Hot Town, Summer in the City

Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty…. Yesterday was Labor Day. Henceforth white pants are a fashion faux pas (and also extremely dangerous on public transportation), neighborhood swimming pools are closed – goodbye Columbia University lifeguards – and kids are thrown back into the public institution we like to call school. Here is my ode to what The New York Times calls NYC’s hottest summer yet – yeah 2010!

1. Movies in the Park – Whether I’m lounging at Bryant Park or by the Brooklyn Bridge, free movies, picnics and friends are the perfect summer evening combination. Who doesn’t love the way Shaun Connery says “Indie” in The Last Crusade? And Richard Dreyfuss’ antics in The Goodbye Girl melts my heart.

2. She & Him on Governor’s Island for the 4th of July – Hipsters, a stimulated beach, ice- cream and Zooey Deschanel, there’s little more a girl could ask for in the way of entertainment. Well, except for what I am about to mention next.

3. Joseph Gordon-Levitt – They’ve been filming his upcoming movie, Premium Rush, around my apartment. I’ve passed the film crew on several occasions, but never saw Mr. Levitt. THEN, one day as I sat watching, he suddenly appeared 5 feet away riding his bike for one of the shots. Flinging my arm in the air I yelled, “LOOK, it’s HIM!” and proceeded to giggle excitedly. Security moved me back 2 feet for the next shot, but I got to see him several times after that. Stalking celebrities does indeed have its rewards. Below is a great little movie he starred in a few years back – thanks Fred for the below bit of happiness. The close-ups of his face are the best.

Now watch the below, then flap your arms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMfEA900d7A#at=18

4. It’s pierced . After years of deliberation, I put a hole in my nose.

5. Strolls along the Central Park Reservoir. This has long been a part of my walking/jogging route, but as the day cools, sauntering along the water FEELS like I’m on vacation.

6. My front porch – Outside my bedroom window is a little balcony I like to call my porch. Here, good talks with friends are combined with people watching. My favorite moment entailed watching my neighbor’s arrest. Also, I can see one New York City star (or some other source of unnatural light as it has the tendency to move).

7. Going green – By not having air-conditioning in my room, I went green this year – pat on the back. I would have installed my air-condition unit that my fan now sits atop, but it would block my entry to the “porch”. One must decide the important things of life.

Now for rust colored leaves, chilly mornings and hot coffee. As much as I enjoy summer, my heart belongs to fall.