My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2025 the theme is a random assemblage of things that are on my mind--or that just pop into my mind. Whatever! Let's just say I'll be "Tossing It Out" for your entertainment or however it is you perceive these things.
Traveling to see the world is a lot of fun, but this is not my main reason for doing so. My wife and I truly enjoy experiencing different parts of the country and if that were our only reason to travel then I'm sure we'd do that. However our biggest reason for gallivanting about North America is to see people--friends, family, and most of all, grandchildren.
Arlee, Thomas, Lillee, Grace, Betty (my wife), and Celeste
(Marley was at her music class)
In the photo above you see my wife and I on the boardwalk along the beach at Asbury Park, NJ with four of our grandkids. I had donned my A to Z 2016 tee shirt to parade up and down the Asbury Park boardwalk with my family. Unfortunately our plans were sidetracked by a massive thunderstorm that came along and caused us to make an early retreat to the sushi restaurant where one of our daughter's husband works. Since that had been part of the plan then that was okay even though we had to spend more time at the restaurant than we had anticipated.
The oldest of the grandchildren was around the corner from the restaurant at "rock and roll school" which is the prestigious Lakehouse Music Academy. Marley, who will soon be eight, has been taking a regimen of various music classes geared toward learning the skills of singing and playing instruments as well as practical experience in performing. Their recitals take place at the famous concert venue The Stone Pony which is where many famed artists such as Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi got their starts and which showcases many well known and lesser known acts throughout the year. Not a bad place for a kid (or anyone for that matter) to hone their chops for a potential future career in music.
My daughters and their spouses along with all five grandchildren.
A number of years ago I would never have expected that I'd be eventually making so many trips to New Jersey, but then one daughter moved there and then the next until three were living there. The other moved to Houston, Texas which makes for a bigger circle of travel when we set out to see everyone. With our girls and their families so far away from us out here in Los Angeles we feel the obligation to make massive road trips just for those few precious days each year when we can spend time with all of them. Maybe after my wife retires the situation can be changed, but for now what have what we have.
Then There's Tennessee
After I moved to Los Angeles from East Tennessee, I made it a point to try to come back at least once a year to visit my mother and my siblings who still lived there. My mother passed away in 2014, but going back to Tennessee still seems like a necessary ritual for me. My brothers and sisters still live in that beautiful part of the country and we have such a darn good time when we all get together. If I'm going back east anyway, then it just seems like the natural thing to pay a visit to East Tennessee. After all, millions of vacationers go to that part of the country every year because there's so much to see and do in that area. When we go, we try to get out and around, but mostly we just hang around and talk and enjoy the wonderful summer evenings in Tennessee.
This year we did take a couple of day trips around nearby counties and into neighboring Georgia and North Carolina. As usual I forgot to take photos most of the time, however I did manage some shots at a Bible based attraction called Fields of the Wood outside of Murphy, North Carolina. We'd already had a full day by the time we'd gotten there and since it was getting late we didn't stay long. Just long enough to take a few photos and then move on down the road.
In the above photo you see my sister-in-law Hallie, my brother Jay, me and my wife, and my sisters Joni and Joy. We are posing in front of what is likely the world's largest depiction of the Ten Commandments which are written on the side of a mountain. There was so much to see at this park that we didn't have time to take it all in. This is one of those places that I want to go back to visit one day.
After driving to the top of the Ten Commandments mountain, my wife and I posed for one more photo. Take note that I once again wore my A to Z shirt to be a walking billboard for the event. Be watching the Blogging from A to Z Challenge Blog for news. We've slacked off on that site during the summer, but activity will be stirring soon. You won't want to miss some important announcements that are to come.
Also, I have what I think is an interesting Battle of the Bands post scheduled for this coming Thursday September 1st. Might be musically educational to you and I hope some fun. It's a song about hair, but it has nothing to do with the musical Hair. In fact on first hearing the song you might never even guess it was about "hair".
Do you travel to visit family? What is your ideal vacation? Any idea about the song I'll be using for my next Battle of the Bands entry?
My Chrysler Town and Country Van at a scenic pull off on the Trans-Canada Hwy in Glacier National Park British Columbia
When away from what we think of as home, we try our best to make wherever we are our home. For about a month my wife and I traversed Canada, traveled down to Tennessee, and finally made our way back across Interstate 40 to return home to Los Angeles. We essentially lived out of our 2014 Chrysler Town and Country Van, hauling stuff in and out of motel rooms and relatives houses to stay for the night or several days whichever the case may have been. For road life it was pretty luxurious. No roughing it in the wilds or sleeping in the vehicle. We traveled in comfort with air conditioning and a good sound system connected to satellite radio. When we were hungry we stopped at restaurants to eat. Some folks might still find this to be somewhat tedious, but we had a great time even considering some of the long driving days we experienced.
I'll be inserting some vacation photos in upcoming blog posts, but in all honesty I'm bad at taking pictures. When I'm having a good time I tend to get wrapped up in living and forget about capturing those moments for posterity. In other words there won't be many photos and they probably won't be all that good. My wife took the photo below of me standing in front of the Parliament Building in Ottawa, Ontario where we stopped in to see the changing of the guard. I shot some video of that, but I won't bore you with that here. Instead I'll bore you with this picture of me wearing my Panama hat as we awaited the ceremony on our last day in Canada.
Arlee Bird in Ottawa, Ontario awaiting the Changing of the Guard Ceremony
In all we spent seven days (and six nights) in Canada. It was a great adventure that passed far too quickly. We've decided that we want to do something similar again and see more sights and hopefully at a more leisurely pace. So much to see and so little time!
That's not to mention the great United States which we still have so much more to visit. This trip incorporated over 9000 miles of driving in 33 days. We spent a lot of that time visiting in New Jersey and Tennessee so it's not like we were always in our van driving.
I'd better be careful writing these posts. I'm already missing the road life. Home in my house is nice, but I can make myself feel at home just about anywhere I go as long as the company is good and the comfort level is passable. Home might be where my heart is as the old saying goes, but home can also be wherever I make it.
Battle of the Bands Results
My Battle of the Bands round this time was with versions of "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" by Anita O'Day and Julie London. In all, this was a pretty evenly matched pairing that could have probably gone either way with most of the voters. That's how it was for me at least.
I went back and forth with these two renditions and changed my inclination in voting a few times. In the end though I decided on Julie London's faster paced version. If I could have used it I would have voted for the melancholy Frank Sinatra/June Hutton version, but apparently it may not have been available for viewing in all countries.
Maybe it seems incongruent that I would end up voting for a faster paced version, but to me the London version seemed cleaner, musically sharper. The arrangements of both versions were very similar other than tempo. O'Day's version is fantastic, but London's version had the greater appeal for me. The majority of voters saw it otherwise.
Final Vote Tally:
Anita O'Day 16 Julie London 11
Next Battle on September 1st!
The Battle on Thursday of next week will be quite different than the one I just did, but in a type of music that I've used before and one that I enjoy a great deal. Some might find the song a bit strange, but I hope you'll still play along and maybe expand you musical horizons in doing so. It's a rather sensual song that won music awards, hit the charts, and received extensive radio play in 2000 though it's likely a song most of my readers have never heard of. Be sure to check it out on September 1st.
Are you able to make yourself at home just about anywhere you go? Have you traveled the Trans-Canada Highway? How would you feel about selling your home and living on the road?
Pensioners Cottage, Ballygowan. This quaint old cottage in original condition is located near Lammy crossroads. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Home Sweet Home
Settled in for a few days, it's almost like we never left. The miles behind us, the places we've been and people we spent time with almost seem like a dream now that I'm nestled back into the familiarity of the house we've lived in for the past nineteen years. A vacation is nice, but in some ways being home in familiar surroundings is equally so. In many ways it's better.
From the vantage point of this modest place we call home, we've seen our girls finish school, leave home, and start families and careers as I've settled into retirement and my wife will soon follow. Will we stay in this dwelling in the years to come? We have been pondering that decision in recent years and the decision is one that will likely be made within the next few years. I have some dreams in mind, but the act of moving is not something I particularly relish.
For now I'll keep this decision of relocation in the back of my mind. The thought will creep frequently into the forefront of my thinking as the quandary looms ever larger over my shoulder. I love this place I call home, but it is a mere physical abode. This is the place my wife and I think of as home, but this place can be replaced in my worldview. I don't have to be here forever and come to think of it I won't.
The structure where I keep my stuff is merely a storage room and a shelter for my physical being. Eventually this situation will pass and my spirit will move on. But until that time comes, I hope I can find that near perfect structure in that near perfect geographical location where life can be lived in peace, comfort, and as much happiness as circumstances will allow.
Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens twice each month on the 1st and 15th. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.
"You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To"
This 1943 song by Cole Porter has been in my BOTB song queue for a couple of years and coming home from vacation seemed like the ideal time to unleash it. Though I've heard this song many times since childhood, I was first drawn to it several years ago when I bought the CD Sinatra Sings Cole Porter. The haunting version on this album came from The Frank Sinatra Show which was broadcast on television on February 3, 1951--four days after I was born. I had planned on using his duet with June Hutton for my battle, but I could not find a video that was unrestricted in all countries. However I offer it here for anyone who is interested in hearing it (but please don't vote on this version).
The song has been recorded by numerous artists since first appearing in the film Something to Shout About where it was introduced by Don Ameche and Janet Blair. For my battle I have chosen two very short recordings which came from live performances in the 1960's, both done in Japan.
Anita O'Day "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" (1963)
Internationally proclaimed for her jazz singing style, Anita O'Day was nicknamed "The Jezebel of Jazz." Throughout her life she struggled with drug addiction though she lived until age 87 still recording until near the time of her death. Her smooth song styling is showcased in this following performance with some fine Japanese jazz musicians.
Julie London "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" (1964)
The prolific Julie London had a popular career as a singer, actress, and television personality through four decades starting with her first film role in 1944 and up to her recurring role on the television show Emergency! which ended in 1978 after six seasons. Her sultry singing style led to the recording of 29 studio albums with 29 singles hitting the charts. Her version of this battle's song by Cole Porter is from the laser disc "Julie London Show", with the Bobby Troup Quintet, recorded on May 28, 1964 in Japan.
Time to Vote! Hope you've enjoyed this trip back in time with a Cole Porter classic. Maybe it's not your style of music, but hopefully you'll keep a musically open mind in assessing the two versions. Let us know what you think about these two recordings. Is there one that you prefer over the other? If you're visiting a Battle of the Bands post for the first time then let me briefly explain. Please give each song version a fair listen to decide which one you enjoy the most. If you don't like either then at least tell us which recording was least innocuous to you. This comes down to your preference and it's as easy as that.
I don't plan to post on this blog until next Monday, but who knows what wild things might come to my mind that will lead to another post this week. I'm just saying that another post this week is not in my plans for the time being. That's the way it is. And actually I need to do some recouping after our long trip away from home. See you when I see you. Are you happy with where you currently live? Do you think you will ever move to another home? What is your dream location for a home and what would you like to see in another home if you were to move?
People all over are travelling and taking vacations which means they are spending lots of money on themselves and leaving carbon footprints all over the place. That includes me. Am I concerned? Should you be concerned about your own vacations or the travel-for-pleasure that others do? The debate is reopened for discussion...
IT'S FLASHBACK FRIDAY - A TIME OF THE MONTH WHERE YOU CAN REPUBLISH AN OLD POST OF YOURS THAT MAYBE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH ATTENTION, OR THAT YOU'RE REALLY PROUD OF, OR YOU THINK IS STILL RELEVANT ETC. THIS BLOG-GO-ROUND IS HOSTED BY MICHAEL G D'AGOSTINO FROM A LIFE EXAMINED--THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE REST OF THE PARTICIPANTS OR TO JOIN UP YOURSELF.
THE POST I'VE CHOSEN FOR THIS MONTH FIRST APPEARED ON TOSSING IT OUT ON THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2010. TO SEE THE ORIGINAL COMMENTS TO THAT POST YOU CAN CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO THE ORIGINAL POST. MY REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS PARTICULAR POST, BESIDES IT BEING AS RELEVANT NOW AS THEN, IS THAT IT IS RELATED TO MY NEXT BATTLE OF THE BANDS POST WHICH WILL APPEAR ON MONDAY AUGUST 1ST AND IT'S RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. ..
Today is Debate Day here on Tossing It Out. I'm going to toss out the question to you, pose a few arguments, and then leave it to you to toss a response back to me. Here is today's question:
Are self-indulging vacations that involve leaving home and spending a lot of money selfish and socially irresponsible?
We are in an era of change, social responsibility, personal accountability--or at least that is what some would have us believe. Each of us impact our world by our actions. In absolute reality, the "fun" vacation of taking trips, going to touristy places, and spending lots of money to indulge ourselves and our families is not a necessity for us to survive. Why do we feel the need to have these unnecessary excesses in the name of relaxation and entertainment? Why might these types of vacations be a good thing?
With all the talk about "carbon footprints" and the like, it is probably important to assess the environmental impact of the travel entailed by vacations away from home. Said travel uses up fuel for no practical goal oriented purpose. Often energy used up at vacation destination is frivolous waste as it is sucked up by amusement and entertainment venues and travel for the sole purpose of seeing sights. If people stayed home instead of traveling to a vacation destination it is probable that a great deal of energy would be conserved. Also, one should consider the environmental damage done to more sensitive areas like national parks and similar destinations. Travel vacations are environmentally unfriendly.
These are economic hard times for many families. Many people are out of work, not to mention the huge financial hits that have been taken by many investors and homeowners. People should probably be putting money away for what may be hard economic times to come. Charging vacations to credit cards should not even be an option. And even those who feel a sense of financial confidence might be better off thinking of socially responsible ways to put their money to work helping others. Why should any of us be thinking about amusing ourselves with frivolity when so many in our communities are in need? At the very least perhaps it would make more economic sense to use our accumulated savings to invest in home improvements. Hire local out of work craftspeople and buy building supplies from local sources in order to provide some cash flow to our hometown economy. Investing in ourselves and our neighbors will have more long term benefits than accumulating a few photographs and memories.
Also, Americans should consider what kind of message our travel sends to the rest of the world. Do other countries really want to see Americans in their countries? Sure, they want our money, but does the money ultimately go to a good place and does money spent abroad help the U.S. economy. We may be very well supporting political regimes that would like to eventually see the U.S. put down. So far as spending our money in countries that are U.S. allies, the question as to whether it would be better to spend our money at home still arises.
If the financially able truly must go anywhere then they should consider the social significance of their travel choices. Volunteering for aid missions helping poorer countries to become better or rebuild after disasters would be a merciful activity that would be more important than mere pleasure seeking. Instead of going to Disneyland we should be taking our families to help build housing in poverty stricken areas. Cruises should be replaced by spending time on the frontlines feeding and caring for the homeless. Camping and hiking in the wilderness could be replaced with assisting farmers to bring in their crops. It's sad to be having fun and recreation when many other cannot afford it or don't have the time because they have to work so much.
What do you think? I've just tossed this argument out there as one side of the debate. I'm not going to say what my real stance on this debate question is because I want to hear your opinion. But I will give a hint by saying that the arguments that I've presented here would probably be embraced by some people, but I have approached it somewhat tongue in cheek. I don't want to say anything else right now. Tell me what you think about this topic.
Are you planning to go anywhere for a vacation this year? Where are you going? What do you like to do on vacation?
Shared Vacations Have you ever had someone join your family on a vacation? I've heard of families or relatives going on vacation together. It seems to be most common when people will share a cabin rental at the beach, in the mountains, or some other vacation destination. Expenses as well as experiences are usually shared by all participating parties which I'm sure can defray the cost for all. In these cases I suppose tension and conflict has the potential of being on the increase, but hopefully the parties get along well enough to enjoy the company during said vacation. When I was single I used to take trips with friends. There have been some times when my mother or other close family members have accompanied my family on a trip, but this was usually when I was touring with a roadshow. I can't recall ever taking an actual vacation trip with others in tow. During my years on the road with a stage production, my family almost always had a couple of cast members who traveled in our van with us. That could often be fun. I enjoy taking people to exciting places where I've been before, but are new to those who are with me. There's this thrill of the introduction to new places to people who have not previously been there. This year another couple almost went with us on our vacation. I was a bit apprehensive about this since the wife was a friend of my wife and I did not know the couple very well. As it turned out they decided not to go since the husband was concerned about his business and possibly upsetting some of his customers while he was gone. In all honesty, my wife and I were somewhat relieved as we like traveling on our own. But it might have been fun. So no one is going with us this time and that might be for the best. Maybe some other time we will bring others with us on one of our great adventures. Would you like to go with us? Battle of the Bands Battle of the Bandsisthe blogging event started byFar Away Seriesand now hosted byStMcC Presents Battle of the Bands. This event happens twice each month on the 1st and 15th. The premise is simple: Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it. Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.
My Circumstance
It's summer vacation season and that's what I'm doing at this time. I've scheduled this post ahead of time and if all is according to schedule on the day that this posts, I'm somewhere between Calgary, Alberta, Canada and New Jersey when you read this (which I hope you will do). I might be a bit late getting my votes out, but barring any internet problems I should be able to get around to voting over the upcoming days.
"Can I Go" (1968)
This song was composed by Roger Nichols who collaborated with such artists as Paul Williams, Randy Newman, and Van Dyke Parks. His influence can be heard in the music of The Carpenters and Three Dog Night,
Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends "Can I Go" (1968)
I featured another recording by this group from the same album with the Carol King song "Snow Queen" a couple years ago. The group consists of the songwriter Roger Nichols and some fine vocalists. Though I found no confirmation, there is speculation that this song might have been produced by Van Dyke Parks. This is a carefree little tune representative of so much of the music of the late 60's.
Perhaps the only other recording of this song that one might find is by The Collage, a psychedelic pop/rock vocal group in a similar vein as the Mamas and Papas or the Fifth Dimension. Their sole album is an obscurity that was released about the same time as the Roger Nichols album. I discovered both albums in the vinyl cut-out bins back around 1970 and I still have my copies of each. It's actually some good listening in a couple of well-produced efforts.
Time to Vote! This is a very nuanced pairing I realize. Initially both versions might sound almost identical, but there are some distinct differences. However I agree that this might be a tough choice. Let us know what you think about these two recordings. Is there one that you prefer over the other? If you're visiting a Battle of the Bands post for the first time then let me briefly explain. Please give each song version a fair listen to decide which one you enjoy the most. If you don't like either then at least tell us which recording was least innocuous to you. This comes down to your preference and it's as easy as that.
Winner Announced on Friday July 22nd Things will be quiet on this blog until next Friday as I wend my way to the east coast. I'll be responding to comments on this current post, but not much else though. I'll be back on Friday July 22nd with the announcement of the winning version of "Can I Go". Hope you're having a wonderful summer. If you've gone on shared vacations, how did it work out? Do you enjoy traveling in your own vehicle or do you prefer guided group tours? How do you feel about the sunshiny psychedelic pop/rock from the late 60's?
I did have an opportunity to visit Manhattan a few years ago, had no idea what to expect, will never forget the wonderful experience!--Gail M Baugniet - Author
The Empire State Building. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Visiting Manhattan
After reading some of my Manhattan themed A to Z posts some of you might be a bit more interested in visiting the island city of the New York Metropolitan Area. Many of you indicated your desire to do so in comments made in my original post that asked "What Does Manhattan Say to You?". In this current post I'll be presenting some of what a few of you said on the topic of "visiting Manhattan".
When I hear "Manhattan," I think of NYC in the fall of 1984 when I was there for computer software training. I had never been to NYC before, and I had a little time off from work, so I went to the top of one of the World Trade Center towers. I will never forget that day, and I will probably never go up in a building that tall again.
I never made it to the top of the World Trade Center myself, but sure wish I could have had that experience. Patricia, you experienced a bit of history so at least you have that memory.
I have never been there. I do remember my dad talking about going through there when he was in the army. He was going to West Germany and in the 60's they took a truck to New York and got on a boat to go over there. He said it was dirty and smelled. Garbage laying all over.
Ruth, my dad never talked about going to Manhattan although a few years ago--over 20 years after his death--I found an old photo of him and some buddies on a night out in NYC, a story to which I referred in my post Drinking and Manhattan. Maybe your dad had the unfortunate circumstance of being in Manhattan during one of their infamous garbage strikes. Then again maybe it was just the times and the places they were in.
A frequent visitor to my blog who does not have a blog himself but comments under the blog handle of Sheboyganboy VI told his own interesting Manhattan story: What comes to mind first is the borough of New York City. Not the drink, since I don't drink! I've been to Manhattan twice, once earlier this year for a touristy visit that included restaurants, jazz clubs down in Greenwich Village, Central Park, and the Metropolitan opera. The music was great... the glitz and crowds, not so much. But I'd say what comes to my memories first is my 1st trip there in 1974 when I was 19 years old. Four girls, my room mate and I made a cross-country trip from San Diego to Boston and back, which included a one-day jaunt into Manhattan. By the time we got to NYC we had picked up another girl, also. We had two vehicles: a 1968 VW Beetle, and my dad's propane powered pickup truck. As we were heading for the Holland Tunnel we saw a sign that said propane bottles were not allowed in the tunnel. Since I was carrying 200 gallons (!!!) of propane, we had to park the truck on a side street and ALL SEVEN of us piled into the VW and made the trip thru the tunnel for an afternoon of visiting Manhattan. The only person without a girl on their lap was the driver! It was a "trip," man! That sounds like a "hippie excursion". What a memory! Those were the days my friend.
Bish Denhamprovided her own story from back in the day: When I think of Manhattan I almost immediately remember the time I spent there in the summer of 1967. For a teenager from a tiny island, it was awesome. Went to the Empire State Building, the Cloisters, Lincoln Center, took the ferry to Staten Island, drank "virgin" drinks at Cafe Wha? and listened to a band - who knows who? Friends and I stood on a street corner, stared up and pointed until we had a crowd around. Ate at my first Greek restaurant. Saw an off Broadway show about Jelly Roll Morton. It was noisy and dirty and the smog was so thick that from the top of Empire State Building the streets below were almost invisible. I have pictures. It was the time of my life. Except for one brief overnight on my way to somewhere else, I've never been back. Though if I had the opportunity/money, I just might. What a fantastic memory, Bish. I can imagine how exciting it must have been for you to have spent a summer there as a teen. Manhattan has a lure, but it can be an expensive destination. I hope you can return one day. One More Before We Go... Finally, from the blog Forty, c'est Fantastique !with the author's permission I'm reprinting here the blog post she wrote in response to my Manhattan question. It's too good not to include here.
One glimpse of this skyline, photo taken from Central Park, and anyone will know where you are. Hundreds of songs have been written about this city, hundreds of movies made there, millions of people have walked its streets, and been captured by its sense of adventure. It is the original “melting pot” where so many cultures can be found in one place.
It is the city that represents the US to the people of most other countries…tell anyone in a different country that you are from the US and they’ll say, “Oh! You know New York!” Up until a few weeks ago I’d have said, “No. I’ve never been there.” But now, I can say I have been there. There there, and not just “Airport” there. My husband and I visited Manhattan. One and a half days there, and he is wondering if we could move there. Who knows? Tout est possible! But no, I’m not packing up just yet
I mentioned already in a previous post that we saw a Broadway Musical that weekend, with the aid of the beloved “Two-fer” tickets. This post is kind of a “Two-fer” too, in fact it is almost a “Three-fer” because it fits in with both the Thursday and Friday versions of The Bee’s “Love is in da Blog.” For “Traveling Thursday” it is a place I think I am falling in love with. For Friday, it is a “Blog Love.” I really have a hard time choosing a “favorite blog!” So I’m not going to say this is my favorite, just that it isa favorite, and the one that is on my mind tonight. So, because I am sort of writing this in response to a question that Arlee Bird asked on his blog “Tossing It Out” — namely, “What Does Manhattan Say to You?” my “Blog love” is going out to Arlee this week. For those of you who don’t know, he is the mastermind behind the “A to Z April Challenge” which really got Forty, C’est Fantastique off the ground. I’m gearing up for my 3rd time doing this challenge in 2016! Arlee “Tosses Out” all kinds of interesting topics on his blog! I don’t always get involved, but I do read silently from my email box, and when a topic strikes a chord with me I just jump in! I love that Arlee really engages in conversation with his readers who comment. He’s thoughtful. He loves music and hosts a “BoTB” post on his site. I really don’t know how he does all of it. In any case, I highly recommend making a trip to his site to see what he “tosses out.”
So to answer his question (and I hope it isn’t too late!)
What does Manhattan say to me?
After a long flight, we walked, wide-eyed, out of the airport, searching for the metro, or a bus, some way to reach Manhattan. After a short search, we found ourselves on a bus, where we were able to figure out, with the help of a native New Yorker, the system by which one buys a Metro card and uses it to get a little ticket for the bus, which no longer accepts cash. You have to get a metro card and then use that at a kiosk to get a ticket. The lady in question did not have enough money on her Metro card for the ticket, and since the bus driver didn’t take cash, she gave us cash and we ran to a kiosk at the next stop and used our brand new metro card to get her a ticket. Then she told us some cool things to do and see in the city, and I have stashed that advice away for next time we go, because with just a day and a half we really had to choose one or two things. We rode the bus until the end of its line and then switched to the train. I’m not sure that was the most efficient, but we did end up at Times Square, which was just a couple blocks from our hotel.
We got off the train and said, “Hello, Manhattan.” Manhattan said “Hello! You’re going to have a fabulous time.” The lady at the hotel desk sang the word, “fabulous.” She said, I can find you a fabulous restaurant, and she did! We had a very nice seafood dinner, not too far away from the hotel, and we walked around Times Square and gawked at the lights. Funny thing, but Manhattan does say to me that it is somehow okay to be a “tourist” there. It’s okay to stop and gawk at the skyscrapers whilst the real New Yorkers walk around you like water flows around pebbles in a stream. It’s a much different feeling than say, San Francisco or Paris or Dublin. In those cities, I felt a desire to “blend in” and hide my tourist status. In Manhattan, I didn’t find that to be necessary, even when we encroached upon a somewhat more “local” bagel shop. There was a pleasant mix there of locals and tourists. And the bagel was fantastic. They say it’s the water. You think?
New York is elegant and refined, but at the same time it is loud and gaudy. It is Prada and Louis Vuitton, and it is also tourist shops. It is classic high-heeled pumps, but yet it is also brightly colored Converse. And “puffy down jackets.” Lots of puffy down jackets. I’m glad that at least our jackets fit in a little bit I’m not really sure why this is a trend all of a sudden. Marty McFly would be proud.
We went walking around Times Square on a Friday night, and a couple asked us to take their picture. Then, they offered to take one of us. Why not? They asked where we were from, and we told them, then asked them the same question. They told us they were locals, just out for a date night while their kids were with family. Isn’t that great? To go to one of the most touristy places in your own city just for fun? They looked really happy, too.
So what did we ask Manhattan? We asked it to show us some of its glamour and some of its traditions. It happily complied, and we came home happy, having seen the “Home Alone 2” Christmas tree, the skaters at Central Park, horse-drawn carriages, beautiful homes that we could never even dream of living in, Times Square, and a Broadway Musical. We ate NY bagels, NY pizza, and NY cheesecake. My husband even had one of those hotdogs from a street vendor. We rode a bus and a subway, and we rode in a NY cab. We looked in the windows of some designer stores that we didn’t dare set a foot into. We truly began to understand the French expression lèche-vitrines, which literally translates as “licking the windows” but really just means “window shopping.” Somehow the French expression is more descriptive! We walked (according to FitBit) eleven miles. It was glorious. So in the end, what did Manhattan say to me? It said, “Come back soon!” I can hardly wait!
Do you have a story to tell about your own Manhattan visit? Are you planning a Manhattan visit anytime soon? What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about visiting Manhattan?
