NYC Update

I've been absent lately, but have recently found myself with extra time on my hands since NYC public schools are closed this week due to the monster called Hurricane Sandy.  I have survived my first hurricane and am one of the few lucky ones: no evacuation, no flooding, no loss of power or heat.  I am less than ten miles from people who have lost their homes and loved ones, and it feels unreal to be so untouched by this storm that took so much from so many.

But enough about Sandy (I've been taking in non-stop news coverage for the past five days).  Here are some pre-Sandy bright spots.

Monteverde Visit
Beth and Melody were in NYC for the week and I was lucky enough to get to hang out with them twice.  So refreshing!  We strolled thru Central Park, where we came across this...thing.  

 On this Tuesday afternoon the light was perfect.  I wonder how many of these trees have been downed by Sandy.  I'd love to do a walking tour of the parks, but they are closed for another few days.

 And then it got to be nighttime in Manhattan. 

The following Saturday we went to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and just happened to get there during the free admission hours.  We saw a sculpture by Patrick Dougherty.  From the inside I felt like I was in a brain, surrounded by firing synapses. 

I love urban parks. 

Argh.  I'm having a little trouble with the formatting.  Why must they go change everything?  Sorry for the wonkyness of this post.

Sunday Walk With Pops

If Dad had asked me if I wanted to spend my Sunday two weeks ago walking around Brooklyn and Manhattan for 7.5 hours (12 miles) I would have said no thanks.  But that's what we ended up doing, and it was a lot of fun.  

We found these black and whites.  This dessert changed my life.  I could not finish it though, because we had just had deli sandwiches that we ate on a park bench, in the sun, next to the East River. 

 

And we saw these guys.  I was terrified and amazed.  I took a ton of video (see below).  And thanks to Dad, who stood there with me as I took picture after picture and shot minute after minute of video.  These men are amazing.

Just joking.  My videos won't upload.  Well, just imagine how amazing these men were, flying through the air, working quickly and non-stop.  

As we walked back to Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge, Dad noticed this view and commented how he liked the mix of old New York in the foreground and more modern New York in the background.  I took this picture for him and love it!

I love rooftops and I love hanging laundry and I love graffiti.  What a perfect combination.  I like to imagine some guy tagging the wall, taking a break to fold his laundry, then going back to his graffiti.  I'm know I'm not supposed to think it's pretty, but I do.

That's it, for now.  Future adventures that may make it into a post: ninjabread men cookies, blood donation, 5k.