The Cold is intense, the snow is falling so heavily. My chest kind of hurts from the freezing -6 temperatures, but oh New York, New York.
Firstly I should say that the cocktail last night was bigger than my handbag (really) and I felt horaciously jetlagged/hunglebunks today.
We woke early - Shosh, oh kind one, is letting big ol me share her bed with her. Slept pretty well and my sleep talking quota is way down... touch wood.
Us in the intense snow... Ive never seen anything like this!!
I woke at about 6am completely wired. We got up, had waffles and hot coffee after a brief subway ride (I still dont understand the system completely) and I visited the Neighbourood Playhouse. Oh my. It's fantastic. It is old and it really breathes that acting life style - it has a more respected air than other places Ive seen, it does not have the clean, good looking, falsified feel of NIDA and its students work so hard to keep their place at the school, you can see the reward of being there everyday on their faces.
I got a text from Lorae, a friend of mine whose coincedently in town! She suggested I come to her as I was close and then we pottered down the road for coffee where there was a huge table full of NYC cops chattering away. They said hello to us, asked how our day was and then talked about their wives and brothers for the good part of an hour in thick accents that I would usually attribute to Boston. So funny.
She had a brilliant idea: we visit the United Nations. Look, I must be honest, I didnt think it was in New York. Very embarrassing.
What a fantastic thing to do. It's not on all the tourist maps, but you go through customs (as yu are leaving the US by going in) and can choose to visit the exhibitions and book stores and perhaps take a tour. We did all three. It was wonderful to see how much people work for equality and peace. To really see it.
The exhibitions were not censored. The Holocaust one really made a mark on me. The pictures of the children. What human adults did to children disgusts and destroyed me somewhat. So very very sad. And it was only after these extreme acts of violence, betrayal of mankind and war that the UN was set up. There's only a couple of places that don't participate. Cook Islands, Niue and Vatican City.
The tour was compelling - our stunning Nicaraguan tourguide got us to ask questions and make comments. they had on display bombs from Cambodia and some other countries in the shape of kids toys like a yoyo. Attracting children. Disgraceful.
What the UN is working towards and succeeding in is incredible. Visit if you go to New York. Visit.
I also forced Lorae to get United Nations stamps printed with our faces on it - see above.... Delegates, no?
We then went to Grand Central Station, into the market and food stalls, gorgeous and I bought some lovely fresh soup, crunchy bread and oranges. Lorae bought me some cheese after a stupid ass cheese man had a go at us for trying to take a sample. "This is only for customers Ma'am" What a jerk. Oh well, we made him pay by being extraordinarily polite. Sucka lucka.
I caught a cab home, put on an accent so as to not get jipped (already find myself having slight accent. Bit embarrassing really. Am not trying. And now Im one of those people... or rather one of those actresses. Dork.
AILEEN: Special note for you. There is in the picture up the top somewhere a gift given by Thailand and a couple of other countries, pieces of beauty that were Buddha's. Thought you might like to see.x
Tonight, I'm going to persuade Broche to come to Avenue Q with me. Over and out.
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