Monday - Library , NY bagel and a few frustrations

First thing this morning, I had another go at finding information from the US Postal Office around the corner. Once again the staff member who talked to me was rude, hard to understand and unhelpful. I had been warned by several people that they have a bad reputation. I had taken a plastic bag with a book and the icebreaker pants in it and wanted to know the price to send it to Australia. She said I should have looked it up on the internet – well I had and there were far too many choices with not enough info to choose between. She told me the price and then I asked what if it was double the weight. She was unable to tell me – I think her system was so automated that that enquiry was too much for her. Then she started telling me I was taking up too much time and there were other people waiting. I turned round and one of the people behind me rolled her eyes at the US postal woman and said to me it was fine. Then I bought some stamps for postcards. I asked if I needed air mail stickers. ‘Of course not’ she replied. There is, on very close inspection, a small aeroplane on the stamp. I set off up the street intending on having a cup of coffee at a café I had seen previously on my way to another postal company. The coffee shop was too crowded when I passed, the other postal service said they only send express ( the USPS was going to cost $28 and they quoted $110 for 3 days – obviously not appropriate), I walked back down the street and the coffee shop queue was out the door – longer than before – never mind I went to one of the 2 that I alternate between.

I caught the subway to near the main New York Library and walked to Greenacre park . I had read about this place and was curious. It is another like others I have seen that is surrounded by tall skyscrapers. It is small, has a waterfall, trees, tables and chairs, all paved, pots of brightly flowering plants. There was a sign saying no photos. I can understand if people are there that taking photos is discouraged but noone else was there – it was cold and drizzly. I went to take a photo and was told off by a watcher who I had not seen. Bother.

I walked a different way back to the library and then wandered around the different rooms that were available to the public. In one foyer area there were 4 murals depicting the progress of the written word. The first was Moses carrying a stone tablet with writing on it – 10 commandments, the second was a medieval scribe painstakingly copying out a book , the third showed Guttenberg and his printing press and the fourth showed Ottmar Mergenthaler, the guy who invented linotype.

I then caught the subway to the edge of the Lower East Side with the sole purpose of buying myself a smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel from Russ and Daughters, one of the famous NY delis, except it is not strictly speaking a deli because it does not sell meat. The official name used to be ‘Appetizer’ for stores that were like delis but did not serve meat. Not sure about now. Once again a minor frustration. For every choice I had to make – I asked for his suggestion. I ended up with Norwegian smoked salmon and I should have thought – that is what I eat at home if the Tasmanian salmon is too close to its use by date. It was delicious all the same. I sat on the chair outside the shop and watched the world go past. Then I walked a different route through Nolita and Soho to a subway that one of my 2 lines stopped at.

I stopped at the Lincoln Centre the complex of several buildings – different sized performance spaces. - where I saw the opera last Wednesday and where there are 2 Chagall paintings on the second story. They are designed to be viewed from outside, but there are currently some hanging advertisements obscuring them. I asked a guard how to get up to the balcony – he said I could not unless I was attending a performance. I asked if I brought my ticket stub from last Wednesday would he let me in? He said no. Then I tried the ‘I’ve come a long way’ line. That got me nowhere. Frustration number four.

I did have a nice coffee and fruit tart nearby. I caught the subway 2 stops rather than walk and got some dinner from Zabars. I hope that will be nice. I went into a shop that sold book readers. I thought they might have a cover for Tabatha. They almost fitted, but not quite. I got home and realised that I must have left my plastic bag with the items to be posted in the coffee shop. I went and got it, came home and remembered that I wanted to get some money today. Back out again. More stairs. Frustrations 5 and 6. But I am still smiling and enjoying myself.