Bosque Journal: May Flanerie

I've started a new routine of strolling along the river in the Bosque near my Downtown Albuquerque home in the mornings. While I would like to say my motivation is a deep appreciation of nature, I have to confess what got me to lace up my shoes was reading the advice I would burn off more calories if walked before eating breakfast. This appealed to my inner sloth.

I've never been into competitive sports, other than racing a sail boat, the ingenuity being I could skipper while staying comfortably seated in the back.

With the need to get more movement in my life, I've discovered the lost art of being a flaneur. Described in the 1800s as equal parts curiosity and laziness, it was a leisurely way to become an urban spectator of boulevards, parks, arcades, and cafes. Perfected in Paris, it was a philosophical cousin to the development of the dandy, minus the fancy clothes.

On my first couple of outings, I spent most of my stroll scrolling through my phone to check messages. When I returned home I didn't feel particularly refreshed. I've since learned to pay attention. The walk is an hour long meditation of footsteps.

We don't have an English translation for the French word flanerie. It remains a foreign concept. I recently read an advice column which posed the question-- What would you do if you came across a windfall? What if you were gifted with a large amount of unexpected money? How would you spend it?

The article went on to lecture the reader that wealth should be invested, not wasted on frivolous pursuits. As an example, the author stated using a home equity loan was better utilized for a kitchen remodel than blowing the money on a month-long vacation. Upgrading a home's kitchen and bathrooms was an investment in real estate.

How very American! We are taught from a young age to be small-minded about the rest of the world. We value the shiny new toilet. Never mind that unless the house is about to be sold, the kitchen and bath upgrades will soon be outdated. How does anyone calculate the value of a month of sabbatical? What if it saves the marriage of a decades married couple? Getting divorced is more costly in the long run than a great vacation.

We've lost any concept of leisure. Of how wasting time can broaden horizons. We are so busy doing we stop seeing the world around us.

During my jaunts in early May along the Bosque I am watching spring unfold. The geese are tending new babies, wild roses are blooming along the water, beavers are busy gnawing down trees, ducks strike off in pairs, the occasional rabbit crosses my dirt path, while song birds gather at the south end of the ponds.

The world changes a bit each day.

Route 66 by Amtrak: Albuquerque

Want to visit historic Route 66?

 

Hop aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief. The train has several stops with preserved sections of America's Main Street.

 

The Southwest Chief's main service stop is Albuquerque. The city has some of the longest remaining sections of Route 66 motels and storefronts in the country. The pre-1938 alignment traveled north to south through town on what is now Fourth Street. The later re-alignment ran from east to west on Central Avenue.

 

The train station was built to resemble the former Alvarado Hotel and now serves as Albuquerque's transportation hub. While the city's center declined through the second half of the twentieth century, revitalization is under way. The Rail Yards to the south are being redeveloped, and an innovation corridor has started by the station.

 

 



 

Train Stop

A couple of hours during the Amtrak service stop is enough to explore Route 66. Exit the platform on the far north end, past the Rail Runner stop, to Central Avenue. You are now on The Mother Road.

Route 66 Crossroads

Walk four blocks west (away from the mountains) to reach the crossroads of the two alignments of Route 66.

Food

Lindy's Diner, at Fifth and Central, has been a family-owned restaurant since the 1920s. Want a taste of New Mexico? Order your food with green chile on top. Breakfast is served all day.

Shopping

Skip Maisel's is a landmark on Route 66, on the same block as Lindy's Diner. They claim to have the largest selection of Native American jewelry in the Southwest.

Must See

The city-owned KiMo Theater, across the street from Lindy's Diner, is one of the best examples of Pueblo Deco architecture in the country. If you arrive during business hours for the box office, step inside.

Self-guided tours of the interior are available for free. The theater only requests you stay away from the stage area. Be sure to look up to find the lighted cow skulls and painted details on the ceilings.

 

Historic Lodging

Want to stay a couple days?

Nearby the Hotel Andaluz was opened as a Hilton in 1939. It's only one of two historic GOLD Leed certified hotels in the USA.

 

Budget Lodging

the Hotel Blue

Route 66 Hostel

Getting Around

If you don't mind travel by city bus, the Route 66 runs the entire length of Central Avenue from one end of the city to the other. The most scenic section of The Mother Road is Nob Hill. Taxi service and car rentals are available in town.

Getting around Downtown is easiest by walking or bicycle. Routes Rentals & Tours will deliver bikes to your location.

Side Trips

 

Old Town

Want a quick taste of Santa Fe without having to travel north? The Hotel Albuquerque is 1.7 miles from the train station in historic Old Town. Nearby attractions include the Albuquerque BioPark gardens, aquarium and zoo. Bicycle rentals are available in the neighborhood to cruise the shade of the Bosque Trail or take a guided tour.

Santa Fe

The Rail Runner provides daily service to Santa Fe from the Alvarado station.

Spirit People Project--Tombstone Folks

While researching abandoned places in Downtown Albuquerque, unexpectedly I discovered at least five displaced former graveyards. The idea of ghost graveyards fascinates me. I have always assumed burials represented a final resting place for the deceased, but apparently not. Many don't stay put. The departed are forgotten, neglected, moved, or paved over to make way for building projects.

My discovery of ghost graveyards coincides with participating in Free Art Friday Albuquerque on Facebook. The idea is to leave artwork in a public place where random people can find it. A picture clue about the location is posted to Facebook.

I've created five Tombstone Folks to leave at the ghost graveyards for art giveaways. The faces are based on a New England tombstone carving I found in a book of early American folk art.

I wondered--what did these people in the ghost graveyards love? 

 

A recent art exhibit in Albuquerque featured area residents having a photo portrait made with their favorite objects. I wondered--what favorites did these folks have? Did they cherish a house or love a certain cat?

 

 

 

 

Maybe they were ready to be released from a life of worries or suffering.



 

 

Some folks might look forward to rejoining a lost loved one.

The Tombstone Folks help us reconnect with what was formerly sacred space--but now may be a street or parking garage. Follow my projects on Facebook at Mariposa.Notes.

One Day of Keeping the Sabbath

An Experiment in Spirituality

 

I decided to join a friend, on the first Sunday of the new year, in taking the challenge to keep a Sabbath. My husband and daughter were away visiting family. I didn't have any obligations on my time. I figured the task would never be easier than a cold winter day spent alone.

Looking for Something

The impetus for the Sabbath was a to unplug. My friend reasoned it would give her a chance to better hear the voice of God. I can't say my own motivations were as noble, but I did feel I was spending too much time every day consuming passive media, like reading Facebook posts instead of having real conversations in person.

Amish

As a child I went to a summer camp located in Holmes County, Ohio. The small farm was the equivalent of an Amish dude ranch. Set among the rolling hills it lacked municipal services and was surrounded by an Amish community. It was a magical time of learning simple farm chores and living without electricity.

As an adult I ask myself if it's possible to be a little bit Amish? Could I turn my back on modern ways?

The Amish preserve their way of life by rejecting all outsiders, following a strict religion with iron-clad patriarchy, receive little education, and completely shun any relative who refuses to obey all of the strict community rules.

They believe their lifestyle is an all or nothing choice--black and white. They don't tolerate shades of gray or dabbling. They would likely be amused by someone thinking unplugging for a day would be enough. Still I decided to give it a try--kind of.

 Modern Life

Since I'm not about to buy a horse and buggy, I'm left navigating the modern world. While I appreciate time saving devices and enhanced communications, I also have to wonder if our gadgets have begun to control us instead of the other way around. Can we find balance without creating a closed society outside of the mainstream?

Sabbath

I have almost no religious education. My understanding of the purpose of the Sabbath is to spend a day a week in rest and spiritual contemplation. Given my sporadic attendance of any formal religious services, it's no wonder I'm at a loss as to how to keep a Sabbath. However, my friends, many of whom do espouse an adherence to a specific creed, don't seem any more engaged in keeping the Sabbath than I am.

Figuring Out the Rules

I got up Sunday morning, checked my emails on my phone, then made myself breakfast with a pot of tea. Until that point I hadn't decided if I was committed to the Sabbath idea or not. Chewing on my toast I decided I was.

The first, and most difficult, problem was deciding on the rules, particularly when you're winging it. An easy target seemed to be avoid as many electronic devices as possible. Sitting at the table I realized I'd already blown it by using the toaster and oven. If I had planned ahead I could have had iced tea and a cold breakfast devoid of cooking.

As I mulled over how strict to be, I decided some appliances are more harmful to turn off than leave on. Who wants a fridge of spoiled food or a pipe burst in house without heat? I needed to get into the spirit of the Sabbath in a way which was respectful.

I decided not to use the car (which isn't really a sacrifice since I often travel by foot or bike), avoid cooking, and skip my usual Sunday laundry loads. Could I wash the dishes by hand? I contemplated the use of hand tools for awhile, but then pictured a busy mother spending her morning sweeping with a broom. While the image has a certain Zen appeal, what is the point of her spending twice as long to do half the work? She has still spent the morning doing chores.

I'm not against appliances, per se. They serve useful functions. I decided the point of Sabbath was to skip regular chores. I wouldn't clean. Strangely the cobwebs started to bother me and I felt a longing for Monday morning to get rid of them. Perhaps making them forbidden added to the allure.

When I got dressed I wondered about make-up. Should I go the Amish route and be modest? Or would I do better to dress up in honor of the day? I thought of Baptist women I've met in their Sunday best dresses topped with outlandish hats. I can't say either approach is better.

That is the problem with spiritual tourism. I am taking bits and pieces without having a good grounding in what I should follow.

Surprises

I decided I was fine with spending money, particularly shopping locally and getting out in the community. At lunch I walked over to Duran Pharmacy to buy a Sunday New York Times newspaper. I was dismayed to see how small the paper had shrunk. The clerk accidently rung it up as a weekday edition, agreeing it appeared unusually small.

I folded the paper into my purse. No matter, I decided, I would walk over to the Downtown Flying Star Café to read the free magazines. One of my joys has always been to dig through the racks. Years ago I felt I was making it as a freelance writer when I could spot three different publications at once who'd published my articles.

Imagine my dismay when I found most of the black racks empty. A sign was taped to the bare shelves explaining their customers had turned to digital and they were removing the magazines to make way for more outlets.

Plugged In

As I stood in front of the empty racks my Sabbath experiment started to feel more real. Up until that point I figured using my digital devices was optional. I could easily spend the day without them. Suddenly, I wasn't so sure. If I have to log into an electronic device for reading materials, what is going to stop my from checking emails or surfing the web? The digital slope was getting slippery.

Evening

In modern life we've lost touch with many of our natural cycles. By walking I'm forced to stay in touch with the changing seasons. What about day and night?

I decided I would experience the sunset. It came faster than I expected. I barely made the walk home from the grocery store when my downstairs went dim. I had to hustle to get showered before dark.

I lit candles and my fireplace. While I expected to enjoy the ambience nestled with my two dogs, I quickly grew restless and bored. I had decided to use the phone, since it connected me directly in conversation with other people. Despite calls with family members, however, I still had trouble coping with the dark. My eyes strained to finish the paper by candlelight.

I lasted less than an hour before I flipped the lights back on. Even the Amish use bright lanterns to light up their homes. It's inconceivable to me how many hours a day people used to lose before the invention of decent night lighting.

Lessons

I occupy myself quite a bit by reading. I'm not sure how I would cope without an education and access to information. I think being plugged in isn't as much of a problem as not having access. Still, I found I got twitchy when I had to turn it off. I think it would take several Sundays to get used to the feeling of tuning out.

I suspect a Sabbath is best kept within an extended community of like-minded people. While it's probably not important whether you're allowed to use the phone or not, it would seem to matter that you are following a set of guidelines with peers.

While the voice of God didn't come to me, I did find I was more creative. I thought of a couple design projects I wanted to do around the house and felt more ready to get busy on Monday morning. I'm not, however, sure I would try it again by myself.


(Photos of stained glass windows at the Chicago Art Institute.)

Contemplation

When I travel I often visit a museum.

View the Slideshow.

Why?

 

This past Thanksgiving my family and I journeyed to New York City. The week was dreary—cold with rain, sometimes turning into face-stinging sleet. In short, a perfect time to see The Cloisters. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the museum sits like a medieval castle on top of a hill overlooking the Hudson River. The immense grounds have the feel of a countryside, rather than being in the nation’s largest city.

The winter darkness created a contemplative mood. The collections of the museum feature Medieval European works, which focus on the religious, and include sculpture, stained glass, tapestries, painting, manuscript illumination, and metalwork.

 

Looking through the artifacts my daughter asked me about Lilith. Remember Adam’s first wife before Eve in the Garden of Eden?

Me neither.

From Wikipedia:

In Jewish folklore, from the 8th–10th century Alphabet of Ben Sira onwards, Lilith becomes Adam's first wife, who was created at the same time (Rosh Hashanah) and from the same earth as Adam. This contrasts with Eve, who was created from one of Adam's ribs. The legend was greatly developed during the Middle Ages, in the tradition of Aggadic midrashim, the Zohar, and Jewish mysticism. In the 13th century writings of Rabbi Isaac ben Jacob ha-Cohen, for example, Lilith left Adam after she refused to become subservient to him and then would not return to the Garden of Eden after she mated with archangel Samael.

 

I was reminded we are never too old to learn. In my own writing I am l learning I haven’t developed my evil characters well enough. The author Margaret Coel advises the antagonist should be as well developed as the protagonist. What better example than Lilith? She is a complex character, Adam’s equal, who leaves the Garden to be replaced by the younger Eve. Lilith is the original member of the First Wives Club, along with the embodiment of evil.

 

 

People of the Middle Ages spent much of their time, resources and energy on their spiritual lives and the hereafter. While modern society offers a much longer and more comfortable lifespan, I was reminded we can get so focused on daily living we forget the bigger picture.

Do we spend enough time in contemplation? Have we contributed enough to our community? What legacies do we want to leave behind?

View the Slideshow.

 

Brooklyn, NYC

 

 Park Slope

My Family and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Brooklyn. A couple decades ago I attended college at Pratt Institute. While I was a student I worked at Helene von Rosenstiel in the then unremarkable neighborhood of Park Slope. We heard rumors people were starting to talk about moving there, but most of us didn’t believe it.

My job was restoring antique costumes and textiles for private collectors, Sotheby’s auction house, and museums across the country. I once helped to prepare the sequins to be sewn on a pair of ruby slippers from the original Wizard of Oz movie. To restore old quilts, we often mounted them to stretchers, similar to a canvas used for painting. We built the frames ourselves, which required supplies.

One day the manager sent me down the street to the local hardware store. I gathered the nails and other supplies and went to the counter.

Asked the guy, “Do you want me to put this stuff on your tab?”

I looked around the otherwise empty store. He had to be talking to me.

 

“Wait a minute,” I said. “I’m standing here in a city of eight million people. You’ve never seen me before and you’re going to let me put this on a tab? How do you even know where I work?”

(If you ever want to feel like a true New Yorker, you must obey rule number one, which is to always get into an argument with the clerk behind the counter, no matter how trivial the debate.)

 

 

He replied, “I know you have to work at Helene’s. Nobody else ever comes in here looking like you guys. So, do you want this on the company account?”

I said yes and left without having to show ID or pay.

 

 

While in the past couple decades quite a bit has changed—soaring property values, upscale restaurants and fancy boutiques—other things remain classic New York. We rented a VRBO apartment for our vacation in Park Slope. To get the keys we stopped by the corner deli to ask the guy behind the counter for an envelope. Upon leaving, we returned them to the deli. I wouldn’t have a set of keys floating around strangers where I live, but it seems to work in Brooklyn.

View the slideshow of photo illustrations of Park Slope.

How to Transform Civic Plaza

Bryant Park, NYC

November 2013

 

In the center of Downtown Albuquerque is the Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza. It was constructed as a part of urban renewal to host outdoor events, with a capacity of 20,000 people and a large performance stage. For much of the Plaza’s history, however, it has been an empty and barren concrete wasteland devoid of people. Few venture to the Plaza, unless they happen to work in a next door office or are homeless sleeping on a bench.

Sadly, the city is spending millions of dollars to renovate the Convention Center on the east side of the Plaza, while ignoring the largest public space in the center of Downtown. Civic Plaza could be changed into an enjoyable public gathering spot for tourists, convention goers, office workers and the expanding residential population alike.

On a recent trip to New York City I visited Bryant Park in Manhattan. Despite the terrible November weather—a dark and steady rain with winter temperatures barely above freezing—the park was full of people enjoying the activities.

 

Bryant Park used to be worse than Albuquerque’s Civic Plaza. In the 1970s and 80s it was notorious for muggings and drug deals. The blight caused prime Manhattan property values to drop and become less desirable. Finally a non-profit corporation was formed to better manage the space.

 

 

 

 

 

The park has been transformed with a series of pop-ups, which change throughout the year. I visited the Winter Village. The centerpiece is a 170’ x 100’ ice skating rink, complete with heated tents for warming up, renting skates, and lockers. Overlooking the rink is Celsius, a pop-up restaurant with glass-enclosed lounges and a heated terrace.

 

 

 

During the winter holiday shopping season more than 125 temporary booths are erected to sell local food and goods. The glass stalls are reminiscent of the Crystal Palace, which stood in the park in the mid-1800s.

 

 

 

Other regular amenities include a carousel, games such as Petanque, chess and Ping Pong, and the revival of the public Reading Room, first popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Publishers donate periodicals, books and newspapers, which are available free without having to show an identification card.

 

 

In the summer visitors enjoy a public porch, complete with shade, outlets for recharging electronic devices and rockers, swings, and Adirondack chairs. Nearby is a putting green and Kubb, a Scandinavian game similar to lawn bowling. Gardens are planted throughout the park. 
 

It would only take a few of the ideas used in Bryant Park to transform Civic Plaza into a friendly public space which would attract people to Downtown.