The woman who was for the last 20 years of her life Manhattan's most famous - if also most elusive - pedestrian would have celebrated her 107th birthday today. For a while, I thought about putting together a book consisting entirely of New Yorkers' stories of encountering her on her daily constitutionals and calling it Garbo Walks.
"Her biographers describe several of her favored routes. She liked to walk up 3rd Ave. to visit the antique shops, but she also frequented 1st and 2nd Avenues. She often walked north on Madison Avenue to look at art galleries or over and down to the Waldorf Astoria to meet a friend for lunch. From her starting point at the east end of 52nd St. she would also walk to wherever the mood struck her. She would window shop or browse stores, and on a few occasions she bought something. Shopkeepers found her cordial."
ReplyDeleteA fascinating obsession... Jx
of course you know what a great title that is, right?
ReplyDeletejust terrific.
as for people buying it, there may be a few hundred old people left alive who knew who she was. sigh.
Ah, yes, well. When it comes to audience, I'm already quite familiar with being caviar for the general, you know...
DeleteWhat a great picture... I would buy it!
ReplyDeleteActually, you can. I wish I could claim it, but only images tagged "Snaps" are mine.
Delete