New York City (Or, I Felt the Mermaids at Coney Island)

My trip to NYC to visit my brothers and mother was just perfect--one of those vacations filled with so many perfect moments. One of the highlights was when we went to Coney Island, ate Nathan's Famous Coney Dogs (wow, could those creamy garlic fries be any more delicious?), walked along the boardwalk with ice cream cones, and took pictures along the peeling wall filled with poetry and pictures of seahorses. Jordan and I discussed how we felt the mermaids swimming under and around the piers. It takes a special mermaid to live there, where history is still trying to catch up to itself, where the waters and structures are dirty but resilient. Even the rides--which weren't running on that weekday--gave off these stoic vibrations. (I really look forward to riding you, Tilt-a-Whirl.) I was filled with peace at Coney Island, a jagged, hard-edged peace where my soul got filled with all these hardcore tattoos....The rest of the trip filled me with so much joy....Shopping....The Bodies Exhibit, where we studied/examined human cadavers that have been preserved. We were witness to arteries and veins, bones and muscle, skin and organs, fetuses during different stages of development, conjoined twins, diseases of the lungs and genitals. I actually got a bit sick to my stomach near the end and had to hurry through the last part. This queasy panic-attack feeling kinda set in....We ate at Rice to Riches, which had the best rice pudding in the universe (go chocolate!)....Had brunch at Yuca (Sangria/French Toast/Coffee/Mimosa), followed by many beverages at many, many bars. It was so good to see Jim again, and to meet Carl, and to just embrace all this time with my family and friends....Mom and I watched Lestat, the musical, which was fabulous. My favorite parts (besides the gorgeousness and voice of the lead, Hugh Panaro) were Claudia's bedroom set, with that canopy bed and all the disturbing dolls hanging all over the place, and the Theatre of the Vampires, where white-skinned vamps wearing white masks curled and danced up between these strips of silk that were supposed to be grass....Saw a couple movies, watched Tori and Sigur Ros videos....Went to the Prospect Park Zoo with Jordan. I loved seeing the owl! What a cute and perfect little zoo!....We went out dancing one night at the Pyramid Club; it was gay '80s night; highlights included Ida and I toppling over onto the floor, hearing Laura Branigan's "Gloria," and meeting W, who sure knows how to kiss, let me tell you!....It was sad to say goodbye to my family, but I have to say I found some peace with it that has been hard for me in the past. I didn't go into my usual breakdown mood, and it seemed fitting that I went outside to wait for my car service to the airport, and my brothers were coming down in a minute (finishing getting ready for the Depeche Mode concert), and then the car was there, and I got in, and was able to drive off to JFK without any sad goodbyes, only contentment and happiness for all of our time together. Stephenie, Serena, Ida, Jacqueline, Austin, Oscar (a.k.a. Buddha), and the rest--so nice to spend time chilling together. Jordan, I'm glad we both felt the mermaids. Aaron, I'm glad you "made" me buy that jacket. Mom, even though we didn't find our "dream" ice cream on Broadway after Lestat, I still loved walking around with you amongst all the lights and buildings and beauty and traffic and people.