My kingdom for a camera battery

After dropping off my laundry at the local fluff-and-fold, I headed south on 5th Avenue to the lower 1/3 of Central Park. I hopped off the bus at 79th and had a pleasant little stroll along the avenue, entering the park at 72nd.

I watched folks maneuver little sail boats around the pond and gave my regards to both Hans Christian Andersen and Alice in Wonderland. A guy with balloons on his head did some pretty good renditions of "Summertime" and other jazzy classics. I tossed a buck in his trumpet case and he said "Thank you" about a thousand times. Support the arts, sez I. And all the while, I'm snappin' away with my little digital camera.

Strolling over to Bethesda Fountain, I whip out my camera - the fountain looked particularly fetching today - but, sad to say, I'd neglected to recharge the battery last night and it just would not crank out one mo' photo for me. Sigh. You'll just have to take my word for it. The fountain was lovely.

As were Strawberry Fields and the "Imagine" marker, The Dakota, and the American Museum of Natural History. Now, the "Imagine" marker you've seen a ba-zillion times, and the best views of The Dakota can be seen in the opening credits of Rosemary's Baby. No, seriously - check it out.

And of course the Natural History Museum stars in Night at the Museum, though Teddy Roosevelt's actually a big verdigris statue out front, not Robin Williams on horseback inside. (I think most of the film was shot on a sound stage in Canada.) Anyway, I wasn't going to be picky. It was hot, so I thought I'd poke around there for a while.

Alas, after marching up the front steps and having my bag checked by security, I noticed the line to buy admission tix snaking around the lobby. Hmmmm. Did I really want to do that? Could I, perhaps, plan to come back another day, say, a Monday morning before the long lines form? Yes. That sounded better. So, though a little disappointed at not getting to venture through the museum, I looked around the lobby, then headed out again.

As I strolled back across Central Park toward 5th Avenue, I remembered gleefully that I was carrying my very own Metropolitan Museum of Art Member Card. Why, no lines for me there - just flash my card, they hand me my little "M" button, and in I walk (while all the poor schmucky non-members have to snake through the Met line!). So I ducked into the big bad mama of museums, where it was nice and cool. I headed for the galleries with the least number of people. I wasn't picky - I thoroughly enjoyed a few Old Masters and some of the Medieval Art.

And that's the great thing about actually living in New York City. I can go back to Bethesda Fountain and The Dakota and The American Museum of Natural History and the Met anytime I want. No big rush or hurry.

So, I'll recharge the camera battery and head back another day.