So we met with this man who looked like he had just walked out of a movie : cool. Completely in black, absolutely sharp dressed and wearing a beautifully distinguished black hat. He was going to show us around in Central Park, by night.
Which was beautiful by the way, very peaceful after the madness around Rockefeller Center where the whole of NY seemed to queue for a tour on the ice rink.
He walked and talked like what I would define as an American Gentleman. Who are not entirely unlike English gentlemen. He could be an actor, I thought, and it turned out that that was exactly what he was. His voice and accent was beautifully poshy American without the chewing gum accent. He showed us different areas, and we ended up in Strawberry Fields, a place close to where John Lennon had been shot, and where Yoko Ono had bought a remembrance place for him.
So this American Gentleman, who, by the way, asked me if I knew that my Bill was hanging out with their Lauren Bacall (she is person number 2 in IMDB!) at premieres, I knew that, thanks for rubbing it in, so this American said that if I wanted to have an extraordinary souvenir picture of New York he would show me the place to do so and take it of me.
It just meant I had to lay down, in December, in a half dark Central Park on the ground on John Lennons memorial, right beside the word that is more appropriate to me than he could ever know. I asked him if he was going to tell his friends that he had tricked another ignorant tourist into doing this. He laughed. And with this voice I couldn’t refuse of course.
He said that I was going to thank him for it. I laid down, looked up at the stars, I even think I saw Slarti flashing by, and he took the picture. And he was absolutely right, the picture is perfect.
The word? It was “Imagine”.
Today I did the Staten Island ferry trip, which is for free, and so absolutely worth doing as it passes the statue of Liberty and from the ferry you have an excellent view over Manhattan. The sun was shining and it was beautiful to feel the fresh wind around my head. I ate lunch in Katz’ diner which is an experience not to be missed, and now my feet are just screaming for a rest after 4 days of walking around. A soft red cinema chair would be good. Tomorrow it’s Bill in the evening, and on Sunday on 2pm again, and I haven’t decided what to do on New Year’s eve yet. I think I’ll drop being on Times Square on that evening, I can only imagine how crowded it is going to be. I’ll come up with something. And I am still having a big grin on my face after Wednesday. I actually think it is going to last the whole of 2007. At least.
Hello. I’ve just found this website through a Google search, and… is it wrong (or creepy?) to say I envy you and the life you live? Well, I do anyway. Your postcards and the DVD on Tour are such great achievements and ideas, and just reading your recounts of New York puts a smile on my face. :)
The pleasure was all mine. I love showing “my city” to appreciative folk such as yourself and our dear friend, Susan (who introduced us and accompanied us on our journey). Here is a photo of me on the Central Park Mall (NOT a shopping mall! hee hee!). As I told you, it is especially photogenic with a fresh snowfall (taken last winter). Again, glad to have met you, and enjoy your further travels through life, both real and “imagine”-d….Cheers, Gregory.
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Well! If I ever get to NY I’ll be “booking” Gregory!!LOL
Seriously, a lovely picture, we rarely get snow like that over here.
Wow Gregory, that is an amazing picture!
And once again thank you for a wonderful tour through Central Park by Night, it was lovely!
Mall – heee I come from London, I have problems understanding the NY language at times. At a lot of times actually, it seems.
Happy New Year too you !