At New York City, a glorious day
N. B. Andrews
June 15, 2016

New Yorkers were out in force yesterday in the glorious spring like weather.

The magnificent kaleidoscope/collage/tapestry that makes up one of the greatest cities on earth was on display; young, elderly, marine Corp fit, disabled, wasp, Jews, Asian, Latino, Africans, Arabs, masters of the universe, rockers....and of course our contingent.

We started from uptown and worked our way south. Me, in the warm company of two ladies -the roommate aka arm accessory and Ms. Jane wise cracking, left-wing, ebullient New Yorker......with a duck butt hair cut.

The ladies were stepping in boho chic; me- blue Polo, cream Chino, a vintage safari jacket....muted spectator loafer.

We passed in front if the Museo El Barrio where a dj had set up and had mixed some serious old skuul; he had some passers by stomping. Ms. Jane did a few steps for some three minutes......"I like dancing around", she said

First stop was the NYC Museum with its haunting photographs of the grinding poverty of the South Bronx from the 1970's.

These were juxtaposed with Tiffany jewels, objects d' art etc of the wealthy New York families of the Gilded Age- the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Astor etc.

The lesson was clear and unequivocal.

It is what it is.

Another exhibit showed the take no prisoners cartoons of Rosalind "Roz" Chast, the hard hitting lady cartoonist of the New Yorker magazine. In the room, people could not stop themselves from episodic loud and all consuming guffaws.

My best was a man and his spouse both wearing T-shirts with captions. His read, "Be yourself"; hers- "I am with stupid".

The Museum Shop was slamming with wicked vibrant original canvas paintings by young New York artists.....if only......

After leaving the museum, on the street corner a sextet was pumping some edgy jazz funk.

Kids!!!!!

Must all have been less than 12 years old; trombone, clarinet,tenor, drum, bass and keyboard.

Two of them reminded me of my kiddy days; a white kid with sky blue spectacles playing the tenor and a Black kid, again with glasses on the drums.....both obvious nerds but with an edge.

I have not clapped so hard in a long time.

Museo El Bario; the Austrian German Museum; the Jewish Museum, the Guggenheim, the Met......all with their goodies and treasures to polish and adorn the mind and raise it from its native darkness.

Meanwhile, the whole of 5th Avenue had been closed. There were street performers, artists creating art and chalk available for anyone who wanted to draw anything on the road itself.

And of course as we made our way, the spontaneous comments and remarks from New Yorkers and requests for fotos as on several occasions we were told, "you guys look good" or "those pants, I swear are hot; where did you get them?".

The ladies had orders for their clothes- this is New York!

A Turkish Restaurant on the Upper East side is where we finally took refuge at about 8:30pm.

https://www.zagat.com/r/beyoglu-new-york

I could not help but recall my tough days as a surgical intern at Lenox Hill Hospital (the flagship upper east side/silk stocking district hospital) in the early 1980s....how time flies.

A Turkish Sauvignon Blanc went remarkably well with the mezee, swordfish, and lamb as we dined on the sidewalk and watched the city heave, shuffle and twist as it went by.

The obligatory Nicaraguan Corona rounded things off once we returned to the patio in Harlem.

Earlier in the day, we had held court at a neighborhood Indian Restaurant.....in Harlem- in an elegantly renovated brownstone right on Lenox Avenue.

The decor was eclectic but coherent and smart. The owner showed us around.

http://www.chaiwali.com

Gentrification does have its good sides.

So does having a side walk in our cities.

So does having covered drains.

So does having enlightened people in charge.

Y'all be safe (in a Texan drawl please)

N. B. Andrews

New York City

June 15, 2016