Mecca to Mecca

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Mecca to Mecca


Ginger Richardson and Scarlet Sanders were born in the same apartment building in New York and have been best friends ever since. They played together, went to school together, did everything together. Two years ago, Ginger's mother was sent to the Florida branch of the company she worked for. Ginger and Scarlet were both torn up over the move, but they promised to be pen pals until Ginger came back to New York. They correspond all the time.


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March 16, 2014

Dear Scarlet,

How is it in old (literally) Florida? Is it warm enough to go swimming yet? A couple of days ago, the high here was only 10 degrees! I guess that's what you have to expect in March in New York City. It can be so gloomy here, unlike sunny Naples, but we do get snow days. I am so excited to be on spring break, because we really get to enjoy all of the wonderful things of the city, at least for a week.

Anyway, we went to a show last night at the Schubert Theatre. We saw Matilda, an adaptation of our favorite book! Then, we went out to Tre Colores, an Italian restaurant where I got a wonderful Fettuccini Alfredo. It was so creamy that it almost melted in my mouth! Afterwards, we went back to our apartment building. It's not the same since you moved out. You're apartment hasn't been bought yet, so I'm thankful for that. I don't think I could bear it if some other family with a screaming baby or something moved in where you used to live.

Today, we went to the Guggenheim Museum and saw an exhibit full of art by Kandinsky who was a Russian expressionist painter. It was really cool, but that was only a small exhibit. The main exhibit was "art" by an artist that I forget the name of. (I put art in quotes because all he did was stencil words (some of them obscenities) and roll patterned rollers over a canvas then smeared it with ugly paint.) We also saw an exhibit by a man named Motherwell who used ripped paper and paint to make (in my opinion) ugly collages with mustard and other ugly colors that clashed.

We also went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and saw some really beautiful pieces by Rodin, a French sculptor and some magnificent Japanese silk screens. We were all tired after a full day of museums, and we crashed at the apartment. My dad just got back with the Chinese takeout. I really think that New York City has a lot of pulchritudinous* things like many cultures from around the world, great food, excellent art, incredible theatre, and I haven't even mentioned the music! ; )

Write soon!

Ginger Richardson

P.S. I put the asterisk after pulchritudinous because I thought it was a cool word and I know that you like strange-sounding words. I think that pulchritudinous would make a good spelling bee word because nobody would know how to spell it unless they memorized the dictionary. It means beautiful. Try saying that five times fast. ; )


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March 20, 2014

Dear Ginger,

How are you? I am well, thank you, and in answer to your question, it almost reached 75 degrees here on Wednesday! I went swimming on the beach with my mom and dad, and we saw a manatee! It's snout bobbed up every few minutes. My mom saw it first, but my dad and I thought is was just a log. Then, we saw it too! It was amazing to be that close to the wildlife of Florida! My dad tried to take a couple pictures with his phone, but they didn't really come out. There was also a stork or some kind of bird like that, and I got within a few feet of it! The bird was pure white, and it was so majestic. I love going to the beach.

I'm excited to be on spring break too. Our favorite ice cream shop called The Frozen Zone opens every year on the first day of spring break. It really could be open all year round, but it gives all of the kids something to look forward to other than no homework and sleeping in, of course. The owner, Mr. Dunlap, is a jolly old man with a big white mustache and a belly to match. The shop is always packed on the first day of spring break. All the kids line up to get snow cones and their specialty, The Gator (chocolate chip cookie dough chunks in chocolate ice cream). My mom thinks that the Gator is too jazzed up, but I love it. My two favorite flavors are The Gator and The Seahorse (peanut butter cups in chocolate ice cream with peanut butter ribbons). All of their flavors are named after Floridian animals.

After relaxing at the beach for a while, we went inside to eat dinner. We had Amy's Macaroni and Cheese, the best brand EVER! It is all natural and organic, plus it tastes good.

As we passed the Lopez's apartment, we saw Mrs. Lopez out sweeping her front stoop. We also saw the Bakers out on their terrace. In our apartment complex, we have mostly old people. They come here to retire because it is easy to relax, it is warm most of the time, and they don't have to deal with the snow. We ate dinner, and then went out to the main beach. We have a private beach at our complex, but the main beach is always packed. They have beach umbrellas and tents spaced out in rows, and there is a big boardwalk type of place where people set up their booths and sell cool things like shell necklaces, and nightlights made out of conch shells. When we were at the main beach, I got a keychain made out of really pretty shells strung together. My dad also found a conch shell!

I love Florida because it is so relaxing. No wonder Naples has a high median age of 62! Old people love to come relax and retire here, and young people do too. It is just a place to wind down and have a good time.

Naples, Florida definitely isn't like New York City with all its hubbub and business, but Florida is a different type of destination for a different type of people. All in all I think that even though Florida and New York City are very different, they are also the same in that people are drawn to them. I know there is a word for that, but I can't think of it right now...

Your friend,

Scarlet Sanders

P.S. I love pulchritudinous! I agree about the spelling bee. Pulchritudinous, pulchritudinous, pulchritudinous, pulchritudinous, pulchritudinous. I did it! ; )


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March 23, 2014

Dear Scarlet,

I agree with your evaluation of the different cities we live in. I believe that the word you are looking for to describe our cities is "mecca." A mecca is "any place that people visit or hope to visit." I would write more, but I have to go to the Metropolitan Opera to see Die Fledermaus, an opera about a masquerade ball.

Your friend,

Ginger Richardson

P.S. I though you would like masquerade too.


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March 27, 2014

Dear Ginger,

Yes, I do believe that mecca describes our two cities quite nicely. Die Fledermaus sounds very interesting. How was it? Oh, I have to go. We are walking down to the Frozen Zone!

Your friend,

Scarlet Sanders

P.S. I do like masquerade. : )

P. P. S. I'll write more later. Talk to you soon!

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