Martine

My friend Martine said the only reason why she was coming to New York was to make it into my blog.

I believe her.

I suspect there are many others like her.

Well, this lovely lady has made it.  She is "blogworthy." She is a TOPIC and TAGGED in "Manhatin."

Martine and I have known each other since the heady (meaning lots of boozing good times) San Francisco daze and then she and her husband Adam put me up when I first moved to LA to become a writer (meaning get an assistant job.) We all lived in LA for a long while until I moved EAST.  It was so sad to say goodbye.  We cried.

And here I am having Martine staying at my swank Village pad! It is so exciting.  I think we have that friendship where 12 years pass and the first thing you say is ""oh and then she..." as if the sentence no longer needed starting.

Had breakfast at Cafe Gitane at the Jane Hotel with Cheline and Sean.  Cheline texted the owner in Paris and got us a table during the packed brunch scene. Quite amazing.  This again is in the hotel where the survivors of the Titanic were put up.  (At the risk of sounding snarky I bet their waitress was nicer.)

We had great day of walking and chatting and loving life, no, valuing life.  A day of valuing life.  It was great.

Saw the Renaissance Street Singers perform.

And hung out in Washington Square Park.  Should go here more.

This evening we both cried while dining at Picolo Angolo on Hudson Street. It was perfect.  Right out of a movie.  She was played by Michelle Pfeiffer and I was, of course, by some dreamy intellectual actor. Oh and we laughed.  Actually we laughed and cried.  Laughing and crying I find is best when New York is your backdrop.  You imagine Henry James and Edith Wharton laughed and cried here.

Oh and I hacked because I am now officially sick.  But still having Martine visit is a ray oh sunshine.  A cough drop and tea with honey.  A Kleenex box with aloe. 

I hope she comes back so we can laugh and cry some more.

My good pal Cheline is in town from Austin for business and I met up for a West Village /Chelsea adventure.  After all these years we still never run out of inanity to say to each to other. THAT, my friends is a relationship.   What a great day.

We brunched at Cafe Cluny on West 4th and had great coffee and food. Cheline even walked out with their homemade granola. (This time she paid for it.)

We walked on the Highline and dropped down into Chelsea to see the Andy Goldsworthy show at the
Gallerie Lelong.

It was a quick duck into the space age Comme des Garçons store on W. 22nd to apply unisex cologne before walking to The Frying Pan on the Hudson.  This is a GREAT place for drinks and burgers on a glorious day in NYC.  

We then had a wonderful lunch at The Park on 10th Avenue.  Another place I had never been to and suggested by an out of towner and I loved it.  Such a lovely setting and good prices. We even had wonderful service. The pancakes looked good, but I had the tuna niçoise instead!  Yay, me! But they do give you a complementary loaf of banana bread with butter. I had some.

Then a stroll through the Chelsea Market which I love more and more.   Now that I have stopped comparing it to the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco. (Nothing beats it.)


We passed by Frank Gehry's place and some other architectural wonderments.

Afterward, coffee at the Jane Hotel where the Titanic Survivors stayed...

We then met Sean and Skipper along the river walk and walked home. 

Another perfect day in New York City.  Gosh, I love it here...

Viet Cafe

Ate with Cheline at Viet Cafe in Tribeca.   It was very good Vietnamese food I thought, being an expert on such things.  If you mix chicken, shrimp, lime, lemongrass and peanuts I am your man.  I love this kind of food.  I think Vietnamese is the new Thai, but I thought that for a while and I am sure I am not alone, so I guess it is not so new. So you really didn't hear it here first.

But you did hear this here first:  Albania is the new Croatia.