Thursday, October 2, 2008

33. rundown dirty hellhole

It may seem strange that I plug all the arbitrary places we went and ate and viewed, but please try to understand. I’m from a (gorgeous, fantastic, ground-breaking) little third-world country far, far away. To us, concepts like Time’s Square, Dunkin Donuts, uptown, Pastis and 5th Avenue are all coated with the same shiny veneer of fame. These are words we’ve only heard in movies and television shows. In our geographically limited experience these streets, sights and restaurants are peopled with all the characters we know and love.

The effect this had on me was that every mundane little thing I did there was somehow glamorised and made more meaningful because I was doing it in New York. I even enjoyed my two-hour journey on the subway all the way from 181st Street to JFK, to go fetch my Beautiful Boy. We took the subway back to Manhattan again as I was too lazy to figure out the buses, though it would’ve been a good sightseeing trip! But my Boy was there, and I didn’t want to look out at the city, (sap alert!) only into his eyes.

We checked into our “hotel” just off Time’s Square. We’d booked late and we were on a budget, let’s just say that the place was a little worse for wear. Our “room” was about the size of my suitcase, but we had our own little dingy “bathroom” for which I was thankful. We’d read horrible reviews of our “hotel” on tripadvisor, which was a great idea, as we were consequentially quite impressed when we found clean sheets, no overwhelming smells and no blood anywhere!

The best feature in our palatial suite was the back wall of the room, it was painted a pure bright red. That might put normal people off for seeming a bit shady, but when Boy and I had dreamt of our One Day home, we both agreed that there would definitely be a shrieking red wall somewhere.
It’s a powerful testament to the wonders of love, that what might be construed as a rundown dirty hellhole by some, was to us the most perfect little love nest.

10 comments:

Catie Nastovici said...

next time, take the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) from Penn Station! I used to live on 149th & Broadway and it used to take soooo long to get JFK that I'd try my damnest to fly out of LaGuardia. Now, the LIRR to midtown only takes 20-40 minutes...and I work in Times Square...though I'm assuming you didn't stay at the Millennium Broadway...

Janine / Being Brazen said...

Just found your blog and loving it...great little adventure you are on.

Anonymous said...

Ah I have an experience very similar to this. We stayed in a few hotels that were very "creepy" and "rundown" on a couple trips but we were so in love that it didn't matter. what a wonderful feeling.

Kim said...

How stunning Redframe!I love how you spoke about your own place with red walls! We have often gone to places that I knew could possibly be romantic if we shared the same romatic ideal! Normally I ended up feeling upset that he wouldnt be happy and therefore the holiday would be ruined. What a wonderful match the two of you are!

Modelmental said...

femasculist, thanks for the tip! i really hope i get the chance to use it. trying to remember the name of the hotel... we stayed at the Manhattan Broadway, on West 38th? it really is a little dump!

being brazen, thanks and welcome! adventurous indeed, especially for the sensible gal that i am!

cave painter, even at the time i just knew that it makes for the best stories...

oh dt, I'VE BEEN WHERE YOU'VE BEEN! ruined holidays aplenty, in fact hard to remember an unruined one? no i don't think there ever was one. and now i solemnly promise you that there's a better way.

Cyd said...

*sigh* I just can't get enough of you two! I swear, every installment of this tale leaves me drooling for more. And, on the magic of NYC, even as an American and a proud NYS resident having spent considerable time in the city, I concur. There is an energy in the air that is nearly tangible at times and makes the place one of great wonder.

Cate Subrosa said...

I want a red wall too now.

cara said...

Sounds fun! We stayed in the YMCA in Brooklyn when we went to NY, it was most definitly not a love nest. I think the communal showers with padlocks on the door put an end to any love nesty feelings!

Modelmental said...

cyd, it's true! i totally fell for NY in the end, you just can't deny the magic in the air. i wanna go back!

GS, how will that go with your pink kitchen? hie hie, we still don't have a red wall. red brick though, does that count? x

Peonies, that is exactly why i appreciated the private bathroom... but when i say bathroom i actually mean closet with a toilet. must post hotel pics sometime! x

Angelina Clark said...

I enjjoyed reading your post