My latest endeavor, not including a venture around Billyburg this morning, has been visiting this: Carl Schurz Park. It's in my neighborhood, overlooks the East River, and is right next to Gracie Mansion. Here I've been pretending that I am at the beach, obtaining a healthy glow in spite of my SPF 45, and reading this. I'm not a big quote person per se- it makes me think of picking out your lasting words for your senior yearbook picture when your hair is MUCH shorter and you look like a Stepford Wife with chipmink cheeks and acne scars but that's neither here nor there...umm, but yes, yes, as I was saying, well, as he was saying:
I...felt as if I should be reading the complete works of Proust or learning a foreign language or rolling out my own pasta or taking a course at the New School on the history of film. The city always stimulated some long-dormant gland of self-improvement when I crossed her rivers. I would never feel good enough for New York, but I would always feel better if I was at least taking steps to measure up to her eminent standards. "The Prince of Tides"
