NEW YORK: LAST DAY

(Posted Monday, after our return.)

We started out our last day in New York City in our very pleasant breakfast room, overlooking 23rd Street....

Having contacted a long-lost cousin several weeks ago, Ellie had arranged to meet him and his family for lunch, and he had suggested a drive out along the Hudson River to their country home. He was at our hotel promptly at noon, and we headed north along Riverside Drive and out across the George Washington Bridge in cloudy, somewhat muggy weather, passing through the busy small town of Piermont and up into the hills. Here's a glimpse of the river from the car along the way--no time for the grand view!

Cousin Gary kept us busy along the way with family history: he and Ellie, it seemed, had never actually met, but Gary had known Ellie's father and her uncle, and the two of them shared common memories of numerous other family members and friends.

Up in the hills, we arrived in the driveway of a lovely country house, shaded by trees and surrounded by koi ponds and a terraced garden with a chicken coop. Here we were greeted by Gary's wife, Debbie, and soon by their sons Adam and Jase, and Jase's lovely family--his wife Caroline and their two children, the very bright eight-year old, Emma and the six-month old Jack. A great family, all lively, all creative. Jase's band, Glint, managed by his brother, has been touring internationally and is now producing a (third?) CD. We sat for a while in the living room, enjoying the tidbits Debbie had prepared. Then took the ritual family pictures...

... and left in a caravan of two cars for lunch at Baumgart's, in neighboring Englewood, New Jersey--a traditional, family friendly diner that now serves, among other things, an excellent Chinese menu.

We had intended to return to the city in time to stop at the Guggenheim Museum, but were so engaged with the family that the time slipped past without our noticing. Gary and Debbie drove us back into town, and we took advantage of the few minutes to spare before our dinner date to put our feet up and catch our breath. Then, at six, we walked across town to Tenth Avenue to meet our Laguna Beach friend Huw at the Cookshop. Great to see him again, and to catch up with his fascinating international business life. Huw is a fellow Buddhist practitioner and a member, now mostly in absence, of our little sangha in Laguna. An excellent dinner made from fresh, local foods, a bottle of fine, crisp Alsatian pinot blanc, and good conversation.

We indulged one final time in a common dish of ice cream, swearing to get back to our good habits on our return home; then took a walk with Huw along the Highline...

with wonderful, intimate rear window views into the apartment buildings along the way, and more distant city prospects. A great way to see New York at night...

and a wonderful way to conclude our visit here. Tomorrow, a car to the airport and the flight back to Los Angeles...