grand day out

If I could establish RSS feed from my voice mail to this blog, I could take a sabbatical and drink some lemonade while you were entertained by my lovely friend Leah. Lean in, I'm gonna tell you a secret...(whispering) sometimes, I ignore her call just to see what kind of message she'll leave. Then I save it and forget about it until I wonder why the heck I have 9 saved messages. Then as I scroll thought the songs and descriptions of boys in Fedoras in the car in front of her, I remember why I saved them and why I enjoy her friendship so much. I received the following last Thursday:

"Rachel J.
What do you say?
What the hay did you do today?"

For once in my life I actually spontaneously came up with a relevant, witty rejoinder instead of a shrug, a giggle, and a shake of my red-highlighted head.

Leah, Leah, I declare
I might have been most anywhere
I took a trip into the city
Manhattan's subway isn't pretty
I met some friends
Examined trends
Discussed a painting
Wondered if it would stop raining
Books at the Strand reach 18 miles
Strangers exchange smiles
Under the sign of the Ear
I drank a beer
And ate a burger, talkin' and hopin'
To drive home with both eyes open

here's the pictures to prove it

the Strand bookstore on Broadway: all 18 miles of books






a beautiful church that took up at least a city block in its majesty
I neglected to remember its historical signifigance

I was too busy looking at this sweet little tree

one must return from NYC with at least a few shots of traffic...


...and interesting people

this store: Kate's Paperie thrilled my pea-pickin' little heart
color galore
inspiration
budget buster

I want to make at least one of these

these were delicious
my favorite was $38 yard
what can I say? It's a gift

these were made of paper - I want some in my apartment
maybe I should finish a few other already started projects first
eh, I always say that


my only regret(s)
listening to Gertrude (the bi-polar GPS device)
give me a paper map anyday
not getting any photos of the people I went with/to see
they were/are so lovely
next time ('cause I will definitely go again now that I know all three ways into and off of the island or whatever it is)
the upper west side

my favorite parts:
the gallery and it's artist
being serenaded by every Italian matre'd as we walked through Little Italy at dinner time
dinner at the Ear Inn with two amazing ladies
I also regret not getting a photo of the fish that hung in embalmed state over the kitchen entrance which I sat facing.
He was so old his face had half disintegrated and his tail was wrapped in duct tape, presumably to keep parts and pieces from dropping onto our plates as the servers passed beneath his watchful post. The food was amazing, really.

miles walked: who knows
friendships made and deepened: check
good sites, good food: check
home safely: check