A Postcard from NYC

NEW YORK,

If there is one word to describe NYC and the people who live here, it’s “deliberate”.  Whatever happens in New York, it was most likely done on purpose.

Have you ever been in a big busy restaurant where the wait staff buzzes around quickly between tables and through narrow pathways?  The amazing thing is that they never run into each other…no accidents.  Rush hour sidewalks in New York are similar, but not quite as fast—but sometimes as fast.  People here are all doing something and going somewhere…on purpose.

New York is a great place to visit.  There is a lot of stimulation—so much to absorb and so much going on around you–that it makes you smarter…at least that’s what I tell myself.  You can find a million incredible things to do and see in the city…from  the very well-known to the very obscure.  Several thick guidebooks with fresh information are published every year.  Everyone has his favorites in the city; here are mine:

There are four things I’ve seen that are nothing short of amazing…

• The one-hour guided tour of the U.N. will change the way you think about the world.  Also, you’ll realize that the U.N. is one of the most important and most under-appreciated organizations on the planet.  For example, if we don’t run out of drinking water in your children’s lifetime, it will be thanks to the U.N.
• Ellis Island.
• Only copy of the Gutenberg Bible in the U.S., the first printed book in history, is on display on the second floor of the New York Public Library.
• The mural of the night sky on the ceiling of the main concourse at Grand Central Station is remarkable.  The actual position of the stars in the real night sky is the reverse of what you see when you look at the mural.  In other words, the real sky is the mirror image of the ceiling’s mural.  When the artist was told that he made a mistake, he replied, “That is how God sees the Universe.”  Deliberate.

After you’ve taken in some of the better known sights, there is one little piece of Manhattan that crams some of the most interesting bits and pieces of New York all into one city block—my personal favorite.  It sits in the East Village between 2^nd and 3^rd Ave, and  between St. Mark’s Place and 7^th St.

You’ll find…

• McSorley’s Bar…est. 1854.  Full of history.
  
• the local hat shop…good for a memorable gift
  
• Pommes Frites…only serves French fries with your choice of about 50 dipping sauces
  
  
• a Tibetan restaurant
• the Burmese restaurant
• Burp Castle…the alehouse where I hear you have to drink your beers in complete silence.
• the toy store
• pizza…of course.
• the newsstand
• the CD &  vinyl shop

…just to name a few.  There’s not a franchise to be seen on this block…it’s Pure Grade NYC.

What brought me to New York was the celebration of the birthday of my beautiful great friend, Carrie, who is worth traveling anywhere to see.  Her husband threw a party in the very cool basement of a restaurant in Little Italy called Civetta.  Otherwise, I might never have found myself in a place so current and hip.  The food, the crowd and the setting were great; and the celebration was a huge success.

The planets must have aligned, because one block away was the Feast of San Gennaro, an annual event held in Little Italy—an event that makes my DNA sing.

HAVE MERCY!!!  The funnel cakes, the zeppoles, the fried oreos, the sausage and peppers booths, the smell of hot grease and beer, the great New Jersey accents, tall colorful drinks, the t-shirts, the dunk-the-clown game, the booth selling “Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey” (who?!?!) t-shirts…is crazy, and I need a Tums just thinking about it..  It’s enough to confuse and make you lose your sense of direction…and maybe lose your cookies.

But, if you lose anything at the Feast of St. Gennaro, go to the bathroom ticket line (that’s right) at St. Patrick’s Youth Center…find Mary–named after St. Mary; she will give you the prayer to St. Anthony that helps you locate anything lost:  ”St. Anthony, please come around. Something’s lost that needs to be found…”  St. Anthony must work overtime here, because you can find anything in NYC.

Did this sound all over the map?  I did it on purpose.