Leaving New York Isn't Easy

My Birthday Girl

Let me just say, I'm sorry. I am a relatively normal and otherwise sane person most of the time....but when it comes to Laika in particular, I have a soft spot.


No...I know that she doesn't REALLY know it's her birthday and of course No...I know she didn't really ASK to go to New York for her birthday.



But after we moved to St. Simons and I would sit up late at night and watch Sex and the City, she would sit up with me. And watch. We bonded.



I could identify with SATC as I missed my own girl family so badly some days that it was hard to describe. DC and New York seemed so far away back then, so it seemed to be the right thing to do.


So if I say for her 18th birthday that my girl's going to New York, then for her 18th birthday, then my girl's a-going to New York.

KnowwhatI'mtalkinabout??

Fortunately....



... John is exceptionally tolerant of this kind of behavior either out of sheer desperation, quiet submission, or just the fact that he loves me.

It's number three, and one of the many ways I know I found him for a reason.



So after breakfast, it was time for Laika's big moment.

We found just the right handsome cab...a nice emerald green one (the fellow was from the Emerald Isle, as it turned out), and we were off.

Laika sported her birthday boa and tiara, and took in her moments of glory.

At least in my mind. And that little dog did smile.



People cooed, I smiled, and even John enjoyed giving her the extra attention.

After all, if he had gotten a bebe when he got her, the child would be going to college now :).





Plus really: It's fun to see the world through your own eyes, but isn't it grand to see it through the eyes of those you love, be they man or beast?



After the carriage ride, I told John (who had understandably begged for me to not have her wear the boa on the walk to the park) in a very Carrie voice, you go on to the hotel, I'm a walkin my dog down 5th Avenue for her Birthday.






We had a quick photo shoot at the Plaza Fountain and we were off. A few poses at Bergdorf's, a few poses in front of the Trump tower, a few stops with passersby who admired her and wanted to pet her (including a few strangers who took her picture), and many birthday wishes from those who inquired.


She was so sassy. She was so City.




She was my Birthday Girl.

New York By Night

After my meetings it was time to head out on the town. First stop? A walk up 5th Avenue with the girls to the Park.
Tilley has more than a few opinions about where to go.


Ready to go!!!


The Fountain at the Plaza, dressed for winter holidays.


AMAZING windowdressing at Bergdorf Goodman.


I want 14 sweaters. All. Green.


Ahh, the St. Regis. A hotel in the same building as DeBeer's diamonds can't be all bad...if the furs or the cashew/macadamia/almond bar nuts don't tip you off, your $38 drink tab will. Or if you have the means, you can pick up a $600 glass of cognac. Really. Turns out Forbes refers to the St. Regis as "arguably Manhattan's most luxurious hotel". Damn that was a tasty drink!


Fantastic Italian food at La Vineria within walking distance...we just toddled over to our reservation after our $45 two-drink tab at the St. Regis. Aren't we fancy!


Luckily, the cocktail tab was offset by the copious amounts of free hot chocolate and tea (for John and me) and steamed milk (for the girls) we consumed.


Laika was always happy to go exploring, but a little embarrassed when Tilley insisted on walking her in the lobby of the Shoreham.


Mmmmmm! Steamed milk!

New York By Day

For our morning excursion after my run, a few photos capture it best. We had a little time to wander the south end of the park with the girls before we grabbed some breakfast and I headed downtown to NRDC.



John and the girls scoot across the exceptionally cold rock outcrop overlooking The Pond.




Tilley, enjoying the morning light at Cop Cot, the Park's largest wooden rustic structure. Cop Cot is Scottish for "little house on the crest of the hill".





John captured a nice moment of me and Tilley attempting to warm up (still couldn't feel all of my body parts at this point; the sun definitely helped).





Laika shows off her smart little charcoal wool number with the faux fur collar.




John, Laika, and The Pond.





As we headed out of the Park, Laika got all Sassy and trotted right up the stairs. Such a gritty city doglet.



On our second morning we explored futher to the Inscope and Gapstow bridges, built in 1973 and 1896 of granite and Manhattan schist, respectively.




Huddled with the Gapstow bridge in the background.




Beautiful light and reflections from the water; despite my heroic efforts including fenceclimbing, photo doesn't do it justice.



Waiting for Spring.

How Cold is Cold?

Anyone who knows me knows I am not a huuuge fan of the cold. AT ALL. In fact, in part, I moved away because of it. I do like snow and x-c skiing in particular, but what I can't bear is the cold that goes on and on and on and on and on until like April.

So what better time to be in New York than, say, January, for their first and most bitter cold snap of the year?

Hey here's another idea.

Let's go RUN IN IT.

All along I had been planning to do a run in Central Park with Tilley while in the City. I had checked around for some run routes, but was a little bummed because my gut told me I should stay to the outside of the park/the main drags versus venturing off on some of the cut throughs and bridle paths alone (or mostly alone). So I found an escort!

There's this company City Running Tours (brilliant!) that works like this. You pay a nominal feel ($60 is a fair price for safety and the ability to be adventurous, imho), and you tell them how far/what pace/what part of the city you want to see, and they do the rest (well, not the running per se). I put down that I wanted something just over 5 miles on Friday at 8am, Central Park focused, and that I was a SATC fan and enjoyed hearing about history and goodies as well. Oh and by the way, can my corgi come too?

This was all great news and had me REALLY excited. Until...the Realization...Sometime after dinner Thursday - as the temperature KEPT dropping, it occurred to me, ohshit, I am going to freeze. I didn't bring my balaclava to cover my face, only had lightish gloves and a medium-weight hat. My tights were more for a 35-40 degree run, and I had a thinnish jacket but thankfully many layers of shirts available. I think the coldest I have run in was with Jess in Arlington once where it was 19. We were dipping to 17 that night.

I slept fitfully, and woke up early to do some panic-stricken prep work which entailed the following ridiculous moment. I pawed around the hotel room looking for ANYTHING to wear on my neck/face. I finally found a microfibery Banana Republic top, and found the leftover needle and thread from mending Laika's jacket, and stitched up the neck to fit snugly over my nose and mouth, and tacked the sleeves to one another to enable me to twist it around for a second layer if needed. As I sat there stitching I thought, this is how great inventions happen.

Just before 8 I met my guide in the lobby from City Running Tours. We walked to the southern end of the park in what felt like - and turns out was actually true according to the weather history data online - 13 degrees. THAT is how cold cold is.

We started off (I may get these out of order, give me a break, my brain was frozen) through the elms of Literary Walk where Tilley felt moved to write, sculpt paint...go to the bathroom...From there we went by the Bandshell where the great bands of the 40s used to swing, up and over Bow Bridge (see photo) down and under to Bethesda Terrace, designed to be the Park's central gathering space and plaza. The arcade we walked under (complete with the pack of well-dressed Malteses who outnumbered Tilley) was just restored this spring after the tiles were removed for storage over 20 years ago to prevent further water damage. It was an amazing display of color. From there we headed up into the woods into the Ramble, which felt a lot like DC's Great Falls park and boasts as many or more bird species. Big boulders and curvey trails...not first of mind when you think of Manhattan.

We continued up to Belvedere Castle (see photo) and the NWS weather station (the same weather station I had checked online earlier that morning, in horror). We went down through Shakespeare's Garden, though most everything was tucked in for a long winter's rest. We went across to the great lawn(see photo), reminiscent of the National Mall but fenced in many places. I was surprised (and Tilley was aghast) at the number of dogs totally off leash on the walks around the great lawn. We had a few her-stopping-while-I-was-still-running-leash-popping-off moments. We also ran by the Boathouse where people can take a gondola or boat ride, or if you are Carrie and Big, you can take a dip.

We then ducked up along some of the bridle paths to the Track around the Reservoir (see photos, yes that's the Ghostbusters spook central behind me) where Charlotte ran in SATC, which is about a mile and 3/4 around. We only did about half a mile as we were reminded of the "no dogs on track" policy in the park. I told my guide (see photo) I was tempted to say this isn't a dog, she's a runner, to which he said that would be a very NY thing to say.

But instead we ducked out by the statue of Fred Lebow, founder of the NYC Marathon and the New York City Road Runners, and headed for a run along Museum Mile...where it was cool to see a lot of the museums along the park's east side...but FREEZING. I was glad when we ducked back into the park proper.

We headed down by the Alice in Wonderland statue where Tilley got her pic made by the Rat. We also hit the statue of the wonderdog Balto for a quick Tilley photo as well.

We then headed futher back south through the Central Park Zoo...finally emerging by the Ice Rink (Serendipity among others) and the Pond where I made special note to retell the connection to John for his favorite Catcher in the Rye.

And just like that, it was over. We walked back to the hotel and I bid farewell and thanks to my guide, who gave me my unopened water, as well as a schwag bag with a t-shirt and some various samples.

I excitedly went to the room to report to John all about the run and spent the next hour trying to get my arse to stop tingling. It seriously took a while for it to stop feeling cold to the touch....even through putting on more layers to go back out with John to walk Laika and to pick up some breakfast.

Old Man and the City

After a long (by St. Simons Island standards, not by Manhattan island standards) wait to get through the Lincoln tunnel, we made it into the city a little after 7:00. Even though I used to go every six months or so for work, and on occasion for things like stalking Lance Armstrong, by my math the last time I was there was probably a good 3-4 years ago.

How easily we forget. It's just so damn big and bright, and it's so easy to forget the true scale until you are in it. So many things rush into my brain-memories from films and shows, memories of my own past trips, thinking fondly of people I know and love who also loved the city long before I knew it (my Dad living in the village in the 50s, my Aunt Sandra there for school at a tender young age, Uncle Rodney working for Tiffany). It's a bizarre rush to the head...and mostly I am overwhelmed with the opportunity - such precious little time and literally infinite number of ways to spend it.

Having done my share of NYC driving (not to mention living in DC for 13 years and now living in Atlanta's traffic, which may trump even New York's), I was rather at home navigating the trusty CR-V through the city to our midtown hotel, the Shoreham, just off 5th a few blocks south of the park. We scored a street spot for easy unloading and got checked in - complete with complimentary champagne. We got the girls walked settled, I took a quick shower, and by 10:20 we were off!

Those of you who know and love John would assume that at that hour, "off" means "off to bed". Would you believe that at that hour he willingly - and cheerily - headed off to Chelsea in a cab to dinner? HUGE husband props :).

We chose a place my dear client at NRDC had recommended - she sent a fantastic list of Italian places with notes about her experiences there...she said they weren't in order but this one was first so I figured maybe it won out. Oh. And she mentioned she once saw Stipe there. Sold! As even my husband knows, I have loved Stipe since the 80s, and true love lasts a lifetime :). In fact, my first trip to NYC was to see the boys from Athens play at Madison Square Garden for free when I was coordinating the voter registration volunteers for their tour (another amusing story for another day).

It was very nice; the restaurant is tucked in the very hip and mod Maritime Hotel - a design dream just from the walk around the lobbies. We had a great shrimp bisque with cocoa powder garnish, I had a wonderfully subtle gnocchi with wild mushrooms, and John had the special...a bolognese made not with beef or sausage but with turducken! We polished it off with pistachio gelato and enjoyed the very comfortably hip scene.

Back at the hotel, Laika continued her fascination (much like Amelia's bathroom) of staring at herself in the shower mirror. I don't know if she was doing one of those "I have to look fabulous in case we see Carrie and Big" checks, admiring her young appearance for 18 years, or if she thought it was another dog :).

And then, the moment!

To walk the dogs we had to go up Central Park, which was a hike in the temperatures that were headed south towards 20. We headed out through the lobby and a nice sharply dressed woman with long curly blond hair bent to greet Laika and cooed over her. Laika seemed beside herself with excitement thinking that it was Carrie...I knew better but whom was I to crush her glee? I also teased Laika often whenever a black Lincoln towncar pulled up as we walked up 5th Ave to the park..."Laika....! Do you think that's Big!? It totally is his car".

Yes, I know. Demented and sad.