Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Here I Am

So, I am in the basement of my hotel at 2 in the morning logged in and letting you know what I'm doing. Unfortunately mainly what I'm doing at this moment in time is not sleeping. I'm very, very tired but my body clock is currently very confounded, doesn't know where I am or what I'm doing. This has also affected my appetite, much to my surprise. Who knew that could happen? It's very appropriate for the city that never sleeps, however.

Yesterday was amazing. I have decided that New York is fabulous. I couldn't imagine living here unless I suddenly became immensely rich but I love it. My favourite part was probably Central Park, particularly Shakespeare's Garden. I happily sat there and sniffed lovely herbal smells and watched butterflies for a while. I also sat in Strawberry Fields, on Drunken Accomplice's recommendation (I also popped into FAO Schwartz where someone was actually playing Chopsticks on the floor piano a la Big), watching the possibly self-appointed custodian and listening to her tales of wild nights and "twinking" roommates and tried to work out whether she had ever been a man.

I walked a lot, starting from my hotel on West 29th Street up 7th Ave (the Fashion Ave) to 34th Street where I walked around to the 5th Ave entrance of the Empire State Building and wandered around the top, although I didn't get so brave as to go up to the 102nd observation deck. I went just before the other tourists piled in and left as it started getting busy, with a real sense of the city's shape that I hadn't been able to get from a map. I then rejoined 7th and walked to Times Square, which was different than I expected despite having seen it on so many films. It is much longer than I thought and not particularly square-like, but as big and brash as I had hoped, even the signs for the subway are illuminated with golden sparkles. After a restorative, yet unfinished due to it's enormous size, muffin, I bought me a ticket for a show that I'm going to see tonight; "Spring Awakenings" and then headed up 7th Ave to Central Park. I almost felt that I got absorbed by the park. I originally intended to take the subway but ended up just walking and the park seemed to stretch endlessly on either side of me. The skyscrapers that I could see over the trees were a reminder of the city but from inside it all seemed so far away. I eventually, after much sitting and contemplating, got to the Metropolitan Musem of Art on 5th Avenue. I snuck in, I'm still not entirely sure whether or not I should have paid an admission fee, wandered about a bit but as an emotional rather than academic enjoyer of art found the exhibits rather dull and felt that I could have been anywhere, except for a few rooms which had been made into recreations of actual living spaces with items like staircases as exhibits. They were quite special but I couldn't find anything that explained them as a whole rather than the sum of their parts. This was a particular disappointment in the room with bed and the cupids as it was stupendously lovely. Maybe if I'd've paid I'd have had some kind of comprehensive guide book. I walked through an exhibition of Dutch paintings from the time of Rembrandt and found my eyes drawn effortlessly to a Vermeer painting across a room of flat portraits. I was very tired by this stage so decided to head back down 5th Ave and look for somewhere to eat and a movie theater. I contemplated watching two films but was so knackered I came back to my hotel room after one and effectively conked out at 8.30. I guess that may be the reason I woke up at 1.30 but I keep hoping I'll need to catch up - I've missed so much sleep!

Anywho, insomnia is a factor in this so don't expect such an exhaustive recounting in the future but that's episode 1 of my adventures. Hopefully there will be many more - I haven't fully decided what to do today but I'm definitely going to go to Little Italy as today is the Festa di San Gennaro. I'd also like to pop into a little shop on Spring Street for a present for Big Sis. And as I'm in Little Italy I may go to NoLIta (North of Little Italy) which is apparently a funky shopping area. And I have a theatre trip planned for tonight, if only I can stay awake...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Woa - go Alice! It sounds amazing. I do hope you get some sleep, honest, but please keep writing when you can. We want to hear all about it.
xxx

Corrigan47 said...

I agree the recounting of your first day is exhaustive if not exhausting. You suspected the first part of the holiday in New York was going to be tiring, and hence the days in Sturbridge(?) might be the restful counterpoint. I loved the detail and shared the excitement. I am proud of the fact that my Kitten is in the Big Apple and strolling the places I have dreamed of. I look forward to as much or as little of your adventures while you are in New England as you can comfortably manage.

Anonymous said...

Oh yay, how exciting you being in America! (so was my dad until this morning but I doubt that you saw him unless you happened to attend a v boring business meeting about computers) Glad you liked Central Park and Strawberry Fields, it is v lovely providing you can avoid being stampeded by a herd of rollerbladers. Keep on having a fabulous time and will look forward to hearing the next update! Lots of love from Mrs DA (and Mr DA sends his love too)(with String currently still in situ!) xxx

Anonymous said...

Hurrah and bloody hurrah again! LOVE IT. You go girlfriend! ....whoops....slipped into yanks language there, but you understood me, right? Course you do, you're like a little sponge soaking up all the loveliness - bet you've forgotten you're a pomme already! I've certainly forgotten I am after reading your blog.... hmmmmmmmmmm.....lovely... xxx

Anonymous said...

Hello - hope your still having fun. Are the walking boots holding up?

Love the first blog look forward to reading more about "Lil Sis in the Big Apple".

Love you babes