Captain Dave an I just got back from beautiful Manhattan. We stayed in Midtown on the east side, near 30 Rock. An absolutely GREAT place to take someone who has not seen the city before. Extremely safe and pretty damned quiet. Well, on our block anyway. I treked him from Wall St. to Spanish Harlem. Covered half of Central Park. He now knows the subway system. And even knows how to work the sidewalks. I have not been back to the city for 17 years and it was like I never left. The girls are wearing the same kind of clothing! Ballet flats with ruffled mini skirts. The only thing different is....NO shoulder pads...THANK GAWD!! Went to all of my suppliers, fabric, crystal, trimming, ...makes a huge difference when you can talk to the people and physically see and touch the things vs. just buying online. LOTS of new colors of fabric and even MORE crystals on thier way.
I spent time with my friends back there. Susan Kaslowe, my longest girlfriend, Mike Cherry, whom I have known longer than Susan and used to work with him at Dean Witter in the 5 World Trade Center. Mimi Bowman drove down from upstate. Davana Medina Dente, with her gorgeous daughter Davella.
Then we drove out to Stoneybrook L.I. to spend time with my baby sister Julianne for her graduation. We all went out to The Hamptons, where my dearest friend Frank Bickley closed his pet store to drive us around all day showing my family East Hampton, Amaganset, and Montauk. He took me to an old favorite, The Farmers Market in Amaganset where I had some nostalic of favorites from there that they still make after all these years, strawberry rhubarb pie, banana bread, and a new favorite, chocolate coffee cake! The land out there is so beautiful it is impossible to describe.
My baby sis, Julianne had a beautiful graduation. She is now officially out of college and on her way to the Navy in Virginia. I am so proud to be her sister. I can't wait to hear from her after her first month in the military! OGHT to be interesting.
We ended the eight days by heading back into the city, where we hooked up with William and Emily, who were also there for Juliannes graduation and had lunch with them at the 30 Rock courtyard restaurant. Took them into St. Patricks Cathedral, where a wedding was about to take place. How crazy and exciting it would be to have your wedding there, on a SATURDAY! They have to clear all the tourists out right before, and then coming out to get to your limo, dodging all the tourists. Crazy.
I have to say this about New York,........ Truly the most friendly place to be. There is an energy there that eminates like nno other place. You can be anything you want to be and there is no one that will try to prevent you from being. It is what it is. You can wake up at 2AM and walk outside and find something to do within blocks of your residence. There is infinity of information, all you have to do is a bit of research on where to go to find what you are searching for.
One thing Capt. Dave noticed is how few fat people were on the streets. That is because everyone there has to walk to get to where they are going. You are walking to the bus, walking to the subway, walking along the streets to catch a cab, walking up and down stairs.... We will be returning next year. The year after, and after that, and so on, and so on...................