Living on the East Coast and Another Birthday

Princeton is our home this fall. Daryl is a member of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) and we get to live in a very comfortable apartment at this prestigious institute, with academic families for neighbors. With my birthday falling on Labor Day this year we went into New York City for the weekend to celebrate.

 First on our agenda: the Broadway play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. We sauntered through frenetic Times Square, ducked into the Hilton's quiet and air-conditioned restaurant for a mediocre pizza lunch, escaped the dense crowds at the Brazil Day festivities by heading to the Rockefeller Center where we found Bouchon, a gourmet French bakery. Fortified by a satisfying cappuccino and superb chocolate tart, we headed to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. From our front row seats we were kept spellbound for two and a half hours. What an impeccable script! Alex Sharp astounded us in the lead role as Christopher, an autistic 15 year old math genius. Based on Mark Haddon's novel, the story plays with all your emotions. A soundtrack and a background screen with special effects and math equations and formulae were effective in manipulating mood. Every word, action, nuance was attention grabbing. I loved Christopher's search for meaning in everything he saw. When he looked at the rain coming down he wondered where in the word that water had journeyed from. The stars at night, he mused, had become extinct long before their light had reached us. And, most touching, was his belief in his intellect and abilities. Like finding his way to Wilsden Green (we smile - the Jubilee line to Wilsden is a must do for us in London!) in London from Swindon. Loved every second of this play!

 We dined at Blossom, a smallish upscale vegan restaurant in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. We shared a starter of enchiladas covered in a molé sauce and slices of avocado. I had a seitan steak cooked in a red port wine sauce, and Daryl had a pasta dish served with a creamy sauce featuring almonds. The food, with interesting flavors and textures, was clearly the result of creative and talented chef/s.  An Argentinian Malbec paired very well with these dishes. The dessert of apple cobbler with vanilla ice-cream was also superb. We loved everything about the place - the ambience, the service, and the excellent cuisine.

Walking back to our hotel in the balmy September night, we got this view of the Empire State Building.

When I woke up in the morning in New York City I knew I had to have a bagel for breakfast. Bagel Maven was closest to us and that's where we ordered 2 "everything" bagels. They were still warm from the oven, but we decided to have one toasted. When you chew a fresh from the oven still warm New York bagel - chewy on the outside, soft inside - smeared with cream cheese, you have to sigh both with contentment and with resignation that this is one experience you can never replicate in California. It must be pointed out that the cappuccinos at this bakery were crap. So bad we couldn't drink them! But it's the bagel I'll remember!

We spent four captivating hours at the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. The collection and displays here are truly magnificent. Some highlights for us were the huge, unusually striated rock collection, chunks of meteorites, and fossilized dinosaur skeletons. An almost intact skeleton of a T. Rex hogged the attention of crowds of kids.






In the afternoon we strolled through Central Park. It was Labor Day and the weather, though hot, was not unbearable. The park had a festive atmosphere - everyone making the most of the final day of summer vacation. People rowed boats on the lake; others picnicked in the shade; small bands of musicians provided entertainment. It was such fun to be immersed in this cheerful atmosphere. We rested our weary legs on the terrace of Le Pain Quotidian - right in the middle of the park - and enjoyed a cappuccino and yummy fruit tart.

Celebrating a birthday can't get any better than this. I'm so grateful for all I have.
I'm ready to face another year ...