I love New York, I do. I've lived here two thirds of my life. Ten minutes into my first visit, I knew I was going to move here & live here forever. Today I got my free (courtesy of the NYC ID) membership at the Museum of Natural History, visited the buffalo for that reliable moment of plains homesickness, then set out to walk across Central Park to get my free membership at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I walked out of the AMNH, crossed Central Park West, plunged into the Park, figuring on a 10-minute stroll. I looked at some pink berries and elms, saying, this is my museum, this is my park, this is my city.
Twenty minutes later, as always happens, I was lost. Nothing was familiar, none of the roads or buildings around the perimeter, so I couldn't figure out if I was seeing Central Park West, Fifth Avenue, or some other street entirely, maybe the park drive. I kept going until I found a sign for 72nd St but I missed that too. Eventually I came out on 67th St, visited some Greek vases & Roman statues (because I am reading Mary Beard's terrific SPQR) at the Met, walked to the train by way of Johnny's building, where I watched a terrible movie with a lively young Desi Arnaz (Holiday in Havana, 1949) & came home.
Twenty minutes later, as always happens, I was lost. Nothing was familiar, none of the roads or buildings around the perimeter, so I couldn't figure out if I was seeing Central Park West, Fifth Avenue, or some other street entirely, maybe the park drive. I kept going until I found a sign for 72nd St but I missed that too. Eventually I came out on 67th St, visited some Greek vases & Roman statues (because I am reading Mary Beard's terrific SPQR) at the Met, walked to the train by way of Johnny's building, where I watched a terrible movie with a lively young Desi Arnaz (Holiday in Havana, 1949) & came home.