Wednesday, June 1, 2016

New York Prelude - Spring Travels, Part 1

World Trade Center memorial


May 4 - 9, 2016

My trip to England started in New York this time. Peter, Paul and I all flew there first, to visit family, and also I wanted to go to at least one of all the book launches and signings my friend Janet Todd is doing for her fine novel A Man of Genius. But the timing of my own play, "You are Passionate, Jane," at Chawton House Library in England, was the same day as her major New York events, and my being there in May for the play meant I couldn't go to her English events a few weeks later. Fortunately her New York launch at Book Culture was while we were there, so that's where we started our trip. 

Book Culture, near Columbia at 113th Street, is a favorite bookstore. Here Paul browses the racks outside just before the launch.

Linda Dennery of JASNA-NY, Janet Todd and me at the launch.

Jan talks at the launch while Paul (orange sweater) listens.

Sightseeing downtown. California and England meet in New York...



Then I went uptown to have a nice Turkish dinner with my classmates from Hunter College Elementary School - as I always rejoice in doing. Here I was walking in Riverside Park, before the dinner.




 Near the restaurant on the Upper West Side, the buildings took on beautiful warm colors in the evening sunlight.

The next day, Jan and I had a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge, both ways, in gorgeous sunny weather 


Jan's picture of me

And my picture of Jan

There was also a wonderful visit to the Vigee-Lebrun exhibit at the Met, but you weren't allowed to take pictures, so it remains remembered though unrecorded by me.

Me with my guys at the Caffe Reggio in the Village



I didn't know that the house opposite the Reggio was where Louisa May Alcott once rented a room while writing her "sensation" stories. But it is.

We had a wonderful family party at a nice Italian restaurant in the East Village. 

Joanna in springtime

Cousin Leah singing in the East Village - boho retro!

 Had my usual walk in the park with bird lady friend Laurie, and we went to the Central Park Loeb boathouse cafe, beautiful view and...

The best New York hot dogs and fries outside Coney Island!


 Laurie always knows how to find wildlife in Central Park, and here is a young raccoon. 




 And a nice woodpecker. We also saw a dozen or so red cardinals, but they swooped away too fast for me to get a good picture! 


Tulips out everywhere in New York.

Flowers at the church on 11th Street...

Then Peter and Paul flew home to California, but for me it was - next stop, London!



2 comments:

Barbara said...

So pleased that you managed to get to one of Janet Todd's book launches. I have my library copy with me here in Ireland but have been too busy (or tired) to read since I got here. Lovely to have Peter and Paul both with you for start of your trip. Barbara

Ellen said...

Another very busy, this time highly social day (among several groups). I persist in liking all the shots of the animals -- like the raccoons in the park. Janet's must be one of the most launched books ever published (joke alert). You covered the best things in NYC -- you did, not all the idyllic spots, but many. The paintings in this or the second blog are disputed (there are apparently only 2-3 paintings by Giorgione we can attribute for sure).