You never know your luck in a big city, especially this big city! Today I ran into Richard Gere, who was very happy to pose for a photo with me – only thing was that my friend taking the photograph was so star stuck she couldn’t keep the camera still. Not that I can blame her – but I did snap another quick shot for proof, just before Richard mounted his white horse and rode away…
We are back in business!
My first order of the day is to thank you for your most welcome messages of solidarity. Sean and I really appreciated knowing you were with us, it made all the difference. So I shall think of you as I ride the lift, jump under a hot shower and hear the chink of ice in a timely tipple. We are packing away our miner’s lights and giving our iphones the weekend off. Camping is so last week, and we now have a new list. There is much to be done and not a moment to lose. So let’s get on and see what we can do…
I’ve never been big on camping and Sandy has only made things worse. While I am getting used to wearing a miner’s light and I love pine scented candles, I do miss running water, and it is a little eerie walking along pitch black corridors and 12 flights of equally black stairs to get to the bottom of our almost deserted apartment building. From our windows we can see the illustrious and still illuminated Chrysler Building, but between here & there is all darkness. Seems like this camping ground is not a popular spot.
On Monday night after Sandy hurled her way through town setting new records for Halloween and havoc, she also divided Manhattan distinctly into uptown and downtown. Downtown is south of East 39th street, which apart from Wall Street and the odd self generated hotel or hospital, has no power. No traffic lights, no running water, no landlines. Uptown is almost like Sandy didn’t even swing by – except for the crane hanging off the side of a ridiculously tall new apartment building on 58th street. The traffic is crazy and the restaurants packed…
On Tuesday morning we crossed the line and headed for the Hyatt on 42nd street to charge our phones. Modern camping essentials. We were the first but within an hour a great wave of refugees surged into the hotel. Until then things were quite merry. A wifi system called ‘Sandy’ had been set up in the lobby to enable a free link to news and the rest of the world. The breakfast bar was buzzing with sympathetic managers who had bunked in the hotel overnight to ensure – at minimum, a morning coffee of sorts. But with people piling around the power points and cords stretched in all directions, it was suddenly time to leave. A wall of suits assembled across the front door and only those with hotel keys could pass. A new line was drawn.
Tuesday afternoon Sean carried our bikes down 12 flights of stairs so we could ride over to the west side where police blockades had prevented access only 24 hours before. The Hudson was still restless churning as though to rise again, with television crews still bearing witness, and debris piled where wind and water had finished with it. Strangely, in the midst of all the mayhem on a freshly washed garden bed, ( now about 20 feet above sea level ), a host of delicate Spring Crocus’ blossomed in the breeze.
Back on the demarcation line, Sean and I had plenty of supplies, but the game changer was water. By Wednesday morning our building’s tank was dry and residents started leaving in droves. Last night there were only 20 of us left, and the temperature was dipping 9*C. The initiative of a nearby building by installing a generator the moment the power went out meant they were beaming with water and warmth. And, fortunately for us, generosity. Their Super allowed us to fill all the bottles and buckets we could carry and we made the most of it. Of course carrying them up 12 flights of stairs was the cardio workout one always feels proud of after the event. Ah water, the new gold!
The sun is shining this morning and a little more buzz is returning to the city. Sean and I plan to ride uptown to hunt and gather ingredients for Christmas cake. We usually put the fruit on brandy around Thanksgiving and each make a wish as we stir the pot. This year we are starting early as there is much to be thankful for and many wishes to be made.
If you were thinking of going wine tasting in Brooklyn this weekend you are out of luck. Sandy is on her way, so there is no subway to get you to the ferry, no ferry to get you to Red Hook and in fact no people at Red Hook to serve you a glass of wine because they are in Zone A and have to evacuate. But if you have joined the queues lining up for essentials you will probably have a bottle handy anyway, so hunker down and enjoy a drop by candlelight….
Amazingly when there are no hurricanes expected in NYC, you can go wine tasting in Brooklyn on the weekends. Best approach is courtesy of the Ikea ferry from Wall Street, which will not only give you a spectacular view of the Statue of Liberty on the way over, but also land you in close proximity to Steve’s key lime pies. We were visiting midweek, so I can’t speak to the skill of the winemaker, but I can vouch for the pies – delicious – maybe because making them really is a family affair. But after this week, when wind and waters wane, there will be a new reason on the list of why Steve may be closed…
I finally discovered Columbus this week and it was an excellent adventure! The statue of Christopher Columbus has been standing in the middle of Columbus Circle for 120 years and thanks to the Public Art Fund ( directed and curated by Australian Nicholas Baume ) you can currently meet with the explorer face to face. Actually face to foot. A furnished living room has been constructed around the statue seventy feet off the ground, and this provides a quirky mood to an otherwise very serious marble man. Elvis and Mickey Mouse adorn the pink wallpaper, there are couches and bookshelves, a copy of today’s paper, and a flat-screen television beaming the latest news. Columbus clearly keeps up with the country he found ( and may have given us his preference for the election outcome ), and has one of the best views in the city.
By the time we waited for our timed entry in a curious queue, and then climbed the six flights of stairs, a camaraderie had grown between the visitors. Everyone chatted together, a little boy pulled a tooth while we waited and a woman in front worried about the liability of the scaffolding. So it already felt like we were a group of friends, and then walking into a comfy living room to meet Christopher, all we really needed was a cup of tea and a biscuit. The mood was what made the ‘exhibition’, it was fun and brought a great new life force to this historic man. Christopher is going to be accessible to the public until November 18th, and I’m tempted to pay him another visit. Except that maybe I’ll be queuing at the other end end of the city. Just imagine if the Statue of Liberty took visitors in a similar situation – oh la la!
With a touch of nationalistic verve after visiting the Australian Consulate twice in as many weeks, I was most impressed to recently find a fabulous spot in the heart of Manhattan that caters specifically for Australians. Well, they also welcome Brazilians, stars of the stage & screen, and flood & fire clients. But Australians are at the top of the list. ( There is even an AKA ‘AU’ website ). The reason being is that the AKA Central Park specializes in long term stays for those needing an apartment rather than a hotel, and who are looking for hospitality with a room rate that scales according to the length of your visit.
The great – but not the greatest – thing about the AKA is that it’s modern, it’s thoughtful and it’s comfortable. The hands-on service from the front desk will translate to picking you up from the airport or organizing a food starter package ( bread, fruit etc ) to be in your kitchen when you arrive. This seems such a small thing, but after 24 hours in transit, a piece of toast and a strong coffee will really catch you up to New York speed. Then there’s the all day fresh-food cafe, the guest-only bar ( with regular invites from the GM to share a ‘captain’s table’ type cocktail party ), a private gym, a spa and massage room, and a laundry in the basement. There is even quiet in the spacious rooms thanks to double windows – just in case you’re not used to sirens at 3am…
An interesting cultural point – the General Manager of the hotel is intending to put roast turkey on the Christmas menu specifically for Australians. He mentioned he had heard this was a popular choice, and is looking for tips on what it should consist of. I said to be guided by his Thanksgiving menu, although the pumpkin pie would not be necessary…
There is one thing that is absolutely unique about the AKA that unfortunately I cannot report on first hand – yet! The penthouse at the hotel has a wraparound balcony with a spectacular view looking towards the Plaza and 5th Avenue where you can sleep alfresco during the summer months. The hotel calls it ‘5 star camping’ with a wood-burning fireplace and a telescope to view the stars. How good is that?! It is definitely a special celebration splash, and I am sure to find the perfect occasion before the summer arrives…
In perfect traffic conditions it only takes 37 minutes to drive from mid-town Manhattan to Orchard Beach, a magnificent stretch of sand on the edge of Pelham Bay Park that looks out to Long Island Sound. It’s hard to believe that the Bronx can boast such a picturesque seascape, and for it to be so close to the city. While the area has been enhanced by quite a few barge loads of white sand over many years of constructive renovation, an Australian in need of a walk along the beach is happy just to be there. In fact last weekend, with ducks flying overhead in V formation, joggers making tracks along the shore and mist blowing in from the sea, it was a picture of beauty. No wonder the architect of the original plan – coincidentally a man named Moses – called his creation ‘the Riviera of the Bronx’…
On Friday night, after a day of non-stop pouring rain, I was happy to find an enthusiastic party at the Consulate for an exhibition of paintings by Jacinta Stewart. Jacinta is originally from Brisbane and for this show painted a collection of rich impressionist works depicting the ocean breaking on the shore at different times of the day. To look at the paintings you could almost hear the waves crashing. What created another dimension was being on the 34th floor in the middle of Manhattan, with the Chrysler Building over the road, and a direct view of the Empire State Building in the other direction. People gathered at the windows to take photographs, creating an interesting contrast of the paintings looking inward while the party looked outward. Who can compete with New York City! Maybe this will work to my advantage and my favorite painting will still be available when Father Christmas swings by….
TheFitzyreport 