the last day in the big apple has come and gone, and with it the rain seems to have settled in. it's beautiful - the reflecting lights, the steam from the streets and the tips of skyscrapers disappearing into the clouds transform the concrete dragon's harsh lines into something truly evocative.
here are some pictures to let you see through my eyes.
i can't begin to explain the impact of this experience on my perspective and perceptions. i believe it has been a watershed for me, the outcome of which will still manifest later. i thank Jack Ginsberg, The Ampersand Foundation and my family that generously braved the month without me from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you also to Katty for posting these diary entries throughout the month.
I'm coming home!
Abstract sky
Classic New York city
Concrete chiascuro
Lick me all over...
Red heels
The rain came
28 August 2006
Wishing for silence
i'm really tired - as if the excitement and joy and fun and partying has all caught up with me in one foul sweep. went to the guggenheim today, and found it too noisy, too crowded, too famous for the content.
there was an interesting exhibition on Zaha Hadid (a woman architect who does amazing things) but there was too much of it, and in the end it was a great relief to step outside and watch the new york parade. i love the people here - but i've said that before, i think.
i miss my family and my dog, i wish for some silence. so i suppose one can say that i'm starting to take my leave. on the other hand i want to experience everything. i can't believe i'm leaving on thursday. i want to try and pack every minute full of stuff that can only happen on this sliver of overpopulated island. so i'll probably drag my weary body out onto the pavement again tonight, and find that place that i haven't seen before.. or maybe i'll stay at home and fight the sleep off to do some art.
upper east side pavementscape 01
upper east side pavementscape 02
upper east side pavementscape 03
27 August 2006
Memories
Last night someone almost took me out while I was waiting at the traffic light. He drove like a maniac down Warren street, lost control (i think) and sped onto the pavement, missing me by millimetres. A wonderful soul behind me shouted and screamed at him on my behalf, and I came straight home and got into bed. (Didn't see kans for chasing music venues after that.)
This morning I realised how many memories have already accumulated in my head on that corner of the planet in three weeks, and I tried to make an active collage to illustrate some of it. Kat the magnificent webweaver will tell you how to activate/see the relevant bits. Over to her: "..."
(kat) > okay, well, start by clicking here first to get everything lined up, and browse your way through the streets at the corner of Warren & Greenwich at 08h00
on Sunday the 27th of August 2006.
26 August 2006
Heaven
Dwight and I had a wonderful time together - 5 days of heaven that can't be translated into words and pictures in this context. I include two images for your pleasure - for the rest you are welcome to use your imagination.
***
Back to New York: what a place! Between chatting to the Egyptian vetinary specialist in artificial insemination of diary cows that drove my cab to the apartment, and recognising the boiled cabbage odour of my neighbours' only recipe still hanging in the corridor (I'm so glad I don't have to eat her food!) - I felt myself at home, excited that I could recognise obscure buildings in the skyline, and greet memories on street corners. With a knot in my stomach that I've promised myself to settle with a great dinner and maybe some music later, I'm about to enter my last Saturday night in this magic place.
Central park is wonderful on a Saturday. Packed with beautiful half naked people, street performers, dancers on rollerblades, dogs, squirrels, children and tourists with cameras (like me) to applaud the show.
The day was packed with images that I just couldn't resist and many that I would love to have taken, but couldn't because it was part of a show entitled 'Absinthe' at the 'Spiegeltent' on Pier 17. Very sexy and naughty, with the best boy-in-a-bathtub finale that I've ever seen! Think olympic gymnast with sex appeal, water, ropes and a sense of humour, and you still haven't got half of it.
Well, my liver will be glad to hear that the party week has now come to an end. Lennstein and i said goodbye last night amidst some great Latin dancing and partying, and this morning I'm packing to join Dwight at a secret hideout from where I will probably not be able to access the internet. Will report back next Saturday.
Yesterday we saw a wonderful exhibition on Darwin at the Museum of Natural History. There was a page from one of his notebooks where he describes his understanding of the relationship between species to himself with a little sketch - capped by the words: 'I think'. Very poignant and telling.
Amazing how the company one finds oneself in determines one's perception. Lennstein has a real interest in architecture, so I find myself taking pictures of façades and entrances (and the inside of pubs, needless to say!). Our mutual friends (like Eddie) also feature in our conversation, hence the shopname jumped out at me. I made the sketch of her on the paper covering our table in the restaurant last night.
as can be expected, yesterday was lost to exhaustion and idleness. we did eventually force ourselves into an early evening exploration of greenwich village, attend the last moments of a street concert, find a great thai restaurant (without wine) and poured our tired bodies into a tiny little basement nightclub called 'smalls' where a double base, sax, grand piano and set of drums jazzed the night away. all i needed was a floating alladin's carpet to take me off to dreamland. or maybe i was already there
Sax at Smalls
Initiated 19 July 2006, www.annisnyman.co.za/ny/, author: Anni Snyman
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