Sebastian Junger
This Friday, for date night (although it was actually during the day), my husband and I went into New York City. On the train ride in, he asked me where I wanted to go. I said, "Marc Jacobs down on Bleecker St."
*Side note: When I did the Breast Cancer 3Day walk in Seattle, the staff all wore these really cool striped fingerless gloves and when I asked where they got them, one of the girls said Marc Jacobs. I've been hankerin' for some fingerless gloves, so I decided, 'what the heck' let's see what Marc's got in stock.
So we took the 6 subway down to Bleecker and walked. It was a long walk b/c 382 Bleecker is not near the Bleecker subway stop, but it was a nice day and we weaved in and out of stores. Well, when we got near Marc Jacobs, there was a line...I kid you not...it was insane. But he has three stores close to each other, so we went to one w/o a line and I went in. No fingerless gloves, so we left and kept walking north toward 23 and 10th. The Half King. The Half King is a bar opened by Sebastian Junger, author of THE PERFECT STORM. If I'm remembering correctly from what I've read, he built it so writers could come in, make themselves comfortable and write. I DID have my journal with me and I told my husband earlier that I would like to write when we got there. Well, after bellying up to the bar, I changed my mind. By this time it was 6 o'clock and it felt too 'open' to really write, so I ordered a drink instead.
Then my husband, who was looking over my shoulder, said, "I think that's him."
And I knew who he was talking about, but I asked anyway, "Sebastian Junger?"
And my husband said "Yep. By the door."
So, slyly I looked around and sure enough, Sebastian Junger was standing by the door.
"Go talk to him," my husband said.
"About what?"
"Tell him you're a writer."
"Nah," I said, thinking 'Yeah,I'm sure he's heard THAT before.'
"Tell him you appreciate him opening a place like this."
"Well, I do, but then what?" I ask imagining the awkward silence that would follow. I suppose I could have said,"I loved your book," but still that's not really original either. I guess I just wasn't feeling so carpe' diem.
So anyway, to make a long story short, I saw Sebastian Junger. No one else seemed to notice him or realize it was him or even care that it was him...New Yorkers are like that, but not even the staff acknowledged him, but it WAS him. He's got very distinct eyes.
And now I kind of wish I 'would' have talked to him b/c that is the reason he opened The Half King--for writers, but he disappeared and we didn't see him again before we left. Ah, well. Perhaps next time I go to The Half King, I will write. I will write and I will talk to Sebastian Junger. There's always next time.
*Side note: When I did the Breast Cancer 3Day walk in Seattle, the staff all wore these really cool striped fingerless gloves and when I asked where they got them, one of the girls said Marc Jacobs. I've been hankerin' for some fingerless gloves, so I decided, 'what the heck' let's see what Marc's got in stock.
So we took the 6 subway down to Bleecker and walked. It was a long walk b/c 382 Bleecker is not near the Bleecker subway stop, but it was a nice day and we weaved in and out of stores. Well, when we got near Marc Jacobs, there was a line...I kid you not...it was insane. But he has three stores close to each other, so we went to one w/o a line and I went in. No fingerless gloves, so we left and kept walking north toward 23 and 10th. The Half King. The Half King is a bar opened by Sebastian Junger, author of THE PERFECT STORM. If I'm remembering correctly from what I've read, he built it so writers could come in, make themselves comfortable and write. I DID have my journal with me and I told my husband earlier that I would like to write when we got there. Well, after bellying up to the bar, I changed my mind. By this time it was 6 o'clock and it felt too 'open' to really write, so I ordered a drink instead.
Then my husband, who was looking over my shoulder, said, "I think that's him."
And I knew who he was talking about, but I asked anyway, "Sebastian Junger?"
And my husband said "Yep. By the door."
So, slyly I looked around and sure enough, Sebastian Junger was standing by the door.
"Go talk to him," my husband said.
"About what?"
"Tell him you're a writer."
"Nah," I said, thinking 'Yeah,I'm sure he's heard THAT before.'
"Tell him you appreciate him opening a place like this."
"Well, I do, but then what?" I ask imagining the awkward silence that would follow. I suppose I could have said,"I loved your book," but still that's not really original either. I guess I just wasn't feeling so carpe' diem.
So anyway, to make a long story short, I saw Sebastian Junger. No one else seemed to notice him or realize it was him or even care that it was him...New Yorkers are like that, but not even the staff acknowledged him, but it WAS him. He's got very distinct eyes.
And now I kind of wish I 'would' have talked to him b/c that is the reason he opened The Half King--for writers, but he disappeared and we didn't see him again before we left. Ah, well. Perhaps next time I go to The Half King, I will write. I will write and I will talk to Sebastian Junger. There's always next time.