Please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Alison!!!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing Alison (AIM) and her partner, Kevin, at the American Museum of Natural History where we took in the regular exhibits, plus the Space show at the Hayden Planetarium.
I have a few photos below that show scenes from the afternoon:
Walking up Central Park West...
The entrance to the museum...
The well known exhibit area related to the beta period on Open Salon...
The hi-tech vision for the future of Open Salon...
The Space Show at the planetarium was amazing and we left having enjoyed a spectacular look at outer space! One can truly be inspired after seeing one of these shows to find ways to enhance the space and light in their apartments and houses!
(On a side note a couple of years ago my wife spotted Neil deGrasse Tyson, the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space, plus the host of PBS's NOVA scienceNOW riding in the same subway car on the Lexington Avenue line and struck up a conversation with him.)
***
Around 4 PM Alison and Kevin parted company with me for a couple of hours and later we met up near Union Square at the Old Town Bar on East 18th Street, one of the oldest continously running taverns in the city with charm to spare! Of note, the beautiful tin ceiling, ornate woodwork, the ancient dumbwaiter (not the human kind) at one end of the bar, the old fashioned urinals in the Mens' room, and an overall cozy feeling which was enhanced by the timing...Friday evening!
***
Many of you will spot familiar faces in the group that met yesterday: Alison, Nikki Stern, Jaime Franchi, Cranky Cuss (Richard), Frank Apisa, Greg Correll, Greg's daughter Roxanne, and moi.
Lots of interesting discussions about self-publishing, writing, summer travel, Open Salon of the past, present, and future, plus a host of other personal stories made for a memorable and special gathering! We had a birthday toast for Alison which made for a festive prelude to her birthday today.
Below are three candid shots taken with the ambient light and in the background of the first photo one can see the bar in the distance.
L to R: Alison, Frank, Jaime, and Nikki:
Nikki, Cranky, and Greg:
Frank, Jaime, Nikki, and Cranky:
Group shot using the camera flash: Frank, Nikki, Jaime, and Cranky:
Cranky, Greg, Roxanne, Nikki, Alison, Jaime, and moi sitting in front of Alison and Jaime:
To sum up, it was beautiful time together for a group of OSers in the cozy setting of New York City's Old Town Bar!
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Comments
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y, A L I S O N!!!!
So...it was Alison's birthday. I wish I had known that last night. I woulda wished her Happy Birthday then.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALISON. (Great ink!)
This looked like a lot of fun!
Great photos and great girl to celebrate.
Wish I lived closer...
So many good writers and good folk all round.
Happy Birthday Allison!!
Thanks for this John...
r.
Looks like a good time had by all!!! Wooo!! :)
Happy, Happy birthday Alison! Looks like great fun.
Red Dress Dancers get Attracted To Her.
Nikki can't deny? A night at a DC` Saloon.
Memory.
I no knew?
I cab dance.
Nikki teach.
No do Belly?
Belly Dance.
`
Dear Aim,
O! Allison.
Lucky duck?
Lucy Kevin.
Mt request?
Please Hug.
Kiss Allison.
Kiss Nikki ay.
`
No kiss Cranky?
Kiss Everybody.
No kiss Kerry?
`
He may bite lip.
He may be sop?
I worry `bouts.
He in good mood?
He pop in for gin?
Dearest Allison . . .
Happy Birthday Allison!!!!
I LOVE all these OS'ers - each one now has a special place in my heart. Jaime is radiant and so sweet, and funny as hell. Nikki too - what a treat. Cranky is not cranky, and great to banter with, as you might suspect. OMG Frank Apisa - he should be at every party. Greg and I have been talking for so long that we fell into each other like old friends - which we are. His daughter is lovely and very tolerant of old people. And John is also a true and steady friend, who I truly thank for this lovely post, with apologies for not showing up sooner.
Thanks also to all you lovelies who commented to say Happy Birthday - it means a lot, a lot, a lot to me.
The party started there and didn't really stop until I left NYC today. I had booked tickets for a sail around the harbor yesterday, but due to a lot of cluelessness of cab drivers and strolling cops, we missed the f**ing boat. So - we were running around battery park like bad contestants on the Amazing Race. Then, tried to get a cab away from the chaos of that area, but spent $9.00 to get 3 blocks. Decided to go back to Queens - no ATM's working at all, and we had spent all of our cash. Wound up at a bar, had to use a credit card to get subway fare, back to Queens for a little reboot and...well, this is practically a post...I ended up having very much fun with a lot of "running" around in my flipflops.
I would not change a thing from Friday...and, really, even with the crazy parts of yesterday it was swell. Much love to you all...xo