Based upon my extensive NYC subway experience, of course I was ripe to compare my opinions to the Washington Metro. Apparently often, in DC, an escalator is not operative. When it’s stairs – as in New York – I’m facing with a suitcase, I know it’s stairs and I lug upwards to a stair-induced-rhythm. But a broken escalator only reinforces with each manual step that I am lugging, making the load twice as heavy. The Metro train of cars was arriving and as they were passing by I saw the front cars were almost empty and the back cars, which were pulling to a stop in front of me, were jammed. I and three other ‘tourists’ began walking toward the front cars. Just as we arrived at the open door, it shut, practically de-nosing us. Explain that one. The biggest difference, no, not the biggest difference – that would be spotless track-beds in Washington – but another bigger difference is the fare card use. In NYC you enter the entire system with one swipe and put your card away. In DC you put your card in the turnstyle, it snatches it, reads it and spits it out about 20 inches away from where you inserted it. But you’re not done yet. To exit the system, at your stop you have to repeat this process and a variable amount is subtracted from your card total. I understand the system, it just increases the chance of losing your card by 100% and it is harder to keep track of the amounts spent and left.
Cheaper Seats
The Acela Express Train zoomed into the station on the track across the platform from where the Northeast Regional was waiting. Looking across the to the windows it appeared as if all the chic folks were reading their electronic books, while not moving their perfectly coiffed head and before I could register more about them, the Acela zoomed away. I felt I was left sitting in the ‘little engine that could‘. Our train didn’t leave for another five minutes, never to catch up with the sleek, speedy Acela. Time can be bought.
More Washington
He was standing in the Metro car with earphones in both ears, listening intently to whatever was playing on his device and all of a sudden, he sneezes. Standing next to him is a late- teen boy who upon experiencing the sneeze looks up and says ‘bless you’. The older man with the plugged ears doesn’t hear or see him and doesn’t react with a ‘thank you’. The teenager registers that his ‘bless you’ fell on deaf ears. A minute later Mr. Earphones sneezes a second time and I watch the teen-boy take that in, consider it and with a contemplative look on his face say nothing. Mr E is completely oblivious.
The Right Thing
I firmly believe as consumers we should support businesses that ‘do the right thing’. Working at a homeless shelter I came upon boxes of fresh sandwiches made by a company named PRET. I was curious that so much of the food looked like it was freshly made. Next time I needed to pick up a lunch sandwich I popped into one of their stores and this is their story: ‘Made Today… Gone Tomorrow. The best natural ingredients get delivered to all our shops early every morning. Every night we give our fresh food to charities helping the hungry rather than selling it the next day. It’s the right thing to do.’ I saw the result before I saw the advertising. Look for them where you live.
LOL
These adverts are on the walls in Penn Station, to amuse while waiting for the train.
‘Cute guy on the subway was checking out the map behind you.'[if you happen to sit in front of the subway map… then when someone across the aisle tries to read it, it is as if they are intently interested in you.]
‘The City that never sleeps won’t let you either’
‘You can hear the construction over the sirens’
‘You could have sworn you read ‘downtown’
[This is what you tell yourself when you have made the wrong choice, gone down the wrong rabbit hole and found yourself on a train going directly opposite of what you wanted.]
‘New shirt, new coffee stain’
Sitting Pretty
Broadway above Columbus Circle is a divided street with traffic flowing north and south on either side of the median strip. You can cross the street in two takes: start toward the west from the east side of the street – would be a boulevard in another language – and in the middle of the median strip you can stop your journey and sit down on slatted wooden benches. There are plantings behind the benches on both the north and the south side of the intersection. The sensation is one of sitting in the middle of traffic, but as there are no curb-side benches available if waiting for someone, sitting in the middle of Broadway is a great alternative.
Fun and Free
Went with a friend last night to the second floor of the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue where every 20 minutes another music or dance performance was taking place. The venue was the APAP [Association of Performing Arts Presenters] Showcase 2012. What a wonder! Of course we saw the Dana Leong Trio: electric cello, guitar, turntablist. It was ‘hands down excellent’ to quote the new york magazine. Before and after we saw: The Doo-Wah Riders– 4 guys of a certain age in stylin’ coats and hats + a youngster on percussion all of whom could also play and sing. Minas Brazilian Adventure – very SA; Genticorum- 3 men from Montreal who played traditional Quebecois music which was captivating. The Second City Touring Company – crazy funny and left us wanting more. The Francois Bourassa Quartet – Canadian jazz ensemble, the perfect cap to our evening. Had we gone earlier in the day, on the docket was: The Harlem Gospel Choir, The Hunts, to name but two of many others. During this programming the free invitation provided an audience to play to which is far better than empty chairs. In addition to this we were given CD’s of the music and DVD’s of the live performances. How many evenings can you have in the City, where not only do you attend for free, but you take home what you saw and heard. All do to a chance meeting and my ogling a shawl.
Go to sharmusic.com to have a look at an electric cello. Might not be what you expected.
Fire Escapes
As you walk around the City, especially away from Mid-town look up and see the Fire Escapes on many of the buildings.
It was a guest from Europe who suggested the buildings would be more attractive without this lattice work distorting the front architecture.
Although fire insurance apparently originated in the city of Philadelphia, followed by other cities, including New York, only this City appears to have created such an obvious use of another sort of insurance.
On some of the landings of the fire escapes you will notice mini gardens of plants and flowers.
On others you will see tables and chairs and barbeques!
Chance Meeting
I stared at the ends of his shawl, the tassels were woven with beautiful threads. It was hanging below his jacket, just about eye level to me where I sat on the subway. The car was crowded, so he was rather close, hanging onto the rail above. My fascination with the textile quality of this shawl, meant I was looking at what could be construed as an inappropriate direction. To shift my eyes, I looked at his hand and he had a beautiful gem the size of a quarter on his ring finger {I had noticed the diamond in his ear}. But what I really wanted was to see the rest of the neck wrap. As luck would have it, the person next to me, got-up-to-get-off and he sat down. I hardly waited a beat before asking about the stone of his ring. He was gracious to this intrusion and when I asked about the other hand on which he also had a beautiful ring, he showed me that as well. In turn he asked if the coat I was wearing was warm, as it looked to be, because soon he was off to Siberia and would need something warm. My interest was now piqued and I learned he’s a cellist. He shared some facets of his music career and as I had a few stops to ride I was hoping he did too. Before I exited at 14th street two more things happened: 1. he gave me his card: danaleong.com and 2. I asked him if he would open his jacket so I could see his shawl. It was paisley in stunning burnished autumn colors. He had purchased it in Italy on one of his concert tours. He has a showcase Saturday night; I’ll attend. Visit his website and see the ring for yourself; google him and read about his numerous accomplishments. What a delightful chance meeting that was.
More Than Meets the Eye
The shop draws you in. On a main street in SoHo. Flat against the store-front window glass are bolts of fabric, newspaper clippings and photos. But it is a peak in the open door seeing the vibrant colors and the draped fabrics and ruffles and pleats that begs you enter. Once inside the feeling is one of having stumbled into a working sewing atelier. Confusing, at first, as the clothes appear to be casually tossed, thrown, scattered and in some cases abandoned to find themselves flung over upright cardboard boxes. But it is the petit female that finally cements the confusion. Her face is painted white [reminiscent of a geisha] her eyebrows are half-inch azure bars above her eyes and because I was so conflicted about staring I can’t tell you exactly where the red or black was or what it delineated. The clothes: coats, jackets, tops are the kind of theatrical garments that are so unique and inviting, like wearing art. The exquisite deep colors are quite beyond my words to convey, unless you can visualize a field of multi-colored Dutch tulips blooming in the morning half-light of a cloud-shaded Dutch sun. Simply Beautiful.