Transformer - from Isle of Wight to New York

The Clarendon Days 70's Mum, Dad, Murray, Janette and Frede outside Clarendon, about the time of me being sick. Oh those 70's... I mapped this “newsletter” out a few weeks ago. It has been rattling around in my head, while I have been too busy cooking to put pen to paper. I had promised myself a couple of hours writing this afternoon and then around 11/12ish my friend, Jo Macauley put up the first notice that Lou Reed had died. Lou Reed’s album “Transformer” produced by David Bowie influenced my fascination with the gritty New York of the mid 70’s, which eventually led to my moving here. March of 1973, We were living out in Chale on the South Coast of the Isle of Wight, at The Clarendon Hotel. I caught a cold that turned into Pneumonia, I was bedridden for 3 weeks or so. I was moved from my attic bedroom down into one of the guest bedrooms, where it was easier to minister to my needs, and for people to visit me. At some point in the very early stage of being very sick, Simon my brother, caught the bus into Newport on a Saturday - as we all did then. He came home, very happy with his purchase. I clearly remember him standing in the doorway of the bedroom, He pulled Lou Reeds “Transformer” from its bag, waving it in front of my blurry eyes. Then went upstairs to his room. I heard the lyric “Viscous you hit me with a flower’ wafting down the stairs as I drifted back to sleep. I woke periodically to “ walk on the wild side, and the colored girls sang do do da doo doo” and “all the venom snipers are after you” What did it all mean? And as the album played on, over the days I got better, I was fascinated by the world depicted in it. I asked Simon to bring the cover down so I could read it. We talked about Cross dressing and what a New York conversation could be. When I eventually went back to school everyone I knew was suddenly talking about Bi-sexuality and cross dressing, as if it was the norm, although none of us really knew anything about it. Of course we all loved The Slim White Duke, David Bowie, and then Roxy Musics Brian Eno. I regularly went up to London to stay with my Aunt June, who lived in a mews house just off Kensington High Street. A hop skip and a jump away from Biba, I had been a little intimidated by it, but now I wanted to be a vamp, like Jerry Hall on the Roxy Music covers or from the 20’s. I bought fabulously fitting and different clothes, a long cigarette holder, so I could be Oh so glamorous. A few years later, my friend Annie moved to London first, and would bring Interview magazine back down for us to read. There was Andy Warhol and his coterie of friends, vamps all, at least in my mind. I learnt that the women didn’t really eat, smoked through dinner and talked about their bowel movements. Was that a New York conversation? Liza Minnelli was eating somewhere and commented that the croutons were delicious. These were the casual facts I learnt. Annie suggested that cocaine could be involved.. Oh oh really? Annie lived in London she would know. Years passed, I traveled did different things. Never really thinking I would end up in New York. I went and saw Manhattan.. Interesting, the Gershwin soundtrack, spoke to me. I came to the US. Firstly Connecticut. New York was a scary proposition. In the Fall I moved to NY. I was walking along Madison Avenue in the 60’s, early one morning before the shops opened. I almost stopped in my tracks, my heart beat a little faster, was that ?, ... no, it cant be, shit it is. Andy Warhol was walking towards me. Oh my god, I came to NY and my first celebrity sighting was Andy Warhol and in my head I heard Lou Reed singing. And was he having a NY conversation? After that, I frequently saw Andy, always early morning looking in the shop windows before they opened. This was the early 80’s, Studio 54 was a relic of itself, but Danceteria, Peppermint Lounge and Paradise Garage were happening, and yes there were celebrities! I found a group of friends, a lot of gay men. And I was having a NY conversation, We saw what she did to him and what he said! We were at parties with famous people, knew people in Page Six,. Got invited to Interview parties at Area. It was Fabulous and so free.... Had one or two perfect Days, and yes we reaped what we sowed.. You keep hanging round me, I’m not so glad you found me, you’re still doing things that I gave up years ago... When I first became a caterer in NYC, my friend Suzanne Donaldson worked for Robert Mapplethorpe, and asked me to cater his last birthday parties. So many of the people I had read about were there; Debbie, Richard, Susan, it was one of the moments when I asked myself how did this girl from the Isle of Wight, get to be so fortunate to live out part of her dreams? I also catered a photo shoot for Liza, who told me my food was delicious, no, I didn’t make croutons! And the fabulous Drag Queens we saw everywhere .. Holly came from Miami, F L A... I was recently back in England for a wedding. I commented to a friend about the amazing Drag Queen, and how much things must have changed. She kept asking me where, I pointed out the person, she laughed hysterically “No that’s the butchers wife.” I knew I had lived in NY too long! Now I am a New Yorker and when I hear “Transformer” I am back in the Isle of Wight, sitting in a chair, all wrapped in a blanket, weak with sickness, watching the wind and rain outside. With just a NY conversation rattling in my head.... I was sleeping, gently napping when I heard the phone Who is on the other end talking am I even home Did you see what she did to him did you hear what they said Just a New York conversation rattling in my head Oh, oh, my, and what shall we wear Oh, oh, my, and who really cares Just a New York conversation gossip all of the time Did you hear who did what to whom happens all the time Who has touched and who has dabbled here in the city of shows Openings, closings, bad repartee everybody knows Oh, how sad and why do we call Oh, I'm glad to hear from you all I am calling, yes I am calling just to speak to you For I know this night will kill me if I can't be with you If I can't be with you Me attempting to be a vamp in 84...

Out and about in Harlem and the WTC...

Walking over to the Strivers Row Home tour, we saw the first signs of Fall World Trade Center from Hudson River Park

Last Harvest, Start of Fall cleanup and a new visitor

Almost full moon New visitor is this cat, with collar - I see my mother shaking her head about and outside cat with collar.. I like to mix up my pots, geranium and scotch bonnet This cherry tomato self seeded from last year, and was by far the healthiest tomato plant

Full Moon over Lenox Avenue

Last night was a Full moon lunar eclipse. It definitely felt like Luna was pulling us all in different directions. I got home from setting up a catering job, and just knew that cooking dinner was not an option. Fortunately, we now have some options for food and take out in Harlem now. It has changed most in the last year. We now have Harlem Shake - although I insist on calling it Harlem Shuffle. Through the summer we have been a couple of times, sat outside enjoyed the sights and sounds. I ordered our food, we have favorites, I like the barbecue onion burger, Num the Chil Cheese dog with onions, last night I tried the Classic Chicken Sandwich which is a new favorite. Very yummy. I stepped outside and stood by a table while I waited. I knew I wanted to get a shot of the Full Moon. A young lady came and asked if she could join me, we chatted for a minute as you do with strangers. She pulled out her kindle/ipad and started reading, laughing. She told me she was reading Fifty Shades of Gray, and loving it, it is funny she told me. I immediately thought of all my friends at Knopf/Vintage. Harlem Shake filled up, lots of young people, a multi racial community. I took this photo looking across Lenox. I remembered a time when the lights of the Lenox Lounge were a beacon in the dark nights of Harlem. That and Sylvia's. Now there are lights and people everywhere and more to come... i

... Brussel Sprouts for Thanksgiving

and in the end .... Montauks

You know summer is over when the Montauk Daisy's bloom Bowl of Scotch Bonnet and Habanero from our garden These red Zinnia's have been delightful, I have collected seed The last Honeysuckle flowers

Random images from the week

The Mourning Doves love to sit in the cool grass when it is hot. The image makes me think of them as dinosaurs wallowing in a marsh.. Our lone cucumber!!!.. Our Pesky friend..

A beautiful early Fall Day in Connecticut