Me and Marjorie

http://www.inthefray.com/200202/imagine/eliot11/eliot11.html

http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org/photos14.html

So last Sunday after attending the Spanish ward and witnessing the big gay parade 2005, I took a nice sack-dinner break at a small park in Greenwich Village. There I met this funny lady named Suzanne who started talking to me about how horrible New York City life is. After criticizing the Mormon faith (but complimenting its members for their entrepreneurial skills), she ended up giving me this amazing guidebook on how to have fun in NYC for free. She said she was about to throw it away.

I cannot thank Suzanne enough for her generous gift. It was seriously like the best present I could have recieved.

After purchasing the 50-card NYC "City Walks" deck and studying Suzanne's gift, I am now the authority on how to experience the Big Apple for dirt cheap. We're not talking tourist spots, we're talking about the real, authentic, greasy, grimy deal.

Today I planned a fun-filled afternoon in Harlem; and, at the risk of sounding cocky, it turned out great. Phil and I went to the early single's ward and there met up unexpectedly with some of his old friends from St. George. After church we met up with Hunter and invited the ladies along to Marjorie Eliot's weekly free jazz concert in her Washington Heights apartment. Yes, every week this sweet, old lady invites the world to her home for some classic jazz tunes and some eclectic company. (Of course, one would never know about this unreal event without a cool guidebook.) After the music she gave us juice, granola bars, and a stirring speech about the importance of jazz music to African American identity.

Later on we took the prescribed "City Walks" route through Harlem covering the Washington Heights, Sugar Hill, and Hamilton Heights districts. Highlights included seeing the 17th-century Morris-Jumel Mansion, the Trinity Church graveyard, and a house John Hamilton built. Hunter and I had a dinner on the grounds of City University of NY and discussed his current ad internship at DDB. We also covered other topics such as gargoyles, jocks, and drinking. Once it got dark we headed over to his place to brainstorm for a print ad he's working on. Instead of taking the bus home I got a free ride with with Hiram and Dan. I tell ya you haven't truly experienced Times Square until you've done it in a sweet, red, topless Jeep.