Padron | johnozed

It’s a lazy Sunday after having a blast on Saturday. On Friday night Bill and I heard from Rand and Lisa that they would like to hitch a ride with us to Lois and Fred’s wedding party. They also asked if Garry Rindfuss, another friend, could ride with us but Bill had rented a Honda Civic from Zip Car which would sit four people comfortably, and five people uncomfortably. Since it promised to be a five hour trip, two and a half hours each way, it didn’t seem likely that Garry could ride with us.

Bill went to sleep early Friday night, I went for a walk, dropping off dvd’s at the post office and walking around town, smoking a Padron and watching the revelers lined up outside of various bars on Washington Street. Sat on the front stairs with Julio while I finished the cigar, the two of us talking which we haven’t done in a while. It was still pretty warm out, no breezes on Park avenue just as there were no breezes by the river.

We mainly talked about plans for Saturday, he working in West New York and helping out his sister’s husband, and me heading upstate. I was soon fast asleep after seeing Julio off on the third floor. The next morning, Bill was up and out at 6:00 to get the car and make sure his mother was going to be alright for the day.

I was out doing the Saturday morning thing, and home in time for a nice breakfast before heading out at 9:00 meeting Bill on the street outside, then heading over to pick up Rand and Lisa. It turned out to be a nice enough morning, as we headed north. I brought about 20 cd’s since the car was not iPod ready, but Rand bought an adapter and we were able to play my iPod as well as Rand’s which I asked him to bring for backup while I DJ’d.

It was a fun ride up, I was playing the role of the music selecter and Rand was the navigator while Lisa was the shining star and Bill the pilot. We harmonized to Queen as well as other selections. You’re My Best Friend and Bohemian Rhapsody were smashing. After a leg stretching stop in Roscoe, NY were were soon in Walton after passing through a major thunderstorm for about 45 minutes.

By the time we got to the Rainbow Lodge, it’s was blue skies. We met John Hamilton as well as his two sons, Jasper John and Henry James. Great names for the kids I think. John’s wife Donna drove up a few minutes after we did with Lois who looked beautiful in her wedding dress. John played the Wedding March on electric guitar, adding some Jimi Hendrix like effects.

I video taped it but somehow it didn’t come out. Luckily Rand who was officiating the ceremony was shooting it so that will hopefully turn up later. I don’t know how I lost it, but it must have happened during the transfer this morning. Fred looked great in his creme colored suit and tie with a snappy haircut, the perfect compliment to the bride.

Soon we were all in the lodge after the ceremony on the dock. Instead of rice, we were given bubbles and trout food pellets since the pond was stocked with fish. I started DJ’ing with Enjoy Yourself by the Specials, I Do, I Do, I Do by Abba and the stereo backing track of God Only Knows by the Beach Boys.

I was able to handle John Hamilton’s PA system and occasionally alternated with Rand’s iPod, ultimately finding it easier to just use my iPod. Still it was good to have Rand’s iPod there. I played the first dance for Lois and Fred, David Bowie’s Rock and Roll With Me from Diamond Dogs. I selected the music and ran back and forth to the table where I could have a few bites before heading back to the music setup.

I thought I was doing a good job, but according to some of the other party guests, the music wasn’t up beat enough. So I played Get Down Tonight by KC and the Sunshine Band, an all time favorite but it seemed nothing I could play could raise most of this crowd off their seats. Regardless I made sure the people I knew enjoyed themselves.

The song that actually got people up turned out to be Ca Plane Pour Moi by Plastic Bertrand. Followed that with an extended version of Kiss by Prince. Time flew certainly since we were having fun and before anyone realized it was nearly 5:00 and the Rainbow Lodge had to turn over into a restaurant once again.

John and Donna invited us to their house a few minutes away so we followed Jane in her car. John and Donna have a beautiful house which they maintain for the summer. So many inspirational things to stimulate Jasper and Henry’s imaginations. Jasper’s quite an artist and designed the cover for John’s book, Music, Madness, and the Unworking of Language.

Jasper is 11 years old and is known to filled up countless notebooks with his drawings. It’s actually John’s second book, the first was published in 2003, called Soliciting Darkness, a book on the poet Pindar who I had never heard about until I just looked it up in my library system.

A few more guests arrived at the Hamilton abode, including Fred’s mother and his best man who’s name I can’t remember. Chips and wine and some beers were served with Bill and I smoking cigars and John smoking his pipe.

It had been a while since I had been with John and Donna end it was really a wonderful time being with them and their boys. They’ve invited Bill and myself as well as Rand and Lisa to dinner when they return to the city. John is currently a professor at NYU. Prior to that he taught at Harvard and now Harvard wants him back. An enviable position to be in.

Bill mentioned that we had to get back on the road, another two and a half hours ahead of us. After being escorted out by zombie Jane we were on the densely fogged highways back to Hoboken. My harmonizing on the way back wasn’t as good as it was in the way up, but I hung in there singing along to As by Stevie Wonder and You Won’t See Me by the Beatles.

As usual, coming back from such a wonderful time with friends, away from the usual spots makes Hoboken look so dreary even on such a sunny day as it is today. Ob La Di, Ob La Da.

Snaps

Lisa

Rand

Bill

Me!

Rand and I reflected in Roscoe Diner

Bill and me

The bride

The groom

The Hamiltons

John Hamilton

Zombie Jane

That table

Henry and Jasper

A slightly more respectable Rand

A nice group

Henry hatted

It was a beautiful day yesterday and it continues today. Last night was so nice I actually left the apartment and walked around for a spell. I smoked a Padron and wandered Washington Street. Cafes and restaurants were bustling.

20 years ago I would always bump into someone I knew, nowadays I don’t know anyone. People moved, sobered up or overdosed I guess. Some of you who’ve I known have done that.

I enjoyed walking around by Pier A, a few fishermen, some couples and various groups of friends. I’m basically a shut in, I go to work and I come home. That’s about it. I forgot about the social scene that exists in Hoboken.

Big doormen checking IDs from various vapid 20 somethings that I could have sired if I was so inclined. I probably fit the bill, walking around smoking a cigar whereas everyone else was wearing the branding that they pay a lot of money to promote.

I strolled by Church Square Park on my return, disappointed that the regional basketball games weren’t happening. I hope I didn’t miss them entirely. I could hear the referee’s whistle from where I sit in my apartment, but never heeded the call.

The walk lasted an hour and I was soon back home, not watching anything in particular and going to bed not too long after that. That’s my Friday night in Hoboken.

Woke up around 8:00 this morning, taking my time before I headed out to do some shopping. I needed to get some more Stevia, some lettuce and of course bagels and the newspapers. Came home, had a nice breakfast and tried to think of something to do.

I watched SCTV: The Early Years and while it’s still funny, it really hasn’t aged too well. Plus after watching current comedies without laugh tracks, it’s unnerving to hear one from 30 years ago.

I decided around noon to go for a bike ride. Nothing planned really, just seeing where the bike would take me. I wound up riding to the Ninth Street elevator and rode it to Congress Street in Jersey City. Up Palisades Avenue, down Hudson Street in Weehawken through my old neighborhood. Some new buildings have gone up since I was last up there.

I also found that some drivers are terrible when dealing with a bicyclist on the road, but the ones talking on their cellphones are the worst. Really dangerous to everyone. And I was almost doored twice. New Jersey is so NOT bike friendly.

I’ve heard talk for years of a path from Bayonne up to the George Washington Bridge but it’s just talk. The right palms aren’t being greased. I take the side streets which are generally wide enough but still one has to maintain strict attention to everything that is going on. That’s a basic rule when riding a bicycle and no, I don’t wear an iPod when cycling. I have enough songs floating around my head and they provide an ample soundtrack.

I had enough water and made it to Fort Lee safely. Then it was over the bridge which still intimidates me. I’ve been riding across it for years but still it freaks me out. No stopping, just getting from point A to point B, from New Jersey to New York City.

On the bridge I get passed by, by various ‘serious’ cyclists with more branding. US Postal Service Lycra and spandex gear, and various other bicycle companies on $1,000 bikes. I’m a bike rat. I wear the bike shorts but keep them underneath whatever shorts I happen to be wearing, and the usual collared shirt with a back pack on. And my bicycle helmet.

There’s a lot more dumb riders than previous rides, who stand at the bottom of steep hills and decide that would be the best place to have a chat as you’re barreling towards them going 35 miles per hour. Or the two blondes who decide that even though that certain bike path is narrow, why not stop and discuss hair tips right then and there?

I made it to Central Park unscathed, and rode over to the rock by Summerstage where nothing was going on, at least not at 3:00. I then rode over to the skate circle which was just starting up. Some of the same characters that I’ve seen over the past dozen or so years.

Roller Granny, The schizo man who was on some news magazine a few years ago. Great at his job but he occasionally winds up somewhere and has no clue how he got there, but still he winds up roller skating around and around. The buff brutha who’s been there for years. Even some of the same spectators I’ve recognized over the years.

I usually sit in the same spot which is opposite the unofficial Bear Hill. I found that out via Joe My God’s blog. I read that everyday and comment occasionally on it. Perhaps if I met Joe without his group I would say hello, but there were a few bald, heavy set guys and I couldn’t tell which one was Joe anyhow. I’m more of a wolf than a bear anyway and my lycanthropic instincts told me to keep away.

It was a brief visit in the park and I was out of there maybe 90 minutes. I decided to go back to the bike path via 59th Street. No problem getting out of the park despite all the bicycle taxis driven by utter and complete morons. I was on Broadway behind one of these twats when he decided to make a U Turn in the street.

He sort of apologized and I told him was an idiot on a tricycle who didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. That’s when he decided to hit my back tire. I didn’t stop I just kept going flipping him the bird as he yelled Fuck You in a Russian accent.

I decided to do something on the way back. Instead of catching a Path train from the World Trade Center station to Exchange Place, I took it easy and treated myself to a ferry ride to Hoboken. I don’t think I’ll be doing that again anytime soon. $8.75 for a one way fare that takes 10 minutes to cross the Hudson River.

I know that it’s the fuel costs as well as paying the salary of everyone involved in the operation, but it would be cheaper if I had a car and drove into the city myself. But it was an exorbitant amount for my cheap ass. A single passenger without a bike is $7.75. That’s not bad since once you get to the city you get a bus that takes you in the general direction of wherever you want to go.

Me? I have a bike, I would get there myself thank you. Shanks mare. Next time the Path train for sure. And I wouldn’t have to listen to these newcomers to Hoboken prattle on about where the best nightclub is on 14th Street. I enjoyed today’s bike ride despite other people being around.

26 miles roughly. Not bad for the first time since last year. It would have been further if it I didn’t take the ferry.

The Hudson River