Chelsea morning, a Tyrant and Poetry in Motion

We heard from the young New Yorkers that we had walked right past Chelsea Market yesterday with no clue what we were missing.

We decided to head back down this morning, though there would be better times to visit than with the Saturday crowds.

This historic site is the old National Biscuit Company where the oreo cookie was born. It now houses dozens of trendy shops and restaurants and oreos have been replaced by French macaroons.

Most notable shop was 3rdware where budding woodworkers can operate woodworking tools in a trendy studio under supervision of carpenters.  Same general idea as paint-your-own-pottery studios.  Novel concept!

Our mid-day event was attending the Off-Broadway production of Breakfast with Mugabe.

Robert Mugabe is the current 89 year old President of Zimbawbwe, and this week's CCN Report will give you an inkling of his hold on power.

The play is a fictionalized "event" which supposes that Mugabe's wife calls in a white psychiatrist to treat him as he threatens her and her children and he is  haunted by the spirit of a murdered former ally.

The play is a interesting study of power, psychology, guilt and racism.  It was an intense experience and required focus on the dialogue.  Devastating ending.  Excellent acting by real pros.


We fiddled around for a while.  Bought Dilara a discount ticket to Jersey Boys at TKTS so that her earlier theatre experience of the day could be rounded out by a buoyant musical (Ben and I saw it last time we visited).

While waiting for her to head to her second show of the day, we whiled away some time in a Rockefeller Center coffee shop.


A bit earlier on the subway, I had noticed a beautiful poster with a poem, entitled Voyager.  It captivated me, so I took a picture - turns out that MTA has a Poetry in Motion project (subway riders get culture on the way to work, lucky dogs).

About the same time I noticed that poster, Dilara discovered that the back of her subway pass also contained a poem.  It is  appropriate to her life right now and the lives of some of the young SLO New Yorkers (and others everywhere) who are struggling to make it in the new world economic order.

Back at the apartment where Ben is making soup, I got a text and pic from Dilara - she loves Jersey Boys!

Garrett and Libby arrive after midnight for their week with us in NYC.  They are very excited to about their first visit.  Dilara leaves tomorrow evening.

We will be at the Upper Westside apartment until Tuesday afternoon and then we move to Brooklyn for the next 6 days.  Lots of fun ahead!