If you can't join them, tour them

As previously mentioned, I wasn't able to take the first degree this past Monday, because I was in New York City. I was meeting one of my best friends for a couple of days of unabashed tourism. The trip was planned and scheduled long before I was given the date for the first degree, and there was just no way I could have backed out on such short notice - nor would I have wanted to! I hadn't seen J. (one of the references for my petition) in more than 5 years.

He had never been to New York, and although I have been there a number of times it's always been on business... I haven't done a lot of sightseeing there.

We had a blast. One of our first destinations on Monday was the Grand Masonic Lodge of New York at 71 W. 23rd Street. Many thanks to R.W. Anton J. Kurz for a thorough, intimate, and very enjoyable tour. I haven't gone through all of my photos yet, but this shot of the Renaissance Room is an indicator of the splendor of the place, recently restored and renovated:



I'll post more when I sort through my best photos.

In the meantime, if you're in New York I highly recommend stopping by for a tour whether you're a Mason or not! As of this writing, I believe the hours are Monday-Saturday, 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM. (Best to call ahead and make sure, though.) There's no formal "wait here for tours" sign, so when you get to the building just inquire at the front desk. You may need to wait a while if a tour is already in progress, but it's well worth it.