The week of March 9, 2020 was when the US realized that the coronavirus is here. The stock market fell 2000 points on Monday, before trading was halted. In Salt Lake City, I went to Rotary and attended the Broadway Eccles production of "Dear Evan Hansen" on Tuesday, but by Wednesday the World Health Organization had designated the coronavirus outbreak as a "pandemic" and the NBA announced that it would play its games without fans in the stands, since Rudy Goberg, a Utah JAZZ player, has tested positive for coronavirus. On Wednesday, the Salt Lake Rotary canceled its weekly lunches and the Utah State Bar canceled its spring convention in St. George. President Trump announced that travel from Europe would be curtailed. Emilie and Annelise flew to NYC on Tuesday to keep Sophie company for a few days, as she undergoes radiation therapy. On Wednesday, the museums and Broadway shows were open, but by Thursday night Broadway was dark.
On Thursday night, the plane I flew to NYC was half empty, with middle seats left open to provide "social distancing." On Friday morning, when I met Camille, Sophie, Emilie, and Annelise at the Zenger's home in Queens, we had to make new plans, since my usual NYC "dog trot" of museums and plays was shut down. I rode with Sophie and Camille into Manhattan for Sophie's radiation appointment at the Sloan-Kettering Proton Center in northern Manhattan. Sloan-Kettering is one of the top cancer hospitals in the world. New Yorkers are jittery about the virus. I coughed on the subway and two people around me stood up and moved!
Sophie's appointment lasted just half an hour and Sophie seemed none the worse for her treatment.
The five us then began a 12 mile walking odyssey around Mid-Manhattan, Soho, Chelsea, and Brooklyn. We stopped at the "Vessel," at Hudson Yards on 24th Street. It is described as, "This enormous bronze honeycomb standing at 15 stories tall. From the inside it's an intricate chamber of stairs; there are 2,500 steps, 154 flights, and 80 landings in total."
We walked along the Highline Trail, chatting companionably about the "bachelorette party" which Emilie attended last week.
We began our food tour in earnest. One stop was Domique Ansel's Bakery in Soho for cronuts and another was Citycakes, a tiny, walk-down shop for large, rich oatmeal , chocolate chip, and peanut butter cookies.
Another "food event" was a stop for Mexican corn on the cob, roasted and then slathered with cheese.
We also hiked across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Emilie met her friend, Fallin, who is working with a cosmetics company in NYC.
We finished our evening at a fancy development of shops and restaurants on the Brooklyn waterfront.
The view across the East River to Manhattan was spectacular.
After our big day on Friday, it was nearly noon before our crowd was out of the Zenger's house. We then did more food touring, including stopping at an upscale collection of Italian shops and restaurants.
Cannolis are one of my cravings. The cannoli I ate on this trip, filed with ricotta cheese mixed with chocolate chips and garnished with a cherry soaked in amaretto, was superb.
Emilie also celebrated with a sack of Italian pastries.
We lingered at a bookstore, and I took photos of the books I wanted to buy when I got home. I remembered only too well our trip to NYC for the family reunion many years ago, during which I bought a huge art book at the Metropolitan Museum and lugged it for the 15 miles we walked that day!
We decided to "go healthy" for our last meal in NYC. We stopped for salads at a shop recommended by a friend from Camille's ward in SLC.
We posed for one last photo at the park near the Zenger's house in Queens, looking across the river to Manhattan. Then, Emilie and Annelise hurried to the airport to fly home.
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