My NYC sojourn continues! I’ve fully embraced the grime, the speed, the outrageous catcalls and the general dearth of public restrooms. Do I want to sell my worldly possessions and move to Manhattan for the rest of my earthly days? Not so much. But do I yearn for a rent-controlled studio in the West Village with a Juliet balcony? Oh, obviously. It’s love / hate. It’s up / down. It’s manic / panic. It’s New York, baby!
{ Day 6: Coachgasm! }
My sixth day in NYC was double-plus-good. Not only was it sensuously hot, but I (FINALLY!) got to meet the woman who has single-handedly kicked my booty into supersonic gear, my creative career coach — Michelle Ward!
Michelle and I have done phone sessions for the past several months, but this was the first time I got to sit across a table and bask in her heavenly, coachy glow. What a dream.
We hooked up in Brooklyn for a wicked platter of wood-fired bruschetta — plus some brainstorming, recapping, precapping and strategizing.
I left feeling sticky, sweaty and pumped like The Terminator. Ooh, can I call myself The Resumator? Too late. I just did.
{ Day 7: Runway In My Street Clothes }
On Saturday, Kylie Springman and her marvelous partner Mary took me on a 3-hour photoshoot odyssey through Washington Square, SoHo, Chinatown, the East Village and The Bowery. I couldn’t have wished for a better photographer for my first professional shoot — and needless to say, I can’t wait to see the digital pics!
Later that day, I ventured back into Chinatown for spring rolls and Phở with my sister-in-law. We shambled about, gawked at patent leather pumps, talked about family and letter-writing and guilt, and then rendezvoused with my brother for rice pudding at the new East Village dessert emporium, Rice to Riches. The multi-flavor pudding bar erased several combined lifetimes of pain, angst and suffering.
I highly recommend the mascarpone & cherry flavor, as well as the rocky road. Oh, Christmas. I want to die in a vat of rice pudding.
{ Day 8: Buh-bye, Brooklyn. }
Sunday shook me by surprise — time to leave Brooklyn, already? I squeezed in one last social engagement — a birthday party for one of my brother’s bandmates, Shane Endsley. Nothing like a backyard bash (with bagels and Bloody Marys!) to brighten your spirits.
After singing “hope it’s chocolate for meeee” (erm, I mean, “happy birthday to yooou”) I leapt onto the R Train bound for Manhattan. I noticed some lovely ladies in gauzy dresses on the platform. I rarely wear floaty frocks (I’m more of a futuristic / mod / dandy / gay Swedish gogo dancer) but now I’m inspired to incorporate chiffon into my repertoire.
After checking into my microscopic (but pleasant) room at the Hudson Hotel, I scampered off for iced tea with an old friend & mentor at the Fairway Market. Afterwards, I picked up some candied kumquats, mellow cheese, strawberries and seeded crackers for dinner back at the Hudson. A bottle of beet-infused beer rounded out my light repast.
I concluded the day with some live music at Le Poisson Rouge in the East Village, where all the hipsters were out in full force to support Knights on Earth. KoE has a sound that’s tricky to pin down — a little bit free-form jazz, a little bit funk, a little bit folk. Whatever it is, it’s working. The Poisson was packed to the gills (pun intended).
Tomorrow will be my first 100% solo-day in NYC — no friends, family or work contacts to fill my hours. So what am I gonna do? Go to a green laundromat. And visit a radio station. Y’know. The usual.
Till the morrow, honey buckets!
(Main image of Le Poisson Rouge via Meyer Sound)
