The Sights and Sounds of an East Village Morning

It is just after 8am and I am out walking. Beth Orton’s “Central Reservation Line” song is in my ear, via my ipod, reminding me that “today is whatever I want it to mean.” The morning air is fresh, and I know that the sun is shining because I can see patches of sunlight splashed across the sides of the tall buildings that surround me. For now, I live in a place called “Stuyvesant Town” – the scope of which I was somewhat oblivious to, until Tracey stopped us in our tracks yesterday and pointed to the stretch of brown-brick highrise apartment buildings, that seem to go on for blocks, and blocks, that make up “Stuyvesant Town.”

I’ve been educated by actual New Yorkers (as in, people who were born here) about the history of this odd, downtown, miniature suburbia. These buildings (with incredibly generous sized apartments!) were built by the U.S. government towards the end of the 1940’s, so that those returning home from the war would have a place to live. Can you imagine? I can. And in my imagination it is summer, sometime in the 1950’s, and there are children playing with skipping ropes and jax... It must be a Saturday because there are adults standing around talking to one another too. The air is thick and hazy with the heat of summer in downtown Manhattan. This imaginary scene is a beautiful paradox.

Meanwhile, fifty-some-odd years later, a 25 year-old Canadian girl is out for a morning walk. The moment is post-yoga, and the day is post-hangover. My new T-shirt, from De La Vega’s “Become Your Dream” store reads: “BE MINDFUL, EVEN IF YOUR MIND IS FULL.” This is my mantra for today. Our show this evening will be stellar, and flawless. (Ah, the zen of stage management... what?)

I savour the experience of joining my neighbours in their respective morning commutes to work and school. I keep place closely with a black man, professionally-yet-stylishly dressed in an outfit toped off with a funky newsboy hat, as he leads his beautiful daughter (my educated guess: aged 9) towards her school. I pass them just as they pause, oh-so-momentarily at the steps of her school, he pecks her softly on the cheek and they part ways. She disappears into the front doors of her downtown eastside school and however oblivious to me, he catches up with me at the corner. He turns and crosses in a different direction than I am headed, and my last image of him makes me smile: He gently and casually high-fives another man, who is walking with his wife and small son, as they pass on the street, like ships passing in the night. It is a simple and beautiful moment.

A few blocks later, I find myself in Union Square. I opt against the 20 person-long line-up at Starbucks and instead duck into a very modern and sparsely decorated French café called TISSERIE. I relax over a café latte and the tastiest whole wheat 7 grain muffin I’ve ever had (the French really do know how to make sh*t taste good!), and I watch a different kind of New York morning scene unfold. The clientele here are pretty much the kind of people one might expect to find in a modern French café on a Tuesday morning in downtown Manhattan; The stylish business people order coffees and lattes to go with the calm and ease of those who have enough money and confidence to not need to rush to their workplaces. Similarly, well-dressed 30-somethings conduct friendly morning meetings over organic teas and decadent pastries. I stand out a little in my jeans and T-shirt, but find myself thinking “How do they know I’m not totally rich and almost famous?” ‘Cause I am.

My last stop of the morning is my favorite spot to grocery shop – Manhattan’s only “Trader Joe’s”. Apparently, the rest of Manhattan shares my affinity for this place. And I can’t blame ‘em. This apparently well-known American chain store sells the tastiest, healthiest (often organic) food for the most insanely affordable prices – and they have a plethora of ready-to-serve options! A little piece of grocery store heaven, just around the corner from my abode.

So, am I lucky? Yup. But I’ll say this too: I’m not just lucky, I’m happy. I’m working my ass off, but I’m also loving every moment of being here. And thus, the laws of attraction (like attracts like) seem to be working quite nicely for me…

NAMASTE