This morning, I wake up a little earlier than usual, get ready, make myself breakfast... blah blah blah. Today's the day I'm going to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hurrrraaaaaaaaay!
I decide to bike. Google maps says that it will take about an hour, and I highlight the path that I am suppose to take on the bike map that I picked up yesterday. On the way there, the path breaks a bit, and I get lost. It's ok though, because I'm in Manhattan and everything is avenues and streets and I know that as long as the street numbers keep getting smaller, I am headed in the right direction.
The streets are hot, and it's more difficult to bike alone downtown than it was when I was following Phil or Mikey; somehow I had felt tethered along by their bicycles ahead of me. I finally make it up to the MET - I am COVERED in sweat; my hair is drenched and my skin is slick, not to mention the fact that my legs also appear to be covered in grime from the New York streets. Sick.
As I walk up to the MET I see a big sign that states simply "CLOSED TODAY". Great. Luckily, New York is a city of many galleries and museums, and the Guggenheim is just down the street, so I decide to go there instead. When I get inside, the first thing that I notice is not the beauty of the building; it's the air-conditioning. Hurray! I've never really understood air-conditioning before... or flip-flops... or ventilated bike helmets... now I want all of these things. I feel like I should be wearing nothing but a dry-wick unitard, and that I should promptly shave my head.
Anyways... back to the Guggenheim!! The building is amazing. You can hear people talking from every level, but somehow it's all background noise, and the building has a strangely serene feeling. It's such an icon that I've seen in so many movies and tv shows for as long as I can remember, and it's strange to finally be standing inside of it. I see a shit ton of photographs that are beautiful and amazing, but I don't remember the names of any of the artists, because I didn't have my notebook and I never remember names. Several hours later, I am hungry so I go back out into the heat to get a snack and continue my day. I grab a pretzel from a street vendor... it's not great. I've been told so much about the pretzels in New York and I wonder if I have just gone to the wrong place, or if most people just really enjoy salty dry bread.
I decide to go and bike around central park. Again, I can't stress enough how beautiful this park is. I can really see why Central Park in falll is probably one of the most incredible things in life. Bike bike bike, and I stumble upon the Central Park Zoo. I don't go in, but it's surrounded by beautiful buildings and gardens and I can see seals from the perimeter. At this point it's about 3 pm and I want to die. It's SO HOT and I've already biked for about two hours today. I need to take a break. I walk down 5th avenue and pop into an H7M; there's a dress that I really like, but there's no guarantee that they don't have it in Vancouver, so I decide against it.
When I step back out onto the street, I still feel retched, and then I realize what is missing from my day. Coffee.
I head into the nearest starbucks (i know... gross... but coffee shops are not on every corner like they are in Vancouver, and all starbucks here have free WiFi, so I can actually get some use out of my iphone). I sit for about half an hour, and after an iced Americano and a tall glass of water, I feel totally refreshed and ready to bike home.
I see a Best Buy on my way back and finally find the cheap shitty cell phone that I've been dreaming of, and then I'm on my way!
The evening air makes biking SO MUCH MORE PLEASANT. It's obscene. I fly down 7th avenue, and over the manhattan bridge, and then I'm home.
About an hour later, Jenner gets home and we each make dinner and then catch up on Mad Men.
I finally get a hold of Malcolm, and tomorrow I'm going to hit a show of his at the Knitting Gallery.
Later tonight, I think I'm going to see a movie with the roomies and that's a wrap. Another day done!
Tomorrow? The museum of natural history!!
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