NYC
7/18-7/24:
As I exited my car in Astoria there was only one thought on my mind. “This is where I was meant to be 18years ago”. New York has always been a distant magical place for me. Having lived a life of artistic expression New York was the only place that mattered, but it was also clear that NYC was incredibly hard place to live. I’d met numerous people who’d had taken their leap at the big apple only to be chewed up and spit out. I completely understand why.
My trip started out with a couple nights staying in Astoria in the room of an out of town friend. Michael is a phenomenal performer who I had the privilege of working with on several occasions through our old theater company circle circle dot dot. He had moved out here a little before the pandemic, but was currently visiting family in California so he and his roommates were kind enough to open their doors to me. I’m grateful for this as it allowed me to enjoy a few more days in the city than my bank account would have in normal conditions.
The first thing I did on arrival was meet up with a really distant friend named Andrew. Andrew was a year ahead of me in High School and after heading out to hoffstra for College. I had probably not seen him for 20 years, but he was the same guy I remember from plays, choir trips and playing hooky when we were teens. He took me to a great Beer Garden called Boheiman Hall. If you are in the area you should for sure check it out.
After catching up with Andrew I headed back to the apartment to settle in and start to get a lay of the land. I quickly realized that Astoria is a pretty chill family oriented neighborhood with a lot of Greek food. I ate at a place called tully’s Tavern that was pretty good and then found a late night dive bar that proved perfect for me. Friendly fun locals and a gorgeous French bartender made it easy for me to stay their till far to late at night.
The next day I woke up with the sudden drive to cut my hair. It had been a year and a half and I was sick of having to deal with it. I wandered into the first salon I could find and faced the question I can never answer. What would you like to do with it? I gave the usual response of “I have no idea, I just need it cut”. The woman suggested that we clean up the sides and trim down the rest. In the end it’s not really my style, but it was a hell of a lot better than the uncontrollable mess I had been living with.
I would continue my journey for the next 7 days between Astoria, Brooklyn and Manhattan, with countless last calls, subway rides and reconnecting with old friends. I honestly think it’s to much to try to translate in this medium so here are some highlights and suggestions.
Open Mic at Chispa- Chispa is a small bar in Brooklyn where I was lucky to find an excellent open mic. Great participants and a good crowd made it very welcoming and comfortable. If you are in town and looking to play I highly recommend it.
Green Point Brooklyn- With a massive stretch of bars of all types this area is a great place to meet people and have a great time without feeling the over whelming chaos of Manhattan.
Coney Island- Historic for sure, but smaller than I thought. I also do not recommend getting chilly cheese dogs at nathan’s prior to riding roller-coaster while in your late 30’s. It’s just not comfortable.
The Met- I was beyond impressed by the Field Museum in Chicago. The Met makes the Field look like a gift shop. It’s size and detailed descriptions of each exhibit are mind blowing. You certainly feel as though you could spend an entire day in each individual cultural or natural section. Be sure to give enough time for this and hydrate.
Central Park v Prospect park- Both designed by Olmsted I have to agree with him and the locals I met that Prospect park is better than Central Park. Central Park is of course Iconic and impressive. The incredible views of new York around combined with the isolated peaceful feeling one gets in areas like the Bethesda fountain are incredible. But Prospect park is just more interesting. I seems more natural and comforting. Check them both out for sure if you can.
Late Night Dinners- After a way to long night wandering the east village bars I made the insane decision to stop at a dinner at 4am. I had an incredible meatloaf sandwich called the midnight crave. It was exactly what my body said it wanted. It was definitely not what my body needed. Be careful of these decisions for both your body and minds sake.
Guggenheim- It’s an architectural marvel, but with many galleries not open I finished it it about an hour. Not the most impressive thing I’ve ever seen for sure.
The Moma- Set up to show the evolution of modern art it is a highly important place to explore the masters of the genre. I’d love to see it fully open.
The 9/11 Memorial- Incredibly well done. It hit me emotionally the moment I approached the fountains built on the footprints of towers 1 and 2. Below them lies the exhibits displaying the wrecked vehicles and outlining the timeline of the events. While it is very intense, I do recommend checking it out.
I could go on and on about specific Bars, people, food, lodgings, and all around thoughts, but let’s face it, I am tired as heck from 7 days in NYC. The city keeps you running. Keeps you searching for the key to it’s never ending puzzle. I need to rest. So, I’ll end this here for now and come back to it when I’ve had more rest and can better articulate my love for this crazy metropolis.
