The Last Day

Hey everyone,

Sorry this is a very, very late post. When I got back from New York I had a ton of work I needed to do: the film festival was going on, I had to turn in some college applications, school was starting. With all that, I was a little behind in school and so couldn't blog as much as I wanted to.

But now I'm finally all caught up. It feels so nice. And here is the final chapter to my trip!

Day 9 1/2 & 10 -

Well, from what I remember where we last left off. We were in Central Park looking for Edgar's phone, which was unsuccessful...

The night did not end there...oh no. In fact, that was probably the least exciting thing about that night. Well for me anyway. We didn't know that the great park had a curfew and was asked to leave, rather rudely, by New York's finest.

An excerpt from Edgar and I's run-in with the law:
Officer #1: (looking at my ID) Why do you have a California driver's license?
Me: I live there.
Officer #2: Well then, what are you doing here?
Me: I'm visiting him (smiling, pointing at Edgar)
Officer #1: (handing my ID back) Alright, you guys can go.
Edgar: We were just looking for my...
Officer #2: Just leave the park.

Why can't my encounter with law enforcement ever be positive? Like if the could help me pick out a good donut or tell me when COPS is on TV. I like that show.

Anyway - we went back to Edgar's apartment. Actually, we got H&H and then went back. We played video games.

And if we were average human beings we would then have slept.

But if you know anything about me - or Edgar - you would know that we are creatures of the night.

So we stayed up, knowing that we were just going to be kicking it at a spa in Queens all day.

And we did...at about 5AM we took the subway to the Spa Castle.
Edgar said, "Isn't that disgusting?" Pointing to the clock...
It was interesting see all of the hard working, tired, weary people get to their jobs via metro. We were also tired, but where we were going was going to be the exact opposite of work.

About 45 minutes later, we were freezing in Queens, waiting for a van to take us to the castle.
We missed the first one and so had to wait a half hour for the next one...it was cold.Now...to really experience the Spa Castle, you need to go there. Their website will help...but it really doesn't do the place justice.

Here's the short version:
You pay $35 for a full day pass. You sit in different igloos (saunas) that have different smells, lighting, and feel. You sweat, but smell and feel good. You get to swim in their huge freakin' outdoor spa with massage jets coming at you from every which way you can imagine. You sit around in leather couches watching Barack Obama get inaugarated. You take a nap. You wake up. You eat Korean food. You shower. You go home as happy as a newborn.
The Spa Castle. I realize it would be cooler if it was an actual castle, but still pretty darn awesome.

After a long subway ride home back to Manhattan. I took a nap on Edgar's couch, while he got a new iPhone.

We ate a delicious home cook dinner and decided we wanted to watch a movie.
We realize that it was going to be my last night in the city, so I wanted to take a picture of the family that let me sleep on their couch and feed me for ten days. I'm so incredibly grateful. They were so nice and accomadating.
So we took a bus to the Lincoln Center Theater where we were going to see Waltz With Bashir. Which is an astonishing film, one of the best I've seen in 2008.
We waited like 30 minutes for a bus home and almost froze to death. But made it back, and knocked out.

In the morning, I woke up to saying goodbye to Isy half asleep. Then getting my things ready to go. Said goodbye to this little creature...is she smiling?
But of course, I needed H&H before I left. I am seriously going to move to New York just for their bagels. Which sounds ridiculous, but I am not kidding...easily one of my top 10 food.
I think Edgar would agree...
So we walked through Central one last time, it was still snowy, which was nice. Then we went back to the apartment and picked up my bags to go to JFK.

Last trip down to the elavator. Edgar and I would play a game, trying to guess which of the four elavators would hit our floor first. I did pretty well, but I don't think he ever got one...
He escorted me to terminal and that was that...I was on my way home.

These were all the ticket stubs I had left over from the trip. Great addition to the collection.
I arrived in LA around 11PM West Coast time. A good friend picked me up and I stayed the night in Huntington Beach.

The following morning, I drove home.

And that's that. Nothing too exciting about the last few hours in New York, but I wouldn't change it for the world. I had a blast. I wasn't even all that sad leaving because I know that New York will always be there for me and I excpect to come back sooner rather than later.