I’m (GAT) coming up on 20 years of regularly riding Amtrak (funny, most has been on the East Coast). My first was Early October 2001. I think we all remember September 2001.

When 911 happened I was already scheduled for a business trip to Portland, ME. it was with with one of my favorite clients and friends – Whitney Drake (how’s that for a classic New England name?!?). In those days I always took red eyes out of SFO into Logan. It was an eerie flight – there were 8 of us total on the flight. I got a whole row to stretch out. Eerie!

I’ve always strived to embed as many experiences into my life / travels as possible. JDT, the kids and I were Oakland A’s season ticket holders. And I learned in late September the A’s would play the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs. AND as fortune would have it, games 1 and 2 would be played at Yankee Stadium during the week I was scheduled to spend in Portland. Just MAYBE??

I’m pretty good at logistics. This was whole new level. Tickets through the A’s. Discuss missing a day at the client with Whitney. Hotel. Train (connection to this post theme). Etc.

My college buddy, Steve Sagehorn was living in DC at the time. AND Steve is triple the adventure seeker than me. So I called him and told him I had a ticket for him, if he could get to Penn Station the afternoon of October 10. Easy peasy!!

Have you ever been to a playoff game at Yankee Stadium? Mind you, I’ve been fortunate to have been to plenty of playoff games, mostly with the A’s. (I’ll have to remember to tell the story of taking N&B to Minnesota for two playoff games – it’s a real good one). My first playoff experience was 1968 with my Dad, Steve and Mike (brothers) – Raiders v. Chiefs. I was hooked on sports. Back to the A’s – Yankees. There was a moment during the game where Jason Giambi hit a home run in the upper deck in right field. Well, me being ME, I jumped onto my feet and began chanting mvp, mvp, MVP!! The place was as quiet as a church, as this was a shot that sealed the win. My buddy Steve was tugging on me to sit down. Mind you, I was in full A’s gear. We did make it out alive!!

After a bit more than three hours sleep, I was off across 8th Ave to grab the train back to Boston. There was one more forever remembered moment. If you ever were in the old Amtrak portion of Penn Station, you know it was a bit “dated”. Anyway, as I navigated my way into the bowels of Penn Station, all of a sudden an announcement came through the speakers. You see it was early on October 11, 2001. And WE were observing a moment of silence one month on from 911. It was powerful.

All of these remembrances and emotions came over me as I entered the brand new Daniel Patrick Moynihan Train Hall and saw the same train I was on some nearly 20 years ago came up on the board.

So…the Block Party? Turns out it’s an opportunity for the neighbors to hang out and greet each other throughout the day. In terms of activity – there was a jumpy for kids and a cornhole set up. At the end of the street there was a couch, rug, and coffee table with some alcohol being shared. A few people bbq’d (Glen included) and a neighbor brought us some banana fritter…other than that – it was a day of people coming and going. The next day there were a couple main streets blocked off for block parties. Seems to be a thing here!

I found a new coffee place called “Odd Fox”. (There will be a t-shirt in Glen’s future – it has a cute logo.) Glen found a great bakery a couple blocks away and lo and behold! It also has a great Italian restaurant with tons of outdoor seating. We enjoyed a dinner there last night. Our waiter could not have been nicer; sadly it’s his last week as he’s headed to medical school. To finish our meal, we had the apricot pana cotta as we needed to compare it to Oakland’s Belotti’s raspberry pana cotta. Belotti’s won by a fairly large margin though Saraghina’s gave a good effort.

Today Glen is heading to Rochester so Dug and I will learn how to be independent city dwellers. Can I? Will I venture out onto the subway alone? Maybe Uber? Time to pull up my big girl panties and go!

Saw two rats today. That’s it. That’s the story. 😳

This really takes me back to my college days at Chico State. I learned my bbq skills from my neighbor in the apartment across the landing – Ken. For some reason I can’t remember his last name, and I think of him often as I bbq these days. You see, I learned without the benefits of today’s temperature setting pellet grill that I use at home in WC. In many ways I long for those days. If one can bring all the elements of bbq-ing (low, slow and steady) with devices meant to grill, well one can bbq or grill anything anywhere with a minimum of devices.

So I’m breaking in a brand new Weber. Kind of an ambitious undertaking when you’re doing your best to bring them food where they have incredibly high standards – pork spare ribs.

Shortly before the pandemic we spent time with our dear friends David & Mary. They are from the South – Birmingham, AL. And while staying with them and two other Southern couples, I dared to prepare biscuits and gravy. I’m pretty sure they loved it. Pretty sure!!

So, I may not always succeed. As a matter of fact I’ve been known to crash pretty hard.

The joy is in the trying!!

Here goes.

I have spent quite a bit of time sitting in our front yard. And by “yard” I mean a slab of concrete next to the stoop with a 16’x6’ dirt planter, and an iron fence and gate creating our space. All up and down the block are identical “yards” where only the ironwork and planters are different. Well, the stuff housed in the yards is also different – bbqs, chairs, storage units, trash receptacles, flowers, greenery, etc. Dug likes to be with me, but he cannot relax due to all of the activity and noise – passers by, dogs, traffic, sirens, deliveries, semi-trucks, MTA buses, school buses and construction in 3 places in this block alone. (Glen and I keep saying we want to record the noises here.) While it may not sound like paradise to some, I find I really enjoy my time out here. So many passersby greet Dug and me as they carry on their day. A few even stop to say hello. Yesterday a neighbor gave the kindest response to my greeting. When I asked her how her day had been she responded, “All the more blessed by your question”. I’ve met Zora and Patty who will be at the block party tomorrow. I swept our yard and sidewalk in preparation. And in the spirit of being a good neighbor, I also swept the sidewalks of our nextdoor neighbors! Let the ruckus begin!

Update – After using my little broom to sweep 3 “yards”, this afternoon a kind gentleman brought his blower and cleaned the sidewalk and yards for everyone on our side of the street❤️.

So, five days in and time for our first museum. JDT selected the Brooklyn Museum. I’m sitting here enjoying some shade as we are just beginning to experience one of NYC’s sticky summer days.

We’ve been here for 4 days – we’ve found a largish market, a corner bodega (on every corner), TJ’s (a subway ride away), a 99 cent store, a couple USPS offices, a coffee shop (5 doors away-we already feel like it’s “our local”), a brisket/corned beef restaurant (loose term), a Japanese/Mexican restaurant (loose term) and the wonder of Amazon for some things we need for comfort.

In all of our wanderings and observations via walks, sitting on the stoop, and sitting on the sidewalk while sipping/eating…I have come to have an inkling of understanding of what it’s like to NOT be the “majority” in the neighborhood and what it’s like to live in such a diverse neighborhood. Let’s face it, my living experiences have ALL been suburban, white communities and while I always worked in a Latino community, I never lived there. We wanted “different”. We got it and I think that it’s going to be awkward, uncomfortable, exciting, and eye-opening. This weekend our neighborhood is having a 9 hour block party. I hope we step out of our comfort zone and enjoy the new experience to the fullest! Wish us luck!

I don’t know what it is, but anywhere in the world I feel at home on the trains of any kind. I even like BART. Yes, I am unusual. So, we needed to get provisions this AM that can best be satisfied by Trader Joe’s (JDT worked there in her distant youth and has strong ties). So, the urban thing. Grabbed our TJ’s bags, jumped on the subway and there you have it. Acclimating.

So, to say we have “landed” in a new land is an extreme understatement. Yes, I was expecting it to be different. AND . . .

Before we traveled to Southeast Asia (principally Vietnam) in October 2019 I used to say I could (and probably would) live anywhere in the world. I learned that just isn’t the case for me. It was “too” different. AND it really emphasized a need in me, at this stage in my life, to really push myself out of my comfort. So, for me, that was a big part of choosing Brooklyn.

And boy does it appear that we hit the target. I’ve never lived in this urban a setting. I’ve never lived in this level of diversity. I’ve never lived where a vehicle wasn’t my chief mode of transportation. I’ve never “lived” outside of California. From 6 to 19 I lived in a town of 200, yes 200.

This is going to be everything I had hoped for, AND MORE!!

So, here we go!!

JDT here. After our 5:40 am start we are now lounging at the beautiful Holiday Inn Express in western SLC. Easy peasy 11 hours. Went to Red Iguana for dinner (after seeing it on Triple D and after lots of NYTCC members suggested it). Meh. California spoils us for Mexican food. Off to Lincoln, NE tomorrow for our longest day! PS So far…yes, we can!