10 days/10000 miles pt 2...New York

I could seriously see myself living in New York. The city just makes you feel alive, but before I get to that let me explain to you the real New York with this little story...

As I was getting on the elevator early one morning a family (who suspiciously sounded like they were from my home town in Missouri) were complaing how New York wasn't all that, and that the town was over-rated. Well, they aren't wrong, since they just did the normal tourist stuff like the Empire State Building, Time Square, and Ms. Liberty. But to see the real New York, you have to look passed that and get to the heart of it, which is not in mid-town. Where you will meet the nicest people, eat the best food, and drink till 4am!!!

I arrived on Tuesday night to my very cool hotel room with a complete veiw of the Empire State Building. And even though I was tired from flying (and doing the drive from Tahoe to Arcata the day before) I threw my bags on the bed and hit the town. I was just a few blocks from Grand Central Station so the whole city was open to me. However, the tourist in me knew I had to get some things off my chest. So I bought a subway pass, and saw the two touristy things I had wanted to see since I reached adulthood. I went up to 72nd street and saw Stawberry Fields, and tood a picture with "Imagine" in the background. Then I traveled all the way down to SoHo to go to CBGB's (which is, sadly, closing in October...and later will be a Las Vegas crap bar that you will find the sort of people who would never walk in the CBGB's in New York because they are chicken shits). For more about CBGB's history, well, you're online now, go see for yourself.

The next day I went to Greenwich Village/Washington Square. I had signed up to do a cultural tour with some members of my family. And with the tour I had the best Pizza, Greek, and Cheese ever! It was sort of a food tasting/culture tour. Including the coolest, and earilest "speakeasy" in the nation, cool houseing...and yes, the place where "Friends" (as in the TV show) lived and where their coffee house was.

The big family reunion in Brooklyn was refreshing. I am the blacksheep of the family since I was the first not to be born in NY. And I hardly, as in hardly ever, see my family, so it was nice to finally see them. It was fun hearing old Italian stories. Eating black olives, Mozzarella cheese, and cheap red wine all night. I sometimes forget I have a real family.

I saw a few plays. Spamalot, the musical version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, was great. It was fun to see the audience applaude with characters from the movie, like the french solider and the killer rabbit, would appear. They also threw in some regular pythons jokes in there.."Spam!" I also saw the single best play in my life!!! The Lieutenant of Inishmore!

http://www.broadway.com/gen/Show.aspx?si=522512

It is hyped as a "Irish comedy", and it is funny, very funny, but it is bloodier then a Tarantino movie, and more entertaining! It was that good! It made me realize what good acting and writing can be....do I even have to compare it to LA theater? I didn't think so.

Of course, I did a few tourist stuff. Time square, which has completely changed from when I was in New York 15 years ago. I did go to the World Trade Center site. I don't know why. I guess I just had to see it. The "Hole" is slightly bigger then the town of Arcata, where I live now. Nuff said.

My cousin, Lucy, recruits teachers for the New York school system. But I'm on the fence to live there. New York is great, but there is one downside (which is off topic from me being "on the fence"). The town is literally "Sex in the City". You see women, and I do mean many, many women, dressed as if they were on the TV show Sex in the City. I know real New Yorkers are better then that. But I would hope people who migrate to New York are better then to impersonate an idea from a TV show. I just came from a city that does that.

Even though I was there from a week, I did not get a chance to get caught up with people who I really would like to at least say hi to (Sorry Julie!), but I will go back there is a lot more to do there.

A quick final note. As soon as my plane landed, the whole Britain/terror thing happened. Which made me wonder if I was going to get stuck in New York or not. BUT what I didn't think about is New York after 9/11. I would still live in New York because it is the greatest city on Earth. Now how I pay my rent....that's something I would have to worry about.

"I don't have any reasons
I've left them all behind
I'm in a New York state of mind" ~B. Joel

Next..pt 3 (The middle of nowhere)