"My Baby"

In contrast to the beautiful weekend, it rained like a mother all day today. I should have taken my shampoo outside this morning because the water pressure would have been better than the I-House shower. Seattle rain gets such a bad rap, but it is actually such a nice, subtle rain...kindly moisturizing us and never causing too much of a scene. Just like laid-back Seattleites.

New York rain, however, is a quick and mean rain. It usually erupts violently, out of nowhere, and gets everything out of its system, then goes back to being innocently sunny within minutes. Like emotional New Yorkers. They swear at and threaten cab drivers, then turn, laugh, buy a hotdog and kiss their girlfriends (saw this yesterday).

Not so with the rain today. We're walking home for our lunch break, trying not to fly with our umbrellas, soaking from head to toe, and Kristin, a New Yorker, says,"It's a NorEastern." But I was too wet and miserable to ask her what that meant. It has lasted all day, and we had to make our way to the Natural History Museum to see the Hall of Asian Peoples Exhibit. My socks were soaked the whole time and the museum was filled with wet children on field trips. I prefer my Holden/Squaw's Bosom trip...it was so quiet that day! Tonight is the first night that I have preferred staying in my little box, drying out, and I even ate in the cafeteria.

I know.

Anyway, I want to finish writing about Sunday. You know most of it now, but I want to tell you about Alphabet City... four blocks, A,B,C, and D, all east of the East Village. A number of community gardens are sprinkled throughout this neighborhood--actually, community members have rescued these lots and made them beautiful-and I stumbled upon one yesterday. This huge pile of wood and found objects is quite a sight. Here are some images (the picture at the top is three stuffed horses...can you see all of them?):

Evidently, this piece is called "My Baby" (see sign below). There is a memorial with candles outside of the gate for Eddie, but I'm not sure when he died. I guess he was really well-loved, though.













I also took a nap in Central Park again today, hmmmmm. Such a good nap, too. I walked around the Conservatory Gardens and found the perfect place. Everywhere I look, I see places I want to come back and read a book, like here:


While on the north side of the park, I heard singing and tambourine playing at a United Pentecostal Church, so went to have a look. The church was moving. Really. Shaking.

One more thing. Later, at the Italian restaurant, after the rat attack, I had the best Italian meal, at Max SoHa on Amsterdam, sitting outside on the deck. Malbec wine, roasted beet salad with avocado and goat cheese (I will be so ready to eat my beets from mom and dad's garden) and then homemade black truffle pasta with shrimp and spicy puttanesca sauce. Enjoyed it too much to take a picture for you, though...sorry. After dinner, about eight of us met for wine at a place near I-House.

Now, that is a good day! Except, I think I am forever changed, because of the rats.

Good night!