where is the life that I recognize
Got back from NY last week. Whirlwind of getting caught up with work, finishing up a big project, spending time with my boy, and decompressing from my insane trip.
Eddie declared this the Duran Duran Bipolar Tour of 2007. First bad news, then good, then bad, then good. It was pretty ridiculous. Saturday was a day for disappointment and disbelief. Travel all the way to NY to hear about the strike and canceled shows. Sob on sidewalk in middle of Chinatown. What the fuck is going on?
Next day, we start fresh. Think positive and don’t let seeing posters for the shows get us down. Experience Canal Street shopping for the first time. Nathan arrives and we walk around NY in a daze. Outside the big Apple store, we get word they have found an alternate venue. Jump up and down. Hooray! Get ready for premiere. Nerves rattling me. Relief. I really am on the list for the premiere of “August Rush”. Not only do I watch the movie early, but I watch it with Jonathan himself sitting 10 rows behind me. And I meet him thanks to Nathan’s prodding… the fantasy is not ruined. He’s sweet, charming, patient, and incredibly nice. Only makes what is happening now all the more heart breaking (another post coming about that). 
By now Eddie has arrived and we all meet for an amazing dinner in the meat packing district. Great meal, great friends, enchanting place. Dance ourselves silly to a perfect mix of music. Best DJ ever even plays DD’s version of “White Lines” for us.
Monday we try to go to the Met. Forget it’s Veteran’s Day. All museums are closed. We try to go to the ice skating rink in Central Park. They are about to close. We stuff ourselves silly at a great Italian place in Times Square and take photos outside the Barrymore as it still has all of the Duran posters up. Try not to be down that we won’t be seeing them in such a tiny and magical venue. Get ready for show, get mixed up on the subway, get turned around in Times Square, then freeze while waiting in line. The lights go down and “The Valley” begins. Hearing the new album track by track is incredible. The electro set alone was totally worth flying across the country for. Hearing “Last Chance on the Stairway” is unreal. Disappointed they play HLTW when they hadn’t been playing it at previous shows. SIGH. I want to chop my feet off they hurt so much from all the walking and standing. Briefly see Nick, Simon’s mom and brother, and apparently miss seeing Alan Cumming by 5 minutes. Eat yummy food at a hip place near Union Square. Crash hard as feet tingle.
Tuesday we eat fabulous Mexican food in Chelsea and make our way to Virgin Megastore in Times Square to buy RCM (and August Rush soundtrack). They even have cardboard cut outs of each band member and of course we have to take many silly photos with them. DJ plays the title track while in store and we scream. He remarks there’s Duranies in the house. Hell yeah! Buying the album at Virgin gets you a free poster. Sweet. We head back to Barrymore to take more photos to make up for the ones Candice lost. After much wandering, we go back downtown to get ready for show. I’m smart this time and wear my converse even with a fabulous red dress. Get better spot than previous night. Another fantastic show… though they play HLTW again. Vow if they play “Save a Prayer” we will leave the crowd to get a seat upstairs. “Do You Believe in Shame?” starts instead and we lose our minds. Walk past Simon’s mom and didn’t even know. Miss seeing Yasmin. I’m more upset about that then not even getting to talk to Roger. Chow down at diner on the corner where they have a painting of the Neil SIMON theatre sign done by an artist with the last name DURAN. FREAKY!
Wednesday is sad. We clean up, pack… Nathan leaves for New Orleans. Eddie and I finally make it to Central Park. Wander around… Strawberry Fields, Bethesda Terrace, Belvedere Castle. Gorgeous leaves turning color and filling the ground as we walk. The sun is out and it’s perfect. Grab pizza at a little spot in Little Italy on our way back. Leave treats for Laura and say goodbye to Chinatown. We feel adventurous so take subway to JFK. It’s actually really easy and super cheap ($7 each instead of splitting a $75 cab ride.) Get to see more of the city and hear all the wonderful accents as we ride along. Make it just as our flight is boarding. Collapse on plane and off we go.
Wonderful trip… crazy adventure. I’m so glad that I went and that I had the best friends to share it all with. I got to meet my favorite actor, I got to enjoy my favorite band, and I got to spend time with some of my favorite people in a fabulous city. *pinch* Had to check. 
