The New York Leg

View from the NY Hilton, New York, NY Oct 2012, a photo by suzipaw on Flickr.

I'm halfway through the New York show, and so feeling pretty good about it all. Busy, yes, but still managing to smell a few roses along the way. The weather has been wonderful, warm even. On my first night, I made a conscious effort to break out of my introvert shell and texted one of my colleagues to see if she'd join me for dinner. She did! Last night I had a few moments to break away from the conference hotel and visit the Madhus. I got to hug everyone, have a glass of wine, and watch some of the final presidential debate before hopping the subway home. I figured it was going to be my only chance to ride it, so what the heck. I took it a few extra stops to as to walk to the hotel through Grand Central station. Here are some of the things I also enjoyed yesterday evening:

That Gus's barks turned to cuddles before the evening ended. There is something so comforting about petting furry creatures.

I think the late '70's are back. New York denizens are sporting lots of golden bling and fur accessories. Hair is getting bigger. I'm keeping an eye out for shoulder pads.

A man yelling into his phone, an older woman screaming at noone on the street, a younger woman reasoning into the phone in line at the liquor store: "Well, I didn't call you because I knew you needed and wanted your space and that's why I didn't email you."

A ballerina stretching in her toe shoes as she spoke to a young man on the street, pale brocade costume and pale stone of the bank backdrop contrasting her ebony skin.

I saw my first Central Park raccoon, humping across the paved path in front of me, then peering down at me as he made his way up a tree.

The woman across from me in the subway car, dressed in working blue coveralls, sketching the dozing man next to me on a small pad. I caught her eye and we smiled at each other in delight.

Coming up the ramp from the subway into the glory of Grand Central, space soaring yet defined above the few of us moving through it, always on our way somewhere except for the business attired couple grounded in an embrace, caught up in the gravity of the great brass clock, unable to pull away from their kisses and tender words.

Food from my favorite Halal cart. Oh, how I miss the falafel, the mysterious white sauce, the yellow rice.

Construction crews digging up the streets, pulling wooden boards from beneath the pavement. How much wood is buried here? It's always felt like I tread stone upon stone here.

*****

Vancouver was very pleasant. I didn't sleep well for a couple of nights, but that was the worst of it. I had chatty but nice seat companions on the plane rides (on the way back to the US, it was the second-ranked tennis player for BC, on his way to a tennis "man camp" (his words) in San Antonio with his dad and uncle), so learned a bit about liquor laws and Vancouver generally. One of the locals who co-organized the event took us on a little driving tour of the city, but it was raining and foggy. Apparently it's gorgeous there in summer, but we couldn't see much of the harbor and mountains. I sought out good coffee and decent food. It was fun spending foreign money.







*****

OK, off to another work party. Another party tomorrow night, dinner with Cathleen on Thursday, then home Friday!