"I teach lawyers how to write."

A woman sitting next to me at the park yesterday leaned over and said, "This must be the best place in the city to be right now--or even in the world." She was right--it was a perfect day: 72 degrees and sunny.

We were at Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan at the Southwest Cafe, an outdoor eating and drinking spot in the south west corner of the park sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Cute, right? Anyway we talked a little while and I learned she was a consultant to law firms. She gives one-on-one advice and conducts seminars on writing skills. Soon my husband and two of his co-workers arrived and I invited her to join us. That's what I love about New York: conversation with strangers is easy. Actually that may be more related to drinking, but I digress.

I took her business card home and looked at her web address. I liked it so much that I subscribed to her blog! You may like it, too. Here's a good article about the simple but powerful colon. And here's her picture from her website.

Image from roskylegaled.com

The Party Wall at MOMA's PS1 Museum

I wanted to take friends to the Museum of Modern Art's PS1 location near our apartment in Long Island City, but first I needed to check to see if the exhibits were not too weird. Actually, they were just as weird as the last time I visited, but I was prepared this time and that helped.

Anyway, this grand structure was being built at the entrance. It's called Party Wall and is the winner of a contest for a temporary, outdoor installation that provides shade, seating, and water. You can read more about it at www.CodaPartyWall.com. What I like the most: pieces from the wall can be removed and used as seating.

An architect's rendering of Party Wall. Image from http://codapartywall.com

I actually got to meet the designer/architect, Carolyn O'Donnell, who is an assistant professor at Cornel University. She told me a secret about the design--at exactly 1 o'clock in the month of July the wall will cast a shadow that has a message--which she didn't divulge.

Here's another good site to learn more about the Party Wall at MOMA PS1.

Captain's Tip?

Have you ever heard of a captain's tip? This was a first for us.