I lived in DC for almost 8 years. While I explored lots of neighborhoods, I kept to ones that I knew the most. I kinda wish that I visited more because there are a bunch that I found out later while I lived there. Penn Quarter was one of those; there are some restaurants around there that I wanted to try. Then, there's U Street that I also wanted to explore. I used to take the bus from Union Station to my place, and that was the route that was taken and I kept making note of places that I wanted to go but never did.
Here in NYC, there are so many more neighborhoods than DC, especially if you get into outside of Manhattan, which I've never explored before. Basically, I know Times Square/Theatre District, Gramercy/Kips Bay, and Herald Square/Garment District. I'm getting into the West Village/Chelsea area as well as the Flatiron.
On Saturday night, my friend, Sally, and I went and saw Cock (or Cockfight the play) at the Duke on 42nd. It was really interesting. Unfortunately, my attention went elsewhere a couple of times during the 105 minute play. There was an adorable service Golden Retriever that was across from us; the play was set in a round. He just napped the entire time but he would pop his head up and got a pet from his owner. He was just a cutie. Then, there was this guy who was sitting diagonal from us:
Jon Hamm was with Jennifer Westfeldt, who's gorgeous. I didn't watch "Mad Men" at the start but got into it in the later seasons. So, my first thing that I connect Jon with is "Gilmore Girls." LOL. Anyways, they were on a date so we didn't want to bother them afterwards. Just made eye contact, smile & nodded which they replied in kind.
So, that took place in a familiar area, Times Square, specifically 42nd Street which was swarmed with tourists. I can managed. I'm used to it.
Now, after Sally headed back to Jersey, my next destination was a bar in the East Village called Blackbird, which was once known as Lakeside Lounge. The East Village... not someplace that I'm familiar with. At. All. However, with GPS on my phone, I can totally find 162 Avenue B, right? Well, apparently not, if my phone died on the L Train over there.
I knew that it was on Avenue B, between 10th and 11th, but I walked up and down Avenue B and just couldn't find the place. I don't know if there was a sign or if I just couldn't find the sign. Either way, my jaunt through the East Village at 10:30 at night was not fulfilling. I ended up speed-walking pass Tompkins Square Park and hightailed it to 1st Avenue, which it like the safe border to me.
How sad am I? I promise that I will give the East Village another shot but this time, in the daylight. Yes, I'm able to walk from Bowery Electric to my place at 1 in the morning. Yes, I'm able to spend the night in Penn Station. Yes, I'm able to stand in line at 3 am for SNL stand-by tickets. But I can't wander the East Village for less that 24 minutes at 10:30 at night. I'm so used to neighborhoods that I know, but hopefully, the longer than I live here, the more neighborhoods that I will get familiar with.
No comments:
Post a Comment