June 5 – Amy (and the 4th)

This is not about any of the Amys I may know, deceased or living, and I apologize for any confusion. A warning first that this is a long post, as I do go on. You can read it or not, but it is something I needed to write. It has turned into my opinions of the movie Amy, a documentary about Amy Winehouse, inside of a narrative of how I spent my 4^th of July, or it’s a narrative of my day yesterday that includes my views on what the movie presented. Either way, feel free to pick and choose.

With his girlfriend out of town, the ex and I decided to spend the day together doing our usual breakfast and a movie, as neither of us had anything to do. Oh, don’t go feeling sorry for me this week. Being a bit of a loner as I am, having more than one social event per week, or in consistent weeks is pretty major. And this was my third this week. As the movie is only playing in two theaters in Manhattan I chose the downtown theater where I could take the ex to one of my favorite New York City diners, The Landmark Café on Grand Street. As stated here before, I do love a good diner and this one, a small establishment with old, but well-kept tables and all of three stools at the counter reflects the culture of the area in a traditional diner setting. We were lucky to arrive when we did as it was full but a table had just freed up. The coffee is good, the eggs were over easy and the bacon was crispy. I had to keep the ex on track though as he was distracted by the offer of spaghetti and meatballs for $8, and if we hadn’t been there specifically for breakfast, I don’t know if I could have dissuaded him. Me? I wouldn’t be enticed to order spaghetti and meatballs even in a fancy diner.

The movie comes with high recommendations from me for anyone who knows anything about Amy Winehouse. It obviously was made by those who love her, and those who used her unconscionably were appropriately vilified. I need to say that I believe that Amy Winehouse was responsible for her own death. However, she was victimized by her opportunist, scum-sucking father who cared not a fig about her health and well-being, only about himself and should be throttled and publicly humiliated then kicked repeatedly all over his body from head to toe. She was additionally used by the opportunist, scum-sucking egocentric predator that she loved and married, who assisted her with her overindulgences and introduced her to heroin, and whom I personally hope suffers immensely throughout the rest of his life. And her mother deserves a hard slap across the face, maybe two, for stupidly shrugging off her knowledge of her teenage daughter’s bulimia saying she thought she’d grow out of it. It’s a good and infuriating documentary that does have those bits that will have you smiling, even laughing. She was a clever girl. Not to give anything away, but watch her reaction of seeing Tony Bennett at the Grammy Awards as he announced her category and her reaction to an interviewer comparing her to Dido. I’ve no doubt the gruesome image we who are not in the know saw of her in the media was softened, but in the end she should have been allowed to walk away, as the ex observed. She would have been back one day. Sorry for the rant, but for those of us who had woefully inadequate parents like the ex and I did, we are angered when we see parents behaving badly and thankful that we had the innate strength to survive.

Having no further plans but not wanting to call it a day, we walked through Washington Square Park where we made a pact to each lose six pounds by Labor Day, which we forgot completely about when our stomachs told us that we might want to consider eating again. No, I was not going to take him back to the diner, but we found a lovely little tapas restaurant where we got to sit out on the sidewalk, eat adequate food and drink very cold Dos Equis amber from frosted glasses.

Not being overly impressed with the food, and it still being early yet, I thought it might be nice to wander a bit, find a café that serves dessert and coffee, and has a bathroom as that idea became more than just a thought (don’t look at me). We slipped into a fancy looking place on West Broadway that seemed friendly as well as expensive, but it appeared to suit both needs. Even though we said we were only there for dessert, they brought us each a glass of peach flavored prosecco and a plate of vanilla wafers. Without looking at the menu we ordered an absolutely scrumptious chocolate mousse cake and a bowl of berries, and of course coffee. I glanced outside and realized I could read the name of the restaurant written on the window even though I was doing so backwards. It was Cipriani’s. We were prepared that this would be an expensive dessert, however when I suggested to the ex that he run when I yell “run,” he thought it might be better to both go the bathroom at the same time as there must be a backdoor. I am far from a woman of means, but I have led a thrifty life and sometimes I just like to be a little cavalier. This was one of those times, and was well worth it. We could hear the fireworks in the distance and needed to get the ex to the train before the crowds started their exodus home.

They were lovely to us in Cipriani’s. The head waiter took my hand to say goodbye and joked that he would see us tomorrow. It occurred to me later, in fact just now, that I with my bright yellow hoodie, ill-fitting old jeans and Keds (yes, I have Keds) and the ex looking equally unsuitably attired for a place like this, and sporting a full mane of greying hair, we may have been taken for a couple of rich eccentrics out for a stroll in search of dessert on a warm 4th of July evening. Let me reiterate, we are not rich.

So I didn’t get to see the big fireworks display this year, but I did last year and have my smatterings of fireworks I can see from my window throughout the year. But I’m good and it was a very nice 4^th in the City. It’s days like this that I love this city and am grateful to have the honor of calling myself resident. It reminds me to take advantage of all the little things it has to offer, because unfortunately many of us are not going to be able to stay here much longer.

Btw – the pact is still on.