I am really happy to say that I had my first class Monday evening and I love it! Neat to be back in the classroom scene actually. Most of the NYU buildings are in Greenwich Village, but this one is in the Woolworth Building in lower manhattan. This building opened in 1913 and was the tallest building in the city at the time. The World Trade Center buildings were only a couple blocks away and while this building was not damaged greatly, it was without electricity and phone service for weeks after 9/11.
The inside of the building is gorgeous--truly one of the most architecturally beautiful buildings in the city. I am attaching some pics as well as some from just around this area.
Before my class I headed to the WTC site. If you didn't know, you'd just think they were doing normal city construction.
Not much has been developed yet in the empty area. I am attaching a pic. You can't really tell from the picture, but when looking up to the skyline the gap between the remaining buildings is sadly, very large.
Coming from the West Coast, 9/11 was of course extremely devastating. But walking around the site, seeing all the people just walking on the street going about their normal day, or me sitting in my class, it is hard to imagine what it was like for New Yorkers that day. Its still devastating.
I have a daunting task ahead of me... once again Melissa's visit, just spanning the weekend, produced so many adventures, pics and laughs that I could write a novel! But I will try and just highlight the main points!
So Melissa flew in Friday night and after a mandatory stop at the luxury outlets in NY (outlets like you have never seen-- many of the stores are just pointless for us to even go into as even at outlet prices, we'd go broke) we met Tom for dinner at our hangout here Tabor Tavern. She got to meet a couple of our neighbors too. The weekend was starting off pretty well and it only got better.
Sat morning we got up early and trained into the city. It was very warm, but overcast and thundershowers were called for. Both of us being from Seattle, didn't even consider bringing an umbrella. Whats a little rain when you are from the rain capital of the world?
Our first stop was at Union Square. Melissa was here in Oct so there was no need to hit Times Square and some of the other touristy sites in mid-town. Union Square on a Saturday in the summer (or spring) is packed with the farmers market, flower market and the art that I love. Melissa was excited to buy some ramps (onion like things that are in season now and only grown in the NE). I had a hard time matching her enthusiasm for them, but glad I helped in making her so happy.
We headed next to Gramercy Park--an area I have never been to before in the city. This area is highly affluent. The actual Gramercy Park is private and requires a key for entry. The apartments around this area are amazing. After stopping for a beverage (at noon) at Pete's tavern--the oldest bar in NYC--we headed furhter into Gramercy. Right about now is where my prior umbrella comment is important. It started with just a couple drops and before we knew it we were running through puddles headed towards an apartment awning to take cover. This rain looked as though if it hit you it'd be painful. We stood here for a good 10 min before we wondered just how long we'd be here.
As we stood here waiting, this older, very short woman approached us pushing her shopping cart and carrying her umbrella. She took pity on us and asked if both of us could fit under her umbrella with her and she'd walk us to the drug store to buy umbrellas (who says New Yorkers are rude?) This offer, while very nice, was pretty much impossible since we towered over her. After politely declining, 'Marian' had a better idea: "go to my synagogue" she said. "They just had a party and there is plenty of food left. Go----eat". Our attire hardly was synagogue worthy... but she persisted and then clinched the visit for us with the information that the building is a national monument and the basement was used for the underground railroad during the Civil War and--it was just around the corner. As the rain let up we left her (not without hearing about her niece who was working at Microsoft and making "bread" and her occasional "fawget ehbout et" comment) for the umbrella stand and then for the synagogue.
Long story short--we were greeted by some very nice people at the synagogue and we were taken down to the basement and witnessed the ORIGINAL underground railroad tunnel completely untouched. We looked past the chairs and tables that the congregation stored there and took in the history as we stepped in and touched the brick and imagined the people and the emotions that passed through this very tunnel. We knew that this would be the highlight of the day.
After some very good mexican for lunch and a visit to a famous cheese shop, grand central station and a street fair that spanned, I swear, nearly the entire street of Lexington (that we can only describe was a tribute to gyros as nearly every booth was a gyro booth) we went to the Morgan Museum/Library. This, became the second highlight of the day.
On display were 3 of the only 50 remaining copies of the Gutenberg bible. They were amazing to see--almost un-comprehensible. JP Morgan, this his house at one time, had an astonishing library that rendered us speechless upon our entry. We saw original Shakespeare, Goethe, Milton, Dickens and so on. Too many to even list. I cannot describe the room to do it even slight justice.
We then headed to the 3rd highlight-- Duran Duran concert in Central Park. After another short, but very wet downpour, we danced the night away to some old 80's classics. What a night! What a day!
Sunday we headed to the shore and spent the day at Pt Pleasant beach laying out and wandering the boardwalk and then heading to dinner with Tom, John and Lisa. Another very full day and the weather was so beautiful! 100% sunny and hot!!
We had such a great time and I wish she lived closer so we could do this wandering more often.
:-)
I am attaching some pics from the city and the shore.
Enjoy!!
hey everyone-- i put pics on here all the time of the city and the empire state building is hardly unique to this blog or any ny based web site, but the attached pic I think is just really cool. Tom is in the city this morning at our T-Mobile switch and took this shot with his phone.
We were there last night too at the City Year function. What an inspiring organization. Take a look at their website.
They have locations all over the country if you are interested.
We got to the city early last night and walked around the Chelsea district amongst the brownstones. Again I asked Tom if we could move into the city, into one of the beautiful brownstones. We can commute to work easy enough.
I figured with the beautiful weather, the friendly people, the chirping birds, the neighborhood cafe's, the beautuful architechture he would for sure consider it. Yeah... he still said no. I will keep trying! :-)
pics are of the great city shot and our future home. :-)
Hi everyone! welcome to summer in the NE! following the memorial day rule, summer has begun and we are taking full advantage! Saturday morning we headed to the shore for the long weekend. We didn't stay at the marina long-- we jetted off to Long Beach Island (LBI as the locals call it) to see a friend Tom works with who was vacationing at a beach house there in a town called Loveladies. There were a couple families at this house and we were welcomed right in for dinner and lounging around the property. What was funny, is that most of the time spent outside hanging out and visiting was done on our boat--rather than the vast patio or 3 decks this house had. Tom and I were so proud! We had the music going and had a great time. We took the dogs to the beach and they loved it. They ran, ears back, tails wagging! Frank ventured into the surf unintentionally and ventured back out pretty quickly.
We slept on the boat and left around 9 the next morning. Frank and Ollie of course were the star attractions since they seemed cuter than ever.
LBI is about 90 min from our marina so Sunday am I laid out on the front of the boat and Tom and the dogs captained us back to Pt Pleasant. Tom had some projects he wanted to work on so I lounged around and got some sun (80's on Sun and Mon). That evening we went to dinner with our friends John and Lisa. Lisa and I have so much in common! I can't wait for her to meet my friends as they come out this summer. We feel lucky to have made some great friends.
Monday was the nicest day of all with the weather so Tom, John, Lisa, the 4 dogs and I took John's powerboat to a little cove about 7 min away. Only smaller boats can maneuver in the cove (here they call it a lagoon). Boats lined both sides of this shallow lagoon and tie up and just hang out. The floaties come out as does the music and the refreshments. Plenty of dogs were there too so our 4 fit right in. Ollie and Frank went swimming for the first time! Did they like it? Not so much we don't think--but the key is that they can swim in case they go overboard which I swear will happen with Frank one day as he continues his attempts to reach the elusive duck.
I am attaching some pics of Tom and I on the boat in LBI (opposed to on LBI which I got clarification on), tom and the guys on the boat, the dogs (ollie is a bit more hyper than the boy so he is a smidgen easier to photograph hence the greater # of pics of him this entry), various shots of the shore and LBI sunsets and Lisa and Di hanging out on the floatie (note frank teetering on the edge).
This week its back to work. Tom and I are attending a fundraiser for City Year in the city tomorrow night which should be nice (we went last September too and I posted on it. Its a great charity that really does product results with underprivileged kids in not so great neighborhoods throughout the 5 boroughs in NY). Friday my great friend Melissa flies in for a quick weekend trip. I can't wait to see her. I will be sure to continue posting what we think are our adventures! :-)
a few days ago i added a link to the "other sites we like"-- bendingcity.com
I have met this artist and have watched him draw these truly unique pieces of nyc neighborhoods. the attached pic is of soho.
His studio: the city. His store: Union Square. His name is Justin Thomas and so far, Tom and I own two pieces.
I love Union Square and the artists that gather there. I have met a couple that really have a different look on the city and they reflect that in their art-- Justin is one of them.
Anyway-- i added the link in case anyone is interested in some ny art from a ny guy trying to get his name out there.
And everyone enjoy the long weekend! Its supposed to be in the 80's here so we are heading to the boat! Yay!
This weekend we stayed down at the boat and it was so much fun. It feels like a little vacation each time we go down there-- even for just one night. We stayed both Friday and Sat this time. We are becoming really good friends with our boat neighbors Lisa and John (with the two dachshunds) and we spent a lot of time with them. Before I proceed to summarize our weekend highlights, I feel it very necessary to say that if you have not been to the Jersey Shore, you cannot imagine that New Jersey could have a spot like this. I have mentioned the beach and boardwalks before, but on Saturday it was as if we were in Santa Cruz, CA or Laguna Beach. We went with our new friends (sans dogs) to Pt Pleasant--about 2 mi from our boat. Its a beach town just like in California with the warm temps, the surfers, 'Jenkinson's' Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park (they even have an aquarium) and the beach restaurants and shops. We loved it! Never did we think that New Jersey could offer this type of setting. We headed to the Wharfside restaurant that has a huge outside patio and they were having their annual "Welcome Summer" opening complete with a live band, free food and tons of people. We stayed for a while and met friends of our friends (some that had boats at our marina). A couple times I caught myself looking out to the beach and just not believing that this is in Jersey. After leaving the patio party we all went back to the Marina and went for a drink on the "Honey Girl"--- Buddy's (our neighbor at the next dock over) boat.
It was pretty funny-- we were telling some of the people we met that we have many visitors coming this summer. They automatically thought we'd be spending the entire time with our visitors on the boat at the Shore. I told them that most of the people coming had never been to the city so we'd be spending most of our time there, but a day or so on the boat. It was interesting to us that the Shore ranked so much higher than the city. I suppose thats how we will feel one day when the city gets "old". (I think I am just saying that--as if NY will ever get old for me!!)
We didn't take the boat out on Sat--it was great weather, but a bit too windy. So we just hung out on the slip, went into town and layed out in the sun! Today though-- we took it out and had a nice cruise around for a few hours. Once back, Tom did some tinkering on the engines and I ran into to town to visit the local surf shop.
A fun weekend and we look forward to the next weekend-- a long one! :-)
Here are some pics of Jenkinson's Amusement Park and a shot of the beach--seriously.
Yesterday I headed into the city to meet my good friend Gretchen (dive buddy and sometimes we think long lost sisters) from LA for dinner. We met up around 6, but I had gone in early to get my NYU student id card and to do one of my favorite things: wander. It was in the mid 70's yesterday and Spring is hard to beat in NY. Everyone is out, the trees are blooming, the parks are full.
I spent most of my time yesterday in the Village around NYU and Washington Square. I headed deeper into the village tho---off of the main drag of McDougal and meanered past the "mews" and the brownstones I never get tired of looking at. Every time I go to Greenwich, I say its my favorite area of the city, then every time I go to Central Park I say its my favorite are of the city... but really, I think Greenwich is my favorite. The shops, the locals (way less tourists in this part of town), the eclectic cafes, all with outdoor sidewalk seating and the famous landmarks like Cafe Wha?, where Bob Dylan spent much of his time back in the day). I never tire of walking when its nice-- I mapped out my distance: 7.6 miles! whoo! No need for the gym for a couple days! :-)
I am attaching some pics that I took. I love seeing the rooftop gardens especially! Also, one of Gretchen and I at dinner--Mexican Radio in Soho/Village area and a jazz group playing at Wash Square Park.
Tonight Tom the dogs and I are heading down to the boat to spend the weekend! Today was horrible weather---rained ALL day, but beginning tomorrow and for as long as I could see in the weather forecast, it should be in the low to mid 70's.
my cousin malea sent this comic to me today! So funny! Happy Monday! (click pic to enlarge)
This weekend our little family took the boat to our new Marina in Brick, NJ. Tom was the captain, Ollie and I the first mates and Frank found the highest spot he could get to and was the navigator the for the entire ride. Of course, all he was interested in was birds, but he was very good at navigating them. The dogs did great!
Our new Marina is so nice. It is surrounded by beautiful homes, a beachfront park and tons of shopping. And best of all (I think I have mentioned before) our slip is on the end row so we have an unobstructed view when looking out the front of the boat. We have a front row seat to beautiful sunsets, boats passing by and the very curious ducks that fly low and water ski next to the boat ( I know they know the dogs are watching).
We already met our neighbors across the dock, next door and down a boat. Everyone was so nice and the dogs are very welcome. In fact, our next door neighbors who we have already hit it off with (John and Lisa) have two wiener dogs named Snickers and Reeses (pieces). They are a tiny bit smaller than Frank and Ol, but similar in personality--especially Ollie and Reeses (female). Ollie is pretty timid and takes a while to warm up to others but she was great with the dogs and John and Lisa. Frank of course was best friends with everyone and no doubt will be visiting the boats of all our neighbors soon--as soon as he gets the nerve up to jump from dock to boat.
We finished cleaning the inside and outside of the boat and Tom re-did the audio visual components to bring them up to tom standards. :-) He of course did a great job--these things come natural to him and it amazes me each time.
We spent the night on Saturday and it was so fun! Water camping is the best!! We cooked dinner in the oven and read and relaxed. It was so nice to wake up to the sunrise and make some coffee, read the paper and just be on the water.
It was a wonderful time and we can't wait to go back next weekend!
However, I think the weather karma has caught up with me (I have been un-bashfully gloating about our perfect weather). This week its supposed to only be in the 60's here, but in Seattle--the 70's. Oh well. On average, I am still right (kidding!!)
Attached are some pics.
*tom polishing up the front; diana and ollie at sunset; sunset from the boat; view from the boat; frank in his favorite spot--on the dock looking for ducks; neighbors john, lisa with di and the 4 dogs.
today after work i walked down to the gym and what did I see??? The development's pool being primed and ready! Whoo hoo!
I asked the pool guy working there if I could just take a quick dip and not tell anyone (it doesn't open until Memorial Day) and he said sure!! But since we are newbies to the area, I didn't want us to get kicked out, so I passed--that was hard to do. It was in the mid 80's today, well for me... Tom had to fly to Seattle for a quick trip and its been rainy and cold there.
The dogs and I have been hiking through the woods near our house the past few mornings, the dogs by choice, me not so much. Frank high tailed-it after a squirrel a couple days ago (and dang near caught it) and since then--he is still on the hunt. Thankfully the jaunts thru the woods as of late have been in the nice dry weather rather than that cold, snowy one I recall very vividly a few months back.
Tom is headed home tonight! Thankfully he has been traveling less lately.
The weather is supposed to change here for the weekend and be a bit rainy. We are hoping that changes since we want to get the boat in the water.
We are having the inside of the house painted some; my office and all of our hallways. This summer we have a huge amount of visitors coming (yay!!) and we can't wait to show off our new house and city!!
Well, that's enough catch up. Hope everyone has a good rest of the week and we'll touch base again soon. :-)
*pic is of frank on the lookout for the squirrel that schooled him.
Today we had an EXCELLENT day at the boat! Among other things, Tom got all of the finishing touches done with caulking, the gps and the very important amplifier and lower deck remote control for our "boomin' system". I stayed in the cabin most of the day organizing and cleaning (the pic of Frank & me lounging at the front does not reflect my hard work today!). It was 77 degrees today! How could I not lay out for a little bit!
I have posted some pics of the boat. They were taken with my camera phone so they aren't the best quality, but you get the idea.
The Marina in the background is just where we are for now. We are heading a few towns down on the shore on Friday for our permanent slip spot.
pics: (clicking on each pic should make it bigger...)
kitchen (the black panels you see are windows that are covered at the moment); back room (captain quarters-with black bedding), one of the views from the "crew's quarters": the sky light; the back salon area from the kitchen looking to the back room; tom caulking and a couple of the dogs on the way to the boat. Of course they were there too! They love it!
its been a bit since we have posted anything on the blog. Not too much exciting going on with us unless you count work. :-) Tonight we met some friends for dinner at our favorite hangout here near our home--Mt Tabor Tavern. Its a great restaurant with roaring fireplaces and quaint settings. We like to eat at the bar which has friendly bartenders and great food.
Lately we have been meeting our neighbors there, unplanned each Friday, and tonight they invited us to dinner at their club which was a nice treat. We had a great time. Its nice to go out with friends. It makes us miss our friends in Seattle. :-(
This weekend Tom and I are gung-ho at the boat. We are getting it ready for the water (next weekend) and can hardly wait!!!
We just have a few more things to finish!!
Short entry tonight. More next week!
