supposedly the black tupelo trees will be dropping red leaves in the open meadow below Belvedere Castle and the ginkgo trees in the Ramble will be dropping their leaves. There are other places to see leaves--Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the Green-Wood Cemetery which is also there--but I think that going to Central Park will be enough to satisfy me.
The High Line Park--A new elevated park that has built built on an abandoned raised rail track. I have read about it and want to see it and experience it.
New Amsterdam Market--Held each Sunday, this will be near where I am staying and should make an interesting outing on Sunday morning when nothing else much will be happening.
Eataly--A new Italian food and drink complex. I doubt if I will like it, but it has just opened and should be worth exploring to see what it is like.
Costco Harlem--Manhattan has its own Costco now. I'll check it out, eat a cheap hotdog while there, and maybe buy something to take back to the apartment for my dinner.
Special Events--It will be Halloween while I am there. There are two events related to it that I hope to attend:
Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade--The dogies are dressed in costumes by their owners and compete for prizes.
Village Halloween Parade--Anyone in a costume can join in the procession while 60,000 others watch from the sides of the street.
Dance:
Modern Dance at the BAM
Movement Research at Old Judson Church
Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:
The Accidental Pervert
Gatz
Off Off Broadway Shows I Will Consider:
Balm in Gilead
Skin Deep
Reefer Madness, the Musical
Letter from Algeria
Dining: I have created a dining guide to small, inexpensive restaurants throughout New York including interesting neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. I always like to go to local neighborhoods and try the small restaurants which are often operated by immigrants. Some of the neighborhoods I may explore beyond Manhattan are Park Slope, Astoria, Long Island City, and Williamsburg.
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