STL DPB ON THE ROAD - BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS IS REALLY LAURIE ANDERSON

Under all this Nanook Of The North clothing and a mask, facing a couple of MacBooks and a mixer board, is one of my cultural idols, Laurie Anderson. For those who don't know her, see https://laurieanderson.com/, but it's hard to understand if you aren't a devotee. I think I've seen her perform in St. Louis twice. She was the host of Philip Glass' birthday party but I think she spent most of her time being cold. As did we.         

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHILIP GLASS

So here's what was going on: not long ago I saw something on Laurie Anderson's Facebook feed about an 85th birthday party for Philip Glass that she was hosting. I'm a huge fan of both. It was a ticketed event at the ice rink in Rockefeller Center in New York. I looked at Mrs. C and said, "I'd go to that!" So, given the freedom of retirement, off we went (not that I need much of a reason to visit my beloved home town). It was as wacky as I expected.         

STL DPB ON THE ROAD - WAIT, WEREN'T WE IN COSTA RICA?

Yes, we were in warm and sunny Costa Rica but now we are in cold and snowy New York. There is something special going on in this specific place tonight and, with the freedom of retirement, I'm going to be there.              

Legos In Rockefeller Center

If you've been to New York, you can imagine how expensive ground-level retail space is in Rockefeller Center. Some companies will pay up, though, to show off their stuff in a spectacular, high-traffic location.

There is a big Lego store on the concourse leading west from Fifth Avenue to the central plaza and skating rink. The picture above is a model of just that, all made from Legos.  The second photo looks like a giant Lego insect buzzing the entrance to Radio City Music Hall.  

U Pick - Franco-American Relations - Delicatessen - On The Plaza - WTC - 14,557 Steps and 19 Floors - My French Is Horrible

I'm exhausted. Good thing I have to go to work this afternoon so I can get some rest. Two old guys do Manhattan and take a lot of photos. Jack, who helps manage City Daily Photo, asked for some pictures of the two of us. Pick your favorite. From top to bottom, at Rockefeller Center, The Oculus at the World Trade Center and Katz's Deli on Houston Street. Pick your favorite.

Home this afternoon. Sunday's stair climbing efforts were due to many subway rides - most of it isn't accessible. The language issue was still a bit of a struggle but we got by with the help of AI systems. Next year in Paris, I hope.

STL DPB On The Road - Back Home In NYC

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This is being written late Friday night: flight into La Guardia today arrived early (!); took the Major Degan Expressway up the Bronx side of the Harlem River to look at the new Yankee Stadium (a big traffic mistake); over the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey; then back into Manhattan for a big family dinner at Dos Caminos at 50th Street and Third Avenue, the best Mexican restaurant I've eaten at in a long time. Some of us walked a short distance to Rockefeller Center to see the lights. That's 30 Rock itself in both of these pictures. Like the sign says, this is my New York.

WHAT SMALL INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE WAY BACK TO THE CAR THAT I SHOULD WRITE A LITTLE STORY ABOUT: several of the group, particularly the teens and twenty-somethings, had to go real bad before the drive back to New Jersey. Since we were walking right by it, my sister suggested we go through the lobby of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. So here were ten of us, trying to look casual, exploring the refined halls of the Waldorf hunting for a place for the kids to pee. I think the embossed luxurious paper towels were worth more than the memory card in my camera. No one questioned our presence.

TOMORROW: more NYC.