Betwixt the Coasts: From West to East in 80 Days Part 11: How funny. At least I thought so….
Coney Island eh?
Sooooooooo concerned about my camera shots adding a yellow tint to my face on Coney Island Boardwalk, til I realise it’s mustard from the Nathan’s Hot Dog(s) just devoured……
Back to 4 days left: I’ve just seen the Final Sondheim “Here We Are” and VERY (NOUVEAU) RICHE NEW YORKER humour it is too….hardly any songs in it but some rather dazzling staging in a dazzling new theatre, and a more song-y first half….it won’t be remembered too much methinks… I’ve only just seen it and I can’t remember it…but it had its moments.
Mind you I also saw the abominable waste of time that was Napoleon (in flipping IMAX). Utter garbage. Expensive nonsense. At least Cecil B. De Mille had a great name. Half the cinema was laughing at the dialogue all the way through btw…..
These so called Blockbusters ain’t ‘Alf largely Crap Mum. (An Andrew D of Cambridge is nodding vociferously…)
Back to the End of The Trip.
The Long and Winding Words that lead to your Door (Dear Reader) or Laplet, iTab or Google Munch whatever, are in fact coming to a quite frankly reasonably well tolerated CLOSE. Thanks again for the support (long may I wear it etc etc)…
SHOULD SAY….did some amazing shows (Titanique a glorious pastiche the highlight)..but Radio City Music Hall Rockets show, Mariah Carey, Shucked, Here We Are (again), Merrily we drink along…etc etc…
ALSO NYC at Christmas with THE VIEWS and THE LIGHTS is more than my British Gas Utility Bill could even think about…..
New York is still smoggy with Blow, Weed, Nash & Young, the diners still make good meatloaf (RIP), and it’s still loud vibrant and explodes every minute with SOMETHING. Enormous Apple. Gargantuan Apple. With A Peel. Just probably overall a wee TOO loud for me at times…
The Uni area around Washington Square Manhattan however is certainly more laid back and Olde Worlde with Recorde Shoppes, the ubiquitous Smoke Shops but also crafty sub Hampstead but arty things shops all genuine in creation I’m sure. Plus Irish Pubs. Irish pubs which are showing Luton v Arsenal on the telly would you credit it??? Coulda lived here. Shoulda lived here. My buddy Drew did. Envious. Couldn’t live anywhere else in NYC anymore. Don’t really LOVE it. Mind you I think London’s largely a building site dump and Paris Madrid and Barcelona are past my lifeline I think…..
The older LGBTQ+ areas (The West Village) ids still great fun for a singalong…..and always up for a chat in the Stonewall Bar….
However there are also SOME wondrous local places.
Upstate up the Hudson lives the Dunn family (Chris and I worked for the same bunch for years, but HE was also a rockstar…..) and I had a gorgeous day eating and drinking them out of their pantry and having great chats laughs and reminiscing! Could have EASILY lived in that town “Tarrytown”. Lovely….
— ooo —
So it’s been THREE FLIPPING MONTHS. Lots of fun lots of stuff some hugely down moments too cos I think being away from home and solo for a lot of it isn’t good for my health….but I’m BLOODY RESOURCEFUL mentally and physically which is what you need when you travel. Plus my iPhone 14 Pro Max has been my trusty companion and Aide De Bloggage.
Hah! Outside Irish local, gorgeous man been eyeing me up for the last pint (maybe I imagined that) says as I leave “Sick Beanie Bruv”. I yelp with joy (and rush back to write this)….
Then it’s another bucket list check, after the wondrous camp and glorious joy of the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, the serene beauty of a sunset down in Coney Island (with hot dogs) followed by the magical views of Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park, followed by delicious world ales at Henry’s Old Ale Bar (including a fabulous 6.6% Brooklyn Bengali!), makes for a bit of a dreamy end of trip time to be honest….fatigued but fairly fabulous I feel, Dear Reader.
Before my Mariah Carey at MSG (Monosodium Garden) I meet four lads all in Santa costumes including Luke (wonderful personality and more) Danny and Topher…Topher puts his phone number in my phone for selfies! Turns out it’s SantaNYC day. Obviously….it’s a huge pub crawl in cozzies day and these lads are great fun… then I go and see Mariah….ah well, THAT voice is still intact..luckily I have fabulous Elizabeth next to me (who like me is just going for friendship reasons!)…we have a right laugh and she gives me a Santa Claus tie.
Imagine London is super Christmassy as I iPhone this….so it’s close to Time To Shut My Gob (thank you Frankie Howerd), all packed and ready to go………
Cab on time, champagne (you still gotta ask) on board more breakfast great, flight ok (with an hour wobbles I didn’t laugh during), BA food sensational again….and we get to fly over Northern Ireland as I write this bit and a Walnut Crème Delice with sauce is just tantalising my remaining tastebud washed down with a BrewDog Hoppy Christmas beer.
The moment you’ve been waiting for Dear Reader), the END.
Landed, whizzed through and Ubered back to what seems like a very quiet calm dark South West London. Nuff said, thanks for listening and caring about my onboard gun intake, and my huge in depth analysis of culture life history and behaviour of all things Stateside.
Signing off this Betwixt Series. Over and perhaps not necessarily OUT.
Christoph, December 13th, 2023.
©️rpl ramblings 2023
