Three miles on the westside
Me: What do you want to do on your actual birthday?
Her: Honestly? I just want to take a nice walk around NYC like we did when we were in Pasadena.
Me: Really? That’s easy. I can make that happen.
Me: OK, I have an itinerary. Wanna see it?
Her: Sure! Whacha got?
We start at 14 St / 7 Ave
8 min walk to Chelsea Market
15–20 minutes at Chelsea Market
5 min walk to High Line at 16th Street
Walk 1 minutes to 23rd St and go to 10th Avenue and Hudson River Park
Waterfront walk for 12–15 minutes
Exit the park around W 50th St and east to 9th Avenue, stores along the way
Walking north on 9th Avenue to 852 9th Avenue and dinner
Walk to stores at Columbus Circle, train to 96th and home
Her: That sounds great!
Me: Crap.
Her: What?
Me: Did you see the weather?
Her: (checks her phone) Oh no!! It’s gonna rain. Wait, I know, let’s go to Hudson Yards. We can walk to the restaurant from there.
Me: Oh, but that stinks, I wanted you to get the city, parks, and waterfront.
Her: It’s ok. At least we’ll still get to do some window shopping and have dinner.
Me: Sweeeeeeeeet. Let’s go.
Me: You know, the last time I was here was with you. It’s so much busier now.
Her: Well, that’s a good thing, right? Oh, Kate Spade! Can I check out some stuff?
Me: It’s your birthday, for sure.
Her: Thanks!
Me: I’ll just get comfortable in the husband chairs. (later) Hey baby, we should get going.
Me: (walking past the Dyer Avenue / W 36th Street interchange) You know, when I was a young guy working in midtown, I’d never – in a million years – imagine there’d be all these expensive restaurants around here. Literally, this is where you would go to get shived.
Her: I can imagine.
Her: Logan, you gotta slow down.
Me: You know, walking speed is directly related to biological age. The faster a person walks, the younger – biologically – someone is.
Her: Yes, you’ve said that but… OH CRAP!!!
Me: What?
Her: OMG…eeeewwwwww…
Me: DID ANOTHER BIRD POOP ON YOU?!
Her: I hate pigeons, Logan. I hate them so much.
Me: Wait, aren’t we close to the restaurant?
Her: Lemme check. (looks up address) Shoot, Kashkaval Garden is on West 56th, not West 50th.
Me: OK, six more blocks…
Her: (after arriving) Finally!
Me: I’m starving.
Her: Me too.
Me: (after the food had arrived) OK, first of all, man, does it feel decadent to eat all this bread. Secondly, alla this is so good.
Her: The tapenade and the whipped beets are my favourites.
Me: Nuthin beats beets.
Me: Excuse me, waiter?
Him: Yes?
Me: We also ordered some meat skewers. Could you check to see how they’re doing? We’re about done with these.
Him: Of course!
Her: Good, I was getting full.
Me: Yeah, me too – I’m not used to eating all this bread.
Me: You up to walk to West 72nd instead of Columbus Circle to take the train home?
Her: Sure. We can walk off some of that food.
Me: (walking past my law school) Man, I can’t believe law school was 30 years ago. That’s…crazy.
Her: (after walking past Lincoln Center) It’s amazing we get to walk past things like this all the time.
Me: It’s amazing what we get used to.
Her: Hey, do you mind if we pop into the Apple Store?
Me: (shrugging) Sure.
Her: (after a few minutes) I was almost gonna get the new iPhone 17 but they’re closing in five minutes. I don’t wanna make someone stay late.
Me: Well, they do make a commission.
Her: I heard someone say that they’re not doing any more sales. I’ll come back. Besides, it’s late and I want to go home.
Me: Yeah, I’m exhausted – we walked three miles!
Me: (at home) Was it a good birthday?
Her: You were there, so yes.
Me: Sorry we didn’t get to do what I had planned.
Her: It’s fine. We’ll have lots of birthdays to do together.
Location: all up and down the west side
Mood: sore
Music: Look myself in the eye, feel the crack of a smile (Spotify)
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