"Start Spreading The News"

Here I am again; traveling. And, like all the times before, this is my view. We're traveling Continental this time, but the view is the same; just the material of the seat in front of me changes. I DID have more room this trip though - 3 across and the middle seat was empty.

It made the ride very pleasant except for the reparte of the pilot and stewardess from "National Lampoon's vacation" on the loudspeaker -

"We're holding"; "No, we're not holding"; "Please fasten your seat belts and put your seat in an upright position for our impending landing." "Ignore that voice; we're in a holding pattern for the next 20 minutes"; "Oh wait, they've changed their minds; we're getting ready to land." "No. We're on hold again." "You can keep all your electronic equipment on." "No. Wait. Please turn off all electronic equipment and place your seats in an upright position." Well, you get the picture. It got a little ridiculous after many indecisions.

This picture is out the window of the airplane. I thought the clouds looked like snow and the wing looks like a shark or dolphin laying sideways. (I've probably had a lack of oxygen or out of body experience.)

We're staying tonight at the Lucerne at 5th/79th. Very nice place; I didn't ask why but tomorrow we move to the Palace. Tonight we have tickets to see Xanadu. Can't wait.

Tomorrow is brunch at Balthazar - supposedly "THE" place to brunch. I'll have to skip Brooklyn Tabernacle visit this trip; can't do everything I want to do; too much to do; so little time.

The trip from the Newark airport was 2 hrs-through the Lincoln Tunnel. [I think we were actually in Mississippi for a while, but who knows.] It took 45 minutes - It is 8,216 feet long (I looked it up) and we inched along so slowly the driver could moonlight as a turtle.

What is with the fire extinguisher's every so many feet? That can't be a good sign. Makes me want to go "Hmmm."

Another odd thing about the tunnel - There was an American flag hung from the front of the entrance and it had systematic rows of half-moon shaped holes in the flag. I don't know what that was all about. If anyone who reads this knows, please let me know.

I got a great view of the Weehaucken Public Library which is shaped like a chalet from the Swiss Alps. I could have actually checked out books it took so long to get past it.

Taking the cab back from uptown was an experience in itself. I have been in many "interesting" cities and had many "different" drivers, but this driver either has a death wish or he is the last living kamikaze pilot who found himself without a job and migrated to NY just because...

I called Kim and asked her - "Do you know where I am and what I'm doing?" She said - "Yes I do. You are sitting in Time Square and drinking a Venti Cappachino from Starbucks." (I hate that she knows me so well) You gotta love a place that has a Starbucks on every corner, any imaginable show you would ever want to see and never seems to close down. Can't wait for tomorrow.