Wednesday, July 07, 2010

New York for Free.

Just a day in the park....

Yesterday I didn't get lost on the train, even though there was a tricky stop on my three train route.  I found this Conservatory Water at a pace you'd swear meant I knew where I was going.

I watched a young girl sail this boat straight into another one while her Australian friend barked directions on how to sail which went unheard.

I had a lovely lunch with Alice and the Mad Hatter.  Walked down "The Mall" to the sounds of a piano and a saxophone, both trying to draw attention from passersby. (I'm partial to the piano myself)
I also watched people paddle around in boats beneath the weeping willow trees, watched a young family splash in the fountain, and experienced one hellaciously hot day.  Apparently New York missed the memo that SC is suppose to be hotter.

As for today, I had productive day at work with the lovely Kristina (she's from San Francisco, graduated from TISCH and is pursuing a career in acting.) And the ever chipper Cici, who hails from Charlotte and loves everyone.  She also gets ridiculously excited over the simple things, (ex: she did a happy dance when she found currants in the fridge.)  She and I will get along well, I can already tell.  Plus, the two of them went to see Beirut last night.... um, yes please.

After work I sat in Union Square for a while and after getting off the phone with Mom the gentleman beside me turned and said, "You're from the south, aren't you?"  This led into a hour and a half long conversation about the city and Eddie's take on all the things you should do here.  First off he said to Write It All Down (some advice I've already been given.) He then gave me locations to several places that offer free salsa lessons, free art shows, free plays, free movies, free Shakespeare, used books for forty-eight cents, various other dance nights that offer lessons, free exercise sessions, on and on... 

Advice from Eddie:

1. Never take a cab (they charge too much and will take you "they long way" to make an extra dollar.)
2. Always keep a $10 Metro Card for emergencies (in case your monthly expires and you are stranded late at night.)
3. Pick up the Village Voice every Tues/Wed.
4.  Run along the Pier because the air is lovely, and when you feel unmotivated to run just try to make it to the next light pole, then the next, then the...
5. Whenever you feel a little uptight and overwhelmed, go to Coney Island and ride the Cyclone, because it's scary as shit and everything will be a breeze afterward.
6. Go to clubs that don't have cover because they are always more fun.
7. Watch movies on Friday-Sunday mornings because they are $6 and you can feasibly spend all day watching everything that's out (especially if you go to a theater with a multitude of showings.)
8. Always carry a snack and a good book because it makes all the waiting go by faster.
9. Find the cheapest way to do what you are interested in when you're getting started, take pictures of everything and make no apologies for it.
10. Make a list of goals for each day/week/month so you're always striving towards something.
11. Take the bus from one end of town to the other so you can see it all above ground, get to know the neighborhoods, it gives you a visual image you can't get on a subway. 
12. Write it all down because it makes you see beauty in the small things.
13. Keep a separate journal for the happenings in the restaurant world, because it's a whole different beast... "something you could write a musical about."

Eddie told me all about the various places to dance because he thought I looked like a dancer.  He said, "you have a dancers body." Which I disagree with, but I appreciate that he thinks I look like I exercise and he was pretty flabbergasted when i admitted I had worked out, really worked out exactly once in the last five years.  He also tried to convince me I should eat duck, because it's basically a water animal...

5 comments:

Erin Gail said...

i told you there was a lot to do. and it's free. i like eddie. i'm glad he found you.

Kevin Archie said...

man, i wanna go to new york... I'm sure I'll perhaps end up there or somewhere bigger than columbia after I stubbornly spend the next several years of my life believing its going to get better, while watching everyone else leave

RachelAdelle said...

in the subway there's an advertisement for an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum... it's an Andy Warhol exhibit... makes me think of you. It runs through mid-Sept.

Maggie said...

i was thinking.... & you live in a "Law and Order" episode. something i learned from watching: Houston St. is not pronounced like the major city in TX. it's said, or something like this, "HOUSE-Ton" Street. you may already know that. am enjoying your blog. it's put together well and interesting.

RachelAdelle said...

I did actually know that, Mags. Eddie informed me of such with a multitude of directions be gave me. :) and thank you!