New York State of Mind

It’s time to don an ill-fitting sailor suit. It’s time to kick-ball-chain and jazz-hands my way down 42nd Street. Why? Because—while visions of my 12th grade musical “On the Town” swirled in my head—I made the decision to go to New York for two days over my birthday in June.

I’m not exactly flush with cash these days (thanks, IRS!), but I’m burned out and exhausted from working all the time, so I thought, “Oh, what the hell, I’ve earned a break. I’ll find the money somehow.” My pal Susan and I are staying in a budget hotel in Greenwich Village and we’ll be traveling to NYC by bus. I know! But it’s much cheaper than driving or taking the train. And I’m sure it will bring back so many faaaabulous memories of my sweltering 9+ bus ride from Estonia to Russia two years ago.

On the agenda: MoMA, the Guggenheim, a birthday dinner at Tea & Sympathy, birthday drinks at the KGB Bar, a ghost walk (if any are scheduled while we’re there), and maybe a vegetarian feast at Blossom. There’s a burlesque club I’ve got my eye on, too, but I think I’ll save that for the next time I’m in New York with Missy.

This schedule contains a lot for two days, I know, and I wish I could stay longer, but like I said, I’m hardly rolling in disposable income these days, and besides, if I stay away for longer than two days, I’ll have to snag a petsitter. So, we’ll just try to optimize the limited time we’ve got. We’ll be heading up there on a Sunday morning and coming back sometime on Tuesday—hopefully in the evening.

Here are Heather and me (she’s on the left in both shots) rocking the 1940s New Yorker vibe in “On the Town” a million and three years ago:

song heard most recently before posting:
Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12—Sergei Rachmaninov