From Shanghai to SF to NYC, and no better reunion

My visit to the States consisted of a return home to SF, a trip out to NYC to see some dear friends, and then a flight from NYC to Chandler, Arizona, for some meetings with Intel folks.

Guess which city I looked forward to going the least?

New York will always be the place to which I love escaping the most. It’s easy to get lost there, but so much to see while you’re lost that it’s worth it. And this time, of course, I got to see both Betty AND Jean, a unique double-whammy the force of which usually crushes all male-kind in their path. Thankfully (or fearfully), they treat me like one of the girls (or their several gay friends), and I got to bask in their love and devotion for a few days.

Betty has this amazing guest room that lets absolutely no light in or out, which makes it great to sleep in after 1 joint of Brooklyn’s finest. It also makes it hard to get up, and thus missed (if I remember through my stoned haze correctly) at least two lunch/brunch appointments with Shirley, who was wrapping up her one-year program at Columbia across the river.

I’m pretty much the worst tourist when it comes to NY, because I never want to do anything except hang out with my friends, eat cookies, and just watch life go by. Apparently, there was a huge and monumental art event going on that had the entire city’s rapt attention. Sounded pretty cool, except that I had a hard time waking up in that wonderfully pitch black room, and so ended up getting a cookie and some coffee with Betty, right before dinner.

Betty, if you’re ever in Shanghai you need to stay with me. Your rolling skills are without par.


Two of my favorite people in the universe

Highlights of New York (in no particular order):

- That crazy cheese plate (damn, no brie!)
- Eating pizza with three other women
- That one deli and that one deli’s pastrami
- Jean, Betty, Shirley, Wilkie, I-tien…and even Lesley Chen! (WTF!)
- Fresher air than Shanghai
- No Chinese Food
- Complaining about tourists at the MOMA with Jean
- That crazy black-hole room
- Kids who know how to dance to hip hop (not talking about me)

And of course, the city itself, in all its splendor, color, energy, dirty passion…I shall see you again, even if Central Park is pocked with shitty arrange rags.