NYC Pictures and Recommendations

NYC Pictures

New York City 2015

I was too lazy after the craziness of figuring out how to upload the pics from my new-ish phone with new software to clean these up, so they are raw and NYC! :)


Hotel: Pod 51 was great! Budget hotel (which doesn't mean low cost in NYC!) Great location.
Restaurants:
-Cafe Espanol in the Village was wonderful! Great food, great service and cute little place.
-Papardella: we got our Central Park picnic from this place. The restaurant was really cute and the food looked amazing-- worth trying. Located on the upper west side.
Activities:
-High Line Trail was amazing and worth seeing.
-9/11 monument- tough to see but worth it and a beautiful tribute
-always worth walking around the city! The village, mid town, upper west side, the park.. all good!

NYC Day 3

We slept in a bit and went to the diner for breakfast, enjoying never-ending coffee and omelettes. Yum! We started walking south when the deluge hit. And I mean deluge. Wow, it has been a long time since I've been in rain like that! We decided to take a detour to go to the New York Library to check out a photography exhibit and to dry off and warm up. It's around 60 degrees and windy so it's quite cold. SO glad I checked the weather and brought my raincoat and fleece. I'm getting good use out of them!

We stopped for a tea to warm up on the way and to hopefully wait out the worst of it (it didn't work) and somehow managed to head north and backtracked several blocks. When we realized what we did, we both burst into laugher. Laugh or cry, right? We had gone backwards a good 6 blocks in the pouring rain. We finally gave up as we were drenched and hailed a cab.

Thankfully I brought a fleece and my raincoat, which doesn't get much use in Phoenix. I had nylon hiking pants on, figuring they would dry quickly and they did. Though the water spread so while my legs were rained on, as soon as I sat in the cab it moved and my butt was soaked. That's a great feeling!! Oh yeah.. :)

We ran into the library and enjoyed the exhibit, then made our way south again. It finally cleared up a bit and we wandered, then grabbed some pizza near Grand Central before continuing south. I love NYC pizza, where you fold it in half and it stands straight out-- the sign of a good pizza! yum. We grabbed the subway and since the rain subsided for a bit, decided to visit the 9/11 memorial.

I have so many emotions surrounding that day, and it's one I'll never forget. I was living in Boston then, and had been on one of the flights to LA just a few months before. I came here three months later and remember seeing the large gap between the buildings and feeling such a sense of sadness and horror. The nation lost its innocence then.

The memorial is beautifully done. It's a large square, showcasing the outline of the two towers with concentric waterfalls inside, and stone etched with all of the names of the victims around the base. There are some white roses pressed into some of the names. People were pretty quiet and somber walking around.

We decided to skip the museum and wandered north towards Greenwich Village and Washington Park. I have an obsession with the French pasty, macarons, which I first got in Paris, and for a long time, they were only found in NYC or LA before the trend spread. We decided to duck into a cafe to warm up and grab some coffee and aaaaahhhh! the sound of angels singing-- they had macarons. Yum. They were a little stale (happens so quickly with them) but so good! I have been obsessed with these since my trip so was happy to indulge.

We wandered through part of the village then through Washington Park, taking some pictures of the arch before heading north and east over to Union Square. We walked through the little street market that is always there and part of the park, then grabbed the subway back towards out hotel.

The weather was a total wash-out for a while but improved to heavy clouds and a light mist. It turned out better than I'd hoped for this morning and I think we were lucky! We got a lot done considering.

We're laying down for a few and will head out in a bit to see a movie (it's supposed to pour again tonight) then grab dinner or maybe get some pizza. We'll see. I do love NYC pizza!!

Instead of 'za we decided to go back to the village to Cafe Espanol for some tapas. We missed happy hour by ten minutes, but that didn't dim our spirits. We were walked to the back of the restaurant and sat near a group of six who were hilarious! Probably ten years older than us, they were celebrating a birthday and were hilarious wearing party hats. What fun! We talked to them a bit while enjoying a small pitcher of sangria. We got some really great tapas and so enjoyed it! The place was wonderful and the wait staff amazing. They got amazing desserts and the waiter made a big display of lighting their creme brulee on fire so we had to do it. yum!! It was so much fun and tasty.

By the time we left it was drizzling, but not too bad. When we got off the subway though, the deluge started again. Thankfully we only had a few blocks to walk so didn't get too water-logged. I'll say though that even though today was partly a wash-out, it's still so amazing to be in NYC! It's my second city and I love it.

Did I mention the bathroom?

I giggle every time I see this shot! How funny is this???

We planned to see a movie and spent so much time at the restaurant that we missed it. But neither of us felt like we really missed out. What a fun night!! I am having such a great time and wish I could stay a few more days!!

s

NYC Day 2 (or 1.5)

We were up and out by around 8:30 after enjoying cups of coffee that Shona got downstairs. There's a cute little bar/cafe. We left shortly after and wandered to find a diner to grab some breakfast. Of course, there was one only a few blocks away that didn't disappoint.

I got a "loaded" bagel with cream cheese and lox-- my grandfather would have been so proud. I HATED lox as a kid, and remember my grandfather saying many times, "how do you call yourself a Jew??" as if I broke some promise that I would love lox. I smiled thinking of him as I ate breakfast today.

We walked across town enjoying the views and snapping pictures like crazy tourists, which we kind of are (though kind of aren't.) We came across a street fair, and Shona was jonesing for some grilled corn so we walked through to get some then made our way to the High Line, a public park that was built on an old elevated railway line on the west side. It was beautiful!! The architecture of it is really lovely with a lot of detail to the plants blossoming all along the way. There's a lot of stone, glass and metal, punctuated by some beautiful murals, sculptures and works of art with some tracks along the way to pay homage to its roots. It's a gorgeous oasis in the heart of the city.

http://www.thehighline.org/visit

The trees provide lots of shade and it's a really lovely meandering walk. It's crazy humid today and while I really hate the humidity (I do NOT have humidity hair!) I took this as a sign that I shouldn't bother doing my hair, and I'm glad I didn't! :)

We walked north and took the subway up to the upper west side where we wandered a bit, then grabbed our picnic at Pappardella and walked over to Central Park. We found a nice shady patch and settled down on the large tablecloth. The spread was huge and really good: antipasto, panini, pasta salad, two little cheesecakes, biscotti, bread and limonata. Yum! We couldn't eat it all but enjoyed it!

http://www.pappardella.com/

No sooner do we finish and we started feeling drops. I had asked mother nature to please not rain out our picnic and she honored the request, then have a little fun with us. Apparently tablecloths make great rain gear, as I left my protective rain deterrent (raincoat) back at the hotel as it was lovely blue skies this morning.

Shona kept saying, "I think it's getting lighter" and then it started pouring heavier and heavier. We laughed our butts off. It got gusty but then the weather cleared a bit and we kept walking. 

We spent a while wandering through the park and through the Rambles. We saw a raccoon wandering around, and went to this beautiful area by the lake, climbed on some rocks and enjoyed the distant views of the city and row boaters enjoying the scenery. There were ducks, geese and turtles. When it started to pour, we stepped under a gorgeous little pavilion. 

We wandered to Belvedere Castle, offering lovely views of the lake and the city. It's a cute little three-storied stone structure. http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/belvedere-castle.html

then we started making our way across town back towards the hotel. We passed a parade and watched it for a bit, then started walking back through the park to cross town. It started drizzling intensely ten blocks from the hotel, but gave us a short break for a bit. Once we got inside the thunderstorms started. There was a huge clap of lightening and thunder just after we got in and the rain came down in sheets, so we were glad we made it! We had planned to go to see the Brooklyn Bridge tonight and take pictures of the moon, but it's supposed to thunderstorm all night so we may go with "Plan B" and hope tomorrow's weather improves. [it's supposed to rain all day though.]

Quote of the day, "That looks like a cloud parfait. Though it's the grey kind that looks like they aren't committed." 

Bonus quote of the day (when getting ready to go out), "I think I'm gonna need shoes for this."

After a short nap we felt ready for round 2 in the city that never sleeps. We walked over towards the west, and passed St. Patrick's Church, Radio City Music Hall and Times Square. The rain began to patter in earnest, but we were armed appropriately. We went to Hell's Kitchen and found a cute little Thai place to eat. Yum!

I wanted something sweet so we stopped at Magnolia Bakery for a hummingbird cupcake, which was really good! We wandered a bit enjoying some of the views, architecture and lights reflecting in large puddles. It was a really great day!!

s

A Bite of the Big Apple

It has been three long years since I last went to New York. THE city. While I didn't grow up there, it still feels like home. There is no other city I have been to as often, outside of Boston, where I grew up.

There's something about this city that is so amazing-- the energy, the hustle and bustle of people carving out their lives in a skyscraper kingdom. I'm not sure if I could live here, but I really love visiting.

I'm meeting up with a friend that I have known for a long time. I love her dearly, and always enjoy our time together. We are pretty much as different as could be, and yet I absolutely love all of those things about her that makes us different. I find her so interesting and such a warm, kind and creative person. We always have such a great time.

She found that this weekend is Manhattanhenge--when the sunset aligns perfectly with the city's grid. It happens twice a year with a full sun, and twice a year with a half sun. All four times illuminate both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough's grid. I land in Newark at 5:55, will dash to catch the train to NYC, and will rush on over to the east side where the viewing is better and coincidentally where our hotel is. Some of the recommended viewing streets are six blocks away, so hopefully I'll make it in time for sunset at 8:12 (or actually, a little before sunset, for some amazing pictures.)

http://gothamist.com/2015/05/28/manhattanhenge_2015_starts_this_wee.php

It's supposed to be partly cloudy today, so I am also hoping that the sun will hold out for a little while at least. The weekend is expected to be a washout but the weather forecasts are looking a bit more optimistic for partly dry times. Either way, we're in NYC! A little rain won't deter us though may change a couple of our plans. It's all good though-- our city awaits!!

I landed on time and raced to the shuttle to get to the train to NYC. It's funny, as I couldn't remember where to pick it up, but as soon as I landed and started walking through the airport, it all came back to me. The shuttle arrived quickly and I made it on the train with 10 seconds to spare. Since it's Saturday, the next wasn't coming for 45 minutes so I was thrilled to make it. The ride took 25 minutes to Penn Station, not the prettier of the two terminals.

Given the time, I was going to take a cab, but I think he thought I looked like a meal ticket and was going to charge me $35 to go to the hotel! It was less than 2 miles and took me 30 minutes to walk! Um.. no thanks! I hoofed it and made pretty good time, even with the lights. (Shona said it should have cost less than $10).

The hotel is really cute! Our room is small-- typical for NYC. We're in one of the Pod hotels on 51st. My friend was already here so we caught up quickly while I tossed my stuff out of the bag, and raced to head south ten blocks to view the sunset.

We got to a great viewing place right in front of Grand Central Station (a gorgeous train station) but unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate. There were clouds near the horizon so all we saw was backlit clouds. Disappointing!! We did a quick run through of Grand Central and enjoyed watching the masses of people also disappointed by the viewing.

We met up with another friend from Boston and grabbed some dinner at an asian bistro. We got a drink that had vodka, matcha green tea, mint leaves and lime in it-- yum! Then we stopped for a drink at Tuttles, where they have a really cute open backyard garden patio.

Ahh.. the city. I really do miss being in a city. Phoenix is a city, of course, but more of a huge sprawl without much of a draw of a downtown center to walk around. This is fun!

We walked back to the hotel as it's now late, and we have a busy day of walking tomorrow!

Good night, all!
Sam

Tucson 1/2015

I thought it was a great idea to start off the new year with a trip, and when a friend wanted to check out Tucson, I jumped on the opportunity. I've been there a few times now, though it's been a while. It's a great town with a lot to see and do.

We drove the two hours on Saturday morning with his adorable little chihuahua, Molly. We checked into our place, Hacienda del Sol and even though we arrived at check out time at 11, our room was ready shortly after we arrive. There is extensive construction in the lot and front of the hotel as they are adding 32 more rooms, but once you get into the property, it's like you've stepped into a desert oasis. The property is gorgeous. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Our room was adorable-- beautifully appointed with a window looking out to the mountains behind the hotel. The rooms on the main property are around a central courtyard with lots of gorgeous desert plants and flowers.

We grabbed a quick sandwich at an AJs nearby then headed south to the Mission Xavier del Bac. I have been before but never tire of seeing it-- it's gorgeous! It's a Spanish Catholic mission on the Tohono O-odham San Xavier Indian Reservation, founded by Padre Kino in 1692. Construction began in 1700. It's gorgeous inside and outside and very well maintained. There is a path that winds up a nearby hill overlooking the mission, with a large white cross at the top, and offers a gorgeous viewpoint.

We then drove down to the Titan Missile Museum, which I have never seen before. It currently houses an inert Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile. There are three floors all located on levels underground, within several feet of concrete and steel and supported on huge steel springs to help sustain a localized blast if needed. It's hard to believe or remember the cold war, but here is a really interesting reminder. We took a tour and learned about the operations and service this, and the two other similar facilities, provided. People were required to move about the facility in twos, both for safety and for security, to always keep an eye on each other given that a nuclear missile was housed here. There were lots of processes and systems in place to ensure no accidents. It was really interesting and worth seeing.

Next we drove up to downtown Tucson to the St. Augustine Cathedral. I have seen it before, though never went in. It's gorgeous on the outside though the inside isn't overly impressive.

We drove around a bit, past the Presidio, and decided to head over to 4th Ave, which is always fun. We parked by the Hotel Congress, then walked a ways down 4th Ave. I love this street, and it reminds me a lot of where I went to school in Amherst Massachusetts (Northampton, actually.) There are a lot of musicians, restaurants, tattoo parlors, interesting shops and even more interesting people. We then headed back to our dinner destination in Hotel Congress, The Cup Cafe.

Hotel Congress is a historic place built in 1919, known for the capture of bank robber, John Dillinger, in 1934. It's beautiful, interesting and just fun to go to. The Cup Cafe is always wonderful with the trifecta of what every restaurant should offer: great food, wonderful service and spectacular ambiance. I have always enjoyed it here, and almost always go whenever I'm in Tucson.

We headed back to our beautiful hotel and soaked in the hot tub for a bit. They said the pool was heated, and perhaps it was, but not enough! The view of the mountains was gorgeous and the stars were all sparkling in the big sky.

We decided to eat brunch at the hotel and wow, was it impressive. A huge display of food including an omelette bar, eggs benadict, breakfast meats and potatoes, blintzes, italian meats and cheeses, grilled veggies, fruits, olives, shrimp, smoked salmon, sushi.. and so on. wow. Oh, and very mini tarts that were such a pop of flavor. Yum! Blood orange mimosas and a lovely view of the mountains. Ahhh...


We checked out, grabbed Molly and headed to the Pima Air and Space Museum, which is dog friendly. Amazing! There are several hangars with planes built over the last hundred years, as well as close to a hundred outside. It was so interesting and so much fun to see them and read their history. Towards the end I heard that you can download a QR reader app and read even more about each plane, which was so interesting! I really loved the planes with the faces with wide smiles and teeth, and the ones with the pin ups and other pictures on the door. There was also a building with space information on the US space program, as well as information on some of the vehicles and the planets. I have never been to this museum and it was so much fun!

We headed back to Tucson to grab lunch at Beyond Bread, took Molly for a quick walk through Bookmans, a used book and CD store, then headed back north home to Phoenix. What a fun time, and a wonderful adventure seeing some great new things and some favorites in a great little town.

Pictures from the trip:
https://plus.google.com/photos/101094739222907134395/albums/6103278198730889265?authkey=CLfyiqq3-5PciAE