Family & Friends,
No sooner had I returned from my road trip from NYC to California, did I find myself back in New York for a couple weeks. My good friend, the dear Ms. Alex, was getting married to the charming Mr. Jonathan in Bar Harbor, Maine, so I decided to use it as an excuse to go back and visit NYC too. I had a short stop in Boston on the way to Maine (only for a couple hours), so you will see photos from there as well below.
Alex and Jonathan's wedding was beautiful and fun, and I had a blast visiting my friends/playing tourist in New York. I got to do things I hadn't done in years as a local. For the first time, I had full days free and no worries to weigh me down. Because I lived there for nearly 11 years, the city is familiar and comfortable, so it didn't feel like a vacation... but it also felt very different from when I was a resident. Still, I often forgot that I don't live there anymore and that I don't have an apartment to go home to whenever I want. I was very much a nomad on this trip and carried an overnight pack with me everyday because I didn't know whose couch I was going to end up on for the night.
I visited my old NYU stomping grounds, as well as my old Brooklyn neighborhood. But the best part was getting some much needed bonding time with my lesbro and best friend, Maria (aka Doc Mars, Dr. Lesbro), at her place in Harlem. I miss you, buddy!
Some of the things I got to do while I was in New York and that I recommend to anyone visiting:
- Walked across the Williamsburg Bridge
- Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy
- Dancing at one of my favorite haunts, Stonewall Inn, with Maria
- Babetown queer/trans women dinner party
- Prospect Park/Brooklyn Walkabout with Maria
- American Museum of Natural History with Maria
- Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO
- Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Lezzer Tag/Lez Bowl/Pool at Chelsea Piers (I won at bowling!)
- Bluestockings Activist Bookstore
- Lunch at Vanessa's Dumplings on the Lower East Side
- One World Trade Center/Freedom Tower/9-11 Memorial
- A Dr. Seuss exhibit at the Pop International Art Gallery
- Dinner at Spice Market (which is closing soon) with my sister, who happened to be in town for business
- Dancing at The Woods in Brooklyn with my queer buddies
- Central Park (Strawberry Fields, The Lake, Bethesda Fountain)
- Hudson River Park/Pier 45
- An Inauguration Celebration show at NYU that involved an art installation/dance show (see video below) and an outdoor screening of Finding Dory
- A basement punk show
- First Presidential Debate watch party (I didn't actually go to the one at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem)
- Lard Bread at Mazzola Bakery in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
- Bialys at Kossar's Bagels & Bialys on the Lower East Side
- Jake Bugg concert at Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen
I also had the unexpected opportunity of seeing someone very special to me, who I don't get to see often, by serendipitous chance. It kind of brought things full circle for me. I'm happy that she gets a mention (if not an appearance) on this blog once again.
Maine was really cool too, albeit very brief. I had never been to Maine before. I stayed in a cottage near Acadia National Park, one of the oldest national parks. I'm bummed that I didn't get to go hiking or anything because I was only there for two days. But the downtown area of Bar Harbor is pretty cute. I got to walk halfway across the sand bar at low tide. The whole Maine scene reminded me of Murder, She Wrote.
Overall, this was an awesome trip. Now back to the routine life for awhile...
Onward,
Chris
No sooner had I returned from my road trip from NYC to California, did I find myself back in New York for a couple weeks. My good friend, the dear Ms. Alex, was getting married to the charming Mr. Jonathan in Bar Harbor, Maine, so I decided to use it as an excuse to go back and visit NYC too. I had a short stop in Boston on the way to Maine (only for a couple hours), so you will see photos from there as well below.
Alex and Jonathan's wedding was beautiful and fun, and I had a blast visiting my friends/playing tourist in New York. I got to do things I hadn't done in years as a local. For the first time, I had full days free and no worries to weigh me down. Because I lived there for nearly 11 years, the city is familiar and comfortable, so it didn't feel like a vacation... but it also felt very different from when I was a resident. Still, I often forgot that I don't live there anymore and that I don't have an apartment to go home to whenever I want. I was very much a nomad on this trip and carried an overnight pack with me everyday because I didn't know whose couch I was going to end up on for the night.
I visited my old NYU stomping grounds, as well as my old Brooklyn neighborhood. But the best part was getting some much needed bonding time with my lesbro and best friend, Maria (aka Doc Mars, Dr. Lesbro), at her place in Harlem. I miss you, buddy!
Some of the things I got to do while I was in New York and that I recommend to anyone visiting:
- Walked across the Williamsburg Bridge
- Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy
- Dancing at one of my favorite haunts, Stonewall Inn, with Maria
- Babetown queer/trans women dinner party
- Prospect Park/Brooklyn Walkabout with Maria
- American Museum of Natural History with Maria
- Brooklyn Bridge Park in DUMBO
- Walked across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Lezzer Tag/Lez Bowl/Pool at Chelsea Piers (I won at bowling!)
- Bluestockings Activist Bookstore
- Lunch at Vanessa's Dumplings on the Lower East Side
- One World Trade Center/Freedom Tower/9-11 Memorial
- A Dr. Seuss exhibit at the Pop International Art Gallery
- Dinner at Spice Market (which is closing soon) with my sister, who happened to be in town for business
- Dancing at The Woods in Brooklyn with my queer buddies
- Central Park (Strawberry Fields, The Lake, Bethesda Fountain)
- Hudson River Park/Pier 45
- An Inauguration Celebration show at NYU that involved an art installation/dance show (see video below) and an outdoor screening of Finding Dory
- A basement punk show
- First Presidential Debate watch party (I didn't actually go to the one at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem)
- Lard Bread at Mazzola Bakery in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
- Bialys at Kossar's Bagels & Bialys on the Lower East Side
- Jake Bugg concert at Terminal 5 in Hell's Kitchen
I also had the unexpected opportunity of seeing someone very special to me, who I don't get to see often, by serendipitous chance. It kind of brought things full circle for me. I'm happy that she gets a mention (if not an appearance) on this blog once again.
Maine was really cool too, albeit very brief. I had never been to Maine before. I stayed in a cottage near Acadia National Park, one of the oldest national parks. I'm bummed that I didn't get to go hiking or anything because I was only there for two days. But the downtown area of Bar Harbor is pretty cute. I got to walk halfway across the sand bar at low tide. The whole Maine scene reminded me of Murder, She Wrote.
Overall, this was an awesome trip. Now back to the routine life for awhile...
Onward,
Chris