Without A Net

Last Saturday was a free day, a clean slate. One of the first days that we have had off and didn’t have a list of errands. Only one simple task before me, that was to go pick up some sandals being repaired. They weren’t ready, as promised, so they offered to deliver them to our apartment that evening. We readily accepted and got out as fast as we could as the chemical fumes there were starting to get us goofy.

The day before I had mentioned I would like to see the Guggenheim Museum soon so this seemed like a good time. We headed toward Madison Avenue to catch a northbound bus to get us to 89th Street. Along the way we ran into 6th Avenue which was closed for a street festival. We hardly slowed to look, are we becoming blasé? I hope not. The museum was busy but not so much to hinder our enjoyment. The main exhibition was very avant-garde and it was interesting but not terribly exciting. However, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed building was a thrill to experience. It almost moves around you as you go through it and looks stunning from every conceivable angle.

After we exhausted the Guggenheim we went across the street to the east edge of Central Park to stop and take in the exterior of the building from the vantage point most photographers use for it. When I was here last it was getting a major face lift and was clad with scaffolding from top to bottom. Now it looks good inside and out.

For our next act we decided to head down to Greenwich Village again and grab a drink or two at a very small bar aptly called the Cubby Hole on 12th Street in the West Village. This place is no bigger than our apartment but it has a nice atmosphere, a good jukebox at a reasonable volume, and most important decent drink prices. Margaritas were only $2 but we opted for the $4 wines and each successive round was filled a half inch higher than the one before. They only have one bartender until 7:00 and when she would step out for a smoke break she would just have a patron (who only knew how to draw beer and took no money) keep shop until she came back. Needless to say it is a pretty friendly neighborhood place. This is strictly a bar, there is no food served except for some of the best popcorn I have ever had. Toni noticed a sign: Ask to see our take out menus. The bartender reached under the bar and pulled out this expandable file folder that was as thick as a Bible. Each food type had a pocket. Toni resisted the urge to reorganize it and picked out a couple out of the Mexican section. We made our choices, she went outside with her cell phone and twenty minutes later we had hot burritos at the bar. We had a couple more rounds before heading back.

What I liked about this day was that we had not planned anything ahead of time, took several buses all over Manhattan without maps in hand and got home without needing directions from anyone. We keep expanding our comfort zone a little at a time and it really feels good.