Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city
Cool town, evening in the city
Dressing so fine and looking so pretty
Cool cat, looking for a kitty
Gonna look in every corner of the city
– John Sabastian
Not sure it was business or pleasure that called first, in either case we respond with a passionate, heck yeah! NYC for a week in early June. Unexpectedly, enter a wintery chill and exit a summer’s fever – no problem, we’ll roll with the climate.
From our Mid-town digs we are able to stroll up/downtown with familiar ease. The center of gravity in Manhattan has shifted: Chelsea, Soho, and Tribeca now mirror the shops, restaurants, museums, and buzz that once defined 5th Ave and Madison. Throngs of tourists mix with emulsified “locals”; everyone is eager to claim this international emblem as their own, and it is easy to do.
“Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free…”
When foot weary, or seeking cool, effortless retreat, we “Uber”. Best part of this wondrous digital conveyance is chatting with drivers, and getting their stories. Tajik, Sikh, Pak, Puerto Rican, Irish, African American – all are happy to share their experience in the “gig” economy, bits of their history, and their take on the City.
“Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me, I lift my lamp…”
We seek shelter from sudden onset of heat (mid-90’s) at Broadway matinees, museums, and the cuddle of mohair upholstery at 5-star hotel lounges. Retail establishments also provide a welcome relief, and a few baubles. (We get crazy at Uniqlo’s 5th Ave global melting pot!)
Tony-nominated productions the week of the Awards (Radio City on Sunday) deliver a cultural boost: The Comet of 1812 was a whirlwind of sound, energy and light; actors and action spinning everywhere in musical cameos from War and Peace. The intimacy that was lacking in faux Tolstoy is powerfully present in A Doll’s House, Part 2 – Ibsen updated with superb acting and gripping themes of marriage and commitment. (Laurie Metcalf wins Best Actress). Indecent, a Sunday afternoon gem that connects morality, history, and love unfolding around the “little Yiddish play” God of Vengeance. (Tony for Best direction).
We live not by culture alone. Nourishment in the Big Apple commands our attention and provides dreamy comforts: Thai food in our ‘hood on 34th, Mediterranean perfection at Boulud Sud, Roman invention at Danny Meyer’s Maialino, Milanese classics at Sant Ambroeus, organic burgers at Bareburger on 3rd Ave., Café Boulud’s exquisite presentation of French-fusion; and superb Red Farm on UWS Broadway, my Asian (Chinese) fav!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is fantastic. I correct my impression based on long-ago visits, of stogy collections and displays. Wow! The Met, and its new modern annex, Met Breuer on Madison Ave (offering touring exhibits) – a visual textbook of remarkable works spanning the entire History of Art, curated in wonderful relaxed, spaces. The Met Gala helps pay the rent! Thank you, Anna Wintour and Leonard Lauder. Bravo!
New York City, is alive, thriving, and vibrant. “Nice place to visit…”
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