Che Ching, Che Ching, Chinatown

Shopping in Chinatown deserves its very own post. `
WARNING: BUYER BEWARE. Just in general.
Nothing in Chinatown is authentic. If you buy anything with a gold finish, jewelry, purses with metal, etc. it will rub off or turn green. Bronze finish is better.
AND DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH TECHNOLOGY CONNECTED TO IT.
NO PLASTIC ACCEPTED, YOU MUST BRING CASH.
BEWARE OF GOING BEHIND LOCKED DOORS


DO NOT EAT AT MCDONALD'S OR ANY OTHER CHAIN STORE. Eat at one of the Chinese Restaurants (I recommend the Excellent Dumpling House (which is noted by the New York Times.) All Chinese Restaurants take cash only. If you do not want Chinese, turn right or left on Mulberry to Little Italy and eat Italian.

Now having said that, I love shopping in Chinatown. On my first trip, I was looking for two purses. I wanted a yellow and a green one. I found them, one at each of two separate shops on Canal Street. They were gorgeous and just what I wanted. The original asking price was $40 and $45. I got one down to $35 and the other down to $40. $75 for two purses is not bad. I did not realize I would need cash. (Actually, I brought only what I budgeted but funny thing, spent more),so I had to go get cash at the local Bank of America, right there on Canal Street. When I returned, the store clerk began wrapping up my purse, then noticed something was wrong. He exclaimed, "Oh wrong label!" He went to the back and returned with a silver medallion. He then commenced to unscrew the medallion, on the purse, and replace it with one which proclaimed Giovanni Versache. I looked at him as though he was crazy. Surely he mistook me for someone who cared.

So, I walked out of there with my $40 "Versache" handbag, for which I later learned, I paid $10 too much.

NEVER PAY MORE THAN $30 FOR THE HANDBAGS IN THE SHOPS LINING CANAL STREET. You can get some of the same bags at the street fairs for $20 and some on the street for $5. I have a bag I bought on the street, for which I am constantly complemented, for $5. But then, I have a talent for picking out good looking hand bags.

On my most recent visit to Chinatown, I was shopping for a handbag for my sister-in-law, who wanted a "Chinatown Designer" handbag. It was a lesson in Chinatown shopping. This time, I did stick to my budget of $30. In Chinatown, you will be accosted by men and women who will secretively whisper to you, "Want Chanel, Gucci, Coach?" I decided to see what she, an attractive young girl of Chinese descent, in this case, had to offer. I followed her as she went down Canal street and turned left on a crowded side street. She handed me over to another gentleman, also of Chinese descent, in a shop, on this side street. He directed me to follow him. Now, I am not stupid, I would not have followed him had there not been several other tourist, including a substantial looking tourist gentleman included in this expedition. We went through, what I can only described, as a very obvious secret door (made from the same cheap white panels as the walls but with no doorknob.) I think we went through another door which the Chinese gentleman locked behind him. We then passed through two additional rooms until we finally arrived at our destination. This 10' X 10'room was lined with bags which were designated as, if not designed by, Chanel, Coach, Gucci and probably some other designer, but I was too flabbergasted too notice. These bags actually have the designer's names as part of the fabric or construction of the bag. I am not a person who understands wanting to have someone elses name on my person so I was less than impressed but asked, "What do you have for $30," which was my budget. He looked at me and with a straight face said, "Oh, these designer bags>" I tried another tactic and asked him which was his least expensive bag. He pointed to one of the Coach bags and quoted a price of $40. I told him I could buy the same bag on the street for $30.(Which I could in Queens but not Manhattan) He reiterated to my visage, endowed with my "teacher face," with which I have taken in too many "My baby sister tore up my homework" lines to count, that these were designer bags. I then asked him how much for the Chanel bag, the only one I actually found attractive. He responded, "Oh, Chanel bag most expensive. I told him I only had $30 to spend. His body language screamed insult at my ignorance of the value of the counterfeit, Chanel, etc. bag business. He did not budge. There were too many tourist willing to pay $40 or more for a rip off bag. What is the world coming to? So, I followed him out and did notice as we were leaving that I had been locked in this room which did not have even an exterior door knob, with a good 25 other people. I returned to the "Pink" shop which is where I find good prices and beautiful handbags. I prepared to make my purchase when I realized that I did not have $30 cash so I headed to the Bank of America.

Now stick with me, there is a reason for this bird walking. When I tried to get cash from the ATM machine, my card did not work. I went into the bank and signed up to see a representative. The gentleman who helped me was an American of Chinese descent. He competed in the New York Marathon, so he has my utmost respect. It took a while for him to get me a good card giving us time to visit. I told him about my strange visit to the back room. He was a good twenty-five years my junior, but he looked as if I were a recalcitrant child and said, "You know they had a police raid of those places last week." I responded that I thought that was a waste of police effort, since none of the people who buy that stuff believe it is really original, and would not buy the original, since, they do not have the money. He said, "Oh its not the merchandise. Its the locked doors. What would you have done if there had been a fire? The firemen would have no way to get to you, through the locked door, and how would all those people have gotten out of that narrow exit?" I know my naive and foolish face turned beet red. When my son, Christopher, reads this, he will just shake his head and wonder how in the world I survive in this City.

I can only ascertain that if the designer name is a permanent part of the bag, it will be more expensive. I have only shopped the shops along Canal Street. Chinatown is actually so large it completely surrounds (and apparently owns) Little Italy.

I get bored with handbags after one season so these are perfect for me. With a little care, that is about how long they will last.

Shop til you drop

Christmas shopping in New York falls into two categories. Shopping for those who have money and for those who don't. Yes, even if you have little money, there is something for you. I will not discuss shopping for those with money, just stroll down 5th Avenue for up scale, 34th for name brand chain stores, are head to the lower East Side (Chelsea) where the designers and up and coming designers have shops. I found these just a little North of Greenwich Village, walking East from the High Line Park.

If you are in New York between April and November, take in the Street Fairs. You will find their locations by going to: http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html.
There is a little of everything at these fairs. There are many of the same handbags as in Chinatown but at a little better prices. There are "Pashminas," scarves as on the street, hats, gloves, and lots of food. These are good places to bargain. If you want to get scarves for gifts etc, you can offer to buy several and get a better price. There are frequently handmade items. Some of the jewelry is great. All fairs are not created equal. Those associated with an ethnic celebrations are usually pretty good. They are generally held on Saturday and Sunday, but occasionally will be on a Friday.` They are held in the street and go on for around ten blocks.

Christmas Bazaars are held between mid November and Christmas at Union Square, Grand Central Station and Columbus Circle. These feature more upscale and more expensive items. Vendors from many other places come to these bazaars so if you are shopping for something unique, these are the places for you.

After Christmas, the MET marks all their Christmas merchandise down 50 to 75 percent. I got some elegant Christmas ornaments for my tree. I imagine the other museums do the same. Actually, after Christmas and even better, after the New Year is a great time to shop in New York.

Places to find great prices on clothes are Century 21 (across the street from the World Trade Center Site, Bolton's,, H & M and Forever 21. You can also find Marshalls and Daffy's (similar to Marshalls). And for you Dallasites, you can find your long lost Loehman's. (And these Loehman's have not only great prices but individual dressing rooms.) There are more than one of each of these stores so go on line to find the destination most convenient for your visit.

Window Shopping

New York is famous for its Christmas Windows. A good way to see them all is by walking down 5th Avenue, beginning a Bergdorf Goodman. The windows there are the only ones not designed for children. They are, in my opinion, the most spectacular. While there you may want to take in FAO Schwarz, the famous toy store. Next walk or take the bus, south past St. Patrick's Cathedral. If you plan to go to Mass, note that Midnight Mass is by reservation only. The 10:15 Mass is usually presided over by the Bishop and a great Mass to attend. If you are simply a tourist, remember you are in Church. If you do not, expect the ushers to remind you. As you walk down Fifth Avenue, you will not believe the lights and Christmas displays on the storefronts. Take in the windows and the lights at Sak's Fifth Avenue which is across the street from Rockefeller Center and the famous Christmas Tree. Continue down Fifth to Lord and Taylor's which also has fabulous Christmas Window displays. When you get to 34th street, turn right and continue to Harold's Square, which has a pretty dynamic light display itself. You will then be at the largest department store in the world, Macy's, which has the most famous window displays of all. The annual window displays face Harold Square. Along 34th Street is the animated display of Miracle on 34th Street. If you have time, go in Macy's,but be prepared. You know how in department stores, the entry is devoted to cosmetics and accessories? Well, the entire first floor of Macy's is cosmetics and accessories. This store is huge. The first time I walked in I turned around and walked my little ADD brain right back out. It simply overwhelmed me. But I have been back. One of the most interesting aspects of the store are the old fashion wood escalators which take you to the basement and to the upper floors. When I ride on these I imagine myself in the movie, Miracle on 34th Street. At Christmas, Macy's first floor is a symphony for the eyes.

You should also see Bloomingdales windows but it is not on this route.

Christmas in New York

I know you have heard that Christmas is a great time to visit New York. This is true. I hope some of my ideas will add to your enjoyment.

You will, of course want to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. You also want to see the tree and Creche at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This Nativity encompasses the entire village of Nazareth and completely surrounds the tree. The Cloisters is also beautiful at this time.

So is St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is located near Columbia University.

All of New York is dressed up for the Holidays from Thanksgiving until January 6, the Epiphany.

Lost in the MET Again

Just in case you take my warnings about getting lost in the MET lightly, on a recent visit, I found myself trapped between what appeared to be a crawl space. I turned down a stairway and found myself surrounded by two brick interior walls, like you find in a crawl space in old buildings. Oh, well, they had art on these brick walls and I eventually found my way back in the main hall. The question is, could I ever find those brick walls or stairs again? Or was I actually in a forbidden space filled with dark secrets of stolen art and haunted artists. Sounds like a good plot for a movie.

Carnegie Hall and Reading Room

There are certain places in New York City which have been so celebrated on stage, screen (both large and small) and in print that they become part of your history and it is those places which cause you to gasp when you see them. Carnegie Hall is one such place. How many concerts did I watch on PBS or sometimes on Network TV, Live from Carnegie Hall. It is one of the places I wanted to visit in New York, so at Christmas, when it became the venue for HANDEL'S MESSAIH, I talked Christopher into going with me. We, of course, got cheap seats, and though it made no difference in the acoustics, it made considerable difference in comfort. Not in the seats, they were cozy, but in the height of the ceiling. There were places Christopher could not stand without bumping his head. Regardless, Carnegie Hall is gorgeous. The elegance of the surrounding house is worth the trip, as is the history of artists who have made it to the height of entertainment and "played Carnegie Hall."

I was a little disappointed that people do not dress for Carnegie Hall, just as they do not dress for the theater. I long for the days featured in the old movies when everyone was decked out, as much a part of the show as the performers. Oh you do see glitter, jewels and mink. But you see more khaki and denim. Never the less, I dressed. Chris didn't but it did not matter, we both fit in perfectly.

Music, in order to be enjoyed by the laity, must be familiar. I am certainly familiar with Handel's Messiah. Since childhood I heard that famous piece and know the story of why everyone stands during the "Alleluia Chorus." I am as familiar with that chorus as with my name and anticipated no problem with Christopher or I being engaged with the music. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with all of Handel's Messiah. Neither was Christopher. The one I dragged to the concert with me. The 'Alleluia Chorus' comes about half way through the performance leaving a lot of music left for listening and it got a little tedious. But, never fear. Christopher is never bored. There, in his trusty backpack, were his most current book selections. There was just enough light (being at the top level the house lights were right behind us), to read. Luckily, we were so high in the auditorium few could see what he was doing.

Apparently, Christopher and I, were not the only ones not familiar with the last movement of Handel's Messiah. Following the stirring "Alleluia Chorus," many patrons began to exit the hall. This really angered the ushers. I needed to "powder my nose" at this time. On my way back, the usher accosted me and rudely informed me that the performance was not over. In my most officious teacher voice, I told him that I knew that and I was returning to my seat. Once there, I took out my read, a mystery, which I carry everywhere with me, and joined Christopher in reading to the accompaniment of the final notes of Handel's masterpiece.

An Odorous Broadway Play

Chris, my son, and I planned to attend a Broadway Play. Earlier in the day, we visited Greenwich Village and Murray's Cheese Shop on Bleeker Street. Murray's is the place to find the best cheese in New York. It is also one of the places I have seen a famous person. This famous person is an actor who was on the COSBY SHOW and was in the movie, THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Chris got all excited and tried to remember a line from the movie, THE PRINCESS BRIDE to repeat to this guy. He even tried to call his brother Doug, who remembers every line from every movie. I swear, Doug and Chris have entire conversations made up only of lines from movies. Anyway, Doug was not available and it was just as well since the poor actor probably just wanted to get home with his cheese, without somebody noticing him. It is without a doubt the world's best cheese shop. Chris and I bought some treats for after the theater including a bleu cheese for me, a Camembert for Chris and a brie to share. We also bought a small baguette from Amy's Bread, a bakery down the street also on Bleeker. Anyway, after that we went to the theater. This play was a dark comedy, set in Ireland. We had really inexpensive seats and believe me there is no reason to get any other kind in a Broadway Theater because all of the theaters are small and the acoustics are wonderful. You might pay $75 more to get closer to the actors and you might see them better, but you will not hear any better. Any way, in this play, the characters spoke with heavy Irish brogues. It took a while to get used to listening to the brogue so that you could understand what the actors were saying but you could eventually understand them. There was a lot of drinking going on in this play, after all it was about the Irish and it was very entertaining. There were people sitting on either side of us and those on one side were Russian. Now, I have to tell you about Christopher. Ever since he reached adolescence, he has had a problem with foot odor. I believe he has a handle on washing his feet, but sometimes his shoes smell. On this particular occasion I determined that Chris's shoes were smelling. I didn't say anything, not wanting to distract him from enjoying himself at the Broadway play. Chris is an English major and Dramatic Productions are the height of entertainment for him.

At intermission we took our separate breaks and returned to the theater to find ourselves sitting alone. The Russians had left. Chris said, that he could understand the Russian people leaving since they probably could not understand the Irish brogue. It was a little strange though when the couple sitting next to me never returned from intermission either. Before the play began Chris asked, "Mom, do you smell something?" I said that I did and that I thought it was his feet. I smelled his shoes but they smelled fine. We then commenced to smell our clothes and could not find anything smelly on either of our persons. Christopher carries around a backpack which is good for storing everything including the books he travels with so that he is never bored, always having something to read. When we were sniffing each other in search of the bad smell, Chris noticed that the smell was actually coming from the backpack. We opened it up and low and behold, realized the source of the smell was non other than the Camembert. At the same time, we realized that the reason our neighbors had left was the odor coming from Christopher's backpack. How can something that tastes so heavenly smell so rank? When it costs $20 per pound. Well, since we knew that neither of us was the source of the odor, we went back to enjoying a fine Irish Tale, with plenty of room to spread out. And when we got home, we feasted on that delicious stinky cheese.

Big Broadway Musical Productions are outrageously expensive. But great theater can be had for under $50. Even better bargains are available for Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway. By the way, whether or not a theater is Off Broadway or Off Off Broadway has nothing to do with where it is located but rather the number of seats in the theater. The larger theaters are considered Broadway.

During the summer there are great theater productions all over the city for free. Hey, its New York

Let's Take a break

With 8 million people visiting the Big Apple you might ask yourself, "Where do all those people go to attend to personal needs (use the restroom)?" Well, most public places in New York will tell you , "NOT HERE." This presents a problem to women of a certain age and I suppose men of a certain age as well. Here are some tips about places which will allow you use of their facilities. Any fast food restaurant such as McDonald's will be glad for you to use the facilities so long as you buy a drink or something small. Subways is the exception since they do not have public restrooms. Starbucks will share its facilities though you should expect a line. So will the large bookstores, Borders and Barnes and Noble. Hotels usually welcome guests though I have found one hotel near Times Square which requires a room key to use the restroom in the lobby. Woe be unto you should you take a long trip and then try to use the restroom before you check in.

If you think about it, you really can 't blame the public places for not sharing restrooms. How would you like to clean the toilet after 8 million people?

Other parks

There are several other parks which I enjoy. One is Prospect Park in Brooklyn, It is next to Park Slope, one of Brooklyn's elite neighborhoods. It is near an arch dedicated to Civil War Soldiers. The interesting thing is that it is dedicated to Yankee soldiers. Imagine that.

Another favorite park is called the River Park located along the West Coast of Manhattan, accessible from 59th street, around Lincoln Center. This is a favorite of mine. Willow trees abound here along with tall ornamental grasses. The view of the Hudson River soothes the soul. The ruins of a once busy railroad track and bridge remain in the river as a reminder of times past. Along a wooden deck visitors can take free yoga lessons and in the summer, free classic movies are presented at the end of the pier.

New Yorkers will turn anything into a park as evidenced by High Line Park. A freight train, which ran about 20 feet above street level, operated in the mid 20th Century. The abandoned track is now a park, with grass, trees, walkways and benches. It is very interesting to walk along this park with the city traffic drumming and honking underneath. The High Line Park is accessible from 14th and 20th street around 12th Avenue.

A Cemetary that was Once a Park

Greenwood Cemetery is located in Brooklyn and is one of the oldest in the country. I include it here because, it was the inspiration for the public parks. During the 19th Century, New Yorkers would hang out at the Cemetery on Sundays to take advantage of the trees and grass. Because so many were doing this, it was decided to provide open spaces without the graveyard.

Greenwood Cemetery is historic and also provides an great view of the Manhattan Skyline. I have not spent much time there but have been told it is the home of parrots.

What is it with New York Parks and Cemetaries

Bryant Park is next to the New York City Public Library, at 42nd and 6th Avenue. It is beautifully landscaped and probably haunted as it was once a cemetery. As with Washington Square Park, the graves were not moved when the land was transformed into a park. I believe that they were moved when the library, which could not expand beyond Fifth Avenue, expanded under Bryant Park.

The Park is the site of various entertainment venues, including the Summer Broadway Series. On Thursday's at noon, casts from several Broadway Shows perform musical numbers from the shows. This event is free of charge.

Washington Square Cemetary nee Park

The park I frequent most, and therefore, probably my favorite, is Washington Square Park. Washington Square was first developed to increase the areas property value of the area. Prior to being a park it was a cemetery where victims of the Yellow Fever Epidemic and indigents were buried. Those souls still enjoy the park since their bodies were never disinterred but remain buried there, which just makes the place all the more interesting and probably haunted. At the northern boundary of the park facing Waverly Street are thirteen red brick brownstones which made up some of the most fashionable homes in the early 19th Century. Right across from this, at the end of 5th Avenue is an arch, dedicated to George Washington and built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his Inauguration. The park surrounds a fountain and plaza which is always crowded with people and performers. Under the arch you can hear a doo whap group and along the walkways a great jazz trio. Once I heard a young man and his older brother performing Michael Jackson songs and I swear I will next hear him on Broadway. None of those things recommend Washington Square so much its venue for people watching. Located in the midst of NYU and within the boundaries of Greenwich Village, it is and always has been the place to see the most interesting people. If you could travel back in time you might have seen Robert Louis Stevenson sitting on a bench with Mark Train. Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women a block from the park. In recent history you could have seen Stanley Kubrick playing chess or Pete Seeger holding hands with his wife. Bob Dylan, first played near here. It is the scene of numerous movies including When Harry Met Sally, I am Legend, Deep Impact and August Rush as well as T.V. shows too numerous to name. (This may be why people, first visiting the park have told me that it looks familiar.) It has inspired songs by Joan Baez (Diamonds and Rust) and Counting Crows among others.

Today the young and old, rich and homeless, glamorous and gauche, poets and songwriters, artists and novelists, philosophers in deep discussion, lovers in deep amore provide a buffet better than Luby's for the people watcher.

The Great Back Yard

The most famous of all New York City's parks, is Central Park. Everyone has heard of this park, everyone who has seen a movie or TV show within the last 30 years. Central Park occupies over 850 acres and is bordered by 59th street to the South and 110th to the north, making a giant rectangle in the north central part of Manhattan. Though there was originally a small village, Seneca, inhabited by Irish and black residents, most of the land was uninhabitable. Today, a walk through the park reveals giant schists or large black boulders, the remains of the receding Wisconsin Glacier. These schists are evident elsewhere in the city but nowhere as prolific as in the park. Removal of these formations made agriculture or development financially prohibitive. Today they provide seating and points of interest for park visitors. There are numerous points of interest in the park and the best way to see it is by taking a walking tour. These are provided through the park conservatory or through commercial guidebooks. One of my favorite sights is the Elm Grove which includes the "Poet's Walk" This is the largest Elm Grove in the Country. At the time when Dutch Elm Disease killed most of the elm in the United States, these elm were protected and survive today.

I have had some memorable moments in Central Park. One was last winter when it snowed. I took a lengthy walk through the park. I will let the pictures describe what words cannot.

Central park serves as a major entertainment venue. This summer I saw a production of Shakespear in the Park, Twelth Night. The production was critically acclaimed and rightly so as it rivaled any Broadway Production. There is no charge for admission but you do pay a price, having to stand in line the day of the production for four hours.

Another memorable event was the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's Summer Concert in the Park. This was also free. New Yorkers came by the thousands with their blankets and picnic baskets to sit on the lawn and listen to Beethovan and Mozart.

The great back yards.

Most New Yorker's do not have conventional back yards. Oh, there are some postage stamp green spots adjacent to some of the homes, but nothing that would qualify as a lawn back in Texas. It is interesting that many neighborhoods turn the ocassional vacant lots into gardens, with small plots for the community gardeners. These are delightful. But New Yorker's have great yards in which to play, rest and relax. Imagine if you can, yards that are always well maintained, mowed, planted with green grass and featuring a variety of trees and plants, annuals as well as evergreens. These lawns have playground equipment and frequently host parties with live entertainment venues. These are the New York City parks and it is to those I now turn my attention.

A little history, a little trivia

Enough of art. You will never understand or appreciate New York City until you know its history. NYC was founded by the Dutch and even back in the 16th Century it was noted that, at any given time, several different languages could be heard on the streets of New Amsterdam (the first name of New York). The Dutch, who settled the first colony, were a tolerant people. It is one of the traditions they brought to the New Land. In addition, the Dutch brought the tradition of free trade. One actually led to the other. If one wants free trade, one must be tolerant in order to attract many customers. These two traditions, tolerance and free trade evolved in New York (the city was renamed after the English took the colony) to become part of the new country formed by the thirteen colonies. New York remains extremely tolerant today. You will find a little of everything and everyone here and this diversity gives the city its color and spice. New York throughout history has been a major center of trade. Its importance as a trade center was evidenced by the fortifications the new country installed to protect its harbor during the war of 1812. Washington D.C. fell to the British but New York was protected by a trio of forts at Governor's Island, Clinton Castle, at Battery Park and the fort at what is now the base of the Statue of Liberty. For this reason, you can find anything your heart desires in this city. If something is made anywhere in the world and shipped to the U.S., it is for sale in New York City.

A little trivia: Yes, Manhattan was sold for wampum (beads), yes they did build a wall on what is now Wall Street (This wall was to keep out invaders, however, when Indians attacked the city, they simply walked around the wall.) Canal street was a canal that transected the Island probably used by the Natives to cross from the East to the Hudson Rivers. Pearl street was a trail where the Natives dumped oyster shells. There is no natural drinkable water in New York, as the early New Yorkers polluted all natural resources. It must all be imported from North of the city. The bread products such as the pizza dough and the bagels are believed to get their unique and highly desirable qualities from that imported water.

Why is New York called the "Big Apple." I have found there are two explanations. One has to do with horse racing. The track in horse racing was referred to as the apple. The most important races were held in New York. It was the "Big Apple." A similar explanation has to do with show business. A performance venue was call the Apple. The number one performance venue was and still is New York City, thus it is "the Big Apple." The term became really popular during an advertising campaign for New York tourism. I have been told that before it was called the Big Apple, it was called the "Big Onion." As soon as I learn why I will get back to you.

Have you ever wondered why the media gives so much attention to the Mayor of New York. The reason is simple. How many governors have such a large constituency?

Enough history for now. On to parks.

The other museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

The Guggenheim has a notable collection of Modern art and is host to many exhibitions but what appeals to me the most is not the art inside the Guggenheim but the remarkable museum building itself. It was designed fifty years ago by Frank Lloyd Wright who also designed the Kimball in Fort Worth, Texas. The main gallery spirals upward like a shell. Inside, the exhibitions in the main gallery are featured on the walls of the "shell" as it curves toward the ceiling, a glass webbed window. The art is displayed on the walls of this upward moving gallery. If you are not particularly interested in the exhibition, never fear, you will be fascinated by the view as you ascend or descend, looking down at the lobby or up to the ceiling. In other galleries you come upon interior windows which frame other interior galleries or exterior windows looking out over the exterior of the building or Central Park. The design of each space is appealing.

The Guggenheim is on 5th Avenue, a little North of the MET, across the street from Central Park. Admission is $20. On Saturday evenings after six, admission is donar's choice. There is a line.

Conquering the MET

The Metropolitan Museum of Art covers four city blocks. That is almost as large as the entire downtown area of the small town where I was reared. It is a maze of galleries and hallways, and art from every place and time on earth. It is more than my poor little ADD brain can handle. In order to "do" the MET, I have to break it down into manageable parts. I go frequently. Each time there is a featured exhibition I would like to see, or if I get wrapped up in work and forget why I live in this city, I will take the time to visit the MET.

I have been at least seven times in the thirteen months I have lived here and I have still only seen a fifth of the museum. If I am going to a special exhibit, I carefully follow the directions to navigate my way through the monstrous labyrinth. My original plan was to always explore one or two of the the permanent exhibits which I encountered on the way. In a fortunate turn of events, the area around the entrance to the museum was under construction, forcing patrons to enter from a southern entrance and take an elevator up to the main floor. This alarmed me as it is easy to get lost in this place. On the way to a Veermeer exhibition, I discovered the Greek Courtyard, a sumptuous gallery of Greek Sculpture with seating which facilitates spending enough time there to do the Greeks justice. I plan to do just that the next time I visit. Who knows when I would have found it otherwise.

You may think I am kidding about getting lost. Earlier this year, I went to see the new American Wing. There is a large section devoted to American Design which features room after room of furniture, set up as originally used, dating from pre-revolutionary time to Frank Lloyd Wright. After wandering around for some time, I found myself in an unusual space with row after row of furniture, organized not by rooms but by object. There were rows and rows of chairs, then tables, silver serving pieces, chests, all displayed in glass cases. I thought to myself, this must not be their best stuff to crowd it all together like this. Finally, I realized, I was in the storage area. Actually, this area is open to the public intentionally.

Going back to the Frank Lloyd Wright room, I loved this exhibit. If you ever wondered about Wright's contribution to modern design you will see it in this room.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located in Central Park and faces Fifth Avenue. The Museum is usually closed on Monday but will open if it is a holiday. The recommended donation is $20, which you should pay. If you can't afford the cost, you may make a donation of what you can afford. (No one will look askew at you for not paying the full price.)

Following your visit to the MET, plan to ride the bus down Fifth Avenue to 34th Street. (Be sure to get on the right bus because one does not go all the way down.) Along Fifth Avenue you will see penthouse apartments on one side and Central Park on the other. Then after Central Part you will see the Merchandizing Icons including: FOA Schwartz, Cartier, De Beers, Tiffany's, Gucci, Armani, Louis Vitton, Ferragami, Bergdorf Goodman, Sak's Fifth Avenue, and Lord and Taylor and too many more to name. These are the original stores and the reason women once flocked to New York to shop. (Long before the days of malls when these stores opened outlets all over the country.) At 50th street you will pass St. Patrick's Cathedral and Rockefeller Center and at 42nd the New York Public Library. It is a good way to orient yourself to that part of the city. When you get to 34th street you will find yourself at the grandaddy of all skyscrapers, The Empire State Building.

Finding Serenity in Manhattan

My absolute favorite museum in New York is in upper Manhattan in the middle of Fort Tyron Park, so removed from traffic and skyscrapers you will wonder if you have not been transported to another part of the world, say the south of France. That is exactly what John D. Rockefeller wanted you to think when he purchased the land and a collection of Medieval Art and Architecture which is now the Cloisters. The Cloisters, which resembles a medieval monastery, is a relatively modern building that includes in its structure parts of five actual medieval monasteries. The collection came about in the early twentieth century when an American Sculptor, George Grey Barnard, traveled to Europe and began buying the ruins of monasteries and other pieces of Medieval art. He then shipped them to the United States. Later, Rockefeller bought the collection, and built the modern day replication of a monastery in which to house them. He donated the building and the collection to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the surrounding land, the sight of Fort Tyron, an American Revolutionary War Fort, to the city. He also bought the land across the Hudson River on the New Jersey side, which to this day remains undeveloped, so that patrons would know what the Medieval Monk or traveler saw when looking out the monastery window to the hills of France. The building contains the ruins of five monasteries, two chapels, a chapter house, and several cloisters (the covered walkways having an open colonnade surrounding a garden or courtyard) as well as part of the MET's collection of Medieval art. The most complete relic is the chapter house, a room in which the monks met daily. The gardens include plants which were grown in the monasteries for medicinal and culinary purposes. Spectacular tapestries which make me dizzy when I consider the hands that labored in their creation are probably the most recognized art featured. (The Unicorn in Captivity is featured in the latest Harry Potter Movie as decor on the wall of Hogwartz(SIC) of the school.) There are five Unicorn tapestries, which tell the story of a hunt, and they have an interesting history. The Cloister's architect and first curator were showing the completed building to Rockefeller. When they came to the room where the tapestries were to be featured, Rockefeller asked, what art would go in this room. They reportedly told him the gallery had been built for the tapestries which were then currently in Mr Rockefeller's personal collection. What could he do but then donate them to the museum? Also featured are sarcophagus of long dead knights and ladies. One of these was found by Barnard in use as a bridge, which gives you some idea of the condition of the ruins at the time he built the collection. There are stained glass windows , statues, wood carvings, ancient altars, pulpits and paintings. There is even, as in an actual monastery, a treasury, filled with gold artifacts. But the best feature of the Cloisters is the serene environment it provides, for quiet reflection and prayer. It is a place to come when the mind and the spirit need rest and reflection. This building was never used as a church so it is not sacred ground. Even so, it is one of those unique places where one can feel the presence of the generations of faithful, and the prayers which are steeped in the ancient stone.

If your visit is timed around lunch or dinner there is a great restaurant, The New Leaf, reasonably priced, close, and on the way from the subway station to the Cloisters. If you are there on Sunday, be sure to take advantage of the Brunch.

Admittance is $20 but as with the MET, this is the recommended donation price. If you only go once, you should by all means pay this price. If however, you cannot afford the full price, you may make a donation of your choice. The price of admittance to the Cloisters is good for admittance to the MET on the same day. To get to the Cloisters take the A train to 190th street. Then, you can either walk or take the bus the short distance to the museum. Plan to walk through Fort Tyron Park and enjoy the view across the river which includes the George Washington Bridge.

The Language Barrier

I was reared by a genteel woman, a lady. A Southern lady. There were certain words which were never used in our home. For example, one never used the term (and it makes me cringe to write it here) "pee." When in public, one did not announce that one needed to go to the restroom, but rather that one needed to be excused. You can understand why my son was a little concerned about my moving to New York where the "F" word flies around like bullets during deer season. And oh does it fly, from Fulton Street to Wall Street, from the school hallways to the faculty lounge, if you are in Manhattan you will hear New Yorkers describing everything, good bad or indifferent as "F..n" Now I must admit that it took months before my heart ceased to race and the fight or flight response ceased to kick in upon hearing the term. Gradually, I began to realize, that the word did not have the same meaning to New Yorkers as it does to me, and I suspect most native East Texas ladies. And gradually, it has insidiously begun to present itself in my mind (though never from my lips) when I am considering how to describe some new event or site in the city. The first time it happened my son and I were watching a television crime drama and the police car from the show, stopped in front of Regal Row in Washington Square (that's in Greenwich Village). My son looked at me and said, "Mom, we live in New "F...n" York. And I smiled and agreed with him. The next time it happened I was walking across the street and looked down Fifth Avenue and said to myself, "That is the Empire "F...n" State Building." Oh my mother rolled over in her grave, but I must admit, it was an apt description. I do reserve the term for moments of extreme awe, such as when I was riding the F train to Park Slope where it goes above ground and I looked out over the East River and there was the Statue of "F...n" Liberty." And I said to my mother, who is always with me in spirit, "Oh moma, if you were here, you would find yourself at a loss for words and who knows if you might use the "f...n, "F" word yourself." I have yet to actually say the word and probably never will as should I do so, Daddy would probably rise up out of his grave tell me to "F...n" stop rousing moma so he could rest in peace.

Visiting Vincent at the MOMA

A friend of my believes that all artists should have quit after Van Gogh. I share his regard. There was an exhibit of his work presented at the MoMA, (Museum of Modern Art) entitled Van Gogh, Colors of the Night. The Exhibition tells the story of Van Gogh's quest to paint the night sky. This was not so simple a task. He literally could not see to paint in the dark of night in this time before electricity. The exhibition features his attempts to paint from memory and moonlight until finally he realizes that he can use the gaslight at the outskirts of the town and see to paint in the dark. There is a painting which demonstrates this. His simple goal reveals a man who was pure of heart. He sold less than five paintings in his lifetime. He sought neither riches nor fame. He simply wanted to share what he saw and experienced in the night sky, through his art. And he does. The paintings show the night as spiritual, alive with mystery. At the end of the exhibit I looked up at the women standing next to me, in front of Van Gogh' masterpiece and final triumph, Starry Night. She and I were both in tears.

Starry Night makes its home at the MoMA and if that were the only thing there to see it would be worth the visit but there are many other artists and works in the permanent collection and wonderful exhibitions as well.

Entrance to the museum is $20. Friday nights from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. there is no charge.

The "A" train and more

I love the subway. I love it most of all because I do not have to drive a car. I am not a very good driver. In fact, the last month that I owned a car, I dented the back fender one week after having it fixed. My brother, who was also my insurance agent told me, "Evie, you need to ride the bus."

I used to make a car payment, pay for car upkeep, gas and insurance. Now I buy an $89 unlimited ride monthly fare. With my subway card and a good pair of shoes I can go anywhere I like. It is the only thing I find less expensive living here.

The New York Subway is old, one of the oldest in the world. For this reason, it may look dingy and used in places, but if you look closely, you will notice that it is remarkable clean. Millions of people use the Subway daily and yet you seldom find trash and the cars are relatively free of graffiti. My sister remarked about the improved state of the subways since her first visits to New York in the early nineties. One of Rudy Giuliani's initiatives against crime involved getting rid of the graffiti. The solution was that the cars never went out with graffiti on them. They are always cleaned before they are put into daily use. This sort of defeats the purpose of those who paint the graffiti.

You will also find a strong police presence in the subways. Even late at night I feel secure riding the rails in part because of the police presence but also because there are so many other riders. There are many parts of town I do not go to so I can't speak for all of the city and I seldom ride the trains after midnight which may also account for my comfort using them.


My true reason for loving the subways though, is the art. At the major stations mosaics grace the tile walls. At Times Square you will find New Year's Eve revelers, around Bryant Park and the New York Public Library are hallways featuring underground labyrinths and poetry. At one stop on Lexington there are giant coffee cups and in Spanish Harlem, jazz musicians. At Delancey Street are rivers of fish and apple trees and at Penn Station are entertainers who appear to have just stepped off the stage at Madison Square Garden. My absolute favorite mosaics though are featured on the walls of the subway that access the Museum of Natural History. Whales swim in the ocean, elephants and other creatures roam the station. The layers of the Earth are featured in the depths of the undermost train walls.

The other art form in the subways are the underground musicians. Whatever your taste, you will hear it, the lone cello or saxophone, jazz, the blues, doo whap, salsa, African drums, bass, country western guitarist, or an Irish tenor all plying their trade entertaining for the cost of a subway fare and a donation. ( Which I always make). This is the Big Apple where few make it and those who are on their way up or down entertain the commuters. The quality is better than you would pay for in most cities across the country. If you ride the train for any length of time through Manhattan you will hear different music each time the car doors open or you may be serenaded right in your car by the next up and coming Grammy winner. You never know.

New York, a geography lesson

Just so you know, Manhattan Island, one of the five boroughs which make up New York City, is 13 miles long and 2 1/2 miles wide at its widest point. Eight million people live on this Island, during the night and weekends, but the population swells to 16 million during the weekday. This will help you understand why the real estate here is so expensive and why New York had to grow skyward and underground. Take Rockefeller Center, it is an underground mall. Students in my school could not imagine a one story school building. This is why New Yorkers relish their parks. I never appreciated the park until I moved here. More on parks later.

The city includes four additional Burroughs; Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Brooklyn and Queens are located on Long Island. Manhattan is an Island in the Middle of two rivers. The River on the west is called the Hudson and on the east is called the East River. The Harlem River runs between Manhattan and the Bronx. The coast of Brooklyn borders the Atlantic Ocean where you will find Coney Island and Brighten Beach. Each Borough is divided into areas, each area having its own name. Some of those names are acronyms. In Manhattan you have Soho which stands for south of Houston Street, Tribeca which stands for triangle below Canal Street. In Brooklyn, Dumbo stands for Development under the Manhattan Bridge. There are many other names, Greenwich Village named for the original Greenwich village, the East village which is on the East side of Manhattan opposite Greenwich, Chelsea, Harlem, Upper East and West Side, Chinatown, where all the Chinese markets are, Little Italy (which is now completely surrounded by Chinatown and too many more to name.

Manhattan contains a grid of avenues and streets. The avenues run north and south and the streets run east and west. In order to confuse tourists there are also many streets which will run every which a way. For example Broadway which runs diagonally north and south from east to west.

Anyway, check out a map before you visit. Nothing is very far but you do need to be prepared to walk and climb stairs (and there are many stairs to climb) because the best way to get around in New York is the subway and a good pair of walking shoes.

One Magic Evening

There is one guaranteed magic evening in the Big Apple and it is absolutely free but for the price of a subway token.  The place is the Brooklyn Promenade which borders the East River.  You want to be there one hour before sunset on a clear day.  You will watch as the sun descends over the East River and the Manhattan skyline.  From this site you can also see the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.  After the sun sets and dark wraps the horizon you watch as the lights of Manhattan twinkle onto the scene.  The Empire State Building will don whatever colors fit the occasion, red, white and blue for a patriotic theme, red and gold for Chinese New Year, green for Saint Patrick's Day.   And those twinkling lights will outline the most beautiful building in Manhattan, the Chrysler.  You might not see many stars in the New York City sky but this view is hardly chopped liver.  In fact, I count is as a spiritual hour, celebrating being alive and living in this great city.

Historical Note: This is where Geore Washington's army, trapped by the British, narrowly escaped capture. Fishermen transported the troops during the night, accross the Hudson River to New Jersey. Had this not happened the Revolution would have been over before it began.

Take the subway to Jay Street, Burough Hall in Brooklyn. Walk down Montague Street for four blocks until it dead ends into the Promenade.

New York, New York

First of all, I need to explain how I came to live here in New York City or Brooklyn to be exact. My foremost dream as a child was to travel. While I also dreamed of marriage and family as did most girls of my generation, I wanted that after I explored the world. But the woman did not have the courage of the child and that is a story for another time. At any rate, I found myself at the age of 55 with no job and having never lived outside of the State of Texas, most of that time in East Texas. Not that I made no attempt. When I first looked for a Principal's position (I am an educator), I applied all around the continental U.S.A. and traveled to Pennsylvania and Washington D. C. to interview. But when opportunities arose, my courage failed and I ended up back in East Texas on a journey from one miserable position to another. At any rate, the doors of opportunity in Texas seemed to be closing all around me.

My son, who was living in New York City at the time, encouraged me to live not vicariously through him, but to move to NYC and live with him for one year. At first I simply blew off the idea as too preposterous, too much of an upheaval. Move to New York City! But gradually, I began to be reminded of that girl who stared out the window of her bedroom and planned how she would go to New York, Paris and Rome and not simply to travel but to live in those places. The idea began to take root and before I knew it grew into a full fledged plan. I found myself taking the steps to make the dream a reality. I had a giant apartment sale and let go of years of possessions. In fact I sold everything that would not fit into a 5x5 storage facility. It is humbling to realize how many possessions I collected over the years considering that I had already downsized from a three bedroom townhome to a one bedroom apartment. I sold my car, packed up the cat and left for New York with every intention of staying for one year.

My first inkling that one year in New York would not be enough occurred the second month here, when my son began to talk about leaving New York to teach overseas. I literally began to grieve for all the things I would miss. When he applied to and was accepted into the Peace Corp, I began to grieve all the things I would not have time to do in one year. I wanted to stay in New York City, but that old fear began to creep in. I would have no family here. I would be all by myself. I was afraid to stay, but neither could I leave. I simply was not finished with the Big Apple.

Why am I so enthralled with New York. Well, I love the weather. It is never too hot for a walk which is another thing I like about New York. I walk everywhere. I am in better shape than I have ever been. It actually snows here and when it does it is beautiful. If this past winter was any indication of the cold, give me a New York Winter over a Texas Summer any day. I love the smells of New York, from the bakeries, to flower stands filled with lavender, meat cooking in the Gyro stands, the river and even the subways. I love the sounds of New York. You probably hear five different languages each time to venture out and at least that many different genres of music each time the subway doors open. It is a myth that New Yorkers are unfriendly. The people are friendly and always ready to help. The people in the neighborhood bodegas call me "Texas." When was the last time the people on your street sat out on their front lawns the way New Yorkers sit out on their stoops? The only rude New Yorkers are the cabbies who honk for seemingly no reason other than to impress their riders. A bad meal in New York is a rarity. New Yorkers hold the bar high when it comes to food , spelling a quick end to the restaurant or street vendor which fails to meet it. There is probably no ethnic fare unrepresented in the city. Price is no predictor of quality. Some of the best food is at the Saturday Flea Market in Brooklyn on the corner of Lafayette and Vanderbilt.

You can never run out of free things to do, forget about all the low cost things. (Go to nyc.go for today's date and see what I mean.) Once you learn about off Broadway, even the theater is not beyond your means. Thanks in part to John D. Rockefeller's efforts to bring art to the people, anyone can visit the cities' great museums at affordable prices.

I haven't even touched on the street fairs or the parks. It will take at least another year to describe my New York. This is the story of Evie's great adventure or as my son calls it "My great "Perhaps." My other dream as a child was to write. So I will write about my adventure and kill two birds with one stone.