How did it come to pass that two not so young (to put it mildly) East Side residents come to spend 2-3 months in one of New York's most prestigious hotels and not pay one cent.


Well, that is not the absolute truth. While not paid by us directly, there was payment of another kind exacted.


While the fun part of our adventure commences on Sunday, March 13th, 2011, the back story set the stage.  Our journey actually started when one night we heard noise in our hallway. When I lost the battle of who gets out of bed to investigate, I realized I was walking through water. Despite what you might think, I am not capable of doing that feat.


Our neighbor in our co-op had a washer that was not installed properly and the pipes burst. The neighbor is an absentee owner and the unit was not occupied. The problem went unnoticed for who knows how long and finally the flood waters burst forth. The water flowed into our apartment and down 14 floors to the lobby.


Jane and I and other displaced residents were faced with a difficult decision:

• Stay in our apartment during construction. We would be supplied at no cost to us with wet suits and snorkels.
• or, move to a hotel of our choosing and all expenses would be paid by our insurance company.

I know you will  find this difficult to believe, but we opted for the hotel. The folks at The Carlyle could not have been more accommodating, and prior to checking in on Sunday, we already feel at home.

Once there, I will regale you with how two folks from 72nd Street can find happiness living in the lap of luxury. So far, it sure beats being homeless in a car or on the street.

You gotta love New York!