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So, I haven't said anything about my trip to NYC.
I've actually been to New York before - on a highly contained high school trip, about 23 years ago. That was also the last time I went outside of Canada. I don't get out much. Going to Winnipeg is kind of a big deal for me.
So - I had to drive to the airport in the middle of the night, treated myself (with an online coupon) to valet parking, and tried unsuccessfully to nap until US Customs opened up for the day. I did sleep on the airplane, thank God, because then I was operating on slightly more than 3 hours of sleep. My shuttle picked me up, and began my 5 days of chatty, friendly New Yorkers. (I met surly ones, too, mostly working in Starbucks.) I was dropped off at my hostel near Central Park, and as the shuttle drove away, tried to come to terms with the locked door and the sign from the Fire Department declaring the building closed. Eventually I trundled my suitcase around the neighbourhood to find their makeshift relocation, where I was directed to another hostel, this one open and organized and pretty awesome, thank God.
I got instructions for taking the subway downtown to meet my daughter, and began my adventures on the New York subway. That first trip involved transferring at 42nd street, which I later learned is Times Square. The subway system I'm familiar with is Toronto's; it has two lines, and they run in straight lines on three streets. Seriously. The NY Metro was hugely complicated for me; and so, of course, when I met my daughter, (who was so, so, so glad to see me - seeing that kind of joy on your child's face is a deeply nourishing moment) - we spent the next two days riding the subway to her castings.
THINGS I LEARNED WHILE GOING TO CASTINGS
I found downtown Manhattan profoundly overwhelming. The scale of the buildings, I just... and the seemingly endless urban landscape that stretches forever when you look down the streets. No sunlight on street level. I don't have words to describe the scale. So big. So inhumanly enormous, stretching up forever. The thrust of the city up into the sky reminded me of the Tower of Babel story; called to mind God's gift of diverse language (culture) in response to the city building up and up into the sky until we are overwhelmed. I don't know. Canadian cities did not prepare me for urban structures on that scale.
I've actually been to New York before - on a highly contained high school trip, about 23 years ago. That was also the last time I went outside of Canada. I don't get out much. Going to Winnipeg is kind of a big deal for me.
So - I had to drive to the airport in the middle of the night, treated myself (with an online coupon) to valet parking, and tried unsuccessfully to nap until US Customs opened up for the day. I did sleep on the airplane, thank God, because then I was operating on slightly more than 3 hours of sleep. My shuttle picked me up, and began my 5 days of chatty, friendly New Yorkers. (I met surly ones, too, mostly working in Starbucks.) I was dropped off at my hostel near Central Park, and as the shuttle drove away, tried to come to terms with the locked door and the sign from the Fire Department declaring the building closed. Eventually I trundled my suitcase around the neighbourhood to find their makeshift relocation, where I was directed to another hostel, this one open and organized and pretty awesome, thank God.
I got instructions for taking the subway downtown to meet my daughter, and began my adventures on the New York subway. That first trip involved transferring at 42nd street, which I later learned is Times Square. The subway system I'm familiar with is Toronto's; it has two lines, and they run in straight lines on three streets. Seriously. The NY Metro was hugely complicated for me; and so, of course, when I met my daughter, (who was so, so, so glad to see me - seeing that kind of joy on your child's face is a deeply nourishing moment) - we spent the next two days riding the subway to her castings.
THINGS I LEARNED WHILE GOING TO CASTINGS
- When you find the right building and the right floor, just because the hallway is full of cute model boys doesn't mean you've found the right casting. You will find this out hours later when the agency calls to ask why you missed the fitting, and discover the hidden door and hallway to the right studio.
- The tiling in the subway stations is gorgeous, even just the numbers for the stations, all handcut tiles, and coloured mosaics.
- Flat boots aren't good enough. Fashion be damned, sheepskin or hiking boots were probably in order.
- You really can pick out all the other models on the street and subway. They are tall, and focused, have their smartphones out and are wearing good walking boots.
- Model mommies need a big bag full of snacks and kleenex and water and a subway map and some extra layers for your kids to steal as the day goes on. Also be willing to parent other models you meet along the way, sharing bandaids, directions and gluten free snacks in hallways and elevators. The other model moms will be kind to you.
- Your metro pass is pretty much the best thing ever.
- American barristas are not amused if you mistakenly give them Canadian coins instead of American. Even if it's a penny. Really.
I found downtown Manhattan profoundly overwhelming. The scale of the buildings, I just... and the seemingly endless urban landscape that stretches forever when you look down the streets. No sunlight on street level. I don't have words to describe the scale. So big. So inhumanly enormous, stretching up forever. The thrust of the city up into the sky reminded me of the Tower of Babel story; called to mind God's gift of diverse language (culture) in response to the city building up and up into the sky until we are overwhelmed. I don't know. Canadian cities did not prepare me for urban structures on that scale.
