Interesting morning....

I went down to City Planning with trepidation, but found that actually anyone could enter the bi monthly meetings and observe. So I watched from a  tv in a room right outside the hearing room. Nothing that referred to gentrification, but some interesting proposals---I think if i am free, I might want to go down to another meeting and observe. I checked in with the BAN people who were there---all very friendly. The complete vision of what the city is, with all its burocratic groups trying to act in concert, or against each other, is very fascinating. It is really a vast enterprise---hard to see how one or a few people can get a handle on all of it---but very challenging and interesting.
Last night, a funny feeling returning to the apartment, not sure of what I wanted to do---resisted the urge to check out a movie, instead took 104 bus (remember when it came practically every minute---no longer) to 41st and walked two blocks east to Mid Manhattan library. This library is actually open until 11---so I stayed there for a while and took out two books. When it was over, decided to check out pizza on 20th and third, as I was hungry and I liked their pizza right after the Midsummer Nights Dream that Friends produced at Baruch. Pizza was okay--a little disappointing, but filled me up. Before that a nice walk down 40th street from 5th to Lexington---God, how I really like just looking at all the architecture on these streets, trying to figure out the history of all the older buildings for the last 50 years. Could I have lived anywhere cheaply in Manhattan in the mid sixties? Probably---how things have changed. Anyway, after the pizza went to Gramercy Bar, the one on 2nd between 19th and 20th, I had gone there once before, and it seemed viable. Not very crowded around 9, so it game me a chance to have a nice chat with a bartender named Sydney (female) and an interracial couple sitting nearby. These conversations went very well---left feeling fulfilled, and Sydney asked me to come back (she only works on Tuesday at that bar). The female part of the couple had just bought a co-op on 18th between second and third, and so we talked about that for a while. I tried to guess the price--$500,000 for a one bedroom, to my surprise, I was a little under. She is an emergency doctor, so I guess she can afford it. The price seemed a little high to me, but I guess that is what is going on in today's inflated market.
 Tonight, would like to "hang" with the twins at Lansdowne Falls, somewhat tired now, but will try to physically regroup. Tomorrow at Friends, but will try to report as soon as possible.