Last Saturday, September 28, I joined the Central Park Sketching and Art Meetup group in a little triangular park way way downtown on the east side of Manhattan, Corlears Hook Park, under the Williamsburg Bridge. It seems this is where the term "hooker" comes from. Pirates really dug this place back in the day.
Because of its location, directions and maps were just vague enough to result in a lot of travel anxiety group messaging. I studied the map, located the nearest subway stop and planned the walk from there. Then I had a brainstorm while I was at Penn Station last Wednesday and I asked at the information counter if there was a bus route map. Ta Da! Everything was solved.
The M14a (not the M14d so paying attention was necessary) went almost directly to the park. This meant that I could get to the city early, eat breakfast (oatmeal and coffee), head for the 30th & Ninth Ave. stairway to the High Line and walk to 14th Street. A great day just got better especially since it was early Saturday morning, the tourists were not out in force yet, the sun was shining and the temperatures were just the right degree (ha! get it?) of cool. I walked so fast no one could see me.
I was on the bus and at Union Square someone I recognized boarded. We looked at each other and simultaneously thought:
1. Good. I'm on the right bus.
2. If I get lost so will she. Phew.
There was an added benefit.
When the driver told me we had reached the stop I thanked him and asked where I should catch the bus to go back crosstown later that afternoon. He gave very good directions which I promptly forgot (the way you forget someone's name the instant they tell you) but Janette was listening and she remembered. Double Phew.
I straddled a wall to sketch this view of Brooklyn, the East River and a passing sail-less boat.