Another "Pinch Me!" moment...

In a million years, I would not have pictured me doing this, but my new friends at Scholastic thought it would be fun for me to record a chapter and a few words about writing GLORY BE, and off I went, on the train to Manhattan. I worried for a half minute that they might want to actually see me, you know as in video type recording. But no. My editor said I could show up in my jammies. I didn't.

Here's a quick visual tour of the day. Quality of the photos does not reflect the importance of the day. I was trying to be my cool New York self, not my geeky, excited is-this-really-happening-to-me self.

I enjoyed an iced tea and going over my writing, while waiting for my Big Moment.  I did not read aloud inside the teashop. Promise.

Note: Though the tea place was dimly lit-- a nice touch on a hot day--can you see my Good Luck Paperclips? Critique group friend Teddie returns our pages, clipped with these festive clips. They always make me smile.

I was still early, so I sat next to one of my favorite buildings to do one of my favorite NYC things: People Watching!

For some really good photos of the art inside that Sprint store inside the Flatiron Building, click here.  They are so worth that click! Seriously worth it. The art was amazing. Go ahead, click that link now!

This was my view, while waiting in the shade, next to the flowers, in the Flatiron Building's plaza. Note the lack of the normal NYC black clothing, an obvious bow to the summer heat. Flip-flops were everywhere! Did I say it was hot?

And I finally made it to BEATSTREET STUDIOS.

Yep, that's the recording studio. Picture me in that room, headsets on, just like a rock star. Interesting drums in there. My new Scholastic friend Adrienne Vrettos and I considered playing them, but wised up.

I finished my session (see how quickly I pick up the lingo) in record time and was off to meet my agent, Linda Pratt, for tea and chocolates. We met in another of my favorite spots: Grand Central Station. And truly, this is a terrible photo, but it's hard to get a shot of that gorgeous ceiling with my iPhone, especially when I'm trying to appear cool and rock-star-ish. With a big emphasis on the ish part of that word...

More than just a great day- an amazing, fantastic day! And I didn't even mention one of the other surprising, terrific moments. All the way in to the city, my unexpected trainmates were two of my favorite people-- a former student I've known since her kindergarten days and her mom who was a loyal "library mom" in my many years at Kent Place School. Happy to say, Annie still loves to read.

What is it about The Moon?

So this is a story I heard told by the piano player at Chez Josephine Tuesday night. May or may not be urban legend. He swears it's true. But he was telling it to a diner sitting a few tables away so I only heard snatches, not the entire story.

In the 1930s, Rodgers and Hart were writing the music for a movie. When they presented a song to the studio heads, they were told they needed to write a more romantic tune. The studio guy then threw out the words he thought were best for love songs. Rodgers and Hart, almost in defiant jest (according to the young piano player at our restaurant), took every one of the clichéd words and threw them together to make the lyrics and thus was born Blue Moon, that song we all learned to play by ear on the piano and knew every single word to sing along.

Still can:
Blue Moon, You Saw Me Standing Alone, Without a Dream in my Heart, Without a Love of My Own...

Yep. Every single word, made to rhyme, sappy as can be. Doncha just love it though?

I thought it was appropriate that as we walked from 42nd to 44th streets, there was a moon over Manhattan... (that's that completely round ball hanging in the sky. And it's not a streetlight.)



Related posts: Waterfalls and Food

A Day in the City: the Highline

Just Another Day in the City

It was dreary and sprinkled rain most of the day on Saturday, but we decided that just kept the crowds off the High Line. And we loved walking the entire length of the restored train tracks in the drizzle. With views over the street and into the adjoining windows, the New York City High Line is a perfect window into the city.




And what a fascinating setting for a story. I mean, how can you not love a place with a history that documents the last freight carried:

1980-The last train runs on the High Line pulling three carloads of frozen turkeys.

Little boys especially, and maybe a few big ones, were captivated by the chaises on wheels. "Look, Mom, tinkertoys!"

Although not completely evident in this rain-soaked photo, the wheels did have a tinkertoy-ish look.


I can't wait to go back on a dryer day, take up residence on a comfy chaise and open my notebook. What a great place to write and to read.

The summer wildflowers have almost ended, but there will be more next summer. After all, who would dare tamper with the blossoms after reading the signs?