Taking Advantage of the City

Well, no, the lilies of the valley aren't up quite yet. I'm dreaming. Soon, soon. This morning I walked through Central Park and saw that the forsythia are tinged with gold; just a couple of warm days and they should be clouds of sunshine and the other flowers will follow soon.

When I knew I was going to leave the small, pretty upstate town where I used to live and come to live in terrifying NYC, I made a habit of walking along creek-side path that was the long way to the center of town but very pretty. I also made a point of driving home when I went into the city, not on the usual highway but on two-lane country roads some with wonderful vistas over the rolling hills.

Now I have just decided I will spend my last month living here trying to take a walk every day in Central Park or Riverside Park, going down beside the Hudson past the boat basin. And I'm compiling a list of places to be sure to visit while it's easy to do: Already there are two events I want to attend at the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art.

I want to go to the Brooklyn Museum and see the Chaillabot [I'm sure I'm misspelling that] and whatever else is there. If I get there on a nice day I'll combine it with a walk through the Botanical Garden which is next door.

I want to see the Bonnard at the Met and also the Korean drawings and go visit my favorite statue of Horus in the Egyptian area and Rosa Bonheur's Horse Fair and some of the other Impressionists -- that's a day long visit.

I want to try to get to the Conservatory Garden when the allees of flowering trees are in bloom which I hope happens before I leave.

I want to go to MOMA one free Friday evening to see whatever is there.

I want to see the Museum of Arts and Crafts at its new home at Columbus Circle in what was the Huntington Hartford building which has been redone.

And I want to go to the Whitney because I like the building although so many people don't like it. [I don't feel that way about the Guggenheim. Yes, an architectural masterpiece but I've so rarely seen exhibits there that I like]

I want to have lunch at my neighborhood Chinese restaurant frequently because I know good Chinese food is rare outside cities -- yes, Boston has a few good restaurants in its Chinatown. However fried clams can make up for a lot.

All that and actually sort and pack too? Egad. Can it be done?