Holiday on the Hudson

Skipper and I walked from our swank West Village digs on our final day of sitter/dog bliss down to the Hudson River Walkway (or whatever it is officially called - always a mystery to me. Readers?). Others were in traffic coming back from East Hampton and Provincetown and we were already at the beach. I tell you these New York folk lie out every chance they get.

In a city swarming and teeming and undulating with millions, it was just peaceful here at water's edge. Granted no one was swimming, but there weren't any dead bodies floating either. (See? I AM always half full!)


And low and behold in this city of a gazillion, I ran into my friend Enrique who was in the shade studying for his green architect's exam. What a perfect spot to stay inspired (and distracted!). I will never get sick of the small town feel I have here. (Unless, of course, I owe you money.)

Enrique, Pat, Skipper

Here Skipper looks like she is just arriving from Eastern Europe to the new World.

The outstretched paw expresses all the emotion of an immigrant's struggle, don't you feel it?

New York City is So Well Signed

Skipper, Chick Magnet

It is funny to be an imposter dog owner. This is much different than being a dog walker. I look like I am in an owner/pet relationship and not for hire. I just do. Plus it helps that there is just one dog and not six pulling me down 7th Avenue.

Why every straight guy doesn't get a dog, I do not know. I was taking Skipper's photo on the the street when a gaggle of four blond women walked by and it was catnip! Dognip? They loved her. And by extension, me...

And the impostor vibe keeps going. When you housesit you have a whole new library of books on "your" shelf and a whole new DVD and CD collection to experience. And the view out the window is different. I love it all.

I watched "Jesus Camp" and "Auntie Mame" and burned a load of CDs while looking out a window high up overlooking the Hudson and the paper cut out buildings and water towers of the West Village. Others may be in the Hamptons, the Cape or South Dakota, but I am here and I love it!

Truly a sweet retreat.

Thanks, Skip

It's a Jolly Holiday with Skipper

Dog and the City

The happy family.

Day One of my Life in the West Village with Skipper. We left off yesterday with Sean giving me dogsitting training and today was the real deal: me and Skipper alone in the big city.

My friend Sue met us and we decided to treat Skipper to a West Village Extravaganza Walk. We walked down to the Hudson River Walkway.

Speck-Tack-U-Lar.

The sun was shining and the grass and the piers were virtual beaches. Great "I wish I had that body" watching.

Skipper walked at a fair clip and we all just had a ball. We looked like a happy couple out for a walk in our cool West Village neighborhood with our dog.

All lies.

After walking along the river we wended our way in and passed by Julian Schnabel's cute little PALAZZO Chupi. Frankly it is massive and I want to be invited to a party there. Apparently times are hard for even Julian as he had to sell a Picasso.

Julian's house.

Then for some reason I ended up inside a Christian Louboutin store on Horatio St. I was egged on by Sue. These crazy pumps are $900/$1000 dollars. And then you gotta get the dress and purse to match. And then you gotta get invited to Julian's Palazzo to rationalize the whole damn thing. Stress.

Sue and Skipper outside Christian's store.



It was at the pump store where Skipper was just losing it, poor thing. We had to get home stat.

What a perfect day in my perfect WV life for a perfect Memorial Day weekend.

The sun setting from my weekend getaway. See the Hudson River straight ahead?

Garden Party with Growing Trees, Brooklyn

Secret Garden Party

Bob and I took the uber-fast 2 train from the UWS to Brooklyn. Bob's editor at ClassicalTV.com, Steve, had a cocktail garden party. It was perfect weather and there was just the perfect casting of people and props! I am still in awe of Steve's party-throwing and hosting abilities. It is an art and a talent not all have. He has it in spades down the the name recollection thing. I am humbled once again and impressed.

Pat and Bob

Host Steve and Ted.

It was a beautiful evening and we met just the nicest people. One guy came in and said to me, "I know you!" and I, being used to looking like so many people since I get this ALL THE TIME, said, "No, I just look like someone you know." (What a pretentious ass!! Me, I mean. But I didn't mean to be really, it is just knee-jerk, not jerk. Really.) It just came rushing out. But then I took pause and SURE ENOUGH...we worked together in Los Angeles at Fox Kids!! How small a world is that?!

Fox Kids Alum, Pat and Tim (I went for that "extra in a 50's movie" look for this shot.)

Just had a ball this evening. It was what the doctor would have ordered for me if I had decent health insurance. Bob talked Trollope with his writer friend Chris Bram in the back garden to the left of the crudité. Chris wrote the book which the Oscar-winning film "God and Monsters" is based which Bob's friend, Bill Condon, wrote and directed. I spoke to people about unemployment and fear and party icebreaker ideas more in the front towards the hummus and olives.

Bob and Chris


Guys and Bell Peppers.

Dog Sitting Training and Star Sighting

Everyone who is anyone has someplace cool to go for the 3 day weekend. Not to be left out, I am going south of 14th Street to dogsit in the West Village.

Sean is going home to Aberdeen, SD for his nephew's graduation so I am watching Skipper the dog and Harry the cat at his swank and spacious, perfectly located in the heart of the fabulous West Village apartment.

I went down this afternoon for lunch and training.

Sean is the guy who types up all the instructions and info. I love that. Easy as pie. I feed and walk Skipper and feed Harry and have been instructed to watch DVDs and eat from Sean's vast collection of Trader Joe's food supply. Yum.

Sean took me to BLT Burger on 6th Avenue between 11th and 12th for lunch. It was amazing. We both had the blue cheese burger and I had a B & W Shake. Wow. Go. Good.

We then walked out and saw Anderson Cooper with his Man Friend. They both walked with that "dude swagger" thing. Kind of put on I felt, but then I only see Anderson in a suit behind a desk on TV.


Anderson on left. Matching messenger bags and dude swagger.
(Photo credit: Sean as I didn't have the guts.)

Hiya and Her Loaves

In the same day I had a meltdown, I had a moment that makes me love New York once again.

It was a warm evening and I was waiting for the bus on Broadway by Lincoln Center. The stop is right by all the rows and rows of restaurants that are side by side each other with massive amounts of tables of al fresco dining. The places were mobbed with eaters of pasta and drinkers of wine and enjoyers of life.

I remarked to the woman next to me waiting for the bus "I feel like we live in Rome and not New York." She said that the bus schedule felt like Italy as well! We got to talking and she lived in New York 30 years ago, but was here for a 5 day master baking class. We spoke about bread while boarding the bus and she asked if I wanted to sample some in her bag. I did.

We discussed salt and sweet and "starter dough." The woman reading a book next to us looked up and said, "My son uses starter dough too."

Hiya now lives in Redding, PA and her mom lives an hour outside Tel Aviv. She said she saw a cellist in the subway today who she saw at a concert in Redding and she spoke to him about the event. He then invited her to his graduation concert at Julliard today as his guest. We both remarked how great it is to meet people.

As we got to my stop she asked if I wanted her loaves of bread she had made. She said she has plenty. And with that she gave me her bag of fresh artisan bread and I walked off into the night a richer, yeastier man.

Hiya and her braided bread on the M104 bus.