My Kind of Town Part 2

I had a great day and felt like a child full of wonder.

One of my favorite things to do is an architecture appreciation walk. I especially enjoy interesting doors, bursts of color, tiles, thoughtful design, secret spaces, personal messages. Old brick and fire escapes are beautiful. Sometimes, I try to get a good look through windows to see how other people live, if they have artwork, are some sort of collector, or have public achievements (like a Park Slope brownstone I saw many years ago that had a grand piano and many major awards on the walls). I’m intrigued by places that seem to be vacant or derelict, but there’s a small sign of life. Does someone actually live there or is it just real estate a wealthy person is holding on to and using for storage? How do they live in a space where every window is blocked? Why do they have a nice door but the rest of the outside seems not very well maintained?

After, I feel creatively inspired.

For many years, I’ve had a little fantasy of walking into a fancy house, making myself a sandwich, and leaving. That’s it.

Seeing The Rainforest Cafe shuttered was a little sad. I’m a sucker for theme restaurants. “Oh, someone had a garish and batshit idea for a dining experience? Why wouldn’t I support that?”