Today was the day I would have liked to go to Coney Island, but as they say, shit happens. With some luck I will make it there before heading out to the airport.
It was another bright, sunny, hot day, maybe too hot for going to the beach without a bathing suit. I was also very tired. A macchiato at dinner was not a good idea. I was awake most of the night. Despite that I got up fairly early and made my way to the kids. They had also had a sleepless night and I guess none of us was in any kind of hurry. Marissa made her way to work. While Dov got ready, I actually took a little nap.
Dov got involved in some private business and I already felt wilted from the heat. What a perfect time to go out to buy a fan. If this heat is indicative of the summer in NY I don't think that apartment will be bearable by mid July. I made my way to Bargain Hunters on Flatbush. There was a huge display of fans at the front of the store. I looked at each one carefully and I decided on a large one with several speeds that oscillated. It could be set up on a stand or with an attachment could be used as a table fan. It's a good thing Flatbush is only two. Locks away. The size of the box made it too awkward to carry so I half carried, half dragged the fan back to the apartment.
Dov was still involved. I thought about making my way to Coney Island on my own, but thought it might upset Dov, so I returned to my own place to sit in front of the fan and read for a while. It was well after one by the time Dov had extricated himself and I thought that since we had Sleep No More booked for that evening, we would be pressed for time to return to Manhattan. But first the dog needed walking.
I joined Dov in the park. There is no such thing as too much time in that particular park. The downside, however, was that I would be walking. Spending more quality time with Dov was more important to me than my feet, so off we went. Dov was very apologetic about the late start. He genuinely was concerned that I have a good time this visit and waiting for him was not what he had in mind. I was touched by his concern and sincerity. There was one more day to get to the beach.
The park again was so inviting. Because the ones are all man made and are not fed by any fresh source, areas were blooming with algae. In places, it was so thick that debris sat on top of it rather than sinking. Even so, time in the park provides an ever changing view of trees, plants, paths, floral displays and other dogs. While walking, we worked out Plan B, the Rubin Museum.
I had never heard about thislace. Dov explained that it was a gallery devoted to the arts of the Himalayas, Tibet, in particular. The added bonus was that it was not too far from the venue of our evening outing. To get there, we got off the subway at Union Square where there was a Farmer's Market. Before looking for the museum, we explored the market. Even though it was already mid afternoon, there were still vendors with maple syrup, organic produce, organic breads, and snacks.
Then we began our trek across 17th St to 8th Ave. What an interesting street! Close to the Square it seemed to have just commercial office buildings, but as we headed west, there we began to see a totally different environment. The first of these shops was Liquidation, a juice bar. Since neither of us had eaten lunch we went in to try it. Delicious and cooling. Did I mention it was hot? Then there were a series shops for alternative shoppers, Angel Time a thrift shop where you had to be solid middle class in order to afford a Restoration Hardware (used) sofa for $1,000. There was also a store that had all manner of nostalgia, from furniture to framed prints and costume jewelry to tzochkes. The doorway on 17th lead through an open alley lined with mirrors, pictures and benches. At the end of the alley spread around the entrance were a variety of tables, a round pedestal table with a marble top, an old school desk with attached chair,coffee tables and chests. Inside was more of the same including arm chairs and sofas and housewares from the fifties and earlier.
Dov and I were attracted to a walnut drop leaf table with mahogany legs. The leafs had rounded edges so the fully extended table was a good sized oval and could probably comfortably seat six people. Although smaller items were not cheap, $68 for a set of four stacking Corning bowls, $85 for a little hat with veil, the furniture was very reasonably priced. A table, especially one that could be tucked away in a corner so that the spacious feel of the apartment was maintained when the table was not in use. We brought Marissa by after dinner and she too liked the table but at the moment, it was not financially possible. The table will be reduced to $220 in two weeks if it has not already sold. I hope that the kids can make this purchase. It is a classic piece that could easily be sold for at least as much as they paid for it.
We finally reached the museum. Because it was open for just one more hour we only paid five dollars each for entry and joined a free tour. I think the guide was an employee of the museum and he was very knowledgeable about the history of the museum and the works inside. A couple by the name of Rubin bought a painting for $1,500. They knew little about its origin but were fascinated by the eastern style and theme. Over the next twenty years, they continued to collect artifacts from the Himalayas, without a plan of what to do with the collection. In the late 90's, the building that houses the collection was for sale. It used to be a Barney's and had a magnificent spiral staircase.
The couple bought the building and began extensive renovations to refurbish the space with the staircase as the focal point. It was a work of love. The spaces are beautiful. Currently on display, was an exhibition about Tibetan medicine. There was also a collection borrowed from the Brooklyn Museum of statuaries pertaining to that area of the world and the Buddhist and Hindu faiths. We did not have enough time there and it is definitely a place I want to return to. Recreated murals, statues, paintings, embroideries from Tibet and the surrounding area are all something I would like to learn more about.
Marissa met us at the museum. First we took her to see the curiosity shop for the want of another name for it. She also liked the table. With a recommendation from the salesperson in the shop we headed for a local Belgian restaurant. We ate in a small outside patio at the back, adjacent to a flatscreen tv showing a FIFA match between Algeria and Germany. It made for exciting background for our dinner.
The menu wasn't very vegetarian friendly, but all the food we ordered was well prepared and had a European flavour. The bonus was that the beer was half price. We were only ten streets and two avenues away from the McClintock Hotel, not a long walk, but given that the performance was three hours of walking up and down stairs in a creepy venue, I should probably have known better. It was a pleasant walk but again not wise given where we were going.
This was our second visit to Sleep No More. The first was more exciting because there were no expectations. I enjoyed the whole production and was more wowed by the choreography and sets, but I was toast by the end of the evening. I was almost knocked over several times by people who were eager to follow the players and it seemed that each time there was a 'performance' to see, all the tall people stood in front of me. By the end of the evening i was stopping wherever i could sit down for a bit. I definitely do not have any interest in seeing this production a third time. Home by subway was a long long long trip and all three of us were exhausted by the time we reached Brooklyn. In retrospect, I should have hailed a cab.
Let's try for Coney Island tomorrow. I've asked Dov to be ready to leave by 9:30. I am prepared though, that it will be much later.
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