York or Haven?

My friends Bridget and Andy were visiting this weekend from Seattle. Bridget and I go way back: to 1991 when we both started college in Chicago. But what was spiffy about seeing her this weekend is that we got to hang out in New York with her friend Laura, whom Bridget knew from when they both served in Peace Corps Cameroon from 1996 to 1999, and my friend Matt from Peace Corps Armenia, 1996-1997. And to pile more spiffiness on top of spiffy, we all got to see the Carlton Arms Art Project, the first exhibition of Matt's cousin John's Artbreak Gallery. Above are John, Bridget, Laura, and Andy.

Matt & John

John and three colleagues at the Carlton Arms Hotel have been dreaming for years of assembling an exhibition of the artists who have made the hotel such a great New York experience over the last 20+ years. They were able to bring together more than 200 works from 72 artists, all affectionately hung around a sagging twin bed and flashing digital clock radio in homage to the building that inspired, encouraged, or sheltered the creative spirit behind the work. I was so impressed. Yay John. But go see for yourself. The show is up until May 19, 2008.

I did my best to woo Bridget and Andy to New Haven (Andy was looking at public health programs at Yale and Columbia), even plying them with bacon and mashed potato pizza and Connecticut-style hot lobster rolls. I'm not sure what the final decision was, but how can our modest town compete with all this?

Laura, Matt, Andy, & Bridget admiring the flowering trees along Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg. Ahh, spring.

Laura, Andy, & Bridget cheery after two-for-one bloody marys at the Lodge in Brooklyn, which looks like this:

We also made it over to another part of New York that the locals call "Manhattan." We had intended to view more pretty pictures at the Met, but the sunshine, pleasant airs, and soft-serve with sprinkles kept us outside.

Andy & Bridget contemplate their future, with the assistance of tequila, beer, and delicious, delicious tortilla chips.

Matt & John's new precious angel Viveca

More photos are here.