Here is home; there is home; everywhere is home. It’s confusing

This went into private though didn’t say that last night–nor did I touch anything to make it so. I need a design company to retweak Courting and another hosting company

The most exciting part of my day today, Monday was walking past The David Letterman Show twice and pretending that he came out to discover my brilliance and my Southern/New York beauty and put me on the show as an added guest. A girl can dream.
Until I sell my apartment, this will be my legal address. I’m coming back at the end of June, and suspect I will be coming to New York often even after I sell. New York runs through my blood as no place else ever could.

Spirit Air was only a half hour late. For Spirit that’s like being two hours early. At the Myrtle Beach Airport they had a display of banned cigarette lighters. Many looked just like guns. It was scary to think of what could happen if somebody took one out…I had never seen anything like them before. Hey I think Aim Flames look like guns–but these looked like the real thing.

Lucia and Rafe my two BFF’s came over. Lucia wanted to scream about how much she loved my hair but as Rafe was my hairstylist for so many years….Even he had to admit it looks great. We went shopping at Fairway at ten PM. It was much more crowded than any store I have been in, in North Myrtle during prime shopping hours. Thursday night I loved the exhilaration though I know that will wear thin. I bought sushi for breakfast. Sushi is one food I will never eat in North Myrtle–OK, it was brown rice, smoked salmon sushi but still–I wouldn’t buy any fresh fish that I wouldn’t eat within an hour or two. I did sample it when I came back home. Bought rough cut oatmeal as I can’t find it anywhere in North Myrtle. Rough cut oatmeal makes oatmeal into a truly divine experience. Have to buy hot wasabi peas and a few other things. Have a feeling I’m going to be buying many things over the Internet.

On Friday I began walking down Broadway looking for a certain mani/pedi place. The weather was incredible. When I passed Gray’s Papaya, I began tearing up–will take pictures and begin a photo blog to show you why. The thing is I can’t deal with the smell of hot dogs and have never actually been in a Gray’s. If I get a drink somebody has to buy me one. I was getting over an allergy induced migraine–my allergies are much better near the beach. But Gray’s symbolizes real New York to me, and my sinuses were clogged so I didn’t smell anything. Just stood there and teared and teared for my heart belongs here.

The streets were jumping and my heart was fluttering. So I passed the place but found one in the 50’s I really liked. In the South everything’s slow. I needed fast on Friday.

When I got out the streets were a mess but I didn’t care as I’m a sort of tourist. I walked to the most New York of all stores, Macy’s because it’s the first store aside from FAO Schwarz I remember. If they ever get rid of the wooden escalators I will never go back. You can take clothes from floor to floor now and try on as many things as you want. I was in clothes heaven.

It was girls night out and they met me at Macy’s. A friend had a company discount but it wasn’t applicable to the clothes I was buying so the saleswoman gave me her discount. I do so love born and bred New Yorkers of a certain age.

We began walking uptown through the river park and found an outdoor cafe that was open. The waitress gave us drinks on the house as service was so slow–nobody expected this weather in April. Three tables filled with Irish people from Ireland were celebrating a birthday. Everybody around joined in the toasts.

There was a perfect river sunset. I love the Hudson River as much as I love the ocean. It’s been a part of my life for so many years.

Lucia and I walked quickly home through the Hudson River Park to Riverside Park It was dark but no bike rider tried to kill us. We noticed new exits–in the Hudson River part, but close to Riverside, that don’t have mammoth staircases. I had always wondered how you would get down or up from the park when you’re old. We chose the most mammoth staircase to go up on as that’s part of the fun to us.

Saturday I did many errands. I went to Zabar’s to buy Passover cakes. Over the loudspeaker they kept saying “real New York Jewish rye bread just out of the oven.” Why was I the only person cracking up? Saturday night was the beginning of Passover when you’re not supposed to eat leavened bread products for eight days. The loudspeaker announcement was obviously for tourists and I’m sorry it was funny.

My summer MBT sandal supply was replenished at Harry’s Shoes–best shoe store anywhere. Most of the sales people know me by name. It’s a bit embarrassing, but so sweet that they came to say hello even though I was buying my shoes from somebody I had never seen before. The store was packed and all the sales people were busy. I just went up to a man as he was going to get shoes and almost forced the samples into his hand and said “here, I’m the easiest sale in the world. Just get these for me, please.” Will I ever feel that comfortable somewhere else? I seriously doubt it.

The old MBT’s will be worn with socks or to the beach. MBT’s are addictive. I don’t care how ugly some people think they are. They have a special ball mechanism that allows you to stand forever while your feet circulate. When you walk you’re forced to align your body correctly. I can walk forever in them. I have and will continue to despite what some people think.

It was another warm day and once again I found myself walking to West 34th Street. This time I walked down in the parks. If I lived in New York full time I would have hated it. As a quasi tourist I found the crowds of people endearing.

There were many tourists dressed in punk wigs. I don’t know if this was for some Rocky Horror type cult thing or they think New Yorkers were hideous wigs in pink, yellow, blue etc and guys have Mohawks. As a quasi tourist I found it enchanting.

There was a demonstration against China and pro-Tibet. I joined it for a few minutes, then continued walking to Penn Station/LIRR to go to my sister’s house where everybody loved my hair, the price and my North Myrtle stories. Later I told my sister and niece about the Tibet rally. My sister and I try to avoid buying anything from China–and that’s hard as so much is made there including designer clothes. Elka my sister made an incredible meal with a Moroccan Jewish Passover them as we love the food–and fabric designs.

It was very late and my sister somehow told my niece that I demonstrated against Viet Nam yesterday. You had to be there. We straightened that one out and Elka told my niece how my college friends were cooler than cool. So cool, bright and handsome–they were mostly guys–she was scared to them. My sister talks to anybody but I knew what she meant as I was scared to talk to them and myself as I was just too cool. I still meet people from those days who treat me as if I’m royalty and I’m not. Never was.

At this stage in life I think the playing fields should have equalized. Nobody should live on old reps either good or bad.

I took a midnight train home. The ride was fine but there were real homeless people trying to get tips at the cab lines–and while I wasn’t scared, I could see how people could be–scared of the people leading the lines and some on the lines. The subway would have been better but I was past exhausted and can think of a zillion excuses for taking a cab.

I bought a New York Times. It’s the first one I’m reading not on line in almost two months. Four bucks–wow–for one Sunday edition bought in Manhattan. When I get more settled I will get a Sunday subscription and have my New York and New Yorker subscriptions address changed.

I can’t help it; I will always devour New York things. Myrtle Beach is famous for it outlets yet I run to Macy’s and Harry’s Shoes. Zabar’s is my least favorite of the triumvirate of Upper West Side stores–Zabar’s, Fairway and Citerella yet there I was as it symbolizes New York to so many.

Zabar’s hasn’t really kept up with the times. It’s too old school for me–and the fish isn’t rated as highly as Fairway. Fairway always takes first place in fish things as the turnover is immense. Fairway has more interesting take out to me and I can roast a mean salmon as I figured out how Fairway roasts theres.

If I’m hung up on salmon, I only found one store in North Myrtle that sells good fish and it’s a three mile walk by beach each way. That’s probably a good thing.

I do think of North Myrtle as home now and will be back Tuesday night. New York is where I come to have fun. I like that. And can’t wait to sell this apartment that I will miss but will live on in memory.

Monday night/Tuesday morning. I have seen Penn Station as much as any commuter. I’m so ready to leave.