I hate to admit it, but I've never been to New York. It is particularly embarrassing because I used to be a theatre major and there are so many reasons that I've always felt
drawn to NYC, mostly related to art (in all forms) - it probably started the first time I heard Frank Sinatra sing "New York, New York" (not to mention the first time I heard Al Jarreau sing "On Broadway") when I was little and it has continued throughout the years. Everything from hearing NY hip hop artists shout out their love to their 'hoods (or to all five burroughs) to reading about what's going on
on (& off) Broadway or reading any book, newspaper, or magazine about New York to seeing almost any film in/about New York City pulls on my heart strings and sets off the little voice in my head that tells me to go, but I also have gained a lot of fear about New York - NYC, in particular - as I have grown up. I grew up on the West Coast and not only have I never been to New York, I've never been farther east than Detroit, MI (I was born in Chicago, have relatives in the Midwest). As I have grown up, I have been taught that the East Coast is
very different from the West Coast - mostly by people who have lived or spent considerable time on the East Coast - and I have grown afraid that my casual, slower-paced West Coast personality/attitude/mentality will just get crushed or eaten up in NYC (this is me talking in terms of wanting to live there, not just visit). The other reality is that NYC is
expensive, so even if/when I overcome my fear, I am far from being able to afford to live there and I will have to save up for some time to have a really decent vacation there...which brings me back to blogging about this film - it really is a beautiful tour. Even though I realize that he is no longer a tour guide, I would love to have Speed Levitch show me around when I do finally set foot in New York City. He may be eccentric, but he has beautiful, mind-expanding observations. I also love him in
Waking Life, which is one of my favorite films EVER.