Only in New York City (The Chrysler Building)

The other day, we were out for a walk on the East Side.  We walked through Sutton Place and then Turtle Bay where the United Nations is located.  Because the UN General Assembly is in session, there is a large zone of many blocks where vehicles and pedestrians are not allowed.  So, we steered clear of the red zone and walked to the center of the city.

Turning a corner, we spotted our favorite building in New York, the Chrysler Building.  Some photos below help explain why. While we appreciate other landmarks of the NYC skyline, we especially like the architectural beauty of the Chrysler Building.

The Chrysler Building, an Art Deco Masterpiece

Even more spectacular as night falls

As we stood with heads tilted toward skyward, we admired the crown and the aluminum creatures guarding the building.  Just then, a passerby stopped and asked if we were watching someone about to jump off the building.  We think he was joking. 

Only in NYC.

Still Busy

New York City has a lot to offer and we have been taking full advantage of it.

On the weekend, we traveled with friends to Little Italy for the annual San Gennaro festival.  It was hot, crowded and New Yorkers were everywhere.  In other words, it was great.  San Gennaro is the Patron Saint of Naples and a marty.  The Saint's statue made an appearance during a slow procession up Mulberry Street.  The festival is a weeklong celebration of Italian-American culture.  That translates to great food (hot and spicy Italian sausage, at least 10 different flavors of canolli's and plenty of Italian beer and wine), plus great music--live and recorded, including The Chairman of the Board (recorded, not live unfortunately).  The festival has grown over the years.  20 years ago, the festival stretched a couple of blocks along Mulberry.  Now, the festival stretches along Mulberry nearly the entire length of Little Italy--from Canal St. to SOHO--with side streets hosting some of the action.  A must-see.

San Gennaro--In Solemn Procession up Mulberry Street

Mulberry Street during 2015 San Gennaro Festival

Cannoli's are plentiful during the San Gennaro Festival

We mentioned friends joined us in Little Italy.  Eric and Vicki from Florida were our first guests here in New York and we think they had a good time.  The proof will be if they return during the next year.  They are already invited.

Eric and Vicki hit many of NYC's highlights, including Lady Liberty, Ground Zero, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Times Square, and more.  They discovered a wonderful specialty bakery nearby--Baked by Melissa.  The bakery sells miniature cupcakes with many different flavors--PB&J, Deconstructed Cookie Dough and Vanilla Cookies & Cream.  We recommend them highly.  The Fall Collection was released on Greg's birthday (just a coincidence since his birthday usually occurs on the first day of Fall).  Greg personally sampled and recommends the Fall Collection.

Yum!

The Fall Collection

Eric and Vicki also discovered the Stardust Diner where Broadway hopefuls serve and perform.  (Photos below.)  While the concept might seem touristy, the food was respectable diner fare and the singing was extremely professional.  We wondered why some of the staff was not already performing in a Broadway show.  It turns out that turnover is high, with servers departing frequently for roles in NY or national tours.  If you get a chance to visit Stardust, you will have a very good time.

The Stardust Diner on Broadway

Two talented singers performing a Les Miserables number

Highlights from this week include a bridge, a tram and a first preview.  The Brooklyn Bridge is a wonderful walk.  The day we walked the weather was perfect and the views of Manhattan were amazing.  The surprise was visiting the park and waterfront on the Brooklyn side of the bridge.  The area is being transformed from a long-forgotten shipyard and warehouse district to a retail, commercial and residential mecca.  Plus, the ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Company is worth the walk.  

The Brooklyn Bridge and Downtown Manhattan Skyline, plus some random hottie photobombing the shot.

Midtown Manhattan Skyline from atop the Brooklyn Bridge, plus some random dude.

Downtown Manhattan Skyline from Brooklyn waterfront.

Another day, we took the tram to Roosevelt Island.  We did not see King Kong attack the tram or Spider-Man swing by.  We did see more amazing views of Manhattan.  Roosevelt Island once housed a prison and a lunatic asylum.  (It was actually called the Lunatic Asylum.)  Today, Roosevelt Island is a sleepy oasis of residential towers and a long-term care hospital.  

The tram

View of Manhattan from Roosevelt Island

Lighthouse at the North End of Roosevelt Island

A shot of two tugboats on the East River from the tram

A shot of our building from the tram

The first preview was the revived Broadway play The Gin Game starring Cicely Tyson (now 80 years old) and James Earl Jones (now 84).  Their ages were surprising because they seemed much younger.  Their talent is amazing.  They easily transifxed the audience and made us understand what it must be like to be forgotten in a decrepit nursing home.  Lots of drama and comedy throughout.  The audience was especially lively, at times talking back to the action unfolding on the stage.  And of course, the voice of Darth Vader is as deep and powerful as ever.

James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson

You know who

             

Only in New York City (The Rat)

New York City is known for its rats.  Rats in the subways, rats in the parks, rats all around.  Some are small, some are big, some are humongous.

The other day, we saw The Rat.  (Photo below.)  It was humongous.  At first, we thought it was the rodent known as Scabby that NYC labor unions sometimes deploy while picketing.  (Photo below.)  If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then these demonstrators believe a 15-foot inflatable rat is an effective attention-getter that leaves no doubt what they think about their target.  In this case, their target was a very well-known Fortune 500 company and some of its business practices.        

"We're gonna need a bigger trap."

Scabby

Please don't be worried about the infestation of humongous rats.  The NYC Department of Health is on top of this situation.  They have a database called R.I.P., or Rat Information Portal, that includes all the rat data you could possibly want.  (No joke.  Check it out here.)

Only in NYC.

Film

Watching films in New York is a new experience for us.

While films are often released one week earlier in New York and L.A. than elsewhere in the U.S., a real advantage of film-going in New York is access to more films that might not make it to a local movie theater in a smaller market.  In Orlando, the Enzian theater (located in Winter Park) screens films not available in most theaters.  Nevertheless, even in Orlando, the big films, like the excellent film Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, tend to squeeze out other films also worth seeing.

A disadvantage of seeing a film in New York is the price.  Our local theater charges $17 per ticket.  The price is shocking, even considering we are in a big city.  After we got over the sticker shock, the actual experience was a pleasant surprise.  In addition to popcorn, candy and soda, the theater offers French-style macarons and salted edamame.  All seats are reserved and you pick your seats when purchasing your tickets.  The seats are a happy surprise--wide, all-leather, electric reclining seats with lots of legroom.  Plus, the projection is HD.  We felt like we were in Steven Spielberg's home theater.  (While the price is high, we learned that films starting just before Noon are half-priced.  Good to know for a rainy or snowy day.)

Since arriving in New York, we have seen two excellent films.  Meru is a documentary about three world-class climbers who attempt to summit the Shark's Fin, one peak of a Himalayan mountain known as Mount Meru.  The peak is located at the headwaters of the sacred Ganges where the locals believe earth and heaven meet.  While we are not huge fans of documentaries, this film is a story well told and worth seeing.  Watching it in HD was a dizzying and thrilling experience.  If you like films about persistence, courage and redemption in the face of defeat, you will want to see this film.

 

A Brilliant Young Mind (also known as x+y) is another film worth seeing.  The story revolves around a gifted child and how he navigates through a hostile world.  The acting was very strong and portrayed raw emotions effectively.  Any teenager or adult moviegoer will easily identify with multiple characters in the film and learn something in the process.  We did. 

How are Dolly Parton and The 10 Year Plan Connected?

Shortly before Greg departed on the 10 Year Plan, his Wyndham colleagues hosted a lovely send-off with kind words and thoughtful gifts.  One "gift" was a song worth sharing.

As you probably know, whenever you leave a job, anything that might go wrong afterward is, of course, your fault.  While you might be missed, you will be remembered and blamed for a variety of problems you left behind:  "the food in the cafeteria is boring", "the elevators are always broken", "the women's restroom is messy".  You get the drift.  

This is where Dolly Parton comes in.  Years ago, she wrote a wonderful and poignant song about leaving.  The song has been famously covered since.   As you will hear, the updated lyrics written and sung by Stratis Pridgeon capture what happens whenever you leave a job.

All in good fun.  Enjoy!   Click here.

Only in New York City (first in a yearlong series)

New York City is a unique place in many ways.  So, from time to time, we will share anecdotes and photos in that vein.

You may recall this photo from an earlier post.

Even the donuts in New York get involved in rivalries. 

The other day, Susan spotted this truck on our street.  I guess you can get anything delivered in NYC.

P.S.  For some reason, Susan jokingly mentioned her younger brother when she saw the truck.  I wonder why.

A Pop Quiz, New York style

Ess-a-Bagel is a well-known bagel shop on 3rd Avenue not far from where we live.  Many consider it among the best or The Best in NYC.  The wait can be long but it is worthwhile.

                                     Question:  What does Ess-a-Bagel mean?

The best/fastest answer earns a prize.

P.S.  We first learned about the shop from good friends who raved about it.  We love your suggestions on places to visit and things to do.  We especially appreciate the suggestion about visiting the Neuhaus chocolate shop in Midtown.  If you don't know about Neuhaus, a happy surprise awaits you.  We will visit there soon and often!

So, please keep those suggestions coming.  We want this blog and The 10 Year Plan to be interactive.

Busy, Busy, Busy

The past several days have been a whirlwind.  Walking everywhere.  Enjoying what New York has to offer. 

Last week, we saw the award winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots.  Based on a book and a film, the musical is a funny, thought-provoking roller-coaster ride set to enjoyable music.  While it's about making a specialty line of boots to save a small town factory, it's also about identity, self-expression, acceptance (not just tolerance) and, ultimately, redemption.  Who knew wearing bright red boots could be redeeming.  Seeing Kinky Boots was a great way to start a year of musicals and plays.  Next up is "Sylvia" with Matthew Brokerick, followed by Laurie Anderson in a new performance piece and then "China Doll" with Al "Hooah" Pacino.

Friday was September 11th and a somber day as we fondly remembered our absent friend Matt.  Focusing on the positive, Matt was a wonderful friend and classmate to Greg at Georgetown and Columbia, a brilliant lawyer, a loving husband and a devoted father, albeit for too short a time.

The weekend brought us some enjoyable outings.  The Labor Day Parade in New York is held on the Saturday following Labor Day.  We viewed the parade as it progressed along 5th Avenue.  We caught glimpses of Governor Andrew Cuomo and Congressman Charlie Rangel.  The parade was more than what you might expect.  We snapped some photos that help make the point.

What would a parade celebrating the Labor movement be without a chorus?  Think Glee with more edge.

And muscle cards are a must.

Another classic.

Plus a classic car. 

And what would a Labor Day parade be without a gleaming, stainless steel garbage truck driven by teamsters?

A very talented group of musicians.  Performing for free.  What's up with that? 

The dudes on the motorcycles are backstage professionals.  You might call them Stage Hogs.

This guy is proud and confident.  Enough said.

We ventured up to the Bronx to see the Yankees play a double-header against the first place Blue Jays.  New Yankee Stadium is a great place to see a game and there were some highlights even though the Yankees lost their lead in the first game and dug into a deep hole early in the second game.  In any event, it was great eating some dogs, singing and watching two great teams play the game.  And it was great being in the Bronx.   

A photo of A Rod seconds before stroking a two-run homer to right field that put the Yankees up by three.  It wasn't nearly enough.

A selfie by an amateur. 

This week, we joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art and took our first tour--Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.  We both learned a lot.  One interesting factoid:  Some scholars believe that the arrival of Japanese woodcut prints in France strongly influenced the early Impressionists to reject long-standing conventions of what great painting was.  Our guide was excellent--engaging, humorous and incredibly knowledgeable. 

A Japanese woodcut print alongside an Impressionist painting

Today, we met Greg's cousin Heather for lunch.  We dined al fresco in Bryant Park behind the NY Public Library.  Heather lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, and works in Midtown.  Heather is an amazing person.  A talented attorney, an amazing spouse and parent and a great daughter to her parents.  Heather was always the favorite niece of Greg's father.  The only thing Greg wonders about is Heather's seemingly unnatural adoration of Notre Dame.  What's that about?  I suppose a great university inspires great loyalty.

Heather and Greg

Juggling class in Bryant Park

Following lunch, we took Heather's suggestion and toured the main branch of the NY Public Library.  While the main branch is a working research library, it is also an architectural Beaux Arts masterpiece and a museum of fine art.  The reading rooms are just what you think of and they were full.  The tour was worthwhile and we plan on returning during the year to sample their many programs.

Astor Hall, Entrance of the NYPL

Check out the water fountain.

Some random hottie

What do water balloons and a fountain have in common?

Greetings from New York!

Before beginning the 10 Year Plan, dear friends offered us gifts to help us better enjoy Year 1 in New York.  One of those thoughtful gifts is "Literary Landmarks of New York" by Bill  Morgan.  The guide details the lives and haunts of well-known writers who called New York home at some point in their lives.

The other day, we toured some of the literary landmarks around Central Park, not far from where we live.  We visited and read about nine of the places in the book, including the apartment building where Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a combat pilot and the author of "The Little Prince", launched paper gliders into Central Park and dropped water balloons from the 23rd floor (building photo below, no paper planes or water bombs evident).  Saint-Exupery actually wrote his well-known book in the apartment while living in exile during part of WWII.   

Central Park South

View of paper plane landing zone.

We also visited the Pulitzer Fountain in front of The Plaza Hotel.  There, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald splashed around after boozing it up. Susan quipped:  "If you did that today, you would be arrested, not celebrated."  Let's wait to see if Susan can enjoy the fountain while avoiding arrest.

The Pulitzer Fountain

Susan and Greg

Labor Day Weekend in New York City

What is more appropriate than visiting the cultural, entertainment and culinary center of the universe?  The beating heart of a great city.  That's right.  I'm talking about Coney Island. 

We made the pilgrimage to Brooklyn to take in the sights, sounds and smells of Coney Island.  We expected to find an amusement park well past its prime, neglected and perhaps a bit seedy. 

What we discovered was completely different.  While not up to the magical standards of a Disney theme park, Coney Island was old but clean, well-cared for and bustling with families enjoying a New York tradition.  From the tame kiddie rides to vertigo-inducing thrill rides, you can have a full day of fun with short lines.

Plus, the food experience is enjoyable.  We ate at Nathan's on the boardwalk, of course.  The chili dogs and onion rings were to die for.  We enjoyed ours while watching people play on the expansive beach and swim in the ocean.

Naturally, people-watching gave us an eyeful.  We saw all types of New Yorkers, from all parts of the city speaking languages from around the globe.     

Enjoy the photos.

 

Some random hottie.

"What are you lookin' at, friend?"

The Center of the Universe?

"Was this really a good idea?"

Arriving and Exploring

Greetings from New York City.

It is our first weekend in the Big Apple.  Since we are nearing the end of our first week, we thought sharing a few photos taken this week would be a nice idea.

Susan and Greg

Greg waiting for the plane to NY.  Note the amazing suitcase emblazoned with Wyndham destinations around the globe.  A wonderful gift from an amazing group of people that I already miss.  

Susan arriving in NY to begin the 10 Year Plan.

Our apartment--before.

 

After.

Exploring the neighborhood found us this jewel.

Another jewel.  Greg vaguely remembers prowling 3rd Avenue pubs years ago.  Time and Guinness will fog many memories, but the best memories last and last.  Cheers.

Note the middle row.  Jets v. Giants.  Only in NYC.

Susan in front of our building.  A serene setting with waterfall and bamboo.

More first week photos on the way.