to me new york will always feel like jazz
I returned from the city I know well in the embryonic hours of the morning. Bud swooped me up at the airport into a giant bear hug that felt like home. Today the washing machine is swishing and my brain and heart are swirling with myriad thoughts and experiences of the last few days. I explored the Upper West Side neighborhood we lived in over a decade ago where little remains unchanged. I revisited my favorite cafe; the familiar sound of the juicer and the vibrant orange scent of freshly peeled carrots welcoming me at the door. Hours were spent strolling in Central Park, where my loyal companion and love Jazz and I explored a fair number of the the 843 acres on our daily walks. At our starting point on 97th and Central Park West I took a long breath, opened my heart as wide as I could, and flung a handful of his remains in the air like confetti, the manner I thought he'd most appreciate as the bearer of all things joyful. I visited favorite paintings by Van Gogh, Bonnard, Chagall and Frida Kahlo that perpetually color my senses at The Museum of Modern Art, enjoyed dinner and a Broadway show with a treasured friend who is like a fairy godmother, let time drift by in the lobby at The Algonquin Hotel with my journal, a cappuccino, and Matilda the lobby cat in the chair next to me. I also had the pleasure of meeting my talented friend Brooke for a day of fun and exploration that took us all over the city. She writes about a poetically enchanting subway experience she had here. You will love it.
Today is my exhale.
As for New York City, it is a place apart.
There is not its match
in any other country
in the
world.
- Pearl S. Buck
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Reader Comments (14)
thank you for taking me there too.
glad you are home in the land of hugs.
Your blog always brings me joy, peace and love! Thank you.
it sounds like you had a wonderful time in NYC and I think you need to show me that city ! I am glad that you got to celebrate your beloved's life in Central Park and have a moment there in that memory. Your writing is priceless , clear, flawless, your photos are brilliant and vibrant. big hug - love you. Martha
kelly: thank you, i'm wearing some of your pink sass a la geraldine around my neck today. :)
michelle: that's so nice to hear. thank you. xo
martha: i'd love to show you the city sometime ~ there's so much you'd appreciate there. thank you and big hugs to you too!
As always such beautiful writing drenched in colorful imagery and what a beautiful tribute to Jazz. Hugs and kisses to you.
today is my exhale too! I love that way of saying it.
The shoes!! The shoes! I love that we have matching shoes!!
And yes, me too. I want to go there with you someday!
stephanie: thank you. xoxo
brooke: glad you're enjoying that kind of day too! :)
amy: thanks for the shoe inspiration and i'd love that!
your trip sounds healing. I love the pictures. I have only been to NY once and really it was a dash in an out and to Yonkers. So, it did not make the best impression on me. It is nice to see it through loving eyes. Peace.
keishua: i can understand how the city may not charm immediately upon a first impression. central park has always been my nexus, it's a world of wonderment unto itself. :)
we moved from NY last june and i haven't been back yet, although i'm DYING to. i definitely left my heart there - it was my city for 16 years and if my family had wanted to go back, (we were living just outside in NJ for the previous 6 years), i would have in a heart beat.
Central Park sounds like the perfect place for Jazz to rest.
NYC sounds like a wonderful city! So fun to see it through your eyes.
kristen: 16 years! you must know all the best places. :)
elizabeth: you and your camera would love it there.