On Saturday Josh and I had brunch in Hell's Kitchen. It was so hot that our favorite diner had shut their large windows and door to keep in the cool air. Over plates of breakfast food, Josh K. looked a little sullen.
"I think I need a break from this town," he said. "It's not that I don't like it here, because I do like it, but I think I need to get out of here for a little while."
I knew exactly what he meant.
One of the great truths of living in New York is that you have to leave it if you want to keep loving it. Even a day trip can work wonders.
I had an idea.
"Josh, why don't we catch a train tomorrow and head up to Beacon, New York? It's supposed to be a gorgeous ride, and they have the Dia museum up there."
For the first time at brunch Josh's eyes brightened. "I'm in."
We finished our brunch and walked out onto the street, heading northward to Central Park. We stayed on the shady side of the street to avoid the heat.
We walked up through the park to Bethesda Fountain . . .
. . . and settled in on the lawn just to the right of the fountain. Earlier we thought we'd settle in at Sheep Meadow, but it was clogged with clumps of people. At Bethesda we had the whole lawn to ourselves.
From our perch on the lawn we watched street dancers put on a somewhat acrobatic show near the west staircase of Bethesda. We watched an Asian wedding party take photos at the fountain. Josh and I read for a while, then ogled guys, gossiped, and soaked up some sun.
On Saturday night Josh, Dylan and I sat at the Columbus Circle fountain, eating a Whole Foods take-out dinner of sandwiches, sushi, and fruit.
Afterward Dylan and I headed back into Central Park and walked up to the Delacorte Theater, located in the park, to see The Public's Shakespeare in the Park production of Romeo & Juliet.
The reviews were right: The show was fantastic. Lauren Ambrose (Clare Fisher from Six Feet Under) played Juliet, swooning in one moment and bursting into real tears another. Camryn Manheim (The Practice, The L Word) worked it out as Nurse, playing up the bawdy comedy sometimes not emphasized by other productions. Romeo (Oscar Isaac) was sexy and equally as convincing as Juliet's lover.
One of the coolest parts of seeing Shakespeare in the Park is being in the theater itself, tucked into Central Park near 81st Street, with almost a third of the circular theater open to the park beyond. The show begins an hour before sunset, and as the show progresses it gets dusky, and then dark, which certainly suits the plot of Romeo & Juliet.
Afterward Dylan and I walked down the deserted Central Park West, arm in arm, until we found a cab in the West 70s and headed home.
On Sunday morning Josh and I set off on our adventure out of the city.
We went to Grand Central . . .
. . . and caught a Metro North train to Beacon, New York. (Yes, JK is taking a picture of me taking a picture of the train. Just because we're dorks like that.)
Just minutes outside of Manhattan the landscape turns into rivers, rolling hills, sailboats, and small mountains. We looked out the window for much of the 90-minute ride.
"I feel so much better already," Josh K. said. I did, too.
Josh K. and Josh H. just up the hill from Dia:Beacon, the 240,000 square foot modern art and installation space.
(A sign that you're becoming more of a New Yorker: in your head you begin calculating that you could fit 300 or 400 apartments in that amount of space. It's a frightening impulse.)
Dia grounds.
The cafe at Dia:Beacon, where the Joshes had an afternoon snack which may or may not have included a really yummy brownie.
Explore the Dia's wonderful collection here. (Pictures aren't allowed inside the exhibition space, otherwise we would have brought you a series of great photos.)
On the train ride home Josh K. fell asleep. I opened a book (Middlesex is amazing) and read as the train sped through the countryside. I looked over at Josh, his mouth falling open as he slept, and smiled. Later, when he awoke, he looked out the window and tapped my leg. I set down my book and we both looked out the window.
"Beautiful," I said. He nodded.
i knew those feet looked familiar!
oh. my. god. my friend michelle and i were at bethesda fountain at the same time of that wedding and street performers!
and i was going to ask if you saw a shirtless guy walking a black dog and a shirted woman walking a teeny tiny dog but im sure the answer to that vague question would have been yes.
Posted by: chris | July 10, 2007 at 02:11 PM
More like this.
I'm sitting at my desk having lunch, and this was the perfect mind-trip.
More like this.
Posted by: Matt | July 10, 2007 at 03:26 PM
lovely, thank you
Posted by: seth | July 10, 2007 at 04:08 PM
J+J,
Great post. I'm glad to hear that Romeo & Juliet was worthwhile. I foolishly waited until the last weekend to make an attempt at aquiring tickets. I arrived shortly after 9am, only to be informed that the line was "closed!" People had gotten up to wait by 5:30am!!
Congrats on getting to see the show. I'll be wiser in my attempts to see Midsummer Night's Dream!
~RyInNYC
Posted by: RyInNYC | July 10, 2007 at 04:38 PM
No matter where a person lives, every once in a while they need to get away from that place to really appreciate that place. Glad you enjoyed your little trip.
Posted by: TJ | July 10, 2007 at 04:42 PM
Great post J&J, I love the pictures!
I'm in the opposite position as you guys... Living in a Cleveland can be a bit dull sometimes, so I'm heading to NYC for a business trip and some tourism in two weeks.
Posted by: Ryan | July 10, 2007 at 05:30 PM
Lovely weekend, lovely post. Shades of the recent Gawker mention, I know you both have other boyfriends, but the affection between the two of you is very romantic. You'll make a great "old gay couple" some day.
Posted by: Brad | July 10, 2007 at 05:59 PM
Its amazing how much a fun weekend with a good friend, & some sunshine can make everything better. This post made me miss my best friend. Thanks for letting me share in your adventure. I'm sitting at work on what I like to call Attitude Tuesday, and these people have about made me loose it. Then I read this and I'm ok again! I'll be back soon!
Posted by: Alan | July 10, 2007 at 09:45 PM
Great post guys, especially the train pics. Will and I have been trying to plot an escape from the city too. We figured out recently that we've not been been outside the city limits since October last year! A suggestion for a future day trip, if you haven't been yet: Go up to Tarrytown and visit Kykuit, which is the Rockefeller Estate. It's amazing. (Pics from our visit are at http://www.jeffandwill.com/scrapbook/kykuit/index.htm if you want to check them out.)
Posted by: Jeff | July 11, 2007 at 05:41 AM
EEEEEEKK!!!! You guys linked to me!!! I just noticed it. HOW VERY EXCITING! Thank you! I'm thrilled. I love you, of course, so this is a big honor. *smooch*
Posted by: Matt from DTB | July 11, 2007 at 05:23 PM
Chris: You never know who you'll see in Central Park, right?
RyInNYC: A friend of ours works behind the scenes for Shakespeare in the Park and hooked us up with tickets. The lines to get them otherwise are ridiculous, but well worth it. If you get desperate you can usually find tickets on Craigslist, too, but I'd suggested waiting in line and getting them for free if you can make the time. It saves money and it's a memorable experience.
TJ: It's true that no matter where you live it helps to leave sometimes so that you appreciate it more, but I have to say that after living in several different states and even abroad that NYC has its own special variety of I-need-to-leave-this-place-on-weekends-so-I-don't-hate -it. But I agree, it always helps to leave home to return loving it more.
Brad: Josh really does feel like my brother my mother never had. We'll make a hilarious, crotchety old duop someday.
Alan: You're always welcome to hang out with us here at J&J. :)
Jeff: Josh and I will have to check it out. We love that kind of stuff.
Matt: Of course we linked you! How could we not? :)
Matt, Seth, Ryan: Thank you for the kind words. It's a big part of what continues to make this fun to do. :)
Posted by: Josh & Josh | July 11, 2007 at 05:59 PM
I love that you guys are brave enough to stray away from the "usual" NYC beaten path and out to something a little offkey. I certainly appreciate having those few friends of mine who are willing to try something different, touristy or flat-out off-the-wall every now and again.
I'll definitely add this to "the list"!
m@
Posted by: m@ | July 12, 2007 at 03:27 PM
there truly is nothing like getting out of the city. glad things are going well for the both of you. you bring smiles to boring work days.
also, how in the hell does JK always have perfect bedhead!?!?!
Posted by: chrisnyc | July 18, 2007 at 10:02 PM