Nueva York

[Sunset Park, Brooklyn; 5:30pm, 9/9/07]

The Red Sox are playing the Yankees tonight in Boston, so it's appropriate that I'm finally posting about last weekend's trip to New York with the ballgame in the background. I mentioned in my last post that it was hot in New York, and as Beth posts, no place was hotter than the subway stations. The trains are air conditioned, but going down into the subway stations was like descending into the gates of hell. Since I'd chosen, probably wisely, to book my own place to sleep rather than joining the slumber party on the floor of our friends' place, I spent a fair amount of time standing on platforms waiting for trains - the place I stayed (off Flatbush, near the Bergen stop) not far away but a couple of exchanges of line between where I was and where most everyone else was.

[La flor de Piaxtla deli, Brooklyn; 10am, 9/8/07]

I was delighted to find that not only did our friends live right near a lovely park, but that the neighborhood is heavily Mexican -- and that meant real tamales and amazing guacamole, fresh orchata and fruit from street vendors, friendly faces, and a chance to converse en español with shopkeepers and cabbies. Well, one Venezuelan taxista who got rather lost trying to find my lodgings late Friday night but was very sweet, and some minimal conversing with a couple of young, loco Dominican cabbies who drove 75 mph on city streets while blasting bachata on their stereos the other two nights.

[Mural on 5th Ave, Brooklyn; 10:15am, 9/8/07]

We took the subway to Manhattan on Saturday and met up with about a dozen blogger friends and an interloping spouse or two at MoMA. An attractive new space and a good collection of modern art. I focused on the upper two floors, painting and sculpture, modern and some contemporary. After a brief respite in the cafe (wonderfully fragrant MoMA special blend tea), I attempted the photography exhibits, but there was just too much and I got blurry eyed quickly. It didn't help that I'd managed only 4 hours sleep, if that, the night before (sigh - sensitive traveler, you know). But I did catch the print exhibit, which was perfectly digestible in size and engaging. Anyway, even with the best intentions and a good night's sleep, I can only take in so much art before I feel overwhelmed. (See Lorianne's escape from the museum to the art of the streets.)

[Mondrian, at MoMA; 12:15pm, 9/8/07]

Alas, the tea at the cafe was yummy but stimulating, however sleep-deprived I was. My intentions to nap when I got back to Brooklyn were unrewarded, although a fresh shower and the chance to lie down and shut my eyes for a couple of hours were pretty good consolation prizes. I made it back to our friends' house via the subway (again) just in time to partake of a feast of home-cooked dishes, all spicy and delicious and served with much conviviality. Conversation went from serious and deep to silly and naughty and back again, and poems were read well into the night. But the heat...the fans shut down in order to hear each other...and lack of sleep...and hay fever and burning eyes and alas I had to leave.

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Posts elsewhere:
Dave, here and here (note I wasn't the only one suffering from sleep deprivation); Rachel, here; Dale; and as mentioned above, Lorianne and Beth.

Comments

[marja-leena]

Your trip sounds fabulous yet tiring. I'd have felt the same. Even seeing fantastic art is exhausting after a while. I was at our Vancouver Art Gallery almost two hours last night and felt worn out after, along with the bus trip in and home again. I think it's the crowds that tire me the most.