Friday, July 19, 2013

Road Trip With Mom - Again (Dad Gets To Go Too)

Chase down your passion like it's the last bus of the night. 
Terri Guillemets

Once upon a time, I wanted to live in New York City. College graduation upon me in a few months, I wasn't interested in the secondary English teacher positions I'd trained for. I wanted adventure. I wanted to see the world. I considered becoming a flight attendant hoping for a home base in New York City or London or Paris.

I didn't have the guts. I got married instead.

After a quick perusal of 35 years of marriage, had I known how many guts it would require to maintain a relationship this long, traveling the world would have been a much easier road. Not that I regret the marriage -- just that I regret not knowing when I was young how much passion and determination I held or how to unleash it.

I've visited NYC  a few times since then. Even lived within a 55 minute Sunday afternoon drive to Midtown for a short period. Ten years ago, my husband and I took our three boys there for a few days. This past weekend, we went back with our youngest son, the Bama boy. He got to stay.

Living vicariously through my children has offered more than many an adventure in my lifetime. I've shared quite a few road trips with those boys in the course of this blog's evolution. From The Field of Dreams to College Station to Flagstaff to Tuscaloosa to Yellowstone and all places in between never did I expect to add New York City to the list. But there we were, just hanging out in the city.


Me and Ian. Husband taking the photo. All fully satiated after a delectable Italian dinner. Only the beginning of our culinary pursuit which included Ian's restaurant selections of some of his favorite chefs.  David Chang's Momofuku Noodle Bar. Michael White's Osteria Morini. L'Ecole at the International Culinary Center.


Of course we had to visit Katz's and moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. Bob and I split a Reuben. Good thing. It may have only been a sandwich, but it was a big sandwich.


The mother of three boys never gets to go anywhere that a baseball game can't be found. Not quite certain what you call what we ate at Yankee Stadium. Ball park fare. BTW,  the cost of three beers equals a case in real life. Ian got to see his team, the Twins, beat the Yankees. I so liked the old Yankee stadium better. Much more character.

It wasn't all food, sports, and drink. We did add some culture, taking in the Museum of Modern Art.

Mondrian

Frida Kahlo

Cezanne


Rousseau

Andy Warhol


Kandinsky

Jackson Pollack

Warhol

Uh?
(Still searching for the artist)

Dryer Lint?  Robert Morris

Wesselmann Collage

Monet

Diego Rivera

Vincent One Ear

Monet's Water Lillies

We took a stroll through Central Park


And what would a visit to New York be without elbowing one's way through the crowds at Times Square.


Which then prompted a visit to Ipanema in Little Brazil for one of these little tasty treats.
A Caipirinha. Had to have two.

We are now Subway gurus. We can sweat with the best while waiting in the tunnels. Noticed how the Bowery's stop is not quite as nice as those up in Midtown.

Which brings us to the end of this tale and the reason for the Road Trip.

This is the view from that youngest son's new dorm room.

 The New World Trade Center

 Which goes with his new uniform.
From Austin to Alabama to New York City.
Chef Ian at the Culinary Center.
(I don't think they have as good of a football team as the University of Alabama, Ian.)

But...
Passion Pursued 
Guts Engaged
Adventure On
Go!

New York City. Skyscrapers and Everything. 
Stevie Wonder

18 comments:

  1. So awesome. I get all choked up thinking about our own life journeys; where we once were when we were their age and where we are now ... and our kids' life journeys; where they've landed now and where they're still going. What a ride.
    Great post. Because ya know, that's my favorite city ever. Ad I'm gonna live there someday. And you can come stay at my apartment on the UES. That I'll have. Someday.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG you will eat excellent food forever. So jealous.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really a fun ride through NYC with you and this post, thanks!!! It's been 9 long years since I've been there...we're planning our next journey in on the train...so glad you're back in circulation with such a lovely tale to tell :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I hope to do the same--seeing adventure and the world through our kids in a few years...Looked like a sunny day at Yankee Stadium for a game and glad your son's team won.

    And the lint pic thing? Though I have no artistic talents, I am sure we have plenty of dryer lint for me to put together something.

    Ha, enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had no idea I could make money on my accumulated lint. I'm going to start washing and drying like a fiend now. You guys take the best road trips! Can wait to get together an hear all the stuff you DIDN'T write in this post. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Aww congrats to your boy. You much be such a proud mama. Thanks for the tour through the city. It's been about 10 years since I was last in NYC. I suspect you'll be returning fairly often, now. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great trip! So proud of Ian. I too could so live in NYC or several other cities back East. The food, culture and the adventures are endless. Not to mention...water! Maybe someday, but I better hurry, at 60 I don't have that many somedays left :)
    Jonathan

    ReplyDelete
  8. Trip of a lifetime!
    Congrats on making it this far with your son--and now he's off on HIS path!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Julie, I really enjoyed this. I love NYC, loved your photos, love that your son is living there and pursuing his dream. I figured out at an early age that I didn't have the energy to live there unless I had lots of money, but it's a terrific place to visit. And now you have a new reason to go and a personal guide to all the best restaurants. (And you saw history being made when the Twins finally beat the Yanks at Yankee Stadium. It had been a while.)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I wanted to live in NY when I was young, too, but it wasn't meant to be. I've been there a few times, the most recent being about 5 years ago. My oldest daughter wants to go to college there, but it is SO expensive. My husband is banking on a Virginia (in state) college, no pun intended.
    Secretly, I would love for her to be able to go in NY because her passions are outside of the box like Ian's.
    Best wishes to him. How exciting! You and your husband are great parents. :)
    I enjoyed seeing your photos!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Loved this vicarious trip with you and your family. I haven't properly visited New York, nor been to Yankee Stadium, nor moaned like Sally :), but it was great to see your experience there. Also, don't you love our grown sons? Mine is a Marine in San Diego at the moment; I've abandoned my dreams of him going to college for 'letting' him do his own thing. At this point, it's the only way to mother.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yay on Ian! Thanks for the update.
    I don't have the energy to live in NYC, but love to visit. You have the perfect excuse now!

    ReplyDelete
  13. O.k, I just got a vicarious trip through yours!
    Such truths,btw, are rarely admitted to.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Now that's a summer adventure! You've raised some amazing young men. So now with fall beginning to whisper in our ears, what's next for you? Is it your turn this year?

    ReplyDelete
  15. This post contains useful information which helps us a lot. I have never seen such a great post. your wonderful post can inspire a lot and helps us. I visit your website often and share with my friends....keep sharing..
    Estetik

    ReplyDelete
  16. Reading backward to catch up. Wow! Go Ian! So exciting! I love NYC!

    ReplyDelete

Let me know what you think. Every word you write, I appreciate.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails