tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81515638888927908202024-02-07T01:10:20.679-05:00The WeekendersExploring and documenting life in the city, one weekend at a time. Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-35565162469789396152013-02-18T15:42:00.004-05:002013-02-18T15:42:42.434-05:00Times Square & ChinatownToday marks the first time I've had off of work on President's Day since high school, so while this weekend is three days long instead of the standard two, I'm just taking the extra day to relax. It's lovely.<br />
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Saturday I got more visitors from Michigan! My mom and stepdad stopped by and got to see my apartment. After breakfast (more bagels!) and the "grand tour," we headed down to Times Square for some tourist-y entertainment. We had lunch at the homage to Forrest Gump, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.<br />
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We had tickets for both exhibitions just around the corner at Discovery Times Square - Harry Potter and Spy: The Secret World of Espionage. We'd just missed the Phelps brothers' autograph session, but it was probably for the best because it wasn't crowded. (They play the Weasley twins in the movies.) We first took in the spy exhibit, and while it was awesome, it was soooo long. We were in there for close to 3 hours. And, unfortunately, it was a no-photos-allowed exhibit, maybe because of all the "top secret" stuff we got to see.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only picture I was able to sneak in, ironically</td></tr>
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After an exhaustive (and exhausting) spy tour, it was time for Harry Potter. Primarily visual, there was a lot less reading and it took us less than an hour to get through. Of the two, this is the one I enjoyed the most. It was really cool to see the actual props and costumes that were used to make the movies. Having the opportunity to act in those movies or even be on set must have been quite an experience. Again, no pictures, but I took this in the gift shop (mostly for Nora).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Hedwigs, wearing hats from the four Hogwarts houses</td></tr>
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On Sunday, with my mom and stepdad back on their way to Michigan, Steve and I took a trip to Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year with the parade. It started at 1, but since we couldn't get there until after 12:30, we took position towards the end of the parade route. I'd worn layers but maybe not enough - it was freezing! The parade showed up sometime around 2.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our spot</td></tr>
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The parade wasn't everything I thought it would be, but perhaps that was due to our location. We were near a few people visiting from Virginia who said they come to NYC every year at this time just to see the parade. So, either they're very hard up for parade entertainment, or it's usually better or it's just better closer to Mott St. where it starts. The red dragons (above) were the highlight of the parade for me.<br />
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Then, wholly unprepared, Steve and I plunged headfirst into our first dim sum experience. We walked over to Jing Fong on Elizabeth and it was completely packed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobby @ Jing Fong<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We actually only ended up waiting for about 15 minutes before we got a table, which I thought was a minor miracle, but it just turns out the dining room upstairs is humungous. Not knowing anything about dim sum or any of the Chinese language, we were a bit out of our element. We were seated at a table with a party of 3 before our waiter came over with tea pots and cups for all. No sooner had he set down our empty plates than we were greeted by a server with a cart of unfamiliar-looking food whose names we didn't know and couldn't understand. We accepted a few different kinds of dumplings (I think they were seafood, pork and veggie) and dove in. On other rounds, we picked up shrimp noodles (basically just shrimp in noodles), an unknown kind of meat that we couldn't figure out how to eat (our best guess was frog legs), an egg-tasting roll-up of sorts, and then another mystery or two. I'd guess that the whole dim sum experience is probably better with someone who either knows what's going on or with servers who are able to communicate to you what it is that you're eating. I'm not in a rush to go back, but that's not to say I'll never take the plunge again. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Year of the Snake here we come!</span></div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-19600939725779093672013-02-18T10:21:00.001-05:002013-02-18T10:21:57.507-05:00Nemo Weekend: A Bit Random<br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Winter Storm Nemo put a bit of a wrinkle in this weekend’s plans, but I was actually rather happy to take it easy, considering last weekend was insanely busy. The disgusting weather started on Friday morning (sleet-y rain) and then turned into snow and continued until Saturday. My roommate had a visitor in for the weekend, and she made it, even though her bus was cancelled, before the trains shut down.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We went out to dinner on Friday night just a short walk from the apartment to Maison Harlem. We’d been there once before, for brunch, but this was our first trip for dinner. Delicious. We had appetizers of marinated olives and fried calamari. For my main course, I had the seafood pasta (clams, mussels and shrimp with a garlicky, herby, slightly creamy sauce) and I would absolutely get it again. It was well-balanced and perfectly portioned. For dessert, I got the lemon tart and was a little less impressed. The filling was really good, and though the crust had good flavor, it was super hard (to the point where I was hacking at it to get a bite). Like most of Manhattan, we spent the rest of the night in, watching movies and enjoying some of our alcohol supply.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Saturday, the three of us ventured out to get bagels (72nd St Bagel again) and then to wander around Central Park.</span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel like I saw more kids out and about that morning than I’ve ever seen in a single outing before. Sleds were everywhere. Then I had to hustle back to the apartment for a video chat with some college friends, while the other two went in search of cupcakes and musical tickets.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We opted for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, still in previews, based a little bit on one of the actresses’ appearances at our dueling pianos celebration last weekend. Before dinner we went to Carnegie Deli, home of humungous sandwiches, especially the famous pastrami. Pictures of celebrities (and what appeared to be nobodies that signed their pictures anyway) covered the walls. We got to eat next to Britney Spears. </span></b></span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I really enjoyed Cinderella, even though the story developed differently than I expected. (Spoiler alert: Cinderella doesn’t leave her shoe at the ball!) I was familiar with some of the music, having repeatedly watched and thoroughly enjoyed the Brandy/Whitney Houston version as a child. I have to say, those songs were my favorite. The costume changes were almost like real-life magic, and the actress playing the Fairy Godmother did an amazing job.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The forest - loved the set</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKM6osD7WC_LtNGV_iMnzbUV1ii71amjrM1ymZkfVo_Cl2NZy4pgfgg0yoMwHtwYUIb-V9N6lljl-O4DYlsMjPx5lRtIsKsUCsonloyuTXCltMi119Wo-Nm6KA9EGdGHqegbXhKcdB4ng/s1600/IMG_1143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKM6osD7WC_LtNGV_iMnzbUV1ii71amjrM1ymZkfVo_Cl2NZy4pgfgg0yoMwHtwYUIb-V9N6lljl-O4DYlsMjPx5lRtIsKsUCsonloyuTXCltMi119Wo-Nm6KA9EGdGHqegbXhKcdB4ng/s320/IMG_1143.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Glass slippers are so back"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.025466970866546035" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
</b></div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-66871315579661565282013-02-04T20:43:00.000-05:002013-02-04T20:51:30.001-05:00Birthday and Tourism Overload (Days 2 & 3)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Saturday began with a walking tour of Central Park,
or more specifically a foodie walking tour. We met our tour guide, Giovanni
(from Better Adventures) just in front of the Museum of Natural History at
10:00 am. Of the 10 people who were supposed to be on this tour, we were the
only two who showed up. Possibly because the temperature didn’t make it above
30. So, in addition to a much more personalized tour, more food for us! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Breakfast came first - tasty (and warm!)
spinach/cheese and ham/cheese stuffed croissants from Zabar’s on the UWS. All
of the food was brought along from Zabar’s and it was all amazingly delicious.
I will be making a trip...or twenty. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed
breakfast wasn’t the ever-famous New York bagel, but we remedied that the next
day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The walking tour was basically the entire south
half of the park, from 81st all the way to the bottom, at 59th. Giovanni shared
a wealth of information along the way, including some background as to why
Central Park was created in the first place - to put it simply, all of the
packed-full tenements of the time were producing crazies. And with the
population exploding at the time, people took to hanging out in cemeteries as a
way to get away from all the noise in the city. Not ideal. People need nature
and open-air spaces in their lives, and so this refuge in the middle of
Manhattan was created.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dzem-2L-RDpnr1gOd4zU4Gwi409rmSFotFzj2utsNvDND_xGtuLr8VYl4y-Rr6MFyT-WEtjov6t6DwcN2FRHHZ0tV7-hzBDF0UXQoW7XjUe8gymw24Eok_TJBm388QTjodF5dFzMswI/s1600/IMG_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3dzem-2L-RDpnr1gOd4zU4Gwi409rmSFotFzj2utsNvDND_xGtuLr8VYl4y-Rr6MFyT-WEtjov6t6DwcN2FRHHZ0tV7-hzBDF0UXQoW7XjUe8gymw24Eok_TJBm388QTjodF5dFzMswI/s400/IMG_1047.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Shakespeare Garden </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(all of the plants are mentioned somewhere in a work of Shakespeare)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLiRIAV53F8RC89HwjT7HcKhFt_0_MdHam0cib2UV-h_3Ug-P2qwEaSoPkI_qBiXzPOAGbyvWKnp5tWB1g72x7D6qYv-Mm84qTFWWQxhcJlDhYFn9HhhsCbD0CGzhUXDv1ZsBWbCPFBs/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLiRIAV53F8RC89HwjT7HcKhFt_0_MdHam0cib2UV-h_3Ug-P2qwEaSoPkI_qBiXzPOAGbyvWKnp5tWB1g72x7D6qYv-Mm84qTFWWQxhcJlDhYFn9HhhsCbD0CGzhUXDv1ZsBWbCPFBs/s320/IMG_1049.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Sundial / View of the city from Shakespeare Garden</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZYZ22yrumY4Co4DfVwKDcUSqAWYmK4fNlCrkh-A-D-ZXEL8wIix5tUMoOZsjhfnuz7IxXXlzQOfkVa6XLj_kuUrVSGUx8pdbdwyp_V2f1BbPzdcQdIPbHnO6rMNAcv5xH7nyo5ROmhU/s1600/IMG_1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZYZ22yrumY4Co4DfVwKDcUSqAWYmK4fNlCrkh-A-D-ZXEL8wIix5tUMoOZsjhfnuz7IxXXlzQOfkVa6XLj_kuUrVSGUx8pdbdwyp_V2f1BbPzdcQdIPbHnO6rMNAcv5xH7nyo5ROmhU/s320/IMG_1051.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Fun whispering bench</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We came upon Belvedere Castle and, because our
“group” was so small, got to go all the way to the top. From there, Giovanni
pointed out all sorts of interesting things, including the Great Lawn where
many a concert are held and the Delacorte Theater where Shakespeare in the Park
is performed in the summer. Atop the castle, we dug into the rest of the food.
It was Nora’s first experience with Jewish food and, judging on how much we
managed to eat (3 of us eating food meant for 10), it won’t be her last. We
stuffed ourselves with as many blintzes, knishes and latkes we could. It’s
making me hungry just thinking about it, so I’ll move on.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2LVC7Dn4ppjNh0TBt_Lqg1Inf94t36f-aRY1EAARSt8vzmQkGKqeThh2s-8CUzhRv_ppnXb-DQkGtIIrEirOApJ_aRWq9mbMVTa2bifF7Npi8dM8MDgS-QRc0h4wjfWTWBs19wvS-U4/s1600/IMG_1053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2LVC7Dn4ppjNh0TBt_Lqg1Inf94t36f-aRY1EAARSt8vzmQkGKqeThh2s-8CUzhRv_ppnXb-DQkGtIIrEirOApJ_aRWq9mbMVTa2bifF7Npi8dM8MDgS-QRc0h4wjfWTWBs19wvS-U4/s320/IMG_1053.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Looking down on Belvedere Castle</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20ZIZbiE33dDoeV_pkCUJsSJ8Zfv7X8n0c44ypV3iR0MMrDTU68U094-OMvS5ZEelo2zIkxLdPVcVi4IcA6DF-L-6FHFua2TtGcgypmmTXcFAqNczf-uCbmkKypZI8uBGmram4btcUAQ/s1600/IMG_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20ZIZbiE33dDoeV_pkCUJsSJ8Zfv7X8n0c44ypV3iR0MMrDTU68U094-OMvS5ZEelo2zIkxLdPVcVi4IcA6DF-L-6FHFua2TtGcgypmmTXcFAqNczf-uCbmkKypZI8uBGmram4btcUAQ/s320/IMG_1052.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Turtle Pond and the Great Lawn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8B-C6dZ1ypYnxkA-XOLMuGiw6-I4xqg6IhU9BEw2cwEuZxszxeMFlGLCrZRW7541tILHuicsrdTbpcpm_-39K4Z_h6_lX7X27KX41JF7QP3zSlwH2zhARRrDDP5bViEdjquu-7cfRzQ/s1600/IMG_1055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8B-C6dZ1ypYnxkA-XOLMuGiw6-I4xqg6IhU9BEw2cwEuZxszxeMFlGLCrZRW7541tILHuicsrdTbpcpm_-39K4Z_h6_lX7X27KX41JF7QP3zSlwH2zhARRrDDP5bViEdjquu-7cfRzQ/s320/IMG_1055.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We walked through The
Ramble, which Giovanni explained to us is so wooded in the height of spring and
summer that you can’t see any buildings through the trees. Obviously, people
often get lost. Since we happened to be there in the dead of winter, we weren’t
fooled to feeling like we were in the wilderness. Still, birds could be heard
chirping incessantly and we even found what Giovanni thought was Pale Male
(pronounced by him as Pall Mall), a Red-tailed Hawk that lives near the park. He
is one of the first known one of them to have nested in a building rather than
a tree and is famous for creating a little population of urban-dwelling
Red-tailed Hawks.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Pale Male</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Pale Male lives in a nest above the middle window on the top floor </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(on 5th Ave, overlooking Central Park)</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The landscape architects
who designed Central Park originally intended for it to showcase nature with no
sculptures and minimal buildings present. But, there did come a part of the
tour where we stumbled upon sculpture after sculpture.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLDpCnYuaqhu8Gm98ruAxAqWehm2ThgtAFlqjS_fi_pJef2mfbjNoEZr7mYRbXrF1EduxHc1BY5RGf0_vw6ONCXNTDWiQxBFXkvNA7woL3VzzI9MFY3r5XBFzbUKlJPOhG6ZfnnLQeiE/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLDpCnYuaqhu8Gm98ruAxAqWehm2ThgtAFlqjS_fi_pJef2mfbjNoEZr7mYRbXrF1EduxHc1BY5RGf0_vw6ONCXNTDWiQxBFXkvNA7woL3VzzI9MFY3r5XBFzbUKlJPOhG6ZfnnLQeiE/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Alice in Wonderland</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuXJehLJlj-yRRJYswDtDIHX9b3kVM2mgriehdYte4RLX8ytZrIKg6kCahV2PvTiHef29M4g70dQgreB3GQitZ16ped4B4e-Bds-DUCQt5WArs-nmLr7xT5XzcsvPQ6GpGSRON4OMtBA/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQuXJehLJlj-yRRJYswDtDIHX9b3kVM2mgriehdYte4RLX8ytZrIKg6kCahV2PvTiHef29M4g70dQgreB3GQitZ16ped4B4e-Bds-DUCQt5WArs-nmLr7xT5XzcsvPQ6GpGSRON4OMtBA/s320/IMG_1064.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Me and the Ugly Duckling! (and Hans Christian Anderson)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1WY0lLpkExOPXisEGcsUPWwlUhbjClGe4q5hiiKZQA30bZAuXfke8v5ohSNNkOmmJvRK1ungocvnArVO-0jYnobWVAm6_yoFM8V3Fe7XVwOGtJMxbS46CgkAAgCuHcklrB-lMgfwIRQ/s1600/IMG_1068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1WY0lLpkExOPXisEGcsUPWwlUhbjClGe4q5hiiKZQA30bZAuXfke8v5ohSNNkOmmJvRK1ungocvnArVO-0jYnobWVAm6_yoFM8V3Fe7XVwOGtJMxbS46CgkAAgCuHcklrB-lMgfwIRQ/s320/IMG_1068.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Balto!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We also strolled past the Central Park Zoo and took
a gander at the Delacorte Musical Clock and the seals. Right near there is the
Arsenal, which is a building older than the park itself. It was originally used
to store arms and ammunition and was, therefore, fireproof. Because it was
fireproof, P.T. Barnham, who had lost several of his circus animals to fire,
once used it to store the animals before the zoo became the zoo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Leaving the zoo brought us to the
southeast-most corner of the zoo, which is also one of the busiest entrances.
So, we veered right and walked under the Inscope Arch, better known as the arch
where Kevin meets the Pigeon Lady and escapes from the bad guys in Home Alone
2. It’s also where Nora and I got a cool picture.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxQsAeuv3grUuQmUsSAMZi6EQfhzLNqM75Nc9_5EpXlE6oj5hnT3ZLpuCcaMRKeCNF7HWs-CHGgW5CHx_qgn93sppMpylPj6dy5pQtJrYo7WmAdJXRSuexc6Ri_ggSEGWksT19g0qeaQ/s1600/IMG_1072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFxQsAeuv3grUuQmUsSAMZi6EQfhzLNqM75Nc9_5EpXlE6oj5hnT3ZLpuCcaMRKeCNF7HWs-CHGgW5CHx_qgn93sppMpylPj6dy5pQtJrYo7WmAdJXRSuexc6Ri_ggSEGWksT19g0qeaQ/s400/IMG_1072.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">This was all Giovanni's idea</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then we were at The Pond (full of soooo many
ducks!) and the famous Wollman Rink, as we made our way to The Mall. The Mall
is one of the more iconic areas of Central Park, and under nicer weather
conditions, would have been a bit more picturesque. It was intended to be a
“literary walk” lined with statues of great writers, but after the fourth statue
was made <u>much</u> larger than the three that were already there, the
architects got frustrated, put it somewhere else, and called the whole thing
off. Those three statues are still there, at the beginning of the wide path.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbUD-n5S2luuy2FxPUEHTD9v9kddnIHpsO_gVXHkYmSkCN38_LxEhftVwfqkIwD74k9II6ACOToaZUgqwoGU7pd050uFd7bvo-_M5s6xCvadxF3Zv0HR-UTux8YSGtjgXWtjfh7CCrko/s1600/IMG_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbUD-n5S2luuy2FxPUEHTD9v9kddnIHpsO_gVXHkYmSkCN38_LxEhftVwfqkIwD74k9II6ACOToaZUgqwoGU7pd050uFd7bvo-_M5s6xCvadxF3Zv0HR-UTux8YSGtjgXWtjfh7CCrko/s320/IMG_1073.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios4JeRbCeIcuxod3xVU42GZkVCCIjw6PZNfeybMzr7QHpOUbVblyg6g7wGEQwugjheGE7GzhTFUJ6uceag-7IwV7pcA1W8ZwIWRwXJ4bDbb8DpdwAZ6SgjE4IzLGluPeF7RarCEVs1lw/s1600/20130202_115153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEios4JeRbCeIcuxod3xVU42GZkVCCIjw6PZNfeybMzr7QHpOUbVblyg6g7wGEQwugjheGE7GzhTFUJ6uceag-7IwV7pcA1W8ZwIWRwXJ4bDbb8DpdwAZ6SgjE4IzLGluPeF7RarCEVs1lw/s320/20130202_115153.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYYxeixlYQtBkRPA8F6MhdiL7FAfDK9JonGGdJSlUc_nJXUJmF8PVuH8unh0bJ4VwdUby3uudUf69tZZAheEgtJTni3TowG1exysG74xZvFZfUSsDkkFavQlz7tWTlYMq7WiYELSR-l0/s1600/IMG_1077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYYxeixlYQtBkRPA8F6MhdiL7FAfDK9JonGGdJSlUc_nJXUJmF8PVuH8unh0bJ4VwdUby3uudUf69tZZAheEgtJTni3TowG1exysG74xZvFZfUSsDkkFavQlz7tWTlYMq7WiYELSR-l0/s320/IMG_1077.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The Mall, minus all the pretty leaves</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the end of The Mall is Bethesda Terrace and through that Bethesda Fountain, featured in the Disney movie Enchanted, among many others. The terrace has some interesting imagery on the outside, with an opposites theme of sorts. On the right side when you walk in (“in” in this case being towards the fountain from The Mall) is a rooster and a sunrise, signifying day; on the right side, an owl, witch and the moon represent night. Coming out of the terrace, more carvings depict different seasons. The fountain is probably one of the most well-known fountains in the world and is one of the largest in New York. The angel on the top of the fountain’s one arm is outstretched to bless the water. It commemorates when fresh water was first supplied to New York City in the mid-nineteenth century.</span><br />
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZml51-2AFYdWVp2GWwJXZ_uw0E28TdemA80uPVw_qVc5ZUYVu6vYpMhRVpo-1sJ9s8Bhx0PnR55AZa2HDsmD7h4jNgRM-cU1Gg8X27nYL6rK3CCHMxlM4a0MKQw8NP9zKfqi-wcRFmkA/s1600/IMG_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZml51-2AFYdWVp2GWwJXZ_uw0E28TdemA80uPVw_qVc5ZUYVu6vYpMhRVpo-1sJ9s8Bhx0PnR55AZa2HDsmD7h4jNgRM-cU1Gg8X27nYL6rK3CCHMxlM4a0MKQw8NP9zKfqi-wcRFmkA/s320/IMG_1080.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Pardon my finger)<br />
Fountain with the Boathouse in the distance</td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We headed further west
towards the Bow Bridge, walked past a statue of Daniel Webster (the one that
was too big for the literary walk that never was), and into Strawberry Fields.
This area of the park is a living memorial to John Lennon, as he and his wife
Yoko lived just across Central Park West in the Dakota and it was one of their
favorite spots in the park. It was named after the Beatles song “Strawberry
Fields Forever” following his assassination. Several countries donated their
native plants to grow in the park, but because they weren’t native to New York
or the United States, many of them didn’t last. The Italians, however, wisely
donated the now famous Imagine mosaic that indicates the center of Strawberry
Fields. And, two and a half hours later, that was the end of our Central Park
walking tour with our super awesome tour guide Giovanni.</span><!--EndFragment-->
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3dzRacWeGiIUWJX6jiFjNRoVNh8ymG-BevsVkH95xKZBJkS_amcnADVWtR5A9dEg2F9gVoUa3B8DJRvkBYPmddQhlV4MDg4NaQm_sIQlJ8Cyx-7SDZZo1ATxyzfKe95wakLnH-w2Jqs/s1600/IMG_1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3dzRacWeGiIUWJX6jiFjNRoVNh8ymG-BevsVkH95xKZBJkS_amcnADVWtR5A9dEg2F9gVoUa3B8DJRvkBYPmddQhlV4MDg4NaQm_sIQlJ8Cyx-7SDZZo1ATxyzfKe95wakLnH-w2Jqs/s320/IMG_1083.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bow Bridge (The Dakota is the building towards the left with green pointed roofs)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_9hE5dBqkjKftcxmIwvdHeO3Z1VYfR7NjRWbR3blZejf1UWlweWtP4444HNcaLf73q6Lzl6FJH5agxrKDpTfdJdJ6Z2bHQGlJnN65n5cBtktSmAUFlA_LrxuicgfqJ6HjCPHb2P4pU8/s1600/20130202_122525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_9hE5dBqkjKftcxmIwvdHeO3Z1VYfR7NjRWbR3blZejf1UWlweWtP4444HNcaLf73q6Lzl6FJH5agxrKDpTfdJdJ6Z2bHQGlJnN65n5cBtktSmAUFlA_LrxuicgfqJ6HjCPHb2P4pU8/s320/20130202_122525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Central Park then (photo, held by Giovanni) and now</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-XuuxJAy13fXQzbYO6CKlK7HfB-MX2Zq0BAhO_7Id1kx0fS8EaesEBvISsyqY6EE0RzCE4ZGrFpqil0cjvh0gX5YWwRS7WgZkoae3iLzlGuy-79eN8GI8VJ2ULOylOkl24voT44uvAw/s1600/IMG_1089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV-XuuxJAy13fXQzbYO6CKlK7HfB-MX2Zq0BAhO_7Id1kx0fS8EaesEBvISsyqY6EE0RzCE4ZGrFpqil0cjvh0gX5YWwRS7WgZkoae3iLzlGuy-79eN8GI8VJ2ULOylOkl24voT44uvAw/s320/IMG_1089.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giovanni!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next on the agenda - the Museum of Art and Design.
On the way, though, we stopped and got an oh-so-famous (and sub-par) hot dog
from a street vendor. Is there a vendor somewhere that has really great hot
dogs? Why are these such a big deal? At least it’s off the to-do list. We also
stopped into the Time Warner Center, mainly for a warmth and a bathroom break,
but we also ended up poking around Williams & Sonoma and eating a few yummy
samples. We took another quick detour at Argo Tea for some warm beverages and <u>then</u>
we made it to the museum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will admit I was a bit more excited about the
museum going into it than I actually ended up being during the visit, but the
exhibit that propelled me to want to go in the first place was pretty great.
“The Art of Scent” explored twelve different scents from the 1800s to the
present and how perfumes are created and how they were originally transformed
by the addition of synthetic ingredients. It was more cool in the way it was
presented - everyone had to go up to a large head-shaped indent in the wall,
and while you hovered, some of the scent sprayed up from the bottom so you
could smell it. Each scent was accompanied with a little description of its
notes and creation.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We went to a literal hole-in-the-wall on the UWS,
Sal & Carmine’s, for dinner. I found it on a list of Best Pizza in NYC on
nycgo.com (one of my go-tos for NYC events and bests and whatnot), so I thought
why not? Definitely not somewhere to go for the atmosphere, or manners really.
The service was gruff and the selection minimal. I’m not sure if you’re able to
request additional ingredients or not, but Mr. Grumpy (Sal? Carmine?) wasn’t
really encouraging me to ask any questions. The pizza was good, but not even
close to the best I’ve ever had. Next time Nora comes we’ll have to get her
some better pizza.</span><br />
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</span>
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</span>
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<!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My birthday celebration (officially, anyway) kicked off later that night. My roommate Steve, Nora and I headed down to the Financial District for a dueling pianos show at Brick NYC. Due to some unforeseen subway changes (remind me to download the app for that), we didn’t get there as early as we’d planned and sat a few tables back. Maybe that was best in the end because they were calling up anyone with a celebration to be had and, let’s be honest, I’m not one for public humiliation or displays or whatever they happen to be. The pianists were very entertaining and one, Brad, was especially nice. He had come around prior to the show and talked to us for a little while; his birthday was that day. Yay birthdays! By the end of the night, we’d abandoned our table all together and were dancing/jumping around and singing along with everyone else.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Surprise performance by various Broadway actors!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Having had two very full and exhausting days, and having not poured into bed until around 4am, we weren’t exactly chomping at the bit on Sunday morning, so we took the day a bit slower. I may sometimes disagree about New York pizza - I’ve had pizza here both good and bad and have had very good pizza in other parts of the country too - but I am wholeheartedly a fan of the New York bagel. Best in the world. So, naturally, Nora had to try one while she was here. We started the day with a trip to 72nd Street, which is apparently the closest place to my apartment to get a non-Dunkin Donuts bagel. It was worth it - very good bagels. And, bonus, they had black and whites (cookies), so my cousin got to try one of those too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After some present opening and video chatting and then really rushed getting ready, we ventured back out into the city. We took the A down to 14th St and walked to Marble Lane on 16th St, where the three of us had reservations for lunch (more Restaurant Week). The ceiling decor was nifty, the booths were comfy, the music was totally random, and the portions were generous. It’s one of the few times I’ve been to a Restaurant Week meal in my life and have had leftovers. We all started with a Caesar salad. For the main course, Steve and I got a Kobe Patty Melt with fries (so good!), while Nora played it a little healthier and more elegant with edamame ravioli (also very good). Then, I tried to force myself to eat dessert, which was probably the biggest piece of cheesecake I’ve ever seen. I finished about half. The other two got Rocky Mountain Chocolate Cake which was served with some kind of gelato and had a caramel popcorn garnish. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Marbles on the ceiling</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Edamame Ravioli</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Rocky Mountain Chocolate Cake</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkMeVFjmd_KjPh1BToBwz61SB4tNq-FzXK32dj1KfusNCtPkxdWZDZ2eyqrjXHErOmL-sPUPeiGiNsCB_zw7ACnfSfZEiUvDm4BykUM6dhY-H669tonMmfXf2EZW29qXYQPNv59vFvfQ/s1600/IMG_1119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkMeVFjmd_KjPh1BToBwz61SB4tNq-FzXK32dj1KfusNCtPkxdWZDZ2eyqrjXHErOmL-sPUPeiGiNsCB_zw7ACnfSfZEiUvDm4BykUM6dhY-H669tonMmfXf2EZW29qXYQPNv59vFvfQ/s320/IMG_1119.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Huge Slice of (NY Style) Raspberry Cheesecake</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As I write this, it seems like the day mainly revolved around food, but that’s okay. When we got back to the apartment after lunch, there wasn’t much time before the Super Bowl began. And, that was pretty much it - the rest of the day was relaxing with movies, TV and somehow even more eating. Not a bad way to wrap up my birthday weekend, I think. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It was obviously awesome having my cousin visit, but having someone visit who had never ever been here before was also a great excuse to play tourist to the extreme. Overall, a fabulous weekend and thanks so much to Nora for letting me drag her all over New York.</span></div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-12161916906383609402013-02-04T20:07:00.001-05:002013-02-04T20:53:53.372-05:00Birthday and Tourism Overload (Day 1)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(This weekend has been split into 2 posts.)</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kicking off February and month two of excursioning (yes, I’m making up words), I had my very first NYC visitor! My cousin came in from Michigan, and having never been to this lovely city, expectations were high. It was also my birthday, so I really like to do it up...or something like that. Either way, big things happened.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My cousin got in late on Thursday evening, so her only real NYC “experience” was the ride from the airport to my apartment and then the shockingly small apartment that is mine. (This ain’t no Friends rent-controlled apartment.) Friday got much better.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We started the day with her very first subway ride down to the Staten Island Ferry. I’ve never taken the trip but it was recommended by a few friends from work, and it seemed a suitable substitute for Liberty/Ellis Islands, which are still closed because of Hurricane Sandy. Plus, it’s free. The ride over to Staten Island was a bit of a bummer because we happened to get on an older ferry that had no outside access for passengers. We had to make due with looking at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island through our dirty-windowed cabin. (We did try taking pictures, but the dirty windows prevented any sort of “wow” factor.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Nora gets her first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty</span></td></tr>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luckily, the ferry back proved to be a newer model, so we immediately went up to the top and outside. We took in the Manhattan skyline, the always regal Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. We braved the cold and wind to snap a bajillion pictures and even got a nice guy to take a few of us together.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After our ferry ride, we had tickets to visit the
9/11 Memorial at 11:30 - our timing turned out to be pretty perfect. We made it
through the many security measures and ventured onto the site of the former
World Trade Center. Like most memorials, it was a solemn experience (not many
“highlights” to report). The North and South Pools were really quite amazing as
was the story of the Survivor Tree. The museum was under construction, and I’m
not sure when it’s scheduled to open. Of course, the buildings are still being
worked on as well.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Me learning about the Survivor Tree:<br />It was planted in the original plaza in the 1970s. It was found by firefighters in the wreckage after 9/11 reduced to an 8' stump.<br />It was nursed back to health in a park and grew to 30' until in March 2010 it was uprooted by severe storms. Still, it survived.<br />Since December 2010 it has been on this site, embodying resilience and the story of survival. </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We wandered into a nearby restaurant from lunch -
BLT Bar & Grill in the W Hotel. Surprisingly, not a single BLT on the menu!
There was a BLT Burger, but I still maintain that that doesn’t actually count.
We split some fried calamari to start. Note to readers: the fried garnishes are
lemon slices and green tomatoes. (Imagine my cousin’s surprise when she bit
into what she thought was a french fry / potato chip thing.) For lunch we split
two pizzas - Margherita, which is admittedly a bit boring and tasted just
alright, and Brussels Sprouts, which was amazing. It was topped with butternut
squash, bacon and cipollini in addition to the sprouts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Delicious pizza</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Before our next scheduled stop, the Empire State
Building, we headed over to SoHo so my cousin could check out a little NYC shoe
shopping, though it ultimately was unsuccessful. We popped out of Penn Station
and made our way to the tall landmark. I had pre-purchased tickets, not knowing
whether it would be busy or not, but the place was practically empty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.449133578222245" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Here we are!</span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We were through security and to the top in less than 15 minutes. Again, we wasted no time getting outside to take it all in. We were relatively shielded from the wind on the east and south sides of the observation deck, but yikes! was it intense on the other two sides. Pictures were taken and then we ran back inside to un-freeze. </span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Chrysler Building</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">West (look really far for Michigan!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Reallllllly windy and cold</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Hey, NYC!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; white-space: pre-wrap;">We wandered over to the famous New York Public Library and poked around a bit. (I still have yet to find a normal bookshelf in there...) Then, we hopped on the subway and headed home to prepare for a night on the town.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For dinner, we had reservations at Ouest on the Upper West Side as part of Restaurant Week, which luckily just-so-happens to fall around my birthday every winter. (Yay me!) The menu took us a bit by surprise, since it didn’t match what we’d seen online but we adjusted. For our appetizers, I had the duck liver pate while my cousin had a raviolo, filled with what exactly I can’t remember, and then we both got the hanger steak, served with fingerling potatoes, greens and a cream-based sauce, as our main course. We also split a bottle of Chardonnay from what was possibly a clearance section of the menu (going going gone...). Capping off a pretty rich meal, I chose the mango and raspberry sorbet for my dessert; my cousin got the dense chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. </span></span></div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dinner was followed by Nora’s first trip to Broadway - Disney’s Newsies at the Nederlander Theatre, which also happened to be a part of 2-for-1 Broadway Week. What luck! Neither of us had seen the movie, so we went in not really knowing what to expect. I originally wanted to see it because an Ithaca College alumni was playing the lead, but because he got a TV role had stopped performing in the show late last year. Still, I noticed another IC alum in the program who happened to be making his</span><span style="background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="MsoNormal">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Broadway debut as Davey. In fact, according the program, the majority of the cast were making their Broadway debut in this show, including some of the leads. We both really enjoyed the performance. The dancing was amazing and everyone did a great job. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-43522180652109195722013-01-29T20:00:00.000-05:002013-01-29T23:20:38.225-05:00Upper East Side<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2556626368314028" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This weekend took me to the opposite side of Manhattan – the Upper East Side. Typically, I spend the majority of my time on the west side or downtown, since it’s the easiest travel-wise. Getting to the east side requires a crosstown bus or finagling a few out-of-the-way transfers on the subway. If it was warmer, walking would’ve been a nice option. Not when it’s in the 20s. Of course, I dragged my roommate along again.</span></b></span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our subway finagling took us up to the Bronx to take a peek at Yankee Stadium as we waited for our transfer downtown. Even though I live in NYC now, and pretty close to their mammoth ballpark, I can say with confidence that I’ll never be a Yankee fan. (Go Tigers!) I took a picture anyway.</span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBniO3Yg3gIc_ZjDv5WFQvBmpHJpBjSNfY94mu2U_INwHMriGltVDHKK4uuNrtxby6XhQLt_wkrWWx3iWzlmAHl9gJK-fjT3x_YTpM5DjEUZozxpSS2hEg4Vgt_qxhPJdaJLkgjbNMbo/s1600/IMG_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBniO3Yg3gIc_ZjDv5WFQvBmpHJpBjSNfY94mu2U_INwHMriGltVDHKK4uuNrtxby6XhQLt_wkrWWx3iWzlmAHl9gJK-fjT3x_YTpM5DjEUZozxpSS2hEg4Vgt_qxhPJdaJLkgjbNMbo/s320/IMG_0930.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our ultimate destination was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’d been there before, about 4 years ago now, but it’d been a quick trip and I didn’t remember too much of it, so I thought I’d give it another whirl. Though you’re allowed to pay whatever you want to for admission, the suggested prices make you feel a bit like a jerk when you hand over your credit card and “offer” to pay a lower amount. That being said, I used the old student discount and paid just $12. (Adults are $25.) With so many great museums in this city, and most with a $15-or-more admission, it really makes me miss all the free museums in London. Why is culture so pricey?</span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s commence with my tour of the Met. We didn’t visit the entire museum, mainly because it’s humongous and we both got hungry about halfway through. I’m not one for art museums, and tend to go through them pretty quickly, so thankfully there are other things to gawk at here. We started in the Egyptian area, which is full of mummies and pyramid-like structures.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8Jk-eN6BvMBhQTul7kffZvZ23rxFxCBNXzhzFK3GtyLP9oe8w-XBNmv1PPvSIFG7zQ5CWfjlKxWuKl6ZkO9W50zlg2JqEdJajsQBSWJeChG4TO8MVaB6gMw6aR25m-rn8Vqd_rC7G7Q/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8Jk-eN6BvMBhQTul7kffZvZ23rxFxCBNXzhzFK3GtyLP9oe8w-XBNmv1PPvSIFG7zQ5CWfjlKxWuKl6ZkO9W50zlg2JqEdJajsQBSWJeChG4TO8MVaB6gMw6aR25m-rn8Vqd_rC7G7Q/s400/IMG_0936.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.2556626368314028" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Both of us had been to this section before though, so there wasn’t much new to see. Next we stumbled into the New American section to enjoy some sculptures and other décor (and some paintings). </span></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x9_UjIdAJ2SWVsAE6jeusUuoSGLcqgqT6TGZ540lxCYh3p476tFLvILw107plxoV0nY-WiMSU251AadmvpKCoBIusSWhBRgtkow3150r-PD9lPOvQ6BpXue-Jt-4ICTJ_eJgz3NdPOA/s1600/IMG_0943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3x9_UjIdAJ2SWVsAE6jeusUuoSGLcqgqT6TGZ540lxCYh3p476tFLvILw107plxoV0nY-WiMSU251AadmvpKCoBIusSWhBRgtkow3150r-PD9lPOvQ6BpXue-Jt-4ICTJ_eJgz3NdPOA/s320/IMG_0943.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There was a bit of a Native American theme.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Hall of Sculptures was
interesting and a bit creepy. This statue below depicts a man from Dante's Inferno who is imprisoned with his sons and condemned to starvation. He is shown struggling with and resisting and his children offer themselves to serve as his sustenance. (Yikes!)<!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We went into an exhibit about Abraham Roentgen, who was one of the most successful cabinetmakers of the eighteenth century. Not realizing we weren’t supposed to, I took a picture of this awesome game table he designed</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and a couple of other pieces before getting scolded for taking a picture of the informational wall at the end of the exhibit. A little bit of a delayed reaction on the part of the museum staff, but okay. (Sorry for taking pictures in there, Met.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I did <u>not</u> take any pictures in the exhibit I
really came to see, the whole reason we even made the “trek” to the UES in the
first place, because we weren’t allowed and I actually noticed the sign this
time. (You’re welcome, Met.) Called “Faking It,” the exhibit was about how
photography was manipulated before Photoshop and other modern technology became
available. It included everything from elaborate stunts to developing different
pieces of pictures over other pictures. They also had a brief section at the
end devoted to photos that have been manipulated with Photoshop-like
technology. Also cool but a little less impressive. Overall, I’m glad I made it
to the exhibit just in the nick of time. (It closed on Sunday.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
The only other section of the museum we saw
was modern art. Now, I know I previously said I’m not the biggest fan of art,
but modern art is probably the one kind that I consistently enjoy. Yes, it
sometimes is amazing what people pass off as “art.”</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This one reminded us of a color strip at Home Depot.</span></td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment-->But some of it’s super
cool. And I’m probably more likely to decorate my house/apartment with it than
creepy old portraits. <!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then, hunger got the better
of us – is it just me, or does this happen every weekend? We ventured
even further east to a restaurant recommended in my new Not For Tourists guide
book. We chose Cascabel Taqueria because it was described as awesome, authentic
food at “Taco Bell prices” and I love Mexican. I’m not sure that Taco
Bell prices accurately describes it (though Taco Bell is more expensive here
than most of the rest of America), but it was still reasonably priced.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> <!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bUQmVgCdZKRQ9coEwRx_zrbkCchX0HOHpZZuRYEVsPnh4scsmczZGGyPxqpNzD1y7Ajk7XOtQBcWFnfxXv6eLw-jJG3J5vYZi5_GdZBZD1lSiwDnnBw3Bn3Jeqo6i57n8PX1Ko6T-94/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bUQmVgCdZKRQ9coEwRx_zrbkCchX0HOHpZZuRYEVsPnh4scsmczZGGyPxqpNzD1y7Ajk7XOtQBcWFnfxXv6eLw-jJG3J5vYZi5_GdZBZD1lSiwDnnBw3Bn3Jeqo6i57n8PX1Ko6T-94/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">They had beer from Ithaca Beer Company!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">As an appetizer we got a
queso dip with chorizo, which was served with soft tortillas rather than chips.
(I noticed that chips were nowhere to be found; a table nearby ordered
guacamole and it was served with crispy tortillas that then you would
presumably break apart for dipping.) We also happened to be there during
“brunch” where they offer bottomless drinks for an hour and a half for $12. The
choices were mimosas, sangria, bloody Marys, bloody Marias (tequila instead of
vodka), and then fancier mimosas. We mainly stuck with the fancier mimosas, La
Lola and El Capitan.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRU-qsmx2b0qSJPKMaUIdRBoIZnwtosCums9pumIrOyjr0jaSsBw91z-_FRGI5Kv8vU0rviJSmnmsedw6r6p4vnNd1LXe21lERIGX3nY5GsduKK5kzb8P7z1zuc9AN4oGJrYQ2m75Myc/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRU-qsmx2b0qSJPKMaUIdRBoIZnwtosCums9pumIrOyjr0jaSsBw91z-_FRGI5Kv8vU0rviJSmnmsedw6r6p4vnNd1LXe21lERIGX3nY5GsduKK5kzb8P7z1zuc9AN4oGJrYQ2m75Myc/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Oh, yeah, we also got tacos.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After lunch, we went down
to Sprinkles between 60th and 61st for cupcakes, which is also apparently a
running theme of these weekend excursions. NYC definitely has its share of
cupcake shops, and I’ve obviously sampled a handful of them. So far, Sprinkles
is my favorite. They don’t use too much frosting like most places do and, more
importantly, their cupcakes are actually good. In my opinion, a lot of the
trendy cupcake shops focus more on overwhelming you with frosting than with making
an edible cupcake - too often they’re crumbly or dry or relatively flavorless
or all of the above. Now I just wish there was a Sprinkles closer to the
apartment...or maybe I don’t.</span><br />
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<!--StartFragment--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDEqGXPDSMrCrDuEgoZxxJGkhX2lotTLqJfc5fxCeV2jbJDzyyQ-0AJcVlIqMoChaUWI01liG1VNzOXl3SObmkoB8mMScQq78GESiISBF_60vXceVkJNEvs80Z66zAaNNjSF2XYz_B6M/s1600/IMG_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDEqGXPDSMrCrDuEgoZxxJGkhX2lotTLqJfc5fxCeV2jbJDzyyQ-0AJcVlIqMoChaUWI01liG1VNzOXl3SObmkoB8mMScQq78GESiISBF_60vXceVkJNEvs80Z66zAaNNjSF2XYz_B6M/s320/IMG_0967.JPG" width="238" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b style="font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></b></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: transparent;">
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-38902043866169222472013-01-22T21:34:00.000-05:002013-01-29T23:20:05.426-05:00Upper West Side<b id="internal-source-marker_0.07509814761579037" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This weekend, I didn’t so much have an agenda as in the past two, but I managed to spend most of my time in the same relative area and spread it out over the course of 3 days (Who doesn’t love long weekends?) so it also wasn’t quite as intense.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Friday night, I went to see Zero Dark Thirty at what is quickly becoming a go-to theater (even though there’s one practically down the street from my apartment) near Lincoln Center. The movie was well done, and as expected, intense at times. </span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Saturday, after a day that was pretty much filled with a trek to Target in the Bronx, I went to dinner at Café Ronda, where I enjoyed an array of tapas and some delightful sangria (white and red, both tasty). I love tapas, and in fact, did a paper on them in culinary school, so I always enjoy finding a great place to indulge. This will be a place to get back to.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next day, I made it back to Lincoln Center for a performance by the Budapest Festival Orchestra. My roommate had gotten free tickets at work, and who doesn’t love a chance to get a bit dressed up and experience some free music? It was both my first time at Lincoln Center and my first time seeing a live professional orchestra (though I’d seen plenty during my time at Ithaca – thank you, Whalen Music School). I definitely want to get back to Lincoln Center to check out an opera sometime this season and possibly even a ballet. Though, the ballet is a bit questionable since I didn’t love the one I saw in London and have since decided I don’t like ballets at all, but perhaps I should give it one more chance. Operas on the other hand are an automatic yes. Love them.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I guess I digress – the BFO is one of the top ten orchestras in the world, and I certainly enjoyed the show. I don’t know much about music, admittedly, but I know what I enjoy. They played pieces from Shostakovich (my favorite), Bernstein and Rachmaninoff (the only composer I’d previously heard of), close to two hours in total. The selections from Shostakovich were very upbeat, reminiscent of a Disney score (at least I thought so), so to me, they were a great way to start. A bit unexpected too. The other composer’s pieces were more somber, but I enjoyed them as well.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the orchestra performance, my roommate and I went a bit uptown to 84th and Broadway for dinner at 5 Napkin Burger. I had been craving a good burger for about a week and this seemed like a natural place to try. I was starving (not surprisingly), so I started with an order of onion rings. Perfectly crispy, I loved them. We both got the Original, which was topped with caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese and rosemary aioli. It was definitely tasty (and messy – hence the “5 napkin” concept), but I tend to like fresh/crunchy toppings on my burgers, so I’d probably get something else next time.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet another restaurant to cap off the three-day weekend – on Monday, I met up with a friend at Café Blossom for lunch. Caveat: It was vegan. As is probably pretty obvious (if not from knowing me then from the previously mentioned week-long burger craving), I love meat. I love cheese. I love all things non-vegan. Not that I don’t love veggies and healthy things too. I absolutely do. I just happen to love my healthy things with a side of meat, or dairy, or something typically animal-based. I’m sure this place is great for vegans (maybe a place to take my aunt if she ever visits!), and having looked at the menu, probably better for non-vegans at brunch. Nevertheless, I forged ahead and ordered a veggie grain burger, which was basically a patty made of lentils and quinoa (both of which I like) and topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles and hummus. The lack of color of the “burger” wasn’t doing it any favors, neither was the mushiness of it, but it was good for what it was. Thankfully the fries on the side helped to fill me up.</span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andddd that’s it. I’ll definitely do more on the UWS in the future, since this wasn’t truly an exploration of the pretty big neighborhood, and more that everything I happened to be doing happened to be there. A good weekend nonetheless. </span></span></b>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-23381423051515523212013-01-13T20:34:00.002-05:002013-01-29T23:20:24.105-05:00Central Harlem & Morningside Heights<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This weekend, with the weather a little on the warm side (for January), I opted to explore outside a bit. Plus, I thought it might be nice to stay close to home and get to know my own neighborhood. I live in a different part of Harlem, but you have to start somewhere.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We started at the northern side Central Park (also known as the North Woods), at 103 St. near The Pool. There were quite a few people out and about as we strolled along the paths. I got excited about the plethora of ducks relaxing in the water (I'll spare you the pictures), and then we stumbled across the Ravine. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGdUkrtXiW1eSda8iLAg9f6nDmpvas0FO5xBjKUwAIc5pPdvBn4MSDFNLjxE35Wfc-p4ydnbAdTalXPIt5cHya6pRoCDEJnKp3FX-irIMK7J-iD9-UlFinHya3e2ZZtzdMXbO_VpgE_I/s1600/IMG_0834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGdUkrtXiW1eSda8iLAg9f6nDmpvas0FO5xBjKUwAIc5pPdvBn4MSDFNLjxE35Wfc-p4ydnbAdTalXPIt5cHya6pRoCDEJnKp3FX-irIMK7J-iD9-UlFinHya3e2ZZtzdMXbO_VpgE_I/s400/IMG_0834.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9920JgYVTlP2B1DYv20CSytid9n-hrSY2nOU5SZET6o71vnEm1gaOQ-jmBkziKIklgnBBPFPyqSkMyRr8QCnILxtuJy4m96XFc1BpMUDp4zl642dxzunCdD_GBzdCYLxp6RtsKlreTjM/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9920JgYVTlP2B1DYv20CSytid9n-hrSY2nOU5SZET6o71vnEm1gaOQ-jmBkziKIklgnBBPFPyqSkMyRr8QCnILxtuJy4m96XFc1BpMUDp4zl642dxzunCdD_GBzdCYLxp6RtsKlreTjM/s400/IMG_0835.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsKIUfBR3qABvfprMMCZB0a0vIO9UODxh-izEajxzBbZr6uMeKquUaZLS5tpCxh06ngMQltvnKYdi-8G9VmIAJYHRMFyIqn7I50e92BSWo9oGb53SgecvPWEkbtIyLtNEYbR-o6MKXM0/s1600/IMG_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsKIUfBR3qABvfprMMCZB0a0vIO9UODxh-izEajxzBbZr6uMeKquUaZLS5tpCxh06ngMQltvnKYdi-8G9VmIAJYHRMFyIqn7I50e92BSWo9oGb53SgecvPWEkbtIyLtNEYbR-o6MKXM0/s400/IMG_0836.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />We also stumbled across some downed trees, which I tried to look like I conquered.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We realized when we first moved in that our area of Manhattan was pretty hilly, and this part of the park was no exception. It made for a good excuse to get our "exercise" in for the day - no need for the gym! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We passed through the Huddlestone Arch on the way to the Harlem Meer. According to many, this is one of the most picturesque arches in the park. It has been there since 1866 and - just found this online - is held together by gravity alone. Pretty nifty. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNtPg_hX8jkZoleAIiR9VVbuVz2PeazxUnOsBuFL7KjzSw_-6igN3rq0j_si5GSNzq6bQhVWT3A8Wpd5N5DwwRJm-WGNSMZJRHoDTANIsrxzwvQl3ekOhXVJBbCKwZpQc8cRyVRrIgm0/s1600/IMG_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNtPg_hX8jkZoleAIiR9VVbuVz2PeazxUnOsBuFL7KjzSw_-6igN3rq0j_si5GSNzq6bQhVWT3A8Wpd5N5DwwRJm-WGNSMZJRHoDTANIsrxzwvQl3ekOhXVJBbCKwZpQc8cRyVRrIgm0/s400/IMG_0842.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Huddlestone Arch, which I imagine looks much prettier in the spring and summer when the plants are more lively</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfCfDiwgSq6XVcXEsK9hDFPVuicO-AKF4YqWzWN3VRXzpSYRCEh6tKHsKnI_cFIIMTwq-wKfYDp5clhgP3qtVP-UMrUhfv4b04QZJPaAjHNsJz6ILEslbCOM5s5NcqNkqSpinyDxvnrI/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAfCfDiwgSq6XVcXEsK9hDFPVuicO-AKF4YqWzWN3VRXzpSYRCEh6tKHsKnI_cFIIMTwq-wKfYDp5clhgP3qtVP-UMrUhfv4b04QZJPaAjHNsJz6ILEslbCOM5s5NcqNkqSpinyDxvnrI/s400/IMG_0845.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Harlem Meer and a bit of East Harlem</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnOLk9Q1J2c350RbLvophyphenhyphensb36A1I6kjuAzGSqy0VSzj0-D_mVvjoulCOFF7ULE_G6zfSwkrPF8XeJQXp4FJyLAJIDYtk1UCUEw4WKzXCEaz_7GTH7uspP01IUYjOdH3BxItOAEhNCw/s1600/422246_10100140810970619_1808870098_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRnOLk9Q1J2c350RbLvophyphenhyphensb36A1I6kjuAzGSqy0VSzj0-D_mVvjoulCOFF7ULE_G6zfSwkrPF8XeJQXp4FJyLAJIDYtk1UCUEw4WKzXCEaz_7GTH7uspP01IUYjOdH3BxItOAEhNCw/s400/422246_10100140810970619_1808870098_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Conservatory Garden <br />(I'm pointing to our dream villa on top of the building behind) </span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After winding our way around the Meer (which is really just a mini lake or large pond), we found ourselves at the northeast corner of Central Park on 5th Ave. Since we'd worked up an appetite, we wandered up to 116th and over to Harlem's own Make My Cake.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UMeXgJ9C6DLG7sQUR2AhvATauf2cyWLcBc4A5lbqSeWDNuX-t7pmAkUH21gTsj8OZeVwMtksoiU_QqIvsurzjjFfL57fOOicxMQuLnzLspNcsds3SCVsp7avKrh9pKqcuAm3Lu82e1I/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UMeXgJ9C6DLG7sQUR2AhvATauf2cyWLcBc4A5lbqSeWDNuX-t7pmAkUH21gTsj8OZeVwMtksoiU_QqIvsurzjjFfL57fOOicxMQuLnzLspNcsds3SCVsp7avKrh9pKqcuAm3Lu82e1I/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L0f7mv-fmZ06Umo_Dqu4ygi9clx2Wf3jR60r2vMKPBUreR9BDCsVTLxSsHIsvmiaBWfSHgF6fgi1FHqlPjshCpk2tntDi36FwDVrfjYmQwI3DWOxrwrCO-xE3R_0eI0XaR-VUC319mg/s1600/IMG_0855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L0f7mv-fmZ06Umo_Dqu4ygi9clx2Wf3jR60r2vMKPBUreR9BDCsVTLxSsHIsvmiaBWfSHgF6fgi1FHqlPjshCpk2tntDi36FwDVrfjYmQwI3DWOxrwrCO-xE3R_0eI0XaR-VUC319mg/s320/IMG_0855.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Red Velvet, Vanilla Cupcake with Strawberry Frosting, and Carrot Cake</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We enjoyed our delicious cupcakes and had some drinks to warm up (even though it was nicer outside, it wasn't <i>that</i> nice). The atmosphere was cute and casual. I'd say Make My Cake is definitely worth a trip or two for more cupcakes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Last on the agenda for the afternoon was a 2:00 Vertical Tour at St. John the Divine. So, we walked further west through a slightly mountainous Morningside Park to get to the cathedral. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPS4KiGrQZqDQGTtEd_xoastq3NeOhoiytWjBF6oheWqkOaWDI51vPTxBcc1eRgVlHnC0Kq3G9eD8xeN0ekQgrP1H2HdKpzTZhVpy3WAYhopr2ikYBAB7s52D3tBdswD-JNhe1lEJPLU/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPS4KiGrQZqDQGTtEd_xoastq3NeOhoiytWjBF6oheWqkOaWDI51vPTxBcc1eRgVlHnC0Kq3G9eD8xeN0ekQgrP1H2HdKpzTZhVpy3WAYhopr2ikYBAB7s52D3tBdswD-JNhe1lEJPLU/s400/IMG_0856.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lots of stairs</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QS81oRHyOdX2UDycM0uXP9U4iowYb7l0lHT_tzi9juHLH-ZpdLXrQ0UYqwlDAu-hXo-8nScAWLOy3Jt8TAp1hHH4wS_h2p0et7S0TAciMe6TCjm7ko75PjamiGlmjfNNziZAqnY-NQw/s1600/IMG_0857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QS81oRHyOdX2UDycM0uXP9U4iowYb7l0lHT_tzi9juHLH-ZpdLXrQ0UYqwlDAu-hXo-8nScAWLOy3Jt8TAp1hHH4wS_h2p0et7S0TAciMe6TCjm7ko75PjamiGlmjfNNziZAqnY-NQw/s400/IMG_0857.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">St. John's as seen from the park</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglth0udgY9IbfwsqysiLpXYgwF6bAdfopzf4Q-b9-YMNGFwkxJXMh_w95nSAbtx26eE-TmdvOfC0aWyrItIGqYw-YAdN1CfIDnhKlhJN9JU0mjXGeEQFgifh2C1KMoFQuF-N7bKbZ0Bps/s1600/IMG_0858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglth0udgY9IbfwsqysiLpXYgwF6bAdfopzf4Q-b9-YMNGFwkxJXMh_w95nSAbtx26eE-TmdvOfC0aWyrItIGqYw-YAdN1CfIDnhKlhJN9JU0mjXGeEQFgifh2C1KMoFQuF-N7bKbZ0Bps/s400/IMG_0858.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">East Harlem from the top of the park</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">St. John's the Divine is the largest gothic cathedral in the United States, with construction beginning before 1900 and the very last installation ending in the 90s. The Vertical Tour ($15) took us up on the roof and above the the arches. While it was mainly focused on the architecture of the building, the behind-the-scenes feel was very cool. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The building reminded me of so many of the cathedrals and churches I'd visited in Europe, and I was probably a little too giddy to be taking this tour. Our trusty tour guide, Bill, started by telling us some themes present in the building. One of them: sevens. There are 7 bays in the nave, the arches are 124' tall (add them together 1+2+4 and get 7), and the length of the cathedral was 601', and the property has 7 chapels, to name a few. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_B7GbG7KaHT3QKyK604x0RABhtFGK-gRDm4cOB538mQImawXrMlWdefE4saY1FSi7cpP-6YkVPClnBVX-ZlVK09Qx_efj5H3GMWuWGyC9VbKY9ivs7b5SiOr0gIhyphenhyphen5J6uZ6FAr1_27y0/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_B7GbG7KaHT3QKyK604x0RABhtFGK-gRDm4cOB538mQImawXrMlWdefE4saY1FSi7cpP-6YkVPClnBVX-ZlVK09Qx_efj5H3GMWuWGyC9VbKY9ivs7b5SiOr0gIhyphenhyphen5J6uZ6FAr1_27y0/s640/IMG_0876.JPG" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This picture is taken from the ground floor. <br />Our first stop was the dark windows on the right; after a trip to the roof, our second stop was the archway on the left; <br />third stop inside was the floral-shaped opening up at the top of the photo.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQzGX5brfpe8f9U2rKOCXUicqGP6uCPLLpHsBSbCzjQpFoQpkmxGB7LFgjy7wIo94Ls-1tk19Wl8H8_L32AnQPg17upb9GBna8QgTMPWHxRA9q70jb7k39A6DgLs489w2n1yu9gywrPU/s1600/IMG_0877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhQzGX5brfpe8f9U2rKOCXUicqGP6uCPLLpHsBSbCzjQpFoQpkmxGB7LFgjy7wIo94Ls-1tk19Wl8H8_L32AnQPg17upb9GBna8QgTMPWHxRA9q70jb7k39A6DgLs489w2n1yu9gywrPU/s400/IMG_0877.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">View from first level up</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJJyIJBUIfqgSFS0-kH19tWepPsBfnCfG-bUPbCfnGuwMI7tehDf-Hp_Lk9Zxtqx4EeXD5uTeeFuLS-1xjDSdyMmipk-9H3egeRb7uGY6pVY95B9B6AV_21TB9UqbqzXNl9IdejjojDQ/s1600/IMG_0880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJJyIJBUIfqgSFS0-kH19tWepPsBfnCfG-bUPbCfnGuwMI7tehDf-Hp_Lk9Zxtqx4EeXD5uTeeFuLS-1xjDSdyMmipk-9H3egeRb7uGY6pVY95B9B6AV_21TB9UqbqzXNl9IdejjojDQ/s400/IMG_0880.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Each of the banisters had different sets of flowers on them; <br />all were hand-carved, as were the banisters themselves - you could feel the ridges</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrc9jABgHNDuWnrKYiquYlDNuqiKgMM8cRjp-cZR0Kpt-bK3JaaZRb9F5PRbNDxiCs_2bp7tGS_Bky9S02en1VQfIOzSzW7xmiIPYVG6SS0uX4jCoYNhcf8Rl4Dvb3lURANAgSWyNRlA/s1600/IMG_0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrc9jABgHNDuWnrKYiquYlDNuqiKgMM8cRjp-cZR0Kpt-bK3JaaZRb9F5PRbNDxiCs_2bp7tGS_Bky9S02en1VQfIOzSzW7xmiIPYVG6SS0uX4jCoYNhcf8Rl4Dvb3lURANAgSWyNRlA/s400/IMG_0881.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Up to the roof!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Looking down from the second level, called the Clear Story Level</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">On the Clear Story Level, we stopped to talk about the stained glass windows throughout the cathedral. Bill told us that each bay had a different theme dedicated to human endeavors. The two we looked at closely, for example, were dedicated to medicine and to communication. The themes were 3 levels high. The Bay Level, or ground floor, had a human representation of each theme. The Clear Story Level had a saint representing the theme. The highest level used Jesus to represent the bay's theme. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKWJxeZ0K8aBXKgnq88k69XhQ3ECmdgv4Cp-32Xe2Zh2Se5bAKCHLLFjq2on32jHKy_G02-YsIF6-LtKnI7IbpzoLE0WuJQM2EVD9xioyM_Mx5sGLokw7k6ALhK5V-wB1iqfb9oEHP9M/s1600/IMG_0886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKWJxeZ0K8aBXKgnq88k69XhQ3ECmdgv4Cp-32Xe2Zh2Se5bAKCHLLFjq2on32jHKy_G02-YsIF6-LtKnI7IbpzoLE0WuJQM2EVD9xioyM_Mx5sGLokw7k6ALhK5V-wB1iqfb9oEHP9M/s400/IMG_0886.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Communication (St. Mark on the left, St. Matthew on the right)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3__oxerxeE7-JInPsP5QNx7ospXcnJ9sv-9FmMrnj_9AQ2StksgREdQDxwKQGz6EYaypoTJlWiI65ZTLtH9JgRRezsMs-g6ZaQjq59rYA3PK83vQOHnz-EHWnY7WHQFsXCFGj9ZKTCpo/s1600/IMG_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3__oxerxeE7-JInPsP5QNx7ospXcnJ9sv-9FmMrnj_9AQ2StksgREdQDxwKQGz6EYaypoTJlWiI65ZTLtH9JgRRezsMs-g6ZaQjq59rYA3PK83vQOHnz-EHWnY7WHQFsXCFGj9ZKTCpo/s400/IMG_0887.JPG" width="297" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Medicine (St. Luke on the left, Hippocrates on the right, Jesus on the top performing healing)</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">You may wonder why Hippocrates was featured on the medicine-themed window, being that he's not a saint and was actually around before Christianity. Bill said that the windows, and the cathedral itself, has quite a bit of secular imagery. For example, on the communication-themed bay level window, you can see a TV featured. This was pretty futuristic for the time period (the window was completed in the 1930s) but is definitely relevant to today's visitors. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGymMJAyBu4N-PpVsG4KsGuT8496z0cYuPYNfGNpz0aogSg_C7z0dRGsb2kcusOlFWy9_pcsYnQfvX7UTDJtMVivI3kTiIe23Seyr0iakfBHfB-Zl65Le8eyUJMhTNl84EdFGf-9afD2A/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGymMJAyBu4N-PpVsG4KsGuT8496z0cYuPYNfGNpz0aogSg_C7z0dRGsb2kcusOlFWy9_pcsYnQfvX7UTDJtMVivI3kTiIe23Seyr0iakfBHfB-Zl65Le8eyUJMhTNl84EdFGf-9afD2A/s400/IMG_0895.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out through the top-most level</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Manhattan from the roof - on a clearer day you can see the Empire State Building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWyCLc4NSWyKKuXlqKs_2gUuLiDgTW1gluepXvsJJEmf5frmA6kpea9zxOtJICXFLu1vJW0NcwBYb4JBSrnc0C_OETZOyB9TWRiAb4Br-bQUnlaI2lXr-6v1nJFIsbW5l49KA0YlpU68/s1600/IMG_0901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWyCLc4NSWyKKuXlqKs_2gUuLiDgTW1gluepXvsJJEmf5frmA6kpea9zxOtJICXFLu1vJW0NcwBYb4JBSrnc0C_OETZOyB9TWRiAb4Br-bQUnlaI2lXr-6v1nJFIsbW5l49KA0YlpU68/s400/IMG_0901.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour guide Bill, explaining different aspects of the grounds to us</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Up on the highest level of the roof, Bill told us that the property (about a dozen acres) was originally bought for $885,000 before the turn of the 20th Century. New York City real estate prices were through the roof even back then! After a brief sojourn on the roof, we ventured back inside to check out what's above the grand arches in the cathedral below.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYXrOakKoLhWen5uwqsyH88ZD2RILq2qOs-N6G0ros9KdE7tedfnPGEjbpG3Gqdg30lL_P18-btH9wmTrzNd1M0_AOQUZbCbI2wWyn3wWekyfyt7-UCq6dKVjeOQTE-F2ax8pJdDIkIk/s1600/IMG_0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYXrOakKoLhWen5uwqsyH88ZD2RILq2qOs-N6G0ros9KdE7tedfnPGEjbpG3Gqdg30lL_P18-btH9wmTrzNd1M0_AOQUZbCbI2wWyn3wWekyfyt7-UCq6dKVjeOQTE-F2ax8pJdDIkIk/s400/IMG_0904.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The arches from the top</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We stood on some (totally secure but still wobbly) metal platforms (that started freaking me out after about two minutes) while Bill explained some interesting facts about the arches below and the modern roof overhead. Not quickly enough, we climbed down the 200-odd stairs to get back to ground level. And, I will say, you don't realize how many stairs you go up until you're forced to go back down them. Such teeny tiny spiral stairs ...I might have had a better time with smaller feet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We checked out the lower level of the cathedral a bit before stopping in the courtyard and heading home. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just some of the organ pipes - there are over 8,000 total</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue in the courtyard: The archangel Michael is featured on top; <br />
the devil's head is severed and dangling from the crab's claw on the bottom</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Later that evening, after a bit of relaxing at home, it was time for dinner. Now, for some reason, I have had it in my head for the past couple of weeks that I wanted to try chicken and waffles. (Truthfully, the reason we spent the day in Harlem was so that we could have some really good chicken and waffles as part of the day.) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Chicken and waffles became popular during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s - 1940s, when jazz was also flourishing. Wells Supper Club in Harlem began offering the dish as a way to cut down on food waste. They could pair the leftover fried chicken from dinner with a sweet waffle on the late night/early morning menu for those who were looking for something to eat after leaving the jazz clubs. It was a hit and other restaurants started offering it on their menus as well.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I picked Sylvia's for my first foray into chicken and waffles. Though she passed away last summer, her recipe remains. Sylvia began the restaurant after moving here from South Carolina and it has become a Harlem staple. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I, of course, ordered the Harlem Style Chicken & Waffles (white meat only) with a side of collard greens. I was happy with both choices! The chicken was delicious - tasty breading, perfect crispiness, and the chicken was moist and flavorful as well. I wasn't exactly sure how to delve into such a meal, but I did my best and tried the chicken with a little syrup. Maybe I'll have to try it for breakfast some time.</span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-38919711708774091712013-01-07T18:02:00.001-05:002013-01-09T11:34:16.676-05:00First Outing: Brooklyn Heights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Megan here, reporting on my first weekend excursion. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While my initial agenda was a bit more ambitious, illness required me to scale back. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This past Sunday I went to Brooklyn, dragging my also-sick roommate along, and mainly stayed within the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My roommate and I took the A to the Jay St. Station, where we began our adventure with the NYC Transit Museum. (Note: the entrance is a bit tricky to find, though cleverly disguised as a stairwell into the subway.) Cost to get in was quite reasonable - only $7 for an adult - though it would've been cheaper if I'd brought my student ID along. I'll have to remember that for future museum forays. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We began by learning about how the subway was built way back in the beginning of the 1900s. What a dangerous job! With very little benefits, especially for those that suffered injury or death. It was an amazing fete by so many hardworking individuals to accomplish something I'm sure many people take for granted today. Being from the Midwest, I'm still pretty new to mass public transit, and I thoroughly enjoy it's convenience on a daily basis. Something about not having to deal with traffic (or constantly fill up the gas tank) makes exploring that much more appealing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">After that we moseyed around and spent some time in the science-y part, where they demonstrated how transit is powered. We played with some gadgets and made our own electricity, among other things. I think this part of the museum would be most fun for kids because it's very interactive, but that's not to say it's not fun for adults too. :) We also ventured down to the lower level (similar to how you would transfer to a different subway line) where we were greeted with subway cars from all decades it seemed. We were able to walk around in them, sit down, and check out the authentic ads inside. Oddly, it didn't seem to me that subway cars have really changed or improved that much since they were first created. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"On the Streets" Exhibit > Everything above ground in NYC, including buses and cable cars</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They had an exhibit about the Miss Subways (requirement: be a NYC resident that uses the subway) whose pictures graced the ad space on the subways from the forties to the seventies. Some of them had follow-up pictures and stories which cast their original "ads" in an interesting light. I especially enjoyed this exhibit, being that I studied and work in marketing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then, of course, we had some fun walking through the different turnstiles on display before popping in the gift shop and moving on. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpCFL6xXqPS01kdJ9lWGZC8Nl-_qSzegddQZLNpqrY6t81-Qs92sjBUcvzh7JrTILD0riIdAVhqnUgxhPTCK_2aTMgdXDT5-AHdqxm8ix5bvf3SfOwJ1siEoH26Iw_u_CVu0Nuk4D61w/s1600/IMG_0808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHpCFL6xXqPS01kdJ9lWGZC8Nl-_qSzegddQZLNpqrY6t81-Qs92sjBUcvzh7JrTILD0riIdAVhqnUgxhPTCK_2aTMgdXDT5-AHdqxm8ix5bvf3SfOwJ1siEoH26Iw_u_CVu0Nuk4D61w/s640/IMG_0808.JPG" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Iron Maiden" turnstile (retired in 1991) ...people used to get caught in this bad boy</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">For lunch, we were planning on checking out Grimaldi's at its most famous location under the Brooklyn Bridge (next door to its original location). To get there, we took a route via the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to check out the Manhattan skyline and take a peek at the Statue of Liberty. While the construction marred the view a bit, it was quite lovely if you just kept your head up since most of it was along the riverbank. I'm assuming it would be even lovelier in the spring and summer, though also much more crowded. If it's a nice day in the winter (in our case, it was sunny and low 40s) I would definitely recommend a trip to avoid crowds.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ_4CCV0bZKMm4yTKfGd0PtF9vMIZSimX-vtIUGUzbFH2wEXraBO9dz3iVqOX5B1y1LsGe6KFPYeLgeMsOv9k7Mv327WJEAc23bwJaNd2pGtSvBzCi3UIbkAlZ5X1HonfjY9XqZW09tw/s1600/IMG_0809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ_4CCV0bZKMm4yTKfGd0PtF9vMIZSimX-vtIUGUzbFH2wEXraBO9dz3iVqOX5B1y1LsGe6KFPYeLgeMsOv9k7Mv327WJEAc23bwJaNd2pGtSvBzCi3UIbkAlZ5X1HonfjY9XqZW09tw/s640/IMG_0809.JPG" width="476" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Brooklyn Heights Promenade</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ntjLHtqgLecyWusCL6n1eX9y01w1ANdQpGaD0KR1oGxjfNoK3j2rb1Sw-7BGJNtyFIXANaHbxylhfz3kVl_i9pklNQWf9-L-tcpQsRk6tSNXuWHsjtDDGyB6HK2y3iqlCUX4nVbRuf0/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ntjLHtqgLecyWusCL6n1eX9y01w1ANdQpGaD0KR1oGxjfNoK3j2rb1Sw-7BGJNtyFIXANaHbxylhfz3kVl_i9pklNQWf9-L-tcpQsRk6tSNXuWHsjtDDGyB6HK2y3iqlCUX4nVbRuf0/s640/IMG_0810.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lady Liberty, as seen from the Promenade</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50BAimuiqX69UXpfXhsU5ii6kTNXi23KhB48WLcK644-BzVv0rNetc0jEE90K3iQqCay2e6EcKRyLmbYj3EXbDfMevB3w5j5WXYTBiYZPrtUFSRV_YcnZjM-vX2XeLDWWkwrWR21KpVQ/s1600/IMG_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50BAimuiqX69UXpfXhsU5ii6kTNXi23KhB48WLcK644-BzVv0rNetc0jEE90K3iQqCay2e6EcKRyLmbYj3EXbDfMevB3w5j5WXYTBiYZPrtUFSRV_YcnZjM-vX2XeLDWWkwrWR21KpVQ/s640/IMG_0811.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Manhattan Skyline (some of it) - The building under construction on the left is the new World Trade Center; </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Brooklyn Bridge to the right; Empire State Building across the bridge on the right</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://grimaldisnyc.com/">Grimaldi's</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is considered one of the best pizza places in NYC (according to Zagat and The Food Network), so naturally I had to check it out. We were lucky enough to walk in and get seated without any wait. A bit of a line queued up as we sat there eating, but it was nothing compared to summertime (when people are undoubtedly more willing to stand outside). While the pizza was good, I won't argue that, probably my favorite part was the soundtrack. They played what seemed to be the greatest hits of the 90s almost the entire time we ate. I tried to resist singing along, though sometimes I couldn't help myself! :) They don't do slices at Grimaldi's (nor do they take credit cards, which thankfully their website warns) so my roomie and I split a small pepperoni and mushroom pie. Again, we liked it, but I don't think I'd go out of my way for it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Last stop on the agenda was to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan. Yes, it's just walking across a bridge. But it's the Brooklyn Bridge and it's awesome. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Some fun facts I just looked up: The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the U.S. and was completed in 1883. With a separate pedestrian walkway, more than 4,000 walkers and 3,100 cyclers cross the bridge every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I guess it's much more crowded in the summer (like most of New York City), but not so much in the beginning of January. Cold but relaxing - there are always pluses and minuses. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We made it over in good time, neither of us getting hit by bicyclists nor by unwitting pedestrians. Then, with my Kleenex supply dwindled and my cough getting the better of me, we called it quits and took the subway back home. See you again soon, Brooklyn! </span></span></span></span></div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8151563888892790820.post-1490830594075024372013-01-06T19:09:00.000-05:002013-01-09T11:33:53.999-05:00Introduction<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saw this ad on the subway home one day...pretty much sums it up</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So, I'm Megan and I currently live in New York City (Harlem, to be exact). I came up with the idea to start this blog because I enjoy writing (and blogging - see my London excerpts <a href="http://redphonebooth.blogspot.com/">here</a>), but mostly because I didn't want to have moved to the "best city in the world" and do nothing but sit in my apartment all the time. I guess it's a bit of personal motivation. I don't plan on living in this city forever, so I'm setting out to make the most of my time here. I want to really see and do all that there is to see and do in NYC. And then write about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My background is a bit convoluted on the NYC issue, but a quick summary: I lived in Michigan until I was 14. I went to high school on Long Island (during which I had my first ever visit to the Big Apple) and to college in Upstate NY. Upon graduation, I briefly interned at a PR agency in Manhattan but lived on Long Island again and really didn't spend much time in the city outside of work. Later that year, I moved back to Michigan, where I've lived for close to 4 years. On a hope and a prayer, I quit my job in May 2012 and moved back to Long Island to live with my best friend and her fiance while I looked for my dream job in NYC. A month later, I found it! Five months later, I found an apartment with an old roommate from college and took the leap. So, now here I am - finally living in the city that I, honestly, have been avoiding all these years. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The task at hand: Explore a new neighborhood of New York each weekend (all 5 boroughs are included). Nothing is off-limits. While most "adventures" will take place on the weekends - I do have a full-time job - occasionally, I'll post about midweek excursions, especially those related to food...I love food. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Armed with my MetroCard, anything is possible. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bring it on, NYC!</span></span>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15532497009295922818noreply@blogger.com1