Finding big hearts in the Big Apple
Among my most valuable possessions in life is a treasure trove of memories. In solitary moments I could just lie back, open up my memory bank and dwell in the abundance of happiness stored inside.
I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning. As I turned on the light, the first thing that caught my eye was my Grand Central Station clock, a photo silkscreen on board. The artwork is a thoughtful gift from a brilliant New York-based artist. It was signed “Toots Magsino, April 12, 2008.”
Immediately I was transported to another place and time.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008. I was up at 5 a.m. to get ready for a special trip. “You will love where you are going,” said my brother-in-law Dennis as he enthusiastically drove my husband Benny, our son Vincent and me through the streets of Washington D.C., passing the Pentagon, Smithsonian Museums and the White House to get us into Union Station just in time.
At Gate 26, my sister Yvonne (clutching our train tickets) and her family looked anxiously. A bold sighting in pink made them smile in amused relief. There was moi! Clad in pink boots, pink quilted jacket, pink furry hat, my pink fuzzy gloved hands towing my hot pink luggage amidst a sea of black-clad commuters.
“How could we miss you!?” laughed Yvonne as she handed me our train tickets. “Happy anniversary! We are taking you to New York!”
At 8 a.m., our gregarious group composed of Yvonne and her husband Pael, their children Carin and Cito Romualdez; and Pael’s sister Anna with her son Zach, boarded the Amtrak train with my own family happily snacking away. It was a comfortable three-hour ride passing through Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore, Princeton, Philadelphia and New Jersey. We arrived at 11:30 a.m. Our very dear Toots Magsino (Yvonne’s best childhood chum) was eagerly waiting to welcome us upon arrival at Penn Station.
“Welcome to New York!” Toots greeted us. It was a joyful reunion as we hugged and squealed in excitement. She prepared an itinerary that included a grand tour of the city, her home of 10 years. Since it was my first time in the Big Apple, Toots wanted to show me a city she has fallen crazily in love with. A city that has allowed her to pursue and develop her artistic passion with most rewarding results leading to her current success as an artist.
We hurriedly checked into our chic boutique hotel called On The Avenue, located on the upper Westside on Broadway and 77th as we had a show to catch. She had gotten us tickets to Lion King and we all rushed to the nearest subway.
After Lion King, everyone was ravenous. Toots had reservations at her favorite Moroccan restaurant, Café Mogador, located in East Village.
Heaven blessed us with a sunny Spring morning and gorgeous blue skies the following day. We all converged at the Fairways Café above the popular Fairways Market for a lively breakfast. As Toots went through our itinerary for the day, I happily dug into the thickest and creamiest Greek yoghurt I had ever tasted, topped with toasted pine nuts, bursting with succulent blueberries, bananas and fresh orange honey. Heavenly indeed!
Toots took us all to the very top of the Empire State building. It was a fascinating experience for the children as she pointed out New York’s historic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Yankee Stadium and Ground Zero.
In the afternoon, thoughtful Toots had our personal interests in mind. My son Vincent, a basketball fanatic, was in seventh heaven as she took him to the NBA store. She took my husband to Rockefeller Center, the younger children to FAO Schwartz, and techie Yvonne to the Apple store. All were happy to just windowshop. My first visit ever to the Museum of Modern Art was a high moment. Being in the same room with my favorite Matisses, Picassos, Monets, Bonnards and Kandinskys up close in their original glory was a dream come true. This experience rekindled a desire to pick up my paintbrushes once again. By the way, Toots whispered to me that on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., you can enjoy the museum for free.
Quite a blessing for my family was being able to hear Mass at the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral. I felt God speaking to me through the priest’s homily, a reminder that God’s love is manifested everywhere. Truly it is.
After a quick but yummy snack at the quaint Pop Burger, Toots walked us to the Gershwin Theatre to watch the enchanting musical Wicked (which I loved).
Another highlight of our trip was a surprise reunion with Yvonne and Toots’ two other dearest childhood friends, Patricia Lim, who works with the United Nations, and Apples Lagumbay, an excellent respiratory therapist. I knew them since they were little girls and marveled at the fine ladies they have become. At Petrossian Café over croissants and hot choco, they relived childhood memories of their grade school days in Colegio San Agustin.
In exhilarating weather, we strolled arm in arm through Central Park and the vibrant streets of New York as Toots pointed out all the places that meant the most to her, including the Art Students League of New York where she studied for eight years — four years for painting and the other four for printmaking. She has mounted nine solo exhibitions and participated in more than 30 group shows in the US, Canada, Italy, Japan and the Philippines. Her mixed media artwork entitled “Unveil” was chosen as winner of a national competition in the US. In June 2007, this highly acclaimed painting appeared on the cover of the Carnegie Hall’s playbill.
New York proved to be a treasure trove of pleasant surprises for me. On our 21st wedding anniversary, my siblings gifted us with a stay at the New York Peninsula right on 5th Ave. The luxurious suite was amazing and my son Vincent was mesmerized by the huge bathroom and claimed it as his bedroom. He immediately went for a bubble bath, enjoying the tub while watching his favorite NBA games on a big flat screen TV. All throughout our Peninsula stay, Vincent must have greeted us “Happy, happy anniversary” about a hundred times. We celebrated by amusing Vincent with hilarious tales of our courtship and early years of marriage until finally — my victorious pregnancy after eight and a half years. He felt so loved. The girls came in and Toots mixed orange juice with champagne to make refreshing mimosas and we popped those luscious chocolate covered strawberries in between toasts. If those walls could talk, they would probably tell you that Room 905 must have been the happiest room that day as our incessant laughter rang through the halls.
New York was glorious because of lovable Toots who brought together all the special people who made it most memorable for me and my family. Everyone was so excited for me to experience New York for the very first time. Their caring was endless, their joy infectious.
My husband and son gratefully declared that Toots Magsino is the best, most caring tour guide, friend, photographer and artist all rolled into one in all of New York. We didn’t even feel the need to shop. Thanks to her, our hearts and bags were already loaded with a priceless cargo of artworks and memories. Her selflessness was the best gift of all!
(Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com)
