Though my heart was prepared to stay, my wallet finally got my attention and I have ended my adventure in New York. I want to end my blog with two stories. The first is about my final day in the Big Apple. I woke early for Central Park to wait in line for tickets to Shakespeare in the Park's presentation of The Merchant of Venice. I waited in line until the ticket office opened at 1:00 p.m. Because the forecast was for rain, not too many people were ahead of me and I knew that I would get tickets.

After getting my ticket, I walked around Amsterdam and Broadway and ended up at the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Center. If you want to see famous performers, this is the place as many work in the area. By the way, if you see someone famous in New York, do not make a big deal of it, unless you want to be branded a tourist and possibly a rude tourist. New Yorkers tend to give the famous a wide berth, out of respect I think but also because, it is not such a big deal to see them.

I visited some of the places that held my best memories and a few new place. In the park I spent quite a bit of time in Shakespeare's Garden which is near the Delacorte Theater and quite beautiful. Finally, the time came for the play, which featured Al Pacino, as Shylock. My seats were incredible with Mr. Pacino only feet away. He could have been speaking Greek and I would have understood every word he said. What a masterful actor! What a city.

The other event took place several days after I made the decision to leave New York. I was working at Lane Bryant. I had a customer who was reluctant to try on any clothes which she deigned different from what she usually wore. Finally I got her to try on a top which looked fabulous on her. She agreed but commented, "Where would I wear this?" I responded that she should wear it to go out on Saturday. She indicated that the only went to the laundry on Saturdays. I started considering this and began to get angry. Why should this lady get to live in New York, where she doesn't do anything on Saturday but her laundry, but I have to leave. I asked her, "When was the last time you went to the MET?" I began to actually go off on her about all the things there were to do in this city for free. Finally, I noticed that this lady was moving back from me. She was looking at me as though I were holding a gun and I realized that I was way over the top. Anyway, I backed off and apologized but the incident has stayed with me.

This is what I think. I have been given a gift and it is called opportunity. I have learned that life is to be lived. I have learned that everything that comes your way is a new adventure and you should embrace it with arms wide open.

Right now I am back in my hometown for the first time in nineteen years and it feels great, so for now my adventure is here. But on my Bookmark page are at least seven web sites for companies which sponsor people who wish to teach overseas. No matter where I land, for the rest of my years, life is a great "Perhaps."

Coming Home

I visited Texas over spring break. My son Doug and his wife Kelli made me a first time grandmother. I am in love and their names are Doug III and Brecken. But that's a blog for later.

Something interesting happened while I was in Texas. I was visiting with a friend and as I unfolded a scarf I carried for warmth, I told a friend her, "You Southerners sure keep your buildings cold." She looked at me and responded, "You Southerners."

I tell you this, because, in addition to this second experience, I have had an epiphany. On the flight home it was a clear night and I enjoyed my window view. As we flew over cities, the lights looked like giant dazzling spider webs. After the captain announced we were 30 miles from New York City, I kept watch for landmarks I would recognize. The first was the sight of lights, that covered the entire view from my window. The massive size of the New York Metropolitan area, is illustrated by the field of lights, relieved only by the Atlantic Ocean, the New York Harbor and the East River, when compared to those spider webs we passed earlier. The first body of land that I thought I recognized was Brooklyn. I made out what I thought were Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery, (blocks from my apartment. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw a cluster of skyscrapters, the tallest of which was arched, (The Hanson Building). My pulse rose when rising up above the edge of the window I saw the Brooklyn Bridge, and just to the right the Manhattan Bridge. Then the skyscrapers entered my view and I thrilled as the Empire State Building, lit that night in white lights rose up beyond all the others. Next came the elegant lady, the Chrysler Building. A little father along and there was Central Park. I am amazed by how much of Manhattan it encompasses. I recognized the Metropolitan Museum of Art carved out of the East side of the park and further down across the street was the cone of the Guggenheim. I can't tell you how excited I was that I recognized all these places and that in a way I own them. You see, I was home.

Beware of yellow snow.

Now that the winter is just about over (we could actually have one more snow event according to the weatherman) I thought I should comment on the New York weather. I love it. We had three serious snow storms this winter and I loved each and every one. You can just look at the pictures to tell that it is beautiful. It is also lovely to be inside in a cozy space while the wind whirls the snow outside or to walk in the park and see how mother nature transforms the landscape. New York can be ugly and dirty looking at times, but in the snow she is breathless. Not everything about the snow is beautiful though. For one thing, there are these snowdrifts. You step into one and your leg is knee high in the stuff, or if there happens to be a curb under one, you will just tip right on over. Luckily the stuff is soft, so it cushions your fall, which other wise would land you flat on your face. The ice can be very slippery and of course this often means you can fall. The good thing is that you have on so many layers of clothing that you don't do much damage. People are required by law to clear the sidewalks in front of their homes within four hours of the time the snow stops falling. Problem is, they sweep it right into the street. Soon you have to cross a small snow mountain range to go from one side to the other. But the real hazard is yellow snow. That you do not want to fall into. In case you haven't figured it out, yellow snow is the creation of some canine who finds the snow a tempting place for territorial marking or just plain relief.

Another blizzard

It is February and we had another blizzard. This time we got a total of 17 inches. The snow literally pillowed on the branches of the Douglas Fir growing outside of my window. This time I stayed inside during the storm but got out two days later and took pictures in Prospect Park. Enjoy them.

It snowed last night

Last night we had 18 inches of snow and it was as close to a blizzard as I want to get. New York does not come to a halt when it snows. In fact it doesn't even pause. I work on 34th street across the street from Empire State Building. From the looks of things at 4:00 p.m., shoppers and tourist were out en masse, enjoying the sights and the bargains. However, by 7:00 p.m. the wind picked up and things began to empty out. The wind was so fierce, it hurt the skin on my face when I walked from Lane Bryant across the street to the Starbucks for a cup of coffee. Tiny splinters of ice pierce any exposed skin. The snow was blowing in torrents down the alley formed by the street, into the stores and down the subways. At this point, I was ready to go home but as I said, the Big Apple does not stop for a little snow, even though somebody forgot to tell the shoppers. We closed early at 9:30 and we left the store by 10:07. I arrived at the subway stop at 11:30 p.m. because the trains are slow on the weekends. The walk from the subway stop to my apartment was some trek. The wind was blowing and the snow made visibility difficult. Walking in deep snow drifts is trickier than you might think. I stepped off a curb only to have my leg up to my knee deep in snow. I fell completely over, luckily into deep snow so I injured little more than my pride. I am a slow learner since I did the same thing the next morning on the way back to work.

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.