Day 35 NYC Rooftops to Deb and Susan’s in PA December 9, 2008

Day 35, Saturday, November 29, 2008

Mom, David and Devon woke me up as they were putting their jackets on to head up to the roof of the building.  I had heard David talk about the roof for years but I’d never been up there so I was starting to believe it didn’t exist.  Sure enough, it did.  Eyes groggy and still slightly clumsy from sleep, I climbed up the narrow ladder to the roof and looked out over a beautiful sight of New York City’s rooftops.  David’s building was built when zoning codes only permitted four story buildings.  Since then, the codes have changed quite a bit, as you can see.

 

NYC rooftops

 

I'll take the one with the room on top, please.

gazing in awe and not quite awake yet

 

This was the last of many blossoms of the plant I gave David as a thank you for letting me stay in his place... How cool it is that I got to see it!

 

 

 

Minutes later, we were packing Devon into a taxi and (after waking up a bit more) I headed to get my car.  Mom and I were off to Pennsylvania to visit my mom’s friends Deb and Susan at their house in the woods.  

Deb cooked a lovely dinner and made me an awesome concoction of fresh squeezed lemon and ginger in hot water for my throat, which was getting more and more scratchy.  I sat by their big wonderful fireplace after dinner and melted into oblivion.  I decided it was best if I just headed to bed to get a good night’s rest.  The next day Mom and I were headed on a full day’s drive to Chicago.  After I crawled into the fluffy bed in their guest bedroom upstairs, all three women came in to tuck me in.  It was like having three moms, which I suppose has it’s perks if you’re sick.  Thanks Deb and Susan for hosting us.

 

Deb and Susan's house in the woods

 

The backyard in the early morning light...

woman by the water... a creek runs through their backyard

 

A great tempered German Shepherd named after a song called Poppy. Her owners, Deb and Susan, sang us the song, which is basically a blessing at the dinner table.

Day 34- NYC with family November 29, 2008

Day 34, Friday, November 28, 2008

I woke up on the Upper East Side in my uncle David’s apartment with my mom and brother Devon.  Thanksgiving was our day with my dad’s side of the family and Black Friday was for my mom’s side.  We spent our morning relaxing as usual, taking time to catch up and enjoy a lazy breakfast.

Finally, at almost three, we left the apartment to spend the rest of the afternoon walking through Central Park.  David and Devon brought a frisbee and for awhile we had a toss going.  My mom entertained herself by drawing a maze in the sand of a baseball diamond.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day.  I didn’t even need to wear the winter coat I brought along.

Devon and David throwing the frisbee in Central Park

We ended up in a part of the park I’ve never been to, which is funny because I’ve spent a good chunk of my time in NY wandering through Central Park.  We went to the Belvedere Castle.  Anytime you hear on the TV or radio what the weather is like in NY, it’s usually from Belvedere Castle in Central Park.  The place has been restored from a rather grim weed-ridden graffiti-covered place to a tourist haven.

David, Mom and Devon at Belvedere Castle

David snapped this of me with Central Park in the background

sunset in Central Park as seen from the Belvedere Castle

Next we wandered through the bramble, part of the park that is mostly woods and thickets.  As it was getting dark we arrived at the boathouse.  It’s become one of my mom’s favorite places to go.  We paused to have some mushroom soup, a chicken salad sandwich and a cup of hot cider, all of which were very good and surprisingly affordable… a great option for a place to relax in the city.  

As we continued on, we stopped to see a regular street musician perform under the 72nd Street Bridge by Bethesda Fountain.  Although I don’t know his name, my uncle and I have often seen the street musician perform there.  He plays violin, stomps around to give himself a beat and sings opera simultaneously.  He’s quite talented and I often see people there with him improving.  This time there was a dancer wearing a chain of lights reacting to his music.  The bridge was recently refurbished and the tiled ceiling is now brilliantly clean and softly lit.

street musician and dancer under 72nd Street Bridge by Bethesda Fountain

Our wanderings ended with the promenade at the southern end of the park, leading us out to the busy city streets and eventually to our next stop, MOMA.  I recommended the Van Gogh show at the Museum of Modern Art to my family.  My brother is a fan.  We went to see a larger Van Gogh show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a family a few years back.  So, the good news is that we realized the MOMA is free on Friday nights.  The bad news is that we were supposed to get a timed ticket to get into the Van Gogh and by the time we got there it was sold out.  So we wandered around, looking at some of the paintings and sculpture along with the photography, design and architecture exhibits.  We got back to the Van Gogh exhibit fifteen minutes before the museum closed and they were letting people in without timed tickets (standby).  So we did get to see it after all.  It’s a small show, but of a great quality.  I love the idea of Van Gogh painting by lamp light.  He had a thing for night scenes.

We ended the evening with our own version of Thanksgiving dinner at a vegetarian restaurant called Blossom.  David said it was his favorite restaurant in the city right now.  I was sold.  My favorite entree was celery gnocci with rosemary cream sauce and beets.  To go with it I got a pink lady juice- beets, pineapple, ginger and pear.  Both were delicious.

Blossom vegetarian restaurant on the Upper West Side

Tomorrow my brother heads home to PA and my mom and I start our two day drive to Chicago together.  We will stop in PA to see some friends of my Mom’s on Saturday and then Sunday will be the long haul to Chicago.  I’ll check back in on the blog early next week when I’m in the windy city.  Until then, enjoy your weekend!

Day 11 Last Day in NYC November 15, 2008

Day 11, Wednesday November 5, 2008- This was a great day in NY… good times..

David returned from his trip today, so I packed up all my belongings and tidied up the apartment. The day really began hunting for flowers to say thank you. Roslyn and I picked out a beautiful kind of red flower that was about to bloom… red to match David’s apartment and a potted plant about to bloom so he could witness that incredible part of the life cycle instead of cut flowers gradually wilting.

David's Upper East Side studio apartment

This is the kitchen... all of it...

red flower about to bloom

Roslyn and I then headed to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to do some exploring. The goldmine was finding Buffalo Exchange… an awesome stylish thrift store. I wasn’t expecting to buy clothes, but I had some finds that were super affordable. Sometimes great deals come at awkward times, but I acted on it anyway. $50 later I walked out with three shirts and a sweater… My favorite part was that I decided to stuff everything into my shoulder bag and not carry an additional plastic bag. As a reward for not using a plastic bag, I was given a 5 cent wooden nickel to deposit in one of three charity boxes. That was fun. Even five cents adds up. As we left the store, I turned around to snap a shot of it and a girl came walking down the sidewalk into the picture. It turns out she was staff. She was so excited I was taking a picture she proudly agreed to pose in it. Damn! If every employee was that happy to go to work this world would be a much better place. I was impressed. Below is the photo starring the Buffalo Exchange employee and some other amusing shots I took in Williamsburg. I should also mention Ros and I went to an awesome gallery in Williamsburg called Like the Spice Gallery and saw some really interesting experimental photography… color photograms… We talked to the owner/director Marisa Sage and it turns out she went to SU as an undergrad. How about that? We also stopped by Pierogi, another gallery in Brooklyn, which had some good work up…

Buffalo Exchange in Brooklyn with proud employee

shoes in Brooklyn

bikes in Brooklyn featuring Hello Kitty

public art in Brooklyn

Roslyn and I headed back into Manhattan after grabbing a sandwich at a place in Brooklyn (which, by the way, had all its sandwiches named after Adirondack water sources… the waiter had no idea… They are a best kept secret, even in NYC…). We went to NYU to listen to an artist speak… can’t remember the guy’s name, but he… get this… He built a remake of the first submarine. The first submarine was built by a New England farmer who then used it to try to bomb a ship in the Boston harbor. It didn’t succeed. The artist built a submarine following the description outlined by the farmer. He lived in a town that had negotiated a deal with Cruise Ships that he wasn’t fond of. It wasn’t in the best interest of the taxpayers, so he tried to take the submarine up to the edge of the Queen Mary 2, or QM2 as he refers to it, and got arrested. The submarine was not illegal but he got too close to the ship and a tv crew flew over so the police were under pressure to follow procedure. Otherwise, he probably just would have been towed away and maybe given a fine. The submarine was included in an exhibition on Democracy in the Armory in NYC. That’s all I’ve got about the subject.

The next stop in a most wonderful day was a splurge… For about a week Roslyn & I had been talking about going to this chocolate place called “Chocolate By the Bald Man: Max Brenner.” Just walking in there smelled amazing. Ros ordered a chai with white chocolate and I, a Mexican (like red chili powder spicy) Hot Chocolate. We split an ice cream waffle sundae… The waffle had chocolate covered crispies and separate chocolate syrup. The topping was dark chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and special ordered strawberries. Yum.

After that we went to the final event of the evening. A band that Roslyn heard in Ithaca plays every Wednesday night with belly dancers at an Asian Restaurant with a special on pad thai and sake. She had wanted to go for awhile so I stayed in town today to go along. We paid $10 admission, ate spicy pad thai and drank $3 sake while watching belly dancers and this band play. The band was really good… an Eastern flavor. It made sense with the belly dancers, who were mostly very good.

The end of the night consisted of returning to David’s on the Upper East Side to claim my stuff, my car, say goodbye and head back to Hoboken, thoroughly satisfied with the day.

crunchy waffle sundae... waffle, dark chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate crunchies, chocolate syrup and later strawberries... chocolate by the bald man, Max Brenner, mmmm

Roslyn's chai with white chocolate

HugMug by Max Brenner, chocolate by the bald man

belly dancer with band

Days 8, 9, 10 Mike’s Visit November 12, 2008

Days 8-10; 11/2-11/4

Seeing Mike was refreshing in ways I can’t even begin to explain. Bella, Mike and I stayed with Ros in Hoboken. On Sunday night, we explored the Hoboken waterfront. There were two awesome bars we went to. The first, a sushi restaurant with a massive fish tank, was a meticulously designed venue with glass tile walls, concrete art deco and dramatic blue lighting. Several chandeliers and massive doors add a touch of glamour to the place. The photo of the buddha head with the fish is one of my favorites. The second bar served us Irish Coffee while we sat and looked out over the waterfront at the NYC skyline. Classic. To top it off Roslyn made zucchini bread cupcakes with cream cheese icing…

sushi restaurant from the outside

Fish meet Buddha

concrete art deco forms and dramatic blue lighting set the stage for the sushi bar

the huge fish tank filled with goldfish and koi

chandelier adds a touch of elegance

Roslyn's zuchinni bread cupcake with cream cheese frosting

Monday brought the aquarium. I think the real reason to go was to photograph fish, but it was it’s own adventure. It involved taking the Path to NYC, then a train all the way through Brooklyn to Coney Island. The aquarium itself wasn’t all that impressive, but I had a great time playing underwater videographer with my little borrowed camera. The video will be up online sometime soon. Here are some of my photos…

I always liked seahorses... they are funny creatures...

when you wish upon a star (fish

Meanwhile, Mike posted some great shots on his Flickr site. Check them out below…

massive walrus

fish

bigger fish

Here are some of my shots of Coney Island and friends…

Coney Island woman

Coney Island Boardwalk

I heard Disney bought Coney Island... won't be the same...

fellow fish people

headbutt

On Monday night, we met up with Niles to get South Indian food. (Yes Tara, we went back to the same block, but not the same place…) Niles and Mike didn’t realize it was vegetarian, but it all worked out in the end. At the last stop of the night, a charming midwest ski lodge meets Manhattan bar, there was a steak special for around $13. Several minutes later a large chunk of meat was laid down on the table by Niki, the most awesome waitress I’ve ever met. In between the vegetarian dosahs in the beginning and the meat and potatoes at the end, there were two other establishments worth mentioning.

As a sidenote, I learned a lesson in NYC about the power of options. With so many places to go and possibilities of things to do in NYC, the options are overwhelming and paralyzing. One is apt to wander around NY for hours passing hundreds of options up waiting for something special.

This time, Ros randomly announced a request for a bar with a fireplace. Niles, always one for a challenge, found one promptly within walking distance. Cibar was not disappointing. As promised, there was a fireplace, along with an unassuming bouncer, a dark berry sangria and a glass of Prosecco. The next place was also Ros’s idea. She introduced us to the Spice Market, an IndoChina experiment in decadence served family style. Niles reminded me of the importance of watching where you step and of knowing who you follow. Thanks Niles.

I’d like to skip this part of the story, but it’s an unfortunate part of travel. I wanted to sleep in Hoboken on Monday night, but I had to move my car on the Upper East Side. So, at 12:30 am I parted ways and uptown. I found a great spot no problem. It was getting back to Hoboken that proved difficult. I got back on the 6 train and headed for 14th street to catch the L to go to the stop near the Path. The L was going to take 1/2 hour. I didn’t like the idea of hanging out in the subway waiting for that long so I decided to walk to the Path. Walking by myself at that time of the morning in any city is always an eerie feeling. I found comfort in a musician carrying a base walking behind me in the street. Somehow I in my head it feels like anyone who appreciates music is probably “good people.” Then the entrance to the Path was closed, so I asked a NYC transit officer and she pointed me down the street. I went to another entrance tucked in the middle of the block and sat for a good 20 mins. Finally, the Path came, but in the wrong direction. I realized I was on the wrong side. Another couple did the same thing I did, so we left in search of the correct side of the train. There was none. I went back to the subway stop and asked a different NYC transit officer. She went off on a tirade about how I should complain to NJ Transit as a commuter from NJ about all the changes in the Path schedule. I explained I was actually just visiting and her rant quickly subsided. Then she told me after calming down that the line was running both ways at the stop I was just at. Quickly, I ran back to the stop, for fear that I would miss it, chasing down the other couple on the way. Sure enough, the Path pulled up in the right direction just after we rushed back into the station. Finally I pulled into Hoboken to see Mike and Bella who were waiting to walk me back to Ros’s apartment. Thank God for that. I slept well that night

Tuesday, 11/4/2008, Day 10- Mike and I had a leisurely morning after Roslyn headed in to work. We eventually packed our things and left Roslyn’s apartment in Hoboken to drive over to Chelsea and visit a few galleries before Mike hit the road.

The first stop was Neptune Fine Art, where Roslyn works. We had the pleasure of meeting Chris Neptune, who told me the story of how her husband closed his art dealership during the last recession to travel around the world. The comment was vindicating. I am not the only one who thinks this is a good idea.

We went to a short list of what Roslyn recommended, including the Margaret Thatcher Gallery, Mixed Greens (a sleek designed space) and the Joel Peter-Witkin exhibit, which was nothing less than disturbing as expected. I will probably never forget the image of a woman serving wrinkly testicles in a martini glass. Bella came with us gallery hopping and we would take turns hanging out with her in the street. She liked all the smells, but I promised her I wouldn’t make her live in NYC. Soon after, I said goodbye to my favorite man and sent him on the road before rush hour traffic hit

big dog in big city

Mike and Bella in Chelsea

This evening Roslyn and I watched the results of the election coming in on television and made blintzes, popcorn and milkshakes (very healthy, I know…). We watched Obama win the election and listened to both McCain’s gracious speech and Obama’s talk of urgency. I’m proud of him for not saying “Let’s celebrate” at the end of his speech. It was more of a “let’s get to work” kind of finale. I think the attitude of buying will fix everything is now officially outdated and is being replaced by a more cordial and humble work ethic. I still am having trouble believing we just watched an African American become president. Bravo America.

Day 8 NYC Marathon November 11, 2008

Sunday, 11/2/08 Day 8- The NYC Marathon is today. It runs right down 5th Ave past David’s apartment. I didn’t realize how big of a deal it is. There are people lining the streets with cowbells cheering and yelling support. Down towards the river is another section of the track and there are cheerleaders and a band set up. It’s like a parade. I can imagine how good it must feel to run a race like that… to accomplish such an impressive physical and mental feat. I certainly can’t run for 3 hours in my condition and I’m in fairly good shape. Wow.

I was there... I have a photo of the t-shirt...

These are the front male runners coming up the East side... they had a camera crew and police vehicles ahead of them just in case...

Cheerleaders

Complete with a rock band playing cover tunes

near the finish line next to Central Park

yes, I was there

front of the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum next to the marathon

view from inside the museum's store looking out on the runners... <--- this way

I also went to the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, one of my favorite spots to visit in NY. There was an exhibit of watercolor pictures of interiors prior to the presence of photography… made me think of what to do in my house… also an exhibit on children’s wallpaper… fun, but not generally my thing… although I did see awesome cherry scratch n sniff wallpaper designed by Michael Angelo in 2007… very cool…