(Re)visiting New York

I hadn't been to NY in a couple of years and most of what I did during this visit was see old friends. As I seem to have an old fashioned attitude about privacy, I'm not going to share photos of these get-togethers. Yes, I know, that flies in the face of the age of social media, but there you are. Suffice it to say it was wonderful seeing friends from my days in theatre, on cruise ships and teaching.

I had a conversation with one of these friends about this blog and how hard it is to force myself to sit down and commit my memories to the page. Clever woman that she is, she said that it's because I'm a do-er and that I should be leading tours, not writing about my travels. She spent years in the travel business and is now a business coach, so "Watch this space," as they say.

I did manage to visit a couple of my old neighborhoods. So much about my neighborhood in Queens has changed. One thing that hasn't changed is the collection of signs that make me laugh.

This is a mini-golf course on the roof of the Moxy Hotel in Times Square:

Some great street art in Red Hook, Brooklyn:

Pretty sure that's meant to be "help", but it is in the subway, so who knows?

One day I trekked up to the Upper East side to the neighborhood where I lived before I did the European tour of 42nd Street, met Bruce, and moved to Queens. I couldn't believe how different it was. Wholesale destruction of buildings that had been there, replaced with high-rises. Even Elaine's was gone. (If you're a Woody Allen fan - or were, since his horrible behavior has alienated leagues of fans - you'll have heard of Elaine's. It was the place to be seen if you were cool and rich.) Elaine's was a block south of my apartment; now it's just a memory. My old apartment was gone, too. Replaced by a coffee shop.

The biggest surprise was that Schaller and Webber (supplier of German meats, cheeses and such) and The Old Heidelberg restaurant survived.

Once upon a time, the area around E. 86th Street was known as Germantown. There was even a konditerei that served wonderful German pastries, in the days when I lived there. The city has changed and most of the old neighborhood names are distant memories.

Even my beloved wine store, Sherry-Lehmann, is gone. This place was mecca for wine lovers, with an unrivalled collection of wines at all price points, any liquor you could want - especially fine scotches - and one of the few places where you could buy wine en primeur (wine futures.) Seeing its papered windows was heartbreaking.

The pig in front of Rudi's bar was still there.

Yes, this is the Rudy's that Donald Fagin referred to in the Steely Dan tune, Black Cow.

I made a pilgrimage to Mood Fabrics, that marvel of a haberdashery on West 37th Street. It takes up four floors and I think it's fair to say that if you can't find the fabric you want at Mood, it's probably something that isn't worth having. I even saw an Ugly Betty look alike there.

One evening, Bruce and I met friends at a cool little speakeasy called Patent Pending. It's located in the building where Nicola Tesla lived and did his experiments with electricity. By day it's a coffee shop; by night it's a speakeasy.

All of the drinks have "electric" names like "AC/DC," "Light Me Up" and, my favorite, "Hit by a Taxi." (Tesla was once hit by a cab.) It's kind of a touristy thing to do, but the drinks are good and it was a fun night out.

Another fun night out was our trip to the Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant, Dirt Candy.

The chef and the sommelier are both women and a number of the cooks are, as well. The food is a wonder of creativity and the wine pairings are inventive and delicious.

Fennel Mouse, Raw Fennel, Seaweed Caviar:

Spring Peas:

Broccoli, Scallion Sauce, Broccoli rice paper wrappers:

Dessert - Based on a Caesar Salad:

Our waiter, Clinton, really made the evening extra special.

New York is crowded, expensive, dirty - and fabulous. And, since it was my home for almost 30 years, it will always have a special place in my heart.