Life on the UWS

Central Park, cannot get enough of the place.


14787 Steps




I was walking along the Hudson River listening to Björk when this jogger ran by me and, like we knew each other for 20 years, said, "Hey man!, good luck tomorrow!" I will take it, thanks.

Tonight I saw this guy on Broadway and 72nd who I had seen before. He walks around the Upper West Side with his black and white cat on his head. It just perches there like a cuddly Egyptian cat statue and has a little kitty leash that hangs down. This is this guy's "thing" like I play bagpipes or someone else has a tattoo of Poland on his neck. I have to say I like it. But the cat takes up the whole top of his head and leaves no room for washing or groceries.



I heard Madonna's "I Love New York" song today in a whole new way - I was actually in New York when I heard it. In LA or SF it is a song. But here it takes on new meaning for me. Really have no idea how this adds value to my blog. Perhaps I should have used my inside voice on this one.

Knocked Over

Instead of leaving the office yesterday for the Caribbean or Maine, I headed to the Universal Studios Screening Room on 5th to see "Knocked Up." I was there with the 7 other people who had not yet seen it. I found the film enjoyable and funny in parts and then really long and then kind of different than I expected. But the most striking thing for me was that it marked the first time I felt any real "home"sickness for Los Angeles at all. Since the film took place there I saw a lot of familiar spots and I guess this sense of familiarity made me nostalgic for a time 3 +months ago. I also struggled to remember where I was in that screening room. For some reason Manhattan being outside of this small, dark space made no sense. I forgot I lived in New York and I struggled to make sense of the fact that I did. An odd feeling like drinking orange juice expecting milk.

After leaving the film, I walked up 6th and made my way to the park. I listened to Jill Sobule on my i-pod and walked all the way home straddling the park on Central Park West. A lovely night, lots of activity and Christmas lights and once again I felt home.

Caroling, Caroling Here and There

Actually I have been careening and careering here and there. Going from work to parties to movies. Glamour, glamour, glamour. And then my head. Well that is different. That thing has been going from "Wow, what pretty shiny things everywhere" to "I am going to be homeless and unemployed in time to fade into oblivion on the Streets of St. Patrick's Day." Can one really career when one is unemployed? This, of course, is all nonsense talk because I have seen the movies enough to know that someone meets you randomly on the street here and offers you an amazing career complete with duplex and more glamour. This is what keeps me in check.

I came home last night after a screening of "Charlie Wilson's War" at the DGA to another dead mouse. This is my fourth fresh kill. I keep a clean house, I have scrubbed and steel wooled the whole place and still these Stuart Little's get all corpsey in my dwelling. I can smell it now when I go in. It is not such a homey feeling. In fact, it is disgusting. But please come and visit!

My pumpkin from Halloween/Pagan Harvest-time is still fresh. I did not get a tree so I am putting my gifts under my Christmas pumpkin. It is very "Nightmare Before Christmas" really. But it is working. Maybe a pumpkin attracts mice? It is a Cheddar Cheese Pumpkin.

Just Not Gonna Get There Right Now.

Here it is. I have not sent a Christmas card. Not a one. I have not gotten any gifts. Not even for my nieces and nephews. I have not baked a cookie, trimmed a tree, chirped a carol. I am plum just not there. I am LOVING the Christmastime of year. I am in the spirit, but I have just not been home to sit down and write and send cards or shop on-line. People do that at work. I have been too busy. Lame excuses, I know, but you know folks, I am taking a mulligan this year. I have moved across the country and gotten immersed into NOW and I am just not there.

I want to send a cheesy e-card with my new address, etc. and maybe I will do that this weekend. But the rest is just not going to happen this particular year and I am going to struggle like hell to be okay with that. It just is.

I wish all of you a GREAT Holiday season and a Happy New Year filled with much happiness and health, and, hey, some prosperity.

You know I think I love the Christmas letter now. I read my friend's Brooks and Colleen's today and just so enjoyed it. And Anne's and George's was great too. I guess my Christmas letter this year has been this blog! I am fascinated to read what you all are doing. It brings joy to my heart.

There are so many, many people in my life who bring me true joy and I think of all of you so often. It is just the calling back, writing, etc. that has been tough right now. But I am looking forward to getting a bit settled and doing just that. As soon as I can.

Thanks.

The Boot

I went to the podiatrist this morning for a follow-up on my heel spur issue. (Hey if you can't share this stuff with the whole world on the internet, just who else is gonna really care to listen?) I had been doing the stretches, but the right heel is still really painful. So my next options were therapy (physical, dammit!), surgery (NO!!) or Das Boot.

I had been in a boot before when I fell over a series of tables and chairs in a cobble-streeted cafe outside Venice, Italy and had to get a plaster cast and a GIANT black boot before embarking on hill walking in Umbria so I am no stranger to The Boot concept. But this one is a bit different. It is this huge strap-on right angle contraption meant to keep tension on your heel so the calf is stretched. It is really called a Night Splint, but I don't seem to see it that way. It is to be worn at night in bed. Like garlic for vampires, this boot will surely keep any interlopers away from my chambers. Actually it is kind of HOT in a Terminator sort of way.

I digress.

So I had night one with The Boot last night. It was okay until 2am and I had to take it off. The Boot and I will have to learn to co-exist and sleep together. I can tell already that it is going to help. Next I am going to use The Belt which I will invent to keep my stomach in at night and gives me abs. Then The Helmet which will keep my brain from racing all over the place in my sleep and will teach me French. Basically I will improve my whole life by being in complete traction at nights. I can see this taking off.

Gin and Din in Penthouse 1.

My friend George called me tonight and he always leaves a message saying something like: "You are no doubt out at some fancy dinner or some fabulous party with fancy people" etc. It was gratifying this time to ring him back and say "Yes, I was at the residence of the British Consul-General Sir Alan Collins KCVO CMG for a Christmas party and it was lovely. You?"

I really did have a nice time and I met Allan Neuwirth who was a writer on a show I was the exec on years ago, Gadget and the Gadgetinis! We had never met in person, but knew of each other and are both friends of Inspector Gadget creator, Jean Chalopin. Small world. And then I met up with Lisa who used to work with my friend Michael in LA and our knowing each other is completely unrelated. We hit it off and I think we are going to organize an event together.

Just a great time all around,but I think Lady Collins was a little anxious for us to go. I had to beg for a quick glass of water to down before I went to collect my topcoat. (I just love to write "my topcoat" for some reason since Jon just gifted it to me and I LOVE it. ) Poor Lady Collins had to stop this crass Yank from walking down the wrong hallway into the private quarters since I couldn't figure my way out. Alas, a swell party it was.

It was a cold and beautiful night tonight. Walking home from the East side I passed by Central Park and the horse and buggies and the snow on the ground and the amazing lampposts. I love it all. Walking home is the time I have to catch up on the phone with friends and family. I quite love it even if I am cold and tired. I only wish sometimes they could see what I am seeing as we talk. "That is lovely about the kids, but I am walking by the Lincoln Center tree!" or "That's great you decided on a color for the den, but would you look at those ceilings at the Pierre?!!!"

Then I get home and remove my hairpiece, take my teeth out and put them in the glass, get into my flannels and soak my feet. Another day ahead in paradise.

Eat, Eat and be Merry.

The social whirl of New York City continues to have me in its (her?) grip. Up and out this morning in the snow with the proper footwear and clothing and a smile on my face. The whole city still feels like a backlot musical to me because every day remains a wide-eyed adventure. Though my neighbors do not really burst forth from their brownstones in the morning doing high kicks and swinging their briefcases in unison, I feel as if they do.

Met my friend Paul from LA (actually he is bi, as he lives here too) for breakfast. Then uptown to the Director's Guild Theatre with Pat and Sean for a screening of "Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street" starring Johnny Depp. Really good. Lots of blood and slitting of throats and ballads. We then went uptown further to a Christmas party that was packed and had so much amazing food. Really fun.

In between I crashed into someone I went to high school with! Ron says this town is too small for me and I am starting to believe him. That was so odd and random. Pat, yes another Pat, has been here 17 years. I probably have not seen him in like 20 years. I never forget a face. A name, yes, a face no.