Greenwich Village

You can't go home again. That's what they say. I sat around mooning yesterday (and how often does one "moon"?) about how much I missed NYC (having relocated to Philly 5 years ago.

This house above is one of the very few woodframe houses standing in New York City, and this was my view of it when I lived at Grove and Bedford Streets in the West Village.

I was on the fourth-floor walk up of a 100-year old private home. The Village is a marvelous place to live and I got a great deal on the rent which made it even sweeter.

The building on the right was the other corner (looking out my kitchen window) used for the exterior of Monca's apartment in "Friends." That bit of building on the right was my apartment.

Cool, eh? Just the views alone made it fun even to look out my windows. To say nothing about my bedroom fireplace and a backyard patio. Being a history buff (especially of New York), just walking around the neighborhood was a trip back in time. To say nothing of the big stars of the day who lived nearby. (Okay, Debi Mazar and Andrew McCarthy). The building on the left was once where Ms. Mazar lived. It's called Twin Peaks (you can see it peaking out from behind the first picture.

Okay, maybe not who'd you expect to live in a stoic, old building - but hey - who ever knows?

Anyway, back to Mooning. I had a major case of nostalgia, wanting to return, to go back to a time that was innocent (and I was ten years younger, dammit) and pick up where I left off.

Then as I ruminated I started to remember plodding up all those stairs, how goddam hot it got in Summer, and the crazy woman who lived behind me, coming in at all hours and slamming her door. And it was a studio apartment and I was forever tripping over something, and I longed for a one-bedroom. So when one appeared as instantly as this one had, I grabbed it.

A big beautiful place on West End Avenue. But the best decision? I don't know.

Sitting around trying to recapture my time in the Village -- the best idea? No.