Walk Along the River....

In a city of 8 million stories the scene changes without a moments notice.

In a space of 24 hours I went from this story:

I sometimes question my sanity living in New York City.  Saturday night I went looking for music. Stopped by a Jazz Club on 10th Street in the Village. For $20 I could go in and hear a band I never heard of. So I asked the guy at the door what kind of music the band played. "We're a Jazz Club." "I'm sorry, yeah I know that. What kind of Jazz does the band play?" "It's Jazz. Would you... even know the difference?"
Before my head exploded I headed toward another club thinking Blues would be more in line with a positive scene. So I headed to a club on Bleeker. For $10 I could hear the band who was on break. "What kind of Blues is it?" "It's Blues." "Yeah I know, Chicago, Delta? Texas?" "I can't help you there I haven't looked at the band." I headed home. Thinking about doing that literally as well.

To this story:

 I decided to walk to my village apartment from work last night. 6pm. I work at 65th St. and live on 3rd street.
Still learning the city I heard that the Hudson River Park and Bike Path goes all the way down the west side of Manhattan to the Battery and then back up again on the East River.
I usually go down the center of the city through Times Square and down seventh avenue until I get tired and get on the subway about 23rd but yesterday I decided I would take the Riverwalk.
It was wonderful; geographically speaking like my hometown of New Smyrna Beach except for the fact that, well it's Manhattan and across the way I can see Jersey City and all the buildings to my left, the Empire State building, Madison Square Garden thousands of buildings I have no idea.
The river was on my right under the late afternoon sun, the city on my left, lots of people walking biking in all sorts of traffic sort of thing it was great the breeze was wonderful it was July hot but I was fine. I carry an umbrella for shade.
As I walked along many things would just come and go from view but at one point I came from behind a building on the right and there in all its glory was the USS Intrepid.

I couldn't believe it! It was larger than any structure I had ever seen before and it was floating on the water.

A Space Shuttle is on deck and so are planes and jets and helicopters.  It's just amazing that this huge machine plowed the waters all those years during World War II  and was the emblem of American might in the oceans of the world and it is Right here in Manhattan!

Just to the south alongside of Intrepid I heard "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and twist, turn step step, 5,6, 7, 8. Very good!" There on the banks of the Hudson were a hundred couples learning to swing dance! They were having a blast and all I could think of was how the results of the fighting men on the aircraft carrier in the background enabled this type of life to continue. 

 

 Keeping on keeping on I continued to a place on the right, again on the river, was a giant barge turned restaurant called the FryingPan. Curious I headed on in and there were hundreds of people enjoying the sounds of gypsy jazz and the river breezes in the sunset.  It was kind of like, well JB's Manhattan style.

After a couple hours there it was getting dark so I got back on the path again and thought I would hit the subway at 23rd but I was already past 23rd so I just kept walking and walking then walking through the Village headed home and as I passed the Blue Note who was standing outside but several players in the Duke Ellington Orchestra who had been playing there for the past week.
 I stopped to talk and chat and ask how their week was and they were very friendly and by the end of the conversation I was running home to take a quick shower as I had been an invited guest to their final show Sunday night!
So what a great end to my story from the night before, don't tell me I didn't know what kind of jazz I was going to be listening to, I was going to be listening to some of the greatest American Jazz played by some of the finest musicians on alto and tenor saxes, clarinets, a piano that just couldn't be beat trumpets, trombones, drums and bass...incredible!
I truly felt the spirits of Noble "Thinman" Watts, Harold Blanchard, and
Duke Ellington himself come into that room while that music was being played. What a wonderful experience!

New York City, it's back on!