My friend Steve and I hopped in a cab and headed up to the Guggenheim...
We had planned to meet our longtime Instagram / Twitter / Facebook friend
Leonard "Porkchop" Zimmerman there. Over the past four years, we've had a lot
of contact (and some really great conversations) with him about art and life.
To say that we were all excited to see one another would be an understatement.
Steve and Leonard had never been inside the Guggenheim before, so I was very
happy to be there when they experienced such a dynamic space for the first time.
We followed up this visit with lunchtime laughs...
Afterwards we headed a few blocks south (along Park East)...
We made our way into the Met, or as I call it: "going to church".
Leonard snapped a photo of me in front of what may be my favorite painting
of all time: "Joan Of Arc" by Jules Bastien-Lepage (1879). I've been standing in
front of it in sheer wonderment for decades but every time I see it, it's new to me.
After taking in several sections of the museum (seeing things both old and new to us)
we sat for a while to just be in one another's company and share some insights and stories.
A southward stroll along Central Park East found us watching the shifting light.
An early evening sky painting became our ceiling for parting words and big hugs.
Hey... Wait. Who invited Grumpy Cat? She's always photobombing us, damn it.
Mister Porkchop, it was so great to finally meet you in person.
Beautiful things happen when lives connect across the miles and have the chance
to converge. Thank you for spending time with us and for being the bright light of
laughs, bold feelings, generosity and deep creativity you are. We will be seeing you again.