New York Day One

(Sept, 2007 this blog was previously recorded)

I recognized her immediately. I didn't have to wait for her down at baggage.
My plane was a little late getting to the gate.
We sat on the runway for close to a half hour before taxi'ing in.
A few phone calls back and forth in the meantime.
I'm headed for baggage.......walking thru JFK, my eyes sweeping the airport for people and shops.
As lost as I am in what's around me, there she is!
This tiny little thing. Wrap my arms around her, I did.

I've done this more than a few times. Meet people from online in real time.
I don't care what you say, it's always a little surreal at first, nerve wracking...not so much.
The conversation is light and easy.
It takes a little bit to find the natural rhythm but you do, most of the time.
I can't begin to tell you how delighted I was to be standing in the same space as this angel.
DELIGHTED. Yeh, I had to say it twice.

Now that I am subway savvy, I can say this with some confidence....
If I lived in NYC I'd wouldn't waste my time owning a car. I'm serious.
I couldn't believe how quickly and easily we could get from one side of NYC to another.

I've been on the road since five a.m. between the humidity and the heat,
AND yes the hot flashes I'm about wilted.
Ya gotta know I'm starving.
We decided to drop bags at her place and go find something to eat.
This girl has great taste in restaurants. Seriously.

She takes me to the Saigon Grill.


Some of you have read about this already on Simona's page, for those of you who haven't let me recap.
What you need to know is KATHLEEN DOES NOT DO SPICY. Not at all.
I don't care keep ya habanero to ya self.
I figure soup is a safe way to start.
I watch Miss Thang put some red stuff in hers.....PASS.



Let me ask you this....how can you go wrong with wonton soup?
Easy choice right? I sure as hell thought so.
Kathleen didn't notice the red floating oil in her bowl.

I know what you're thinking. That should have been my first clue. My mouth was on FIRE.
I have this conversation with all of you hot spice lovers. But I'll ask the question again.
What's the point if your mouth is burning up so badly from the heat you can't even taste the food.
Cos that's what it's like for me.
So no, I don't get it.
Other than y'all r masochists.



I look over at the neighboring table.
"Waiter, is what they're having spicy?" "No" he says. I'll have that, thank you very much.

Had I known Chilean Sea Bass was on the list, (endangered) I still would have ordered it.
So shoot me I'm not a purist.
IT WAS THE BEST EFFING SEA BASS I HAVE EVER EATEN.
Melted like butter in my mouth. INCREDIBLE. I want more.



Now babygrl orders Okra. OKRA?

You've got to be kidding. She wasn't. She loves it. I mean she really loves the stuff. Go figure.

Dinner was great. We eat. We giggle. She tells stories. I ask more questions. You could spend weeks with her 24/7 and still sit there fascinated by every word she speaks. This tiny little babygrl.....who watches more than she talks........in five words will say something more important than the greatest philosphers can say in paragraphs....so pay attention. She is always telling you something, much like the universe, she taps on your shoulder...PAY ATTENTION. If you miss it........you miss out on so very very much. LISTEN to her when she speaks. Something else I noticed.......she watches to see if you do.

Speaking of paying attention........I can't help but notice a few things myself.
The girl and I head to time square. We waste no time exploring the city together hand in hand.



Virgin records she takes me to.


Simona mentioned on her blog....I drank a lot of water at dinner. I did. I love water. And walking a girl works up quite a thirst. She also works up the need to pee and by the time we get to this place I can't hold it. Ladies room is taken. We wait. We look at the men's room door. Uh huh. I"m goin in. Listen, I've given birth in front of people I don't know. I can't be embarrassed. Not easily anyway. The men's room is interesting to say the least. Simona photographs her feet. I photograph walls and what's behind me.

Have a look. And yes I'm on the toilet while shooting. ha.



Now what I was noticing earlier. Our sweet Simona has I don't want to say a dark side......but....note the books she pulls out to show me...




(she tryin to tell me something?)
















Now whoever wrote this book had the right idea.




Now the NYC you think I saw, was quite different than what you are picturing in your heads. Not what you'd expect. It was interesting to say the least.










I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of these signs....




Ha! Funny shit. .....so I'm goofin y'all. Cracked us up photographing it all just to get a few laffs out of the rest of you. I'll show you the real New York.







Okay here's a taste of what I saw that night.
I think we ran the streets well into midnight or something like that....
IT WAS FANTASTIC!






so sleeping on the subway is not uncommon. i mean this girl was out.




Toilet paper? I knew I was gonna like New York. I just knew it.












Okay I friggin love the M & M guys.












who needs a freakin tour bus when I have the best tour guide in the city.







I think this is her giving me the "are you thru taking pictures yet kinda look."

I have soooooooooooooooooo
much more to show you.
trust me the pics get better.
YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN YET.