Get your free hugs here!

I was walking through Astor Place in the Village this afternoon when I saw a group of NYU students standing on the corner with signs offering "Free Hugs".

So I went and hugged a guy and wished him a happy spring.

he said "Uh... you too." and looked at me like I was the crazy one.

C'est la vie!

Aruba again!

I recently came back from visiting my sister, brother-in-law and niece who live in Aruba. The language there is Papmiento, a mixture of Latin and Dutch.

I also saw about a million iguanas again!

Is this an April Fool's joke? It IS funny!

I was walking out of the train station at Queensboro Plaza around noon today when I homeless guy missing a few teeth smiled at me and said "Hey -- for ten cents, I'll tell you I love you! I love you ANYWAY!"

Well, at least there's ONE guy in NYC unafraid to say those three little words! He's even willing to suffer a profit-loss for it!

Subwayland!

Every now and then I read a really amazing book centered around NYC. With the exception of Sophie Kinsella's "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan", it is NEVER chick lit.

The latest is "Subwayland" by Randy Kennedy. It is composed of essays with interviewees throughout the subway system, including kiosk workers, commuters, performers, and even a couple who met on the subway and came to take a photo at the station where they met after their wedding ceremony -- in complete bridal regalia.

I even found out the name and history of the only subway magician -- i saw him back in 2006 (see "El magicio --- Dios mio!", Sept 8, 2006.)

His name is Olmedini -- a combination of his name Olmes and an homage to Houdini, and he hails from Ecuador.