Eventful Weekend

This is a corner of the 30' x 30' room in Vaughan's Pasadena house, showing one of her husband's paintings. This was a guest room when Merwin and I visited. What a time that was! with mini skirts and Cal Arts going wild with creativity. Merwin and I watched a movie about Pixar that brought it all back.

Dear Friends and Family,

We had a good weekend. Having decided that it would have been too hard for me go to Sandy's for the memorial celebration of Phyllis's life, Merwin and I took advantage of the "free" day to go to our city apartment so we would be there for the concert on Sunday. Merwin asked our building's porter to install our window air conditioner, which he did very well, so we could be cool.

We trained in from Port Washington and took a cab from Penn Station to our apartment, where we found Harvey waiting for us. I had to ask the cab driver to give me a boost up to the rather high seat, and he did it kindly, hands on tush. With Harvey, we explored two restaurants we hadn't tried yet, for lunch Sarabeth's at Lord and Taylor, which is around the corner from us. I also wanted to buy a nice long-lasting lipstick, which I did. And Harvey took off for Fendi, to see if they still had the perfume I have been using for years, since he first bought it for me for a birthday. Merwin and I rested until Harvey returned some hours later. Then he rested while we read. Eventually we went to supper at a restaurant in a hotel on the corner of 5th and 41st. It had gotten a good review from the NYT, but I found it a little bleak (as the Times reviewer had observed) and my salad OK but nothing special. We're going to try it for brunch when the Starks come for a visit in a few weeks. After dinner, it was back to read and rest.

The next day, we gathered clothes for the wash. I used to do this chore myself, but now Merwin had to do the wash while I rested. We went to a local 24/7 shop for breakfast: very nice for what it is. The counterman would make anything you want from a large array of choices. I had scrambled egg with spinach and tomato. We ate at a counter facing 40th Street, and noted the police cars traveling both ways on this one-way street. This meal filled us for the rest of the day! Merwin went to Jack's dollar store across the street while I waited at the counter, drinking my coffee. I am happy to say that business at this modest places was pretty brisk.

We took the bus to Lincoln Center: a little less convenient now since the transit authority has changed the schedule somewhat: the bus no longer swings around to stop in front of Lincoln Center. We had to walk across the streets (Columbus and Broadway). The problem with getting there actually was that because of closing of side streets and huge traffic jams the bus crept along. There were it seems multiple parades. We didn't get to the Hall as early as we thought we would, but early enough. The program featured Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin, and Lambert Orkis, piano, playing Sonatas by Debussy, Brahms, and Mendelssohn, and Concert Fantasia on Carmen, Op. 25, by Sarasate, a phenomenal violinist of the 19th-century. Mutter was kind enough to offer an encore, then another, and then another, and yet another! We were late for the train we wanted to get, so we left during the fourth encore. She just didn't want to stop! Amazing. The crowd loved her. This is our second last concert at the Philharmonic, sadly. We gave up our subscription; it's just getting too hard for me. My exercises with getting up from a seated position are helping though: I managed to rise each time without help.

We got to the LIRR just in time to miss a train, so we decided to wile away the hour with a slice of pizza each. I came home exhausted, but it's all worth it.

This morning I heard from the ShSur editor: no more to do: hooray. And from the SQ editor: I can if I wish go over the edits I suggested to make sure all is well. I'll do that.

I have given up my access to the Allan Room at the NYPL. I can't manage it. I didn't have the energy this time to take care of it but will definitely turn in my key after I pick up the personal stuff I left on my shelf. And so it goes; I have to relinquish some things and look around for other closer things to engage me: my computer work, the flowers outside my window, the view from our little apartment. And friends and family, of course.

Loads of love to all,
Bernice