CR Update May 2008

Hello from NY:
Joe is doing well in Nosara—our friend Gunter is staying in one of our guesthouses for the summer and it is great for Joe to have company. He just had a full moon party for his 62nd birthday—it was somewhat under attended because of a tragic incident the week before—Tigre, ½ of our barbequing duo, was killed in a motorcycle accident. Fritz had a benefit for Tigre’s family the day before the party and many people cannot go to two events in a row. However, a lot of our friends were at the party and Joe had a good time —he tells me he overdid it on the car bombs—16 in 4 hours--both doctors who were at the party called him the next day to make sure he was OK.

I am enjoying being back in NY. It is good to be in a city, though this being NY, calling it a city is an understatement. I went to the “Bitter End” the other night—3 bands in 3 hours, $5 cover, $11 martinis, $6 for Bass on tap. And I recently went to the Village Vanguard—the best venue for jazz I have ever been to- the Al Foster Quartet—incredible acoustics in a small basement ($30 cover which includes one drink). I had lunch with George Howie the other day who was passing through and I see Louisa my Australian friend from Nosara, soon. I have visited my brothers and my 3 year old nephew in CT and will see my sister and my 10 year old nephew next month. It is good to say in touch with everybody.

I am safely at Muzich’s apt in Queens and I was fortunate to get this spot. She had just posted an ad on Craig’s list when I contacted her. NY is tough to get a temporary apt—I am told there is a 1% vacancy rate and places go fast. However, I have discovered the world of the youth hostel. I visited 3 youth hostels the other day in anticipation of next year’s work-visit to NY. The best one was Hostel International on the Upper West Side and it was great…spacious…friendly workers, etc. so next year this will be my back-up plan for initial housing while I look on Craigslist, assuming I can come back to Beth Israel. It may sound silly to plan this far in advance but it is hard getting things done from Costa Rica and the more I put in place while I am here the easier it will be next year. The nurse manager at Beth Israel told me they are opening another psych unit so there should be a need for me next year.

I took a class last week in writing personal essays—there is a structure to personal essays and places to send them when completed. The instructor said an essay is 900-1500 words about a personal experience grafted onto a universal experience. It seems doable and as long as I write them and send them, it may lead somewhere. Barnes and Noble in Union Square has lots of literary magazines for browsing—according to my guidebook, this particular Barnes and Noble is the former site of Andy Warhol’s factory. And I am communicating with a possible funding source for my woman’s group in Nosara. Anything could lead anywhere.

The pub is doing great. Joe has several people wanting to bartend—the feast or famine dilemma. He is saying he may have to open the pub more days just to accommodate the bartenders—I think this is good. Bartenders bring up their own crowd and we do have a wide range of patrons. So write or call if you can. Email is best but my phone # is at the top of the blog. Love, Helena and Joe