We traveled to New York City in July 2019 to complete some research on Emmett Lee Dickinson (and on the city's best margaritas too), and we encountered record high temperatures in the Baked Apple (formerly the Big Apple). Pics and info to come soon!
Of course, we planned our trip to the Big Apple months in advance, so we had no idea that excessive heat would turn the area into a Baked Apple. As a results, we had to change some of our Plan A events/activities to Plan B so that we could enjoy air conditioning while we could.
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PRAISE CHEESES! On a recent trip to America's Dairyland, we enjoyed some delicious cheeses, including a triple-cream cheese called "Trillium" and a variety of cheeses from Wisconsin (below left) (our travelogue from our trip to Chicago and Wisconsin is HERE). On the train to New York, we enjoyed an Amtrak cheese and cracker tray (below right).
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NACHO AVERAGE MARGARITA: Shortly after we checked into our hotel, the Hyatt Place on W. 36th Street, we jumped immediately into our research on the Margarita and related Tequila Sciences.
We went to Dos Caminos in Times Square and enjoyed skillet nachos and a Tropical Storm Margarita -- "Voted #1 Margarita in NYC" -- so they say. Everything was delicious! 
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Did you know that Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) invented the Margarita? Check out our plog ("poetry blog") posts about margaritas HERE.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Below: Miscellaneous pictures from the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. While we are at the library, we conducted research on Emmett Lee Dickinson, and we visited the library's exhibit on WALT WHITMAN. Read about the Whitman exhibit HERE.
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Pictured at the left: One member in our group purchased a Dickinson-inspired (Emily, not Emmett Lee) necklace at the NYPL gift shop. The inscription reads, "That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet." |
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Pictured at the left and below: The REAL Winnie the Pooh (and friends) -- found in the children's book room of the NYPL.
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Pictured at the right: The NYPL gift shop was completely sold out of poetry books by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Pictured at the far right: The gift shop did have some books by Emily Dickinson -- and the books were included on the children's table. In that way, after the kids finished reading Peter Pan, they could read "The coffin is a small domain" and other poems of grief and death. |
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THE TENEMENT MUSEUM
Following our time in the library, we traveled to the lower east side to visit the Tenement Museum. At the Tenement Museum, we were able to visit an apartment where Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) lived for a short while in the late 1800s when he was in New York CIty. Note: Photography is not allowed inside the building, so the picture of Dickinson's apartment (below right) is from the museum's website -- click HERE.
We highly recommend any of the tours given by the Tenement Museum -- an important history to study in these days of the Trumpocene Era. However, be aware that apartments you visit along the way are not air conditioned. information on apartment tours is HERE.
We highly recommend any of the tours given by the Tenement Museum -- an important history to study in these days of the Trumpocene Era. However, be aware that apartments you visit along the way are not air conditioned. information on apartment tours is HERE.
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THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Following our tour of the Tenement Museum, we traveled back to mid-town to enjoy the views from the Empire State Building. The Empire State Building has been featured in many movies about and/or inspired by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) -- the most famous of which is "King Kong."
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Pictured at the right: "King Kong" is a classic retelling of the volatile relationship between Emily Dickinson and Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). King Kong, the giant ape, represents Emmett Lee Dickinson, and of course Fay Wray's character -- the woman in white -- represents third cousin Emily.
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Pictured at the left: After our climb to the top of the Empire State Building, we had a coffee break at Gregory's coffee. Do you see the coffee mugs in Gregory's glasses? : ) "See coffee differently." The iced mochas there were delicious! Did you know that no other poet wrote more poems about coffee than Emmett Lee Dickinson? Check out his coffee poetry HERE. He was also the first person to pronounce coffee as "cawfee" (or is it "cwaffee"?). |
THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM
OY! Was it hot on Sunday -- so YO! We spent the day in the glorious (and air conditioned) Brooklyn Museum -- it was an easy trip on the 2 Train from midtown Manhattan to the Brooklyn Museum stop!
Note (below right): One the 2 Train, we also learned a little bit of music history: It turns out that the A Train inspired the JZ Train!
Note (below right): One the 2 Train, we also learned a little bit of music history: It turns out that the A Train inspired the JZ Train!
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Pictured left and right: Mood -- when I discovered that many of the galleries on the 5th Floor (with American and contemporary art) were closed. |
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Pictured at the left: To mark the 40th anniversary of Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party" -- and the artist's 80th birthday -- the museum's cafe said that they had cupcakes "inspired by Emily Dickinson's lace-draped place setting" (in the installation). Believe me, I searched high and low. There were no cupcakes! Pictured at the right: Instead of the cupcakes, we settled on a pistachio braid (which was delicious) and some Boylan Bottling Company Root Beer (which was equally delicious). |
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Below left, center, & right: We were pleasantly surprised to find Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party" at the Brooklyn Museum. We have provided information about "The Dinner Party" in our plog ("poetry blog") -- click HERE.
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Below left, center and right: Some doppelgängers we spotted at the Brooklyn Museum: Ruined Jesus, Sinead O'Connor, and Frida Kahlo.
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Below: While at the Brooklyn Museum, we created some works of art with our iPhone photography. Left: "Late for the Concert." Center: "Looks Like the Cafe Did Not Plan Well Enough for the Crowds on this Sweltering Day." Right: "Nope. We're Not Eating Here With These Prices. Is There a Good Sandwich Shop Around."
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Below left: This work was inspired by the song "I'm Just A Girl Who Can't Say No" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma." Below center: This work was inspired by and dedicated to Rudy Del Vecchio, who founded the internationally famous Washerst Dry Cleaning Academy in historic Washerst, Pennsylvania -- birthplace of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Del Vecchio also invented one-hour Martinizing. Below right: Rudy Del Vecchio and the internationally famous Washerst Dry Cleaning Academy.
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Above left: Overheard at the museum by someone viewing this painting: "I bet this one's called, 'The work of Trump and the GOP is Almost Done.'" Above center: Yes. : ) Above right: Emmett Lee Dickinson's sister Esme Pearl Dickinson was the subject for this painting by Picasso -- who painted the picture shortly after she left Picasso for another man. Pictured at the right: Near noon, we slipped away from the museum in the sweltering heat and walked to the nearby Lincoln Station Cafe. The restaurant was jam-packed, the sandwiches were delicious, and the watermelon agua fresca was refreshing! |
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THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
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On the final full day of our trip, we visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Many in our group were able to find ship manifests and records of our grandparents and great-grandparents from their trips across the Atlantic to America, and it was a very moving experience in these dark days of the Trumpocene Era. Overheard from a tourist at the Statue of Liberty as we were taking pictures: "I expected a group of MAGAts to be here shouting 'Send her back!'" |
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ELLIS ISLAND
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GOTHAM COMEDY CLUBOn our final night in the Baked Apple (i.e., the Big Apple in climate change temperatures), we visited the Gotham Comedy Club for a night of all-star comedy. Fans of Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed --at her request) know that he invented stand-up and improv comedy -- and every fourth weekend in March, Washerst, PA (the birthplaceof Emmett Lee Dickinson), plays host to the Washerst Improv and Stand-up Comedy Spectacular -- where Leonard Barr, Kathy Griffin, and Jimmy Kimmel got their starts! |
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Below: Views from our balcony.
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Pictured at the left: Trump souvenirs. The toilet brush is so appropriate! At the right: Miscellaneous shorts. Bottom left and right: Signs around town. |
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WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN! LOTS MORE PICS AND INFO FROM OUR TRIP COMING SOON!
