24 Jul My last full day in NYC

I woke up at 6:00 this morning. Unfortunately, I had used the last of the coffee grounds two days ago and was not able to have my customary morning cup of coffee. You see, I wasn’t about to pay $10 for another pound, especially if I was only going to be here another two days. So instead, I have paid even more than $10 on coffee at my neighborhood coffee shop, The 11th Street Coffee Shop. I was never good at math.

You get so much more, though, when you go out on a balmy Saturday morning and have a cup of coffee (and a chocolate croissant.) You get to catch up with neighbors plus you get some exercise and fresh air . . .

For my last day, I decided to stay close by and just re-trace the steps of the little neighborhood I’d come to call home. Reflecting on my journey in this great city, I had a hard time holding back tears. I knew I’d come back from time to time, but deep in my heart, I knew I’d never replicate the experience I had these last thirty days.

I left the coffee shop and went straight to the fresh market that shows up every Saturday morning (seasonally) in the park right down the street. Unlike I normally do, I didn’t stock up on any fresh vegetables, fruits or homemade bread. Didn’t make sense since I was leaving.

There was a new vendor, a man selling freshly harvested lavender. His stall smelled wonderful! He had made little sachets for your closets and drawers and wouldn’t you know it, this one had my name written all over it: “All of our hopes and dreams are within reach if only we believe.”

From there I kept walking east til I reached a really pretty park, Jefferson Market Garden. There were several people standing around, waiting for it to open. Just as I glanced at the flier on the fence, a friendly young woman with an Australian accent said to me, “It’s great. You aught to join us.” They have yoga in this park every Saturday morning. What a great thing to do my last day in New York!

One and a half hours later, my body had been stretched, pulled and contorted in more ways than one could imagine but I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending to my trip.

The young woman I met had just moved here from Australia as development director for a organization arranging micro-financing for women all over the world wanting to start their businesses. You can put money on this one, our paths will cross again one day. We became instant friends.

The only thing I had scheduled for the afternoon was a meeting at 3pm with a woman I had tracked down months ago. She is doing some phenomenal work with people all over the world (Before I die I want to . . .). Later I’ll tell you more about my meeting, but in the meantime, I got lost and ended up walking about 25 blocks out of my way. Folks you think it’s hot back home. It’s an oven up here.

Left Brooklyn about 5:30, headed for SoHo to Dean & Deluca, a lovely gourmet food store. A friend back home had given me a gift card which I’d saved to splurge on a celebration dinner for tonight . . . shrimp and artichoke salad, fresh berries, spinach and tomato quiche, blonde brownie, a British lemonade and an cranberry-orange scone for breakfast! Yum!

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I need to pack and tidy up my apartment but I’m tired – I’ve had a busy day. Got a long day ahead of me tomorrow and need my rest.

Goodnight, friends!