Monday & Tuesday in Manhattan

Here we are, located now in the Vanderbilt New York YMCA, only 2 blocks from the United Nations Building and only about 9 short blocks from Grand Central Station. We were pleasantly surprised that, after a few comments and discreet questions while registering, there was a room WITH a private toilet and shower that we could take for a little higher price; $110 up from $88 per night. Instead of bunk beds it also has a queen-size bed. However, when we opened the door we realized the room had not been made up. So we are awaiting the housekeeping services.

In the heat of the day, after transferring here and being made to wait until 3 to register, thus wandering to Grand Central Station and such, in and out of A/C buildings and shade and sun, Rose developed a slight headache and mild nausea. She took a Gravol and a Tylenol and is now sleeping on the bed near me while we await the maid. That is the first problem she’s had from the heat that we are told will only get worse tomorrow. Monday is kind-of a down day in the museums and theaters of Manhattan, but we have enjoyed several more unique experiences.

The Grand Central Station is another huge hub of activity with trains and subways departing and arriving from near and far. People are in one huge hurry! Taxi’s are busy and constant. They say 12000 are licenced for Manhattan. Yellow everywhere. And buses everywhere. Everybody is coming and going.

After Rose dozed off her nuasea and headache, we headed out to try our MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) tickets on the bus to get to the 5th Ave fancy exclusive shops. Our first stop was Chanel. The doors were opened with two ‘door-men’ dressed in immaculate black and wired with nearly invisible earphones and speaking into tiny microphones. The store was several floors. Dresses on the 3rd floor were huge prices. We asked a very nice clerk about their higher priced stuff. She showed us a $26,000 filmy white frock with hand-painted frock pleats and sporting glittery ‘sequens’ or whatever. Is it any wonder the dress was kept behind a secret panel in the wall. She showed the fine stitches, explaining that everything was sewn by hand. I am shaking my head as I write this about the price. I admired a beautiful reddish jacket/sweater of nice-textured fabric and very prettily styled lines thinking ‘boy that would look nice on Rose’. When I checked the price I decided we might wait for a special. It was $4980.00.

We went through several such high-fashion stores, Rose and I in our slightly wrinkled faded capri pants and simple polo t-shirts. In each place they thought we were famous and rich celebrities in disguise! (Well, maybe not!) At Tiffany’s I casually asked about a multi-strand diamond-studded necklace and bracelet and ear-rings. I told the lady behind the counter just to give me an estimate. She said, “I’m going to tell you exactly”. The rounded figures were respectively; $67,000, $35,000, and $70,000. Rose asked if if she were a movie star attending the Oscars if she could rent them. The lady gave a funny looks and said well, we would never say ‘rent’! They wouldn’t have to pay but anyway ‘rent’ would sure not be the word!

Our most pleasant visit was at the Versace store. It was a very nice building, that were learned was originally a Vanderbilt property. The clerks treated us most respectfully and even allowed us to take a couple pictures which was really taboo in these stores. The one lady I spoke to was married to a Canadian. Lived in Ottawa two years, had two babies, then they came back to NYC. She was very complimentary about Canada. Well, that just goes to show you these uppity folks are nearly normal and, in fact, whenever I get someone’s attention they really seem to like us!

On the crowded bus we rode earlier there were only single aisle seats beside earlier lady passengers, one in front of the other. I said to my seat-mate, “Hello’! She stared directly into her book without the slightest nod. I glanced at the title of the chapter she was reading. It was, “How To Gain Another person’s Attention”. That made me smile. I decided to ask if this bus would take us to 57th Street. (I thought that might get her attention.) Well, she answered right away and then we kept chatting it up so that after a couple blocks she seemed like a new person. Then I asked her about her book. She had just taken a news sales job and was studying how to improve sales. I told her I enjoyed her chapter title and did she notice I got her attention? She laughed and I know, inside her secret realization, she knew she just received an important lesson from this stranger from distant Canada. Anyway, isn’t New York interesting?

After we got tired of looking in those expensive clothing and jewelry stores, we decided we were hungry. After asking several people for directions finally one woman told Rose about this good place that served Turkish food. We decided to go give them a try. Surprisingly, it was right next door to the Super 8 Motel where we had stayed on Sunday night. We approached with a little crowd of people out front and started to enter the front door, wondering why all those folks were standing out front when the owners came up and smiled a welcome. I asked if it was a good place to eat and if so why was there no one inside? Then they told us they had a problem back in the kitchen and could not open for business this night. Sheesh we were disappointed. Then they suggested we go to the other restaurant another 3 blocks away called the ‘Dervish’. We decided to go there and instead of being disappointed we were highly impressed. They provided nice ambience and very cordial service. We decided to order one main course and one appetizer and share both as our total meal. No one likes that we just order ice-water for beverage but these guys seemed ok with it. The appetizer turned out really unique and tasty. It was a mixed platter of about 6 items including Cheese and Spinach Pie, Fishcake, Lebni, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Hummus, and Eggplant Salad. The main course was Adana Kebab of cumin-spiced diced lamb and beef roasted on a grill & served on pita bread with sweet onions and a big scoop of bulgar pilaf. Heck I don’t know half the words describing the food but I loved all the tastes. It was great.

We walked all the way home and we are very tired. Anyway, this is far to wordy but congratulations if you’ve read this far!

We’ve been watching the show ‘Big’ and enjoying it. The two ads in the last break were:
1. The little kid singing “I wish I were an Oscar Meier weiner” and we smiled thinking of a grandson that gets a weird expression when we talk of hotdogs made from wieners and buns.
then ....
2. An ad about erectile dysfunction,
and holy cow, we were just about rolling on the floor with laughter over all the crazy thoughts and mixed images.

For sure, I better get to bed and have a real good sleep!

Tuesday, Aug 1, 2006

Today we went to the Metropolitan Art Museum. Once again we experienced something very overwhelming. This huge museum contains so much in visual art of many forms that it probably never can be totally appreciated. We were there by 10 AM and stayed until 5:30 PM with one break when we went out in the +100 F temperatures to find a restaurant for lunch. When we first got there, there were short lines and few people. By noon the place was swarming with visitors. We enjoyed most everything we were able to take in.

Tonight we just relaxed at a 17th NYPD Precinct block party near our YMCA residence. They had free food and a very good band, and a magician, and political speeches but it was way too hot to dance. We wandered to the Wendy’s for a frosty after but it did not cool us enough. Fortunately our room is relatively cool. We are comfortable but on the bottom end of luxury. The Wendy’s on Madison Avenue not far from Grand central Station is amazing. When we stopped there during noon rush yesterday we were at the end of one of two winding lanes of people that went thru with great efficiency. There was an order taker about halfway to the counter in each line and she rang thru our order. When we reached the counter they took our money and gave us our Frosty with barely a wait. The amount of fast fast food dispensed must be humongous.

Anyway, we are resting quietly here now, trying to stay cool and off to Broadway tomorrow afternoon. I could share lots of details about little contacts we have with folks at every turn. I’ll spare you but know that we are ‘living on the edge’ here, experiencing NYC enough to appreciate it but also to know that home is the place we love best!!

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