New York City Trip: Thursday August 21, 2025

12:45pm

Well well well, we made it to Times Square! Only 25 minutes of weaving through foot traffic and breathing my way through red lights before my final destination– the iconic Red Stairs, underneath which they sell discounted Broadway tickets. I bought two:

• Buena Vista Social Club Friday 7:30pm
• Cabaret Saturday 2pm

So that’ll be 3 shows! The rest I might rewatch– MJ, Moulin Rouge, dance-heavy shows that’ll get my creative juices flowing.

5:24pm

Sitting on Floor 6 of Margaritaville, where surprisingly there is a 1-lane pool and people chillin’ in cabanas like this is a Mediterranean cruise, but we’re the furthest thing from a cruise there is (I am looking forward to my cruise trip in October!)

Just watched The Great Gatsby musical. Some stream-of-consciousness thoughts:

1. Jay Gatsby is a hopeless optimist and dreamer, even more so than me, which is saying a lot. He did not deserve his tragic end.
2. Daisy B and her lot suck. They are all dicks. Money does not equal good character. Money corrupts, or at least it can. Jay had money, but he was really a hopeless romantic to the core, borderline delusional. Nick was a good egg. He came to NY with empty poclets and nothing but dreams, and left it grossly disillusioned by the shittiness of its people.
3. Thank God I am a woman in 2025. Feminism game strong. But misogyny still runs rampant. I am over men and their double standards and hypocrisy.

Things I ate today:

• matcha latte
• cheeseburger and fries
• celsius energy drink
• latte from Gregory’s
• mac n’ cheese and chicken tenders (probably shouldn’t be eating like this if I am to lose weight, Oh well, here we are on vacation mode! Have at it!)

5:44pm

It’s just like Bel to fixate on all the goals / TDLs I will tackle when I Get back to Cali. I want to:

• lose weight and get back to February 2025 level
• get VTW up and running and start posting on blog and podcast
• maybe start a Substack / Medium in addition to this blog
• masterclass.com poetry class

I’m gonna stop myself from going down this rabbit hole. Time to get going, back to hotel for reading and relaxing before dance tonight.

6:33pm

Back in the safety of my hotel room– 1201 @ Chelsean Hotel. Just finished filling out my timecard for Bay Club so don’t have to worry about that anymore. Should probably nap, pray, meditate, read, before a night of grand adventure. Let’s lose yourself in Plath before 7:30pm, shall we?

…

Dear God,

Help me stay sober and clean and pristine tonight as I venture out this Thursday evening to go dancing at Solas Bar. I managed to stay sober last night and I believe I can do it again tonight, with your grace and guidance and support. I surrender to you, I know you will help me through every craving I face tonight. It really is “one day / moment at a time” for us alcoholics. I got this, I know I do! With you beside me I can do anything. Thank you, endlessly.

Gratitudes:

• Broadway artists for your talent and inspiration
• Mom for her unconditional care and love
• Chris for taking care of me during this trip
• Books that open portals to empathy and thought-life / experience that transcends time and space
• Sylvia Plath, my new favorite author
• Sobriety. How many days now? 2 weeks exactly! 2 more and I’ll get my 30-day chip, how bout that!!!!

Let me read “Quit Like a Woman” the part about all the bad shit booze does to your body.