New York - June 7, 2010

Up at 7:00 to meet Jesse Goldstine at 7:45 in the lobby. Before I was finished dressing, Pru called to say her uncle, Walter Goodman, had just docked this morning on the Queen Mary. She was going to see if we could visit him.

Jesse and I went out for breakfast at the Edison Hotel, which has an old-fashioned coffee shop – cash only, food comes out fast. We spent about 45 minutes talking and eating. He talked about socks. I talked about my weekend. We parted with me heading back to the hotel, him to work.

I finished up all my labeling of pictures from the reunion (hoping I got names right) and posted them on Flickr. About the time I was going to leave and go over to MOMA again, Pru called and said Walter was up to see us in half an hour. So I checked out, left my baggage, took my camera and walked across town to 340 E. 52nd where Walter and his companion, Bob, live on a very nice ground-floor apartment. Nice walk along the way – took pictures, of course.

A couple of observations. First, food prices are not as outrageous as I thought they’d be. At the places we’ve eaten lunches and dinners, prices haven’t been really different than what we pay in St. Louis. Now, we didn’t go to extremely fancy places nor did we order expensive wine, but still. Second, one of the things I really like about new camera is that it’s really always “on.” So, I can shoot at will as I’m wandering around the city.

I met Pru over at her uncle’s. By the way, I could recognize her walk a long block away. Guess that runs in the family, too. So we visited Walter Goodman, Pru’s dad’s younger brother. I think he’s 88. He and his companion, Bob, have been together for over 30 years. It was really touching for both Walter and me. He knew my grandfather, Jack, a bit. So that was fun. He described Jack as “acerbic,” which I told him was the nicest description of Jack I’d heard. We dissected lots of family history, talked about the Sarah/Clara split and theories about that. A very lovely apartment. Books. Art. He raises dogs and competes in the Westminster show. They had been on a Holland America cruise that ended in the UK and had taken the QM home from there.

When we left, I meandered back across town. I had about an hour before my date with our friend, Arthur Albert. So I walked and took pictures and walked and took pictures all the way back to 43rd and Broadway. I met Arthur at the Brooklyn Diner where everyone knows him. He’s buddies with them all. Some have visited him in Fire Island. Had a lovely lunch talking about what’s going on in both of our lives.

After lunch, I shouldered my way north on Broadway for a couple of blocks. It was cheek-to-jowl crowded. So I headed east as soon as I could and went over to MOMA. I finished my visit at the Cartier-Bresson exhibit and then went floor to floor looking at the interactions of people with the collection. Loved the pictures I took.

Tired from all this, I walked very slowly back to the hotel and downloaded my pictures from the day onto my laptop. Right when the van was to arrive, it was there. Ended up there were only two of us going to LGA then. Had a nice conversation with a woman from Montreal who had then lived in Vancouver, then Hawaii, and now Ft. Lauderdale. Got to LGA, was screened, ate some reasonable food, and waited for boarding.

To say this was a full weekend would be a gross understatement. I loved having time to visit with Chick and Dorothy. Usually, it’s theatre and dinner and that’s it. So it was lovely being with them. And while there are lots of connections to members of my newly-discovered relatives, certainly the closest and dearest are with Pru and Annie. Both are now part of my heart.

New York - June 6, 2010

Another wonderful and jam-packed day. I got up at 8:00 hoping Caroline and Ben would come in for breakfast at 9:30. We had some crossed communication so that by the time Caroline called me, it was too late for them to get from there to here (an hour’s journey). So, I had one of my free breakfasts at Pigalle at the hotel. I gathered up my stuff and walked up 8th and then westward across town to MOMA.

I could only spend about an hour there, so went to the Cartier-Bresson exhibit to try to at least see part of it today and come back tomorrow. I was glad I had purchased a membership since I could bypass the hordes standing in line. As I had been told, these are photographs that make you weep with their beauty and composition and subjects. But, I only had time to see part today. More tomorrow.

I continued walking across town to Park Ave. and took a taxi uptown to 80th between Lexington and 3rd to Georgine Goodman’s house (Pru’s mom). It’s a four-story brownstone, about 18 feet wide. Exquisite. I had a lovely time with Georgine. Her husband, Maurice Goodman, Jr., was my second cousin. She was delighted to have another Maurice and her husband was also called Bud. She is an accomplished watercolor artist and photographer (double-lens reflex). She showed me several pictures of her family and we talked for an hour. It was really lovely.

Pru and I then left at went to 3rd Ave. to Eli’s (part of Zabar empire) for lunch and then took a cab up to 121st and Broadway for the family reunion.

There were about 40 or more there. Except for Chick/Dorothy, Pru, and me, all were related through my great aunt, Sarah Hirsch Firuski. Annie Parker had sent me pictures of all who were coming and how everyone was related, so I had a head start. I met about everyone there and they were excited that there was still a Hirsch around. Many had thought the name had stopped at my grandfather’s generation, not knowing we ever existed. I did find out the cause of the schism between my great aunts Clara and Sarah – it was a man – supposedly, it was Louis Firuski, Sarah’s first husband.

No words can really describe all the feelings about meeting a whole section of my family at this time in my life. There is this connection as if we’ve known each other for a long time and it was incidental that this was the first time we met.

Chick and Dorothy drove Pru and me back to my hotel where we talked in my room for a bit. Around 6:00, we headed over to Sofia’s on 46th for a nice dinner and wine. Pru and I went from there to the Imperial Theatre on the next block over to see Billy Elliot. Wowie zowie. One of the best musicals I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to see it again.

Pru and I parted with hugs and knowing we’ll see each other soon. Back to the hotel for writing and working on pictures and preparing for my last day here.

New York - June 5, 2010

Got up this AM about 7:00 and met Annie Parker in the lobby at 8:00. This is our first ever seeing one another in person. Lots of hugging! Again, someone I had never met in person where we are instant friends and intimates. Such a joy.

We went to Pigalle, the hotel’s restaurant, since I had free coupons. Ye dogs, what a breakfast you can have. Juice, main course, two sides, coffee. I was conservative with OJ, oatmeal, toast, huge fruit plate, and coffee. Annie shared my bounty not wanting a full breakfast.

We headed over to 7th Ave. for the subway. Went to the end of the line at South Ferry and into the Staten Island Ferry terminal, a beautiful new building. The ferry is free. How about that? So, we took it over, disembarked, got back on, took it back. Beautiful views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island as well as lower Manhattan. And a lovely ride over the water.

From there, we walked toward Ground Zero, asking along the way if we were headed in the right direction. Well, while the monument alongside a fire house to the fallen is impressive, there was really no way to see the site since it’s all fenced in and they are furiously building there. We walked around a bit and then headed to a subway so we could go up to 14th near Annie’s mom’s apartment.

The subway station at 14th Street has lots of small sculptures depicting things like: the streets are paved with gold; there are alligators in the sewers. Fun stuff. All through the underground platform.

We walked to Jean’s apartment, first checking if it was alright to come. Carol, Annie’s sister, was there along with their mother. It’s a beautiful apartment in the Greenwich Village area. The living room is lined top to bottom with book shelves. There’s an old grand piano. It was so wonderful to meet Carol and Jean. Jean and I have talked on the phone, but never really met. This is the first time I have met Carol altogether. All very special. We chatted about 20 minutes, the limit we’d given ourselves to not tire Jean too much.

Then we went up on the apartment’s roof to a stunning view from a beautiful rooftop garden. Uptown is the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. Downtown we could see toward where the ferry docked.

From there, we walked to Chelsea Market, a redeveloped old Nabisco factory with lots of stores and flower shops, bake shops, food, etc. in its bottom floor. We ate a nice lunch of sandwiches and walked out toward The High Line park. Wonderful way to take an old elevated freight line and make a garden with views toward the Statue of Liberty one way and Empire State Building the other way. Some remnants of old tracks are among the flowers and shrubs.

I took the subway home and did pictures, cooled down, and changed clothes for tonight. At six, I met Chick, Dorothy, and Michael Bisberg and Pru Meyer. At Ruby Foo’s on Broadway. We had a lovely dinner and chatted about the day. It’s such fun being together. I rarely get to see Chick and Dorothy, so this was an added treat.

From dinner, I walked up Broadway to 54th and to Studio 54 theatre to see Sondheim on Sondheim with Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Tom Wopat, and five other excellent actors. Wow! Terrific in concept and execution. I had first row mezzanine ticket and sat next to nice couple who visited with me. Theatre over, I walked to 8th Avenue and wended my way back to the hotel. A full day, I think.

New York - June 4, 2010

It’s been an interesting day. The flight from STL to NYC was fine. Oh, they don’t turn on the AC in the airplane until they start the engines, which is after everyone is aboard and they’re ready to taxi. So they keep all the window shades down and the lights out! Then there is the announcement that a packet of an inflatable pillow and a blanket can be purchased for $8, potato chips for $3.59, a cookie for some other large amount, etc. and credit card only, no cash.

I was in a middle seat, but my companions were nice and read or slept. A child two rows up uttered screams every so often, especially all through the last half hour. In La Guardia, I went to the ground transportation desk and waited for my share-a-ride van from Go Airlink NYC. Nine of us were in the van with six different destinations. We went into the city on a strange route, but the driver kept us moving. We crossed over the Queensboro Bridge and headed uptown on 1st to the upper 60s for the first drop off. Then it was back south on 2nd into the 40s for the second person. Then we wended westward with me being the fourth out at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square (48th and 8th). Took about an hour and a quarter.

I checked in and was sent to room 818. Upon entering, I saw housekeeping had forgotten about it and it was in the shape the last occupants left it. Most apologetic at the front desk, they then gave me 1431, a corner room looking down on 48th toward Broadway. And a free bottle of water. And free breakfasts at Pigalle, their restaurant, for al three days. Not bad.

I unpacked, talked to Annie Parker about tomorrow, and went to Saigon 48, which is less than a half a block away on 48th. Carolyn and Howard had recommended it and it was good. I had basil duck and a beer.

After dinner, I continued down 48th to Broadway taking pictures. Then up Broadway for a couple of blocks and back to the hotel across 49th. Chatted with Carolyn on iChat. Talked to Pru about Sunday. Then a brief iChat with Marian.

Statement of Accounting Standards No. 116

No. Don’t get turned off by the title of this rant. I want to tell you how accounting rules force organizations to do something stupid. Note: all statements herein are my opinions. I have no one but myself to blame for them.

Here’s the deal: let’s say a non-profit organization gets a grant from a state agency or a private foundation. Let’s also say it’s for $10,000, but the grantor tells you in its grant letter that you will get $10,000 this year and another $10,000 next year if you do what you said you would in your grant. Got it so far?

Well, here’s the crazy part. You have to show $20,000 as revenue this year and zero (for that grant) next year. That’s the rule. So, everything else being equal, you have an unfair upward jump in income this year and an unfair downward fall next year. Think of it as $20,000, $0, $20,000, $0 if this keeps going.

Tell me how anyone reading the organization’s financial statements would understand these upward and downward gyrations which are caused solely by how the organization is required to record stuff by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. It has nothing to do with cash, which, I think, is the most important thing so see. 

Lemme see. How about a note that says:

“Please disregard our $10,000 deficit next year. We’re fine. We just had to do it this way due to stupid accounting rules so our organization could be audited. Makes no logical sense, but, hey, that’s financial accounting anyway.”