New York City Boys

A Stately Pleasuredome

One of my dear friends and former boss(one of the best, may I add) Wallace Tutt, has one of the most amazing pieces of land in the Caribbean that I've ever had the pleasure to set foot on.

Caribe Cay as it is called, is an island (yes, he owns an island!!) nestled between North Eleuthera and chic Harbour Island in the Bahamas. Wallace and his partner Don reside there most of the year, with occasional trips to Miami Beach for provisions and such. This island is equipped with a main house, two separate guest huts, a private bar and beach, and a light house (a good beacon for those inebriated nights at Sea Grapes, on Harbour Island).

Caribe Cay is a little piece of heaven in the middle of the Caribbean. I know this because I was fortunate enough to have had a hand in the interior design of the house (click on the GENRE article in the site written by Christopher Ciccone)and guest quarters and spent several months there during the installation. Those were amazing times and a piece of my life that I will never forget.

Wallace, who built and renovated Gianni Versace's house in Miami Beach, didn't stop there. Always ahead of the pack, he next built the luxurious and ultra chic Rock House on Harbour Island. Elle McPherson, Al Pacino and many others are regulars there.

End of An Era

Many gathered on Sunday night to see the Queen Mary 2 sail on its return trip to Southampton and to bid farewell to its older sister the Queen Elizabeth 2 as it sails off on its last voyage. Set to cast off at 7:30pm it took the QM2 a little longer to turn off from its pier due south, all because of its sheer size. And to much fan fare, flashbulbs, and helicopters circling it, it passed by us slowly, steady, and admired like the new young queen walking to her coronation. I'll will say that as I marveled at its size, I thought that the rest was alot of bells and whistles.

We're all thrilled to see a new beauty queen take the throne from the previous winner. But I wasn't. I was more impressed when I saw the Queen Elizabeth 2 in the distance slowly trailing the massive sister ship. Although there were fewer helicopters around it, a trickle of bulbs flashing in its direction, and less of a spectacle, the QE2 sailed off looking elegant and reminiscent of a golden age when ships were the way to travel and the who's who of society paraded on its promenade deck. I wanted to be on it with my top hat and tails waving goodbye to New York City. It reminded me of the pictures I saw of the Titanic. How it looked sleek in design, elegant, and was sooo fabulous. The QE2 as we all know, faired better. I gazed at the old gal and felt a bit melancholy, dawning on me that this was its last trip. I'm sure she had a nice run, but I'll never get to sail with her.

But I'm good sport and I welcome the QM2 back to NYC for many more encounters. Grand as it is, I hope it has as long of a run as the Queen Elizabeth 2.

QE2 you'll be missed. Adieu.

I Breathe

I Breathe.

I start. I dread.
But I use determination and will.
I start and I ponder the long journey.
Long, by the standards of the moment.
The pace is steady and a bit labored,
And I’m aware of my surroundings.
The long track curves at the end.
The back, the turn, and the start again.
I stride.

My pace is quick for the moment,
The views and the wind are all distractions.
My pace is quick and in synch with the beats in my ears.
I feel the sound which helps the stride along.
I count, two, half way there.
I think of where I’ve been,
And where I need to go.
I breathe.

The turn is familiar now, put the pace has slowed
The breath not labored, I resign to the rhythm
The air cools the sweat beading throughout.
I turn again, and see the last.
I count, there’s acceleration, my body aches.
I turn one last time.
I stop.

Again, tomorrow.

The Big Easy (continued)

New Orleans has a certain comfortable "hey neighbor" feel to it, especially to first time visitors. The combination of great home cooked food, rich in history, colorful locals that smile and greet you as you pass by and amazing architecture spread throughout the city.

It was indeed my first time, but I fell in love with this amazing city and predict that I will be returning to rediscover its richness time and time again.

For those not familiar with the Big Easy, here are some tips and perhaps highlights:

1. Stay in the french quarter, if you can. Pick a quaint, historic, yest chic hotel. The W, and the Chateau De Moyne come to mind

2. Garden District: If you want to see some amazing homes, go to the Garden District; If you're a fan of the Real World, New Orleans, the house will be easy to spot. Although now, its being renovated and has lost its MTV luster.

3. Audubon Zoo/Park: Definitely a must. Tall old trees, lush, a great place to spend an afternoon sipping iced tea.

4. Trolley rides: Why not? They are a buck twenty five and they hit all the major spots.

5. Cafe du Monde: Although a bit of atourist trap, its a great place people watch and eat a Beignet (a New Orleans must!!)

6. Bourbon Street: If you like crowds, this street in the French Quarter is packed even on non holiday weekends. Sometimes its fun to watch people get drunk and zig zag back to the hotel.

7. Cemetery tours: These you can do yourself. All of the dead are interred above ground, so the cemetery is quite a sight that may give you a bit of old New Orleans history.

8. To Go Cups: The lovely thing about the Big Easy is that you can drink and walk without getting into trouble. All you need is a plastic cup and some alcohol and alcohol is easy to find there.