Morris-Jumel Mansion

(Ellie in front of the house that Morris (actually Phillips) built in 1765)

A new New Yorker, me, and a Native New Yorker, Ellie, went to the Morris-Jumel Mansion in Washington Heights today both having never heard of it before. How could that be? How could we not have known of a house that is still standing that George Washington lived in for 5 weeks?! In New York City?! How can that be? Granted that man slept everywhere, but mere subway stops from my house?!

The mansion has been open as a museum since the early part of the last century and here we are in 2009 saying "Really, such a place exists?"

Well, I am here to spread the word that this museum of American and New York history is alive and well and accessible to all by public transport and well worth this visit.

A colleague of mine at BAFTA East Coast raved about this house to me and I told Ellie and off we went. And now I rave about it to you.

You can read about its history here so I won't go into to much of it, but I do want to say that looking into a dining room where George dined with John Adams (my fave!) , Thomas Jefferson, and John Quincy Adams. Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox was electric. I could see the ghosts around the table like I was in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland.

(Oh, and Madame Jumel married Aaron Burr after her husband died and after Aaron Burr had shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey in 1804, which was of course after he dined here! To sum up, one man dined here who would eventually be killed by another man who would live here.)

On Saturdays at noon they have a guided tour which I recommend. Our tour guide, Noreen, was so personable and knowledgeable and lovely. We both fell in love with her and one man suggested she personally write the definitive book on the life of Madame Jumel and we agree.

Noreen gets us going outside this Palladian structure.

A milestone at the mansion that says:

“11 miles from New York on the Kingsbridge Road, the City History Club, 1912.”

So far out of town was Washington Heights at the time that it was a summer home! As Noreen said, the area was the "Hamptons of its day."


Carol, the Dir of Education and Public Programs and Barbara, the gatekeeper are both so nice and helpful. They even directed us where to eat afterwards.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

Across the street from the Morris-Jumel Mansion is Sylvan Terrace, a short block of wooden row houses built in 1882.




and at No. 16 Jumel Terrace is Paul Robeson's house.

Amy and Clint on the Highline.

The Highline in Manhattan never ceases to bring me joy, day or night. And to share it with friends is even better. Urban gardens remind me at the very basic level that we are all trying to have some bit of happiness in this crazy world!


Okay from this angle it looks like Amy and Clint are sitting in front of weeds, but check out the website and you will see.

Now my neighbors take off for Delaware. It was SO great having your "just around the corner."

See you Monday...

Happy Birthday, Mitch!

My nephew turned NINE today! His last year in single digits for, well, forever. His age follows that of this new century so he will never have trouble remembering how old he is.

I wish you all the best Mr. Nephew!

And here is Mitch's World Web Premier of the film he made when he was only 8 years old:

The Forest of Events

Job Fair

I was reluctant to go to a job fair as I didn't think it would be any use. How is THAT for an attitude?! Once I heard my inner Eeyore voice I knew I had to go.

I thought I would just "pop" down and distribute my resume around the various booths as if I had the car running outside and then home for a cup of tea.

No so.

When I got out of the subway the line was down the block. It was FULL of unemployed people like me! I was bummed to have to wait, but then I felt it was really a good thing to see so many unemployed people to realize how widespread and REAL this recession is AND that I am not alone. It was not a line, it was a support group!

The whole event took about 5 hours to do as every booth had a huge queue once you got in: sort of like Disneyland but without costumed characters and a fun ride at the end.

But it was really good overall. I got to some good companies and have some follow up AND it was a social blast! You know how I love a stranger. I met Tom in line who just got a book deal to do a walking tour of Andy Warhol's New York. That is SO cool. And then I crashed into a guy I went on a match.com date with. I said "Hey Steve, how is it going?" He said, "How do you think it's going? I'm here!" "Oh, right, I guess you lost your job. But HOW GREAT to see you!" Then I got to hang in the long lines with my pal Sam whom I worked with when I first got to New York. Very accomplished producer. In the New York Times line I met a fascinating Cuban American lawyer woman! We had a ball chatting. And there was Oliver an unemployed party clown from South Africa who brought me a mini cupcake from the Whole Foods booth.

I left feeling tired, but inspired.

USS Intrepid

Clint's dad was a Commander on the USS Intrepid, the aircraft carrier built for use beginning in WWII and finally decommissioned in 1974. It is now a museum docked on a pier off Manhattan in the Hudson River.




I felt it was a great tribute to Clint's dad to go there and see this amazing structure. I felt honored in a way. I had no real appreciation before for its massive size and its dynamic history. Louis, a veteran of the Navy, is a volunteer and gave us a personal tour for what felt like 4 hours. He really knew his stuff and was really passionate about sharing. Really passionate.

Once Amy sprung that Clint's dad was on this aircraft carrier Clint got to register his info in the official log and got a packet to give to his dad. For lack of a better vocabulary on my part - it was neat. Really neat. And it gave me chills.

(Our guide Louis looks on while Clint is on the phone with his parents to get the correct info.)

In a virtual rendering of the the 1973 Cruise Book (sort of a high school year book for Navy personnel) Clint found his very important dad on his own page right there! If you look below on the upper right corner you will see him. Fancy, important uniform! Very cool!


Clint and Amy and our guide Louis pose proudly in front of Clint's dad's page. (He is just right below Louis' elbow!)


All in all it was a fantastic day aboard this moving city. We even got to go in a sub and on a Concorde airplane. And the views of the city from the deck are wonderful.



The cutest couple to ever board a decommissioned aircraft carrier that is now a museum. Hands down.
OMG! They are aiming at the city!!

Amy and Clint Come to NYC

Amy and Clint, my dear buddies from San Francisco, have come to visit. They are staying at the Lucerne which is right around the corner from me and I am already convinced that they live there and I hope I am right.

I met up with Amy at the bar at Nice Matin downtstairs in the hotel. Her smile is always joyous and it was instant love! (Clint arrived shortly after as they don't travel on the same plane for security reasons! ;)- and I guess our instant love was not recorded on film.) Actually, we took this picture to send to Amy's most excellent mom in Chicago to show her Amy had arrived in the Big Apple! Hello Roxane!!! You are missed!


(Amy and Pat sending smiles to Roxane in the Nice Matin)


Tonight we freshened up and went for a walk (a stagger for me as my vertigo was really acting up. Have you ever had to hold on to railings and trees and try to pull off that you are okay? It is odd. I always laugh because it is so odd, but it is odd. )

I asked them at dinner what their "hopes and dreams" were for their visit here. I was just trying to glean what they might like to do/see. Clint was "What is all this hopes and dreams stuff?" I explained that I like to over function and thought that if they had any ideas I could suggest something. Well it turned into the acronym "HADs" as in "Hopes and Dreams." Do you have any HADs? What are your HADs for this week? I used to have a lot of HADs but they are dashed.

That kind of thing. You read it here first.

We ate dinner at Cilantro on Columbus. It was really good and we ate demi al fresco on this cool night and it was lovely.

My giant pork chop with spinach and sweet potato concoction.

Great to have them here. Sweet dreams.

Dinner with the Boys

Cooper was here from LA for Sundance Film Festival. He was my boss there and now he is head of the whole festival. Fantastic.

We met for drinks and then hooked up with our friend Brian at his pad where he made an amazing dinner that was so simple and wonderful, but would have induced hives if I had to conceive.

Great conversation which I shan't repeat here and good a laugh as always.

But part of the talk was Cooper telling us the technique to taking a good photo is to slightly jut your chin out to create shadow. Here is an attempt.

Instant Brad, George and Antonio don't you think?!