Outside of weddings and funerals and the occasional trip to Ogunquit, Andy and I don’t get to travel that often with my parents, so last weekend in New York City was a rare delight. We weathered the crazy snowstorm to arrive in a city that was just turning into a holiday wonderland, giving everything a sparkly glow of anticipation and excitement.
When my Mom and I were last in New York for our Broadway Mother’s Day weekend, the only thing we saw on ads all over town was ‘Come From Away.’ Since my Dad had lived in Nova Scotia and remembered it as one of the friendliest places on earth, she thought he would enjoy the show. I haven’t seen a show on Broadway with my father since the 1990’s, so this seemed a good time to return.
Traversing the crowded streets of Times Square is no easy feat for those of us in relatively decent health; doing so with two elderly parents and a disabled husband seemed like a daunting task, but everyone managed remarkably well.
Staying at the Kimpton Ink 48 Hotel in Hell’s Kitchen was a treat, with the one glaring exception of a raucously loud nightclub across the street that kept Andy and my Mom (in the adjacent room) up until well past 3 AM. My Dad and I somehow slept right through it, thankfully. The rest of the hotel stay was fine. I commandeered the remote and for once we steered clear of all the news and political yammering, sticking with the Food Network and Cooking Channel, where Ina and Giada and Martha showed us how to do various Thanksgiving dishes. (I’ll be trying a new twist on my candied yams, inspired by a sweet potato recipe from the Pioneer Woman.)
It was a key component to enjoying our downtime while in the hotel room, and a change of pace from the relentless stream of disappointment and chaos that usually pours forth from the television.
For my fragrance, I chose the sweet-tinged New York Oud by Bond No. 9. It’s an indulgent jewel – rich and opulent and decadent – the perfect embodiment for a quiet but sparkling New York City weekend. I made up for Tom Ford withdrawal by splurging on his just-released line of underwear. Somewhere in the midst of it all we bargain-shopped at Century 21, where Andy and Dad mostly just waited for me and Mom.
The show (‘Come From Away’) was amazing – I wasn’t expecting to be so wholly moved on so many levels. To be honest, I’d steered clear of it when planning our Mother’s Day weekend because I didn’t see how a musical could ever deal with the aftermath of 9/11 in any meaningful way. This transcended that by expounding upon the situation of those stranded in Canada when their flights were diverted out of America. Everyone who was alive and old enough to be cognizant in 2001 remembers where they were on that September day.
Whenever you go through something profound with a group of people, particularly people you have never met before, it brings out the primal and basic essence of who you are. Free from the burdensome expectations and established image that friends and family have, one is liberated to reveal oneself.
I’ve often felt this freedom in airports or train stations when traveling alone. I don’t have to be anyone other than who I am. There is no weighty history of four decades bearing down on me, no shared experiences where I behaved badly or hurt someone, no one who has seen me at my worst, no one who has witnessed any shame I once felt, and in some strange way I can be more of myself than I usually am.
Luckily, I have a similar sort of freedom with those who know and love me best, and surrounded by my parents and Andy, I felt fortunate to have such a loving family. They will always be better than a Broadway show, a bottle of cologne, and a pair of Tom Ford underwear any day. Here’s to the next adventure… maybe Maine in the winter.
