Discoveries:
— A bent Metro card is a dead Metro card.
— Three-year-old flats are no better for walking than boots with three-inch heels.
— In addition to holding vehement opinions about the relative worthiness of NYC neighborhoods, people also care deeply about the merits of different subway lines.
Mysteries:
— How does anyone ride the subway & walk all day without accumulating a Pig Pen-like layer of grime? I certainly was not capable of it.
I’d discovered that the highly recommended and excellently named Re/Dress was within walking distance of Jess’s place, so I walked over. The staff were super friendly, and I did not leave empty-handed.
Then I packed up and took the G to Barry & Libba’s place in South Slope. (When I planned the trip, my operating strategy was that I’d be a lower-impact houseguest if I didn’t inflict myself all week on the same household.)
Greeted my hosts, wrote for a while. Then it was time for…
Festivities!
I put on my Re/Dress dress and headed out to the very fun BG Literary 10th anniversary party. Met cool people, saw some good friends, missed the folks who weren’t able to be there.
Don’t be fooled by Dan Poblocki‘s deceptively sweet expression. He can and will scare you. Thanks to the fabulous Jo Knowles for the photo.
Another memorable moment: Ellen Kushner and Beth Fleisher discussing klezmer music and the musical influence intermingling that occurred as a result of Russian Jewish mechanics working with African American steamboat crew members. Esoteric knowledge exchange=my kind of party.
Oh yeah, and it was another late night.
Tomorrow: Small world syndrome, emergency shoes, dinner and a show