Southwest Trip October 2012

October 7 - Aromas to Las Vegas

We left Aromas a little before 8:00 am on Sunday, October 7. Driving south on Hwy 101 to Paso Robles, we stopped at a CalTrans rest area near Camp Roberts. It had recently been remodeled and was nicely landscaped. Jacki gave it an A+. We noticed other rest areas throughout the day and they were all very nicely remodeled. Our tax dollars at work?

We continued west, lunching at a salad bar restaurant in Bakersfield. On the way there we saw many fields of grapes, some covered by plastic, ready for harvest (raisins?). We stopped in Barstow for an ice cream, then continued on to Las Vegas, a 500-mile day.

This was Kurt's first time in Vegas, and Jacki's first time in many years, so it made quite an impression on both of us. It's definitely a Disneyland for adults, and reminded us quite a bit of the Times Square section of New York in the sheer mass of neon lights and the crowds of tourists from all over the world.

We had dinner at Boca de Beppo in the Excaliber resort, then walked up the strip all the way to the Belagio, where we saw the fountain show. It was quite spectacular and drew a large crowd. On the way back Kurt dropped five dollars into a slot machine and won a $5,000 jackpot! Not really.

By 9:30 we'd had enough of the bright lights and big city, and headed north where we found a small hotel to spend the night.

October 8 - Las Vegas to Zion

Drove to Zion National Park and  checked into the Red Rock Inn B & B in Springdale, UT. Jonathan, the proprietor, was very friendly and full of information. He suggested the Watchman trail for us to hike in the remaining part of the day.

We bought a Golden Eagle National Park Pass at park entry station after walking from the Inn, which took about 15 minutes. Then we hiked the Watchman Trail, which went up to a jutting plateau overlooking the lower part of the valley. From there we saw a beautiful sunset. After a delicious Mexican dinner at Oscar's, we got to bed around 10.

October 9 - Zion and Angel's Landing

We had a delicious breakfast (eggs, cappucino muffins, fruit, etc.) on our porch, made by Marcy, Jonathan's wife. The day started out windy, which is typical, or so we were told.

There are two shuttle buses; one for the town of Springdale, another for points inside the park. We walked most of the way to the park, then caught the town shuttle to the park entrance. From there, we took the park shuttle to the Grotto stop.

  

From there, we started up the trail to Angel's Landing. This is a 2.7 mile trail (one way) up 1400 feet. It is a series of switchbacks up a mesa, followed by a short respite of somewhat flat trail between two mesas, then up, up and up another mesa. The second set of switchbacks reminded us of Lombard Street in San Francisco, except with quite a few more turns. The switchbacks are progressively higher all the way up, with views down into the canyon getting more and more precipitive. At the top of this section there is a very narrow part where hikers must hold on to a chain to avoid slipping down into the canyon. Just beyond this point, there is a resting place, followed by a yet more harrowing climb of half a mile in which hikers go up a series of steps on a ridge, most of which has chain to hold onto to avoid sliding down into the canyon. It is a very strenuous hike, but has a beautiful view at the top.

The best part of the hike was coming down from the very top, back to the resting area, where Kurt spotted a California Condor come in for a landing in an old dead tree right next to us. It was amazing to see this bird, which was tagged as #99. It remained there for a long time, and we finally started the hike back down. As we descended, we spotted the bird take off from the tree. The descent was easier than the ascent, though perhaps just as hard on the legs.

After resting back at the shuttle stop and having something to eat, we took shuttle to end of line, then back a couple of stops for a short walk to Weeping rock, a section of the sandstone cliff that has water dripping out, and ferns and other plants growing. Then we took the shuttle back to Zion Lodge, and hiked a mile or so to the Emerald Pools (2 of 3). We caught the shuttle back to the B & B, took showers, and had dinner at Oscar's before turning in.

October 10 - Zion and The Narrows

After another delicious breakfast (pumpkin pancakes with caramel syrup, etc.), we drove to Zion Adventure Outfitters and rented equipment for the Narrows river hike. We took our time in the morning, then rode the shuttles up the valley to the end of the line, hiked a mile to the starting point, then put on our gear. This consisted of wet-suit-type booties, hard rubber boots, and dry pants, all of which we were very grateful for later.

The hike follows the Virgin River up the valley, which gets narrower and narrower as you go. At one point, called Wall Street, there is no dry part at all, and hikers are in the water continuously for awhile. The water was mostly about knee deep, but got a little deeper in some places. It was great to be dry and comfortable while doing this; most people did not have the boots or the dry pants, and the water was quite cold - 55 degrees.

The entire hike took us more than 4 hours, and we would have taken longer, but it was getting late. It was truly an amazing hiking experience, as was the Angel's Landing hike the day before. Zion is a most beautiful and dramatic place.

We had dinner that evening at Pizza & Pasta, which was very busy, with good food.

October 11 - Zion to Escalante

One more great breakfast - spinach frittata, raspberry muffins, fruit, yogurt, and juice/coffee. We left Zion a little after 9:00, after washing the windows of the car, which was covered with a sticky substance that turned out to be aphid droppings from parking under a walnut tree for three days.

We drove along a beautiful scenic highway to Bryce Canyon where, unfortunately, it was raining. On the way, we got text messages from Kelly, keeping us informed about the final divisional baseball game between the Giants and the Reds. It was very exciting, especially since our cell phone reception was very spotty. We lost the signal completely toward the end of the game, when we pulled into the Escalante Visitor Center and a kind ranger who had Internet service gave us the play-by-play of the bottom of the ninth inning. The Giants won!

Backtrack a little, to Bryce Canyon. We spent some time in the Visitor's Center there, hoping to find that the rain would let up so we could do a hike. We drove to a couple of the viewpoints, but the rain continued and we decided not to try to hike in the wet weather. The views were spectacular, and we were itching to get out on a trail.

We finally gave up and continued on to the Shooting Star Resort where we were to stay a couple of nights. The resort is made up of Airstream trailers, all themed to Hollywood stars of old. Our trailer was outfitted like Cary Grant's trailer on the set of North by Northwest, complete with pictures and a signed script of the movie. This was Kurt's first experience staying in a trailer.

In the evening, we walked the short distance to the drive-in movie area, where the owner of the resort has seven vintage cars parked, ready to watch cartoons and a movie on the big screen. We chose a Rambler from which to watch. The car was in excellent condition, with new upholstery, carpet, and complete with sound and a heater. At intermission, we walked to the snack shack, another Airstream trailer full of candy, drinks, popcorn and more memorabilia. The movie was Sahara, with Humphrey Bogart, filmed during WWII.  After the movie we got to bed in our trailer.

October 12 - Escalante

During the night it rained a lot, and we have been holed up in the trailer this morning. The sun has come up, and we can see snow on the surrounding mesas.

Drove back toward Bryce to see the snow on the surrounding mesas. Then drove to Escalante for lunch, and on towards a hike about 20 miles away. The rain continued and we saw the rare sight of water pouring down the sandstone rocks and flowing into creeks and rivers. We pulled off the road often to see the beautiful scenery, and finally ended up at Mile 75 of Hwy 12 for the Calf Creek Canyon hike. The rain had stopped and we enjoyed a truly lovely hike with cottonwood trees turning yellow next to red sandstone rock formations. There were Indian petroglyphs and granaries in the cliffs. We didn't have time to get all the way to the waterfall, but hope to do it again someday.

We drove back to Escalante and had a delicious pizza dinner at the Outdoor outfitters store. Then back to the Shooting Star for Viva Las Vegas on the drive-in screen, while sitting in a Cadillac. Back to Cary's Cabin for the night.

October 13 - Escalante to Montrose

We awoke to a beautiful day and got an early start. Drove to Kiva Koffeehouse outside of Escalante where we had breakfast outside looking at the gorgeous canyon ahead and watching marathon runners passing by. It was the "first annual" marathon from Boulder, UT, to Escalante. We counted only about 20 runners the whole morning.

We drove over Boulder Pass, a 10,000 foot mountain pass that had snow on it from the storm the day before. It was beautiful and had some aspen still in color which Kurt photographed.

Continuing on our way toward Montrose, we stopped often to see the sights along the way. These included Capital Reef National Monument, little towns like Hanksville that had a store into the wall of a cliff, and very different types of landscapes, some looking like the moon.

We had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Green River in the town of Green River, and spent an hour or so in the John Wesley Powell museum before continuing on our way. We arrived in Montrose just before 7:00 pm where a delicious dinner of Viva la Chicken awaited us.

October 14 - Montrose

Had brunch with Uncle Chuck, Pat, Mom and Tom. Toured Chuck and Pat's beautiful new home (granite counter tops from Brazil, no less). Walked along the River Trail line with golden Cottonwoods in Montrose with Joy and Tom.

October 15 - Montrose and Ouray

Waking up each morning at Tom and Joy's home in Montrose had its own alarm and charm. Before sunrise, through the slightly open upstairs bedroom window, we awoke to the calls of dozens of Canadian Geese as they circled and landed on a neighbor's pond.  Barely awake, Jacki and I could look out the window and see lines of the silhouetted geese on final approach before the dawn.

After breakfast this morning, Jacki and I rode with Tom for a hike near Ouray. Following the Uncompahgre River out of Montrose, past Ridgway to Ouray, we once again feasted at the sight of the cottonwoods aflame with golden yellow leaves against the clearest of blue Colorado skies. Tom found his way to the trailhead for Horsethief Trail and we started the hike in a chill that required jackets and care not to slip on the icy path covered with aspen leaves and, in a few spots, snow. In an hour and a half, we climbed 1,800 feet to 10,600 and a breathtaking panorama of the Rocky Mountains that surrounded Ouray and a view of the village far, far below our perch on a rocky outcropping. The hike down was much faster and we finished off the outing back in Montrose and lunch with Joy. The afternoon sun warmed the porch swing where Jacki conversed with her mother and Kurt took his first nap (outside the car) of the vacation.

Dinner was spent with Jacki's cousin Troy and his wife Debbie eating delicious ribs barbecued by Troy and other fine dishes prepared by Joy. In the background we watched the Giants beat the Cardinals in Game 2 of the playoffs and the Denver Broncos make an amazing comeback against the Chargers. Home-cooked food and interesting conversation made for a memorable evening to add to our vacation experience.

October 16 - Montrose to Chinle

After saying our goodbyes to Joy and Tom, we drove to Ouray and stopped at Mouse's Candy Shop for a hot chocolate and mocha. While sitting at a table outside in the warm morning sun, we could easily see the rock formation high above Ouray that we had hiked to the day before. We then drove over Red Mountain Pass (11,000 ft), stopping to look at abandoned mining outposts and the incomparable Rockies lightly covered in their first snow. Almost as an afterthought, Jacki and I decided to take a slight detour as we passed Silverton and quickly were taken in by the Victorian charm of this vibrant county seat and old mining town. While Jacki shopped for silver jewelry, Kurt ran to meet the Durango and Silverton steam train as it whistled while pulling into town with hundreds of disembarking tourists. We ate lunch at Grumpy's Restaurant and Saloon which was like traveling back in time to the 1880s with live ragtime piano music.

After lunch we passed through Purgatory to Durango, often seeing the pickups of hunters parked by the side of Highway 550 and the golden blaze of aspen and cottonwood trees that never become commonplace to our amazement. Jacki and I drove through Durango and gradually entered the barren remoteness of Navajo Lands through places like Mancos and Cortez, CO. We stopped in Cortez to buy apples, pears and jam from a young Navajo woman selling locally grown fruit from her pick-up. The next hours had long stretches of desert-like beauty to make us wonder how anyone could make a living in places like Teec Nos Pos, Mexican Water, Rock Point, Round Rock, Many Farms, and finally, Chinle—next to Canyon de Chelly. School buses were still running their routes after 6pm, horses were grazing loose next to the road, and hitchhiking figures seemed to be the only life in the remoteness of Northern Arizona. After checking into the Thunderbird Lodge at Chinle at 6:30pm, we ate Navajo tacos at the Thunderbird Cafeteria and wondered how and if they would settle in our stomachs during the quiet hours ahead. With no WiFi and the weakest of cell signals, Jacki finally had a chance to lay down and read her vacation book, Death Comes to the Archbishop.

October 17 - Canyon de Chelly

We started out our day with breakfast at the Thunderbird Cafeteria and then drove to the White House Overlook on the North Rim of Canyon de Chelly. There we took the only hiking trail in the park, The White House Trail (2.5 miles round trip), to the bottom of the canyon and the foot of the White House Ruin. Jacki commented that the trail was one of the best constructed trails she had hiked, and I would have to agree. As it wound its way to the canyon floor, the trail passed through two tunnels and across steps in formations that appeared to be sand dunes blown by ageless winds and turned to stone. After returning to Jacki's car, we toured other South Rim overlooks, high above the canyon floor where black crows could be seen gliding past cliffs, casting shadows to make two black birds against red sandstone.

After a quick snack back in our motel room, we walked to the Park Visitor's Center to wait for Leon Skyhorse Thomas, our scheduled guide for a tour of the canyon. After an hour and a half wait and numerous Navajo communication snafus, we and three other Californians hopped in a huge GMC Suburban ("canyon limousine") driven instead by Navajo Francine Bia for a four hour tour of the Canyon. Francine stopped at many ancient ruins, petroglyphs and pictographs while explaining the history of the area as well as her experience of modern Navajo life. It was a bumpy, dusty ride along the dry river bottom and we strained our necks to see the tops of the cliffs high above. Our stop at the Antelope House Ruin featured local Navajo artisans selling their crafts from tables set up in the shade. A flute maker practiced with his instruments and sweet music echoed off the canyon walls. The tour ended in the setting sun, and as we exited the canyon we passed three youngsters riding their horses into the canyon with trails of dust behind.

To end the day, we took Francine's advice and ate at the Best Western Motel Junction Restaurant in Chinle where we did our best to sample local cuisine. This included lamb and beef stew with Navajo fry bread and Navajo tortillas. We then toured a Diné (Navajo) grocery store where practically the only difference we found from our grocery stores back home were bags of blue corn flower and packages of lard the size of ice chests.

October 18 - Canyon de Chelly to Marble Canyon, AZ

What a day! When we awoke we did not have a definite plan for the day other than we needed to start heading west. To start, we got up early and drove out to the last viewpoint at Canyon de Chelly to see the Spider Rock, a tall pinnacle (actually two) about 10 miles up the canyon. We arrived at just about sunrise, watching the sun as it rose above the canyon walls, bathing the valley in a warm light. There were some ruins visible from the viewing area, which we had to ourselves the entire time we were there.

Canyon de Chelly is a very quiet place, and we began to hear drumming from the vicinity of the canyon floor next to Spider Rock. Soon pairs of people, the size of ants from our vantage point, emerged from under the trees by the rock, dispersing throughout the valley, some of them crossing a stream, the drumming continuing. We could only guess at what was going on; perhaps a ceremony to begin the day. We noticed small tents of various colors in the area around the Rock, but did not see people going in or out of them.

After returning to the Lodge for a cafeteria breakfast of blue cornmeal pancakes, we packed up and left. Kurt bought a cup of mocha at the Spider Woman coffee stand nearby. It was made by a young man who seemed to be making his first cup of coffee, and Kurt said it tasted like it.

We decided to head toward Page, Arizona, via the shortest route so that we might get in a hike in the afternoon. Our alternative would have been to take a highway through Hopi country, but we decided we did not have time to do it justice and would have to see that area another time.

We passed through lots of interesting territory, and ended up near Page. On the way, Kurt noticed a billboard for Antelope Canyon tours. We looked it up in our guidebook and it sounded interesting, though we had never heard of it. We boarded a jeep-like troop carrier vehicle, along with two other couples, one from Vermont and one from France, who spoke very little English. Our guide was a Navajo man named Brian, who turned out to be a very talkative man when we got to the canyon, which came after a very speedy and bumpy 3-mile trip through a wide, sandy wash.

We were amazed by what we saw in the slot canyon. The beautiful sandstone canyon has been carved out by a river. It is dry most of the time, but becomes treacherous and even deadly when the rains come. The walls were from about 10 feet wide down to 3 or 4 feet at its narrowest. They rose to a height of about 150 feet, with sunlight peaking in here and there throughout the 400? foot length of the canyon. The patterns and colors of the sandstone were very beautiful, and Kurt got some great photos.

After the tour we drove from Page to Marble Canyon, through yet more beautiful country. Just before pulling into the tiny town (really just a lodge/restaurant/gift shop), we drove over the Colorado River on the Navajo Bridge. There is an older bridge right next to this one which is now a pedestrian bridge. We stopped to walk over it and see the river far below. As we approached the end, Kurt noticed what he thought was a black backpack someone had lost on a ledge about 20 feet down the edge of the canyon. There were other people looking at it, and it turned out to be a California Condor!

All told, we saw five condors, four under the bridge bed on the steel structure as well as the one on the ledge. We saw one fly off and then return, and the others moving about, apparently getting comfortable for the night. Jacki watched one pair engaged in some kind of mating behavior. With our binoculars we were able to see the birds very closely. What luck to happen upon such magnificent creatures twice on our trip!

We had a nice dinner at the lodge restaurant. Shortly after we ordered a group of about 15 people sat down at a long table next to us. One man got up and started going over what was to come for these people who were to embark the next morning on a 23-day rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. To us it seemed like the start of a reality TV show as the people met each other, sizing one another up for the adventure to come.

After dinner and some souvenir shopping, we headed to our room for the night. All in all it was a very magical day with many unforgettable surprises.

October 19 - Marble Canyon to Las Vegas

We started out this morning by driving back to the Navajo Bridges shortly after sunrise to see if the California Condors had taken flight. Jacki and I found at least three still roosting on the bridge then returned back to the Marble Canyon Lodge for a hearty breakfast served by Joe. After packing up, we drove a short distance to Lees Ferry to look for a hike. A number of rafting groups were making their preparations and briefings before shoving off for their journeys down the Colorado River. Meanwhile, Jacki and I took the River Walk at Lees Ferry then drove a short distance downriver to skip rocks, watch fly fishermen in the Colorado, and photograph two boat groups floating by while navigating the small rapids where the Paria River joins the Colorado.

Jacki drove for many, many miles along the beautifully colored Vermilion Cliffs on Highway 89A and up to the Kaibab Plateau. We stopped for lunch under the fragrant Ponderosa Pines at Jacob Lake then wrapped up our souvenir shopping at the Jacob Lake Lodge in the Kaibab National Forest (not all that far from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon). Heading back to Zion National Park, we passed through the "twin cities" of Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab, Utah then entered the park we had so enjoyed the week before. Soon after driving into Zion, we stopped to photograph some oak trees in brilliant red fall foliage and were alerted to a group of about eight Desert Bighorn Sheep (DBS) grazing nearby. It was a magnificent sight, especially a large ram with two extraordinary horns framing his head. Jacki and I then hiked the Canyon Overlook Trail in the setting sun that afforded us great views of the valley below. While hiking back to Jacki's car, we saw another pack of about five DBS that allowed a pack of hikers to approach and photograph them. After passing through the long Mount Carmel Tunnel (three times, no less) we stopped for Kurt to take a photo from a popular spot on a bridge that overlooked the Virgin River and The Watchman formation in the last rays of the sun. Dinner was at Oscars in Springdale before driving to Las Vegas in the dark listening to the KNBR broadcast of the last innings of the Giants vs. Cardinals playoff game (the Giants won!)

October 20 - Las Vegas to Paso Robles

We woke in northern Las Vegas, had breakfast in the motel then drove to The Strip to see the Treasure Island and Venetian casinos. Leaving Las Vegas, Jacki and I drove nonstop to Barstow where we had lunch at Mega Tom's Burgers. We got out of that dump as fast as we could, using the old Route 66 through town then on through smoggy Bakersfield to near Wasco where we stopped for gas and Kurt's bloody nose. Back in Jacki's faithful Toyota, we drove west through Lost Hills until we stopped before going nuts at Blackwell's Corner, which bills itself as the last place that James Dean stopped before his death in 1955 further out on Highway 46. We passed that location and continued in the setting sun to Paso Robles where Jacki found a nice, inexpensive hotel to stay the night. After unloading our suitcases for the next to last time, we walked through the surprisingly vibrant Paso downtown where there were many fine restaurants filled with diners enjoying the beautiful evening. After touring the district, we settled on the Basil Thai Restaurant just off the plaza and enjoyed a first-rate meal that exceeded all our expectations. This was a day of many miles in the car, from Joshua trees to Valley Oak trees and we are now within striking distance of home. Just before midnight we were woken from our sleep by a strong earthquake--a 5.3 centered near New Idrea, about 50 miles away. Welcome back to California!

May 2012 - Graduation

Friday, May 11, 2012

Caught a 10:30 am flight to JFK on Continental Airlines, which is now owned by United. It was an uneventful, quiet flight.

Got to JFK about 7:00 pm local time. Took a cab to the Washington Heights apartment. We had a Pakistani driver who was very talkative, full of advice and a very aggressive driver. He was appalled at the bad traffic, called NY drivers sheep, and made liberal use of his horn. 

We got into the apartment then took the subway down two stops to 175th where we had a delicious Puerto Rican chicken dinner at Malecon.

Home on the subway to settle in the apartment. Got to bed around midnight.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

After sleeping in following a night of sirens and loud motorcycles cruising Broadway, we took the A train to Columbus Circle. From there we walked in Central Park up to 69th Street where we met Reid and Ira at the lawn bowling green. It was the most beautiful day we have ever seen in Central Park, with the temperature in the mid-70s and the skies blue and clear.

We walked over to a restaurant in the park called Le Pain Quotidian where we got a table outside and had a delicious lunch, courtesy of Reid. We got to hear all about what Reid and Ira are up to these days.

From there we walked all over the park. We saw the Bethesda Fountain, The Lake full of rowboats with amateur rowers, the Boathouse, the Conservatory Lake with model boats sailing around, the Alice in Wonderland bronze sculpture, the Sheep Meadow, and thousands of people walking, playing games, lying in the sun, and just enjoying the day.

After Reid and Ira left to join friends for other activities, Kurt and Jacki continued walking through the park, enjoying the ambiance. We saw the turtle pond, Belvedere Castle, roller skaters, The Ramble, and Bow Bridge before exiting the park at Strawberry Fields at 72nd Street. As usual, there were many John Lennon devotees gathered, some singing Lennon's songs. We scurried past then chanced upon a harp recital in a church/cathedral on 72nd Street which gave us a moment of peace and quiet and a chance for Kurt to think of a few harp-related puns. Finally, we made our way to Big Nick's for a satisfying dinner. Our favorite waiter, Mike, was not there.

After dinner, Jacki did a little shopping at Loehman's while Kurt got coffee and watched the people go by at the 72nd Street subway station. We then walked down to Columbus Circle via Lincoln Center, and hopped on the subway home.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Jacki and I rode the subway to Yankee Stadium to meet up with Ira who had bought us bleacher tickets to see the Bronx Bombers play his favorite team, the Seattle Mariners. Before Ira arrived, Jacki and I walked through a sea of pin stripes around the stadium which sits across the street from the site of the old House that Ruth Built that is now a city park. It was a beautifully sunny, warm day—good thing the ushers were passing out free tubes of sun block. The Mariners ended up beating the Yankees 6-2, much to the frustration of Yankees fans who think their team is God's gift to baseball.

We parted ways with Ira at the subway entrance and then caught the B then A train back to our apartment in Washington Heights. After showers and a nap, Jacki and I walked through the flower gardens of Fort Tryon Park, around the Cloisters, and to a quiet Indian Restaurant called Kismat on Fort Washington Avenue and 187th. The meal was excellent and may deserve adding to our list of favorite places to eat in New York.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Took the A train down to the Garment District. Jacki looked through BJ Fabrics on 7th Ave, across the street from the building that houses Ipreo, Ira's new place of work starting in June. We walked to Bryant Park and had a lunch from Pax across the street. Walked up to MOMA, saw a Cindy Sherman photography exhibit and others, including a Diego Rivera mural exhibit.

Took the F train down to the village. On Bleeker Street we went to a free Juilliard performance at LPR (Le Poisson Rouge) of baroque strings with harpsichord. Walked to the Strand bookstore and bought souvenirs. Walked back to West 4th and caught the A train back to Washington Heights.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Walked all the way north to the tip of Manhattan Island in the rain to the Inwood neighborhood where we found a nice coffee shop for Kurt called Indian Road Café. We saw the Columbia University football stadium with runners doing laps around the track. Walked through Inwood Park, which includes the largest natural forest left in Manhattan. There were beautiful trees, lots of green everywhere, and lots of squirrels and birds.

Back near the corner of Dyckman and Seaman, we had lunch at a small diner. It was still raining, so we decided to head back to the apartment for a nap, taking the A train one stop since we were a bit wet. After a rest, we walked to the Cloisters, where we spent a couple of hours looking at the medieval art collected there. On our way back to the apartment, we went through the heather garden, which is beautiful this time of year.

For dinner, we met up with Ira in the Bronx and walked to the Italian part of town (Belmont). We ate at Mario's on Arthur Street. The Italian food was delicious in this 100-year-old restaurant, and the conversation was very interesting with Ira telling us about his upcoming job and about his schooling and the financial world.

Back to Fordham Road where we caught the D train downtown, switching to the A train up Manhattan and back to our apartment.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Once again getting a late start, we took the A train all the way to Brooklyn. Kurt remembered seeing a new park beginning to be built the last time we were in Brooklyn, and wanted to see how it was coming along.

Called Brooklyn Bridge Park, it stretches from the base of the Manhattan Bridge, south to the Brooklyn Bridge, and all the way down to Atlantic Avenue. Parts of the park are still being worked on, but the areas that were complete were beautiful with lovely landscaping and wonderful playgrounds for children. There is an historic carousel to ride on, and fields for playing games like volleyball. We will keep our eyes on this park.

We had done a lot of walking and the weather was warm and muggy. We took a walk through the Fulton Street Market area in downtown Brooklyn and sat down to rest before hearing from Reid. We hurried on back to Manhattan and Reid's apartment, joining him and Buddy, his roommate's dog, for a quick jaunt around a couple of blocks. Poor Buddy is a Chow from China (even born there), and has such thick fur that he would be very comfortable in the Arctic Circle. It was fun to see how much attention and comments Buddy received from passersby while taking such a short walk of a couple of blocks ("Is he for sale?").

Reid took us to a restaurant on the lower east side called the Mermaid Inn which had wonderful seafood. We walked all the way down to around 6th Street from Reid's place on Park Avenue at 34th Street, meeting his girlfriend, Kate, part of the way down. After dinner, we took a train up a stop or two, then walked across town to catch the A train back home. It was a lot of walking in one day, but lots of fun.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

We did laundry in the morning at a laundromat very near our apartment, then took the A train up to the northern tip of Manhattan where we had lunch at the Indian Road Café  before heading down to midtown Manhattan where we had planned to see a photography exhibit near Times Square. The exhibit was not open, so we took the train down to the lower east side to see the Tenement Museum.

This museum owns a building that was once a tenement, and takes tours through the building, part of which has been restored to the period around 1890-1900. It was  fascinating to see how immigrants lived back then in possibly the most crowded place on the planet at the time.

After the tour we walked around the Lower East Side streets, noticing the odd character of shops, from high-end fashion designer retail stores, to small Jewish garment shops, tiny eateries, and art galleries. It seems to be an area in transition. A Jewish shop owner started chatting us up, and before we knew it, we were inside his store and Kurt was trying on a plaid jacket that the salesman assured him had California written all over it. We barely made it out of there with our wallets intact.

Then we decided to go uptown to Madison Square where Reid and Kate had recommended the Shake Shack, the hottest new hamburger place in town. The long line was too daunting for us, so we had dinner at a small pizza place with gluten-free pizza. It was excellent.

The last activity of the day was a trip to the Brooklyn Museum for the Keith Haring exhibit. Haring was a graffiti-type artist noted for his attempt to bring art to the masses, partially by putting artworks in subway stations. It was a fascinating exhibit that we enjoyed very much. We wished we had more time and energy to see more exhibits in the museum, but it was shutting down. We did briefly see Judy Chicago's famous feminist art piece, the Dinner Party, before hopping on a train back to Manhattan and up to Washington Heights.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Got out of the apartment earlier than usual and took the train to Times Square. Missed our stop the first time while playing crosswords on Jacki's iPhone.

Went to the International Center of Photography and saw the Weegee Murder is My Business exhibit. Had a takeout lunch from Pax which we ate across the street at a very crowded, but sunny and beautiful Bryant Park.

Went up to the MOMA design gift shop to look for gifts, then walked to Columbus Circle and took the train home for a rest. On the way we stopped at Malecon for a takeout dinner which we enjoyed at home.

Then we went back downtown and walked the High Line Park at sunset. Once again, we were amazed at what a beautifully designed park it is.

We caught the train back to Washington Heights from Penn Station where we fought through the Friday night invasion of partners from New Jersey and Long Island.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

We got going early to get to Ira's graduation which started at 10:00 am. We debated whether to take a cab or the train to the Bronx, and on the spur of the moment decided to hail a cab while waiting at the signal by our apartment building. The cab driver made a quick lane change to get to the curb, and the car behind him was distracted and didn't stop. The result was a crash right before our eyes! No one was hurt, but it did quite a lot of damage.

We left for the train station, and eventually made it to Fordham after taking a train and another cab. There were two graduations, one for the entire Rose Hill (Bronx) Campus and one following for the School of Business where 600 names were read. John Brennan, Chief of Homeland Security for the Obama administration, gave the commencement address. It made for a long, hot day but everyone (Ira, Jacki, Lynne, Reid, and Kurt) seemed to have a good time. We then had a late lunch together in Little Italy near Ira's home.

We made a trip back to our apartment to rest up before heading downtown to meet at  Reid's apartment. Reid then took us (including his girlfriend, Kate) to a tapas restaurant called Alta in Greenwich Village where we had a great time trying out all kinds of delicious food. It was a celebratory ending to a fun, but exhausting day.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Determined to take it easy today, we decided to walk up to Inwood and get coffee for Kurt at the Indian Road Café. It turned out that Inwood Park was having a Drums Along the Hudson Festival, so after getting coffee, we watched some performances. The best one was a group of young multicultural dancers from about 7 years old to about 11 or 12. They danced to drums and a Stevie Wonder tune, and were great.

After that, we walked along paths to the far northern tip and around it to the west along the Hudson River all the way down to Dyckman Street and along Fort Tryon Park back to our apartment. We saw all kinds of people at the park and along the way, including a large group of Mexican or Central American families playing soccer, baseball, and picnicking.

After a lunch of leftovers from Malecon and a short nap, we took the train down to Columbus Circle and walked to the MOMA store to purchase some gifts to take home. Then we walked back through the very busy Central Park, stopping to watch some baseball and making our way up to 72nd Street. We always manage to come into or out of the park at this location during our trips to New York, which is called Strawberry Fields, and is right across the street from the Dakota apartment building where John Lennon lived and was shot and killed. There are always lots of people here remembering Lennon, and most of the time there are at least a couple of people playing Imagine in soulful voices. Not quite understanding the worshipful nature of the gathering, we usually try to zoom through as quickly as possible.

We made our way to the Fairway Market at 74th Street and Broadway where we enjoyed a fine dinner complete with stawberry/rhubarb pie ala mode. Then back to Washington Heights via the 1 train.

The whole time we have been in New York on this trip, we noticed (in our faces!) that motorcyclists like to race up the street at night and show off their riding skills. When we were arriving home tonight, there was a group of at least 10 cyclists who peeled out from a red light at the intersection. Several of them were popping wheelies as they roared by, and one was standing on his seat while popping a wheelie. Very scary and very noisy, especially at 2:00 in the morning. Guess we are ready to go home. 

Monday, May 21,2012

Dee Morgan, the owner of our apartment, was kind enough to make a reservation for a car to take us to the airport with the High Class car service. It was prompt in meeting us at 5:30 am, and got us to the airport by 6:00 am, record time, for our 8:00 flight. We were back in SF by 11:00 am local time. It was another wonderful New York vacation.

October 2011 Long Weekend

Thursday, October 20

Woke up before 4:00 am, left the house at 4:45 and made it to the airport terminal by 6:15.

Flight left on time and seemed long because of a very loud baby almost the entire way who, when she finally fell asleep, was supplanted by a complete toddler meltdown for the last half hour a few rows behind us.

Taxi ride to Washington Heights was longer than expected because of an accident along the preferred route which required detours through Harlem and slower streets.

After making it to our apartment on Broadway, we rested briefly before having dinner at a Salvadoran restaurant a few blocks away. Food was good, not great.

Took the 1 Train from 191^st St. to Columbus Circle – all lit up at night, with some very large elephant sculptures in the circle monument.

Then we walked up Broadway to Lincoln Center. After years of construction, it was mostly finished and beautiful with lights, chandeliers, and artwork. The most interesting was an exhibit made up of a huge board of lights that changed according to data on topics such as particulate matter in the atmosphere, traffic patterns in the area, water waste from pipe leakage, sunlight on roofs that could be collected for energy, and other graphics.

After some time there, we walked up to 75^th Street where we bought a few items at the Fairway market then headed home on the train.

Friday, October 21

After breakfast in our apartment, we walked through the neighborhood, mostly on Nagle Road., and caught the BX12 bus to the Bronx. We walked a few blocks to Ira’s home and took a quick tour before heading back to the subway station on Fordham Road.

We took the D Train and the A Train down to Chambers Street. and made our way through heavy crowds to the WTC Visitor’s Center where we picked up entry tickets for the 9/11 Memorial Jacki had ordered on her iPhone that morning. The entrance was several blocks downtown and on the way we circled around Zuccotti Park, site of the Occupy Wall Street protest that has been active for the past month or so. It was a crazy place with all kinds of people, signs, and activities. There were probably way more tourists, media, and police than there were actual protesters. While we were there we saw a chamber music group playing, a Muslim speaker surrounded by listeners, tables with literature, signs being printed by screen prints and spray paint, food stands, flyers being handed out, peace shrines, drummers, guitarists, huge piles of sleeping bags, and a few tents. There were adults and children.

We made our way to the 9/11 Memorial site entry, and went through security (not as bad as at the airport, but enough), and walked several blocks, showing our passes at probably 5-10 different spots along the way. The Memorial itself was impressive, though after experiencing the crush of people, the noise of the protest, and the construction noise going on all around, it was difficult to appreciate the gravity of the site.

After leaving the Memorial we walked around the Wall Street area for 20 or 30 minutes until we found a restaurant to eat at on Stone Street. Then we made our way by foot and train to the 14^th Street entrance to the High Line Park, where we walked the length up to 30^th Street. The new section of the park is beautifully landscaped, as is the older section, and we all enjoyed the relative serenity after our earlier experience. This was Ira’s first time on the High Line.

We found a Starbucks for coffee and hot chocolate, then bid Ira farewell as he left for the Bronx. Kurt and I continued over to 5^th Street and spent an hour and a half at the Morgan Library, which was open to the public on Friday night. Then we walked back to 34^th and 8^th Streets and caught the 2 Train back to Washington Heights. 

Saturday, October 22

We had breakfast in our apartment, then took the A Train down to the Times Square area. We walked across town on 42^nd Street, pulling in at Bryant Park for a quick look to see the ice skating rink being set up with a viewing platform above. It will remain in place into February.

We made our way to Park Avenue, going downtown to Reid’s new apartment near 34^th Street, not far from the Empire State Building. After a nice reunion, an apartment once-over, and a meeting with Buddy, Reid’s roommate’s dog who came from China (a Chow Chow), we left for Grand Central Station and the train along the Hudson River.

Reid’s girlfriend, Kate, joined us for the day. We were hoping to see lots of colorful trees, but found we were about two weeks early for the best color. The hour and a quarter train ride was, nevertheless, very pretty. It was much nicer than the time we had gone to Beacon in early spring when none of the trees had filled out at all.

The town of Cold Spring had a small town atmosphere, with the main street filled with shops, mostly antique stores. We had lunch at a bar and grill-type restaurant, walked around town some more, then headed back to Manhattan on the afternoon train. It was fun seeing Reid and Kate; they seemed very happy together.

We exited the train at the Harlem station and walked across town on 125^th Street, the heart of Harlem. The street was alive with activity on a Saturday afternoon, with tables set up all along the way selling jewelry, soaps, music, books, and African art among other things. We caught the A Train uptown to our apartment.

After resting for about an hour, we hopped back on the train down to Greenwich Village where we were to meet Reid and Kate, and Ira for dinner at a popular restaurant called Tartine. It was a very tiny place and we waited about an hour for a table. Reid and Kate had a hard time getting there because of traffic and the maze-like streets in the Village. The French style dinner was delicious; our appetizers included Brussels sprouts and escargot. Reid and Kate had brought wine, which was the norm for this restaurant.

The young people took off to check out some clubs while Kurt and Jacki walked over to Washington Square to see the view uptown and the watch the people. Then we made our way back to the train and headed home.

Sunday, October 23

We decided to explore the Washington Heights neighborhood, walking down to about 180^th Street, then over to view the Hudson River. We passed some very nice apartment buildings, with lovely landscaping and private garden and playground areas. These buildings were up on the rock heights above most of the Washington Heights area.

We walked all the way to the Cloisters, passing through Fort Tryon and staking out a spot for a picnic later in the day. After a quick stop at our apartment, we walked down Broadway to 175^th Street where we picked up a couple of roasted chickens and side dishes at the Malecon Restaurant in this heavily Dominican area.

We took the train back to our apartment, then put together a nice picnic using some soft bags provided by the apartment owners. Ira and Reid came and we all walked back up the hill to a nice sunny spot on the grass where we enjoyed the meal and talked.  It was wonderful to see the boys and have a chance to talk in a quiet, relaxed place. The view of the Hudson River and New Jersey on the other side was beautiful in the late afternoon light.

We made our way back to the apartment and the boys took their leave, a hard goodbye for Kurt.

For our last night in New York, Kurt and I took the train down to lower Broadway where we spent an hour or so at the Strand bookstore, an amazing place that advertises it has 18 miles of books. We had a leisurely stroll through Union Square and across town, catching a train up the West Side to 72^nd Street. From there we walked up Broadway and had a piece of delicious carrot cake at the European Bakery we often frequent when in the city. We caught the 1 Train at 86^th Street and headed back to our neighborhood, getting off at 191^st Street. This station has a very long pedestrian tunnel, filled with graffiti and a little spooky. We made it home safely and prepared for our departure early the next morning.

Monday, October 24

We got up early for a 6:30 car pickup, swung by the landlord’s place on Cabrini (got a little lost) to drop off the keys, then drove to the airport. Our flight left on time and was a quiet one for a change.

All in all, we had a great, long-weekend trip.

New York and Lancaster County 2011

Thursday, April 14

Woke up at 3:30am to fly from SFO to JFK. We landed to 64° weather and took a Taxi to an apartment we are renting for four days in Washington Heights (Broadway at Nagle Avenue near Fort Tryon Park). The apartment is in a large brick building right over a business called Apex Supply, and is very large and well appointed for a NYC apartment. We met owners Dee and Mario Morgan who gave us a quick tour of the neighborhood. We then parted ways with Jacki and I taking the A and 1 Train to 73^rd Street and dinner at Big Nick’s. We were disappointed to find that our usual waiter, Mike, was not there. After strolling through the neighborhood of our old stomping grounds, we returned to our apartment.

Friday, April 15

Jacki and I took the subway then bus to meet Ira at Fordham University in the Bronx. We walked past the apartment he will start renting in June, only a block away from his current apartment that we got to tour. We gave him some presents to celebrate his 21^st birthday and headed for the subway to Manhattan. We had lunch on the Upper West Side and went to the American Museum of Natural History where we helped Ira complete some homework on early hominids for his anthropology class.

Afterwards Jacki and I returned to our apartment to rest a little and Ira to his. Later, the three of us met up again near Fordham and took the Metro North train to Grand Central Station where we met Reid. The four of us had a late night reservation at the Peter Lugar steak house in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. Reid ordered an appetizer of bacon and a steak meal for four (it was his very generous gift). The food was delicious and the portions enough for double the size of our party (Ira got the leftovers). The four of us then walked through the chilly night to the elevated Marcy Street subway station and caught an M Train back to Manhattan, each of us parting ways at our transfer spot.

It was great to see the boys, who seem to be doing very well, each in his own way.

Saturday, April 16

We toured the nearby Washington Heights neighborhood by way of following a parade of little leaguers on what must have been their opening day of baseball season. The parade was lead by a bagpipe marching band and NYPD officers. The band consisted of about 25 pipers decked out in full Scottish garb, most of them with stomachs to match their instruments. Nevertheless, they kept up a quick, steady pace. We made our way down Saint Nicholas Avenue past seemingly dozens of hair and nail salons with workers and patrons both crowded at plate glass windows watching the surprise parade in front of them.

Jacki and I later took the subway to 73 Ave where Jacki did some shopping at Loehmann’s while we waited for Reid out of the rain. The three of us went to a sandwich shop named Lenny’s for lunch and then went with Reid downtown where we parted ways. We stopped by Penn Station to check out the Amtrak starting point for trains to Lancaster which we planned to take Monday morning. We then visited B&J Fabrics in the Fashion District where Jacki bought some silk fabric to make a scarf. Despite the fact that we know what Times Square is like (seemingly a million people packed into a few square blocks), we braved the crowd and walked through it the pouring rain on the off-chance people would not be in line for theater tickets because of the weather. We were mistaken, and decided not to wait in the snaking line full of umbrellas. We caught a train back to 181^st Street where we walked for about 10 blocks in the pouring rain to find a grocery store to pick up food for dinner. It was nice to finally arrive back at our warm apartment to dry out and fix dinner. We stayed inside, warm and dry the rest of the evening.

Sunday, April 17

Jacki wanted to visit Ellis Island, so we made our way down to a very windy, though sunny Battery Park. After purchasing tickets to the ferry, we found a long line awaiting us for the trip to Ellis Island. We waited over an hour in line, braving the cold wind (and wet when we were alongside the water) before boarding the ferry. It first motored around Liberty Island where we got a great view of the Statue, before stopping to disembark most of the passengers. Having been there before, we stayed aboard the ferry and went on to the next stop on Ellis Island.

The island and the buildings tourists are allowed in were interesting. They had been restored in the 1980s after having been abandoned and neglected for over 20 years. The stories were interesting and we spent some time comparing Ellis Island to Angel Island.

Upon our return to Battery Park, we happened upon a flash mob of what appeared to be over 100 NYU students and/or young people throwing colored chalk at each other. It went on for a good half hour, with the young people covered with color and having a great time. It was fun to watch.

Soon thereafter, we met up with Reid and his girlfriend, Kate, a lovely young woman from Georgia. We ate a delicious lunch at Stone Street Café on an old cobblestone street with restaurants located amid the skyscrapers of the Financial District.

After lunch we made our way to the High Line Park and strolled along for about 10 blocks. It is a wonderful urban park and we look forward to seeing it again next year when a large new section will be opened.

From there we walked to Grand Central Station past Bryant Park and NYPL, where we caught the Metro North train to the Bronx. We had a delicious and atmospheric dinner with Ira at Enzo’s in Little Italy, before catching a gypsy taxi ride home in the rain listening to the Yankees Game.

Monday, April 18

We packed out bags and took the A train from Overlook Terrace to Penn Station where we bought tickets for the Pennsylvanian Amtrak train to Lancaster. We saw Amish farms from the train as we approached the city, where we caught a trolley bus that looked like a San Francisco cable car downtown to the Visitor’s Center where we rented a car that happened to be a Prius (Jacki enjoyed driving it and the gas mileage was superb).

We drove about 12-15 miles through beautiful Amish farm county to Eby’s Bed and Breakfast where we had reserved a room. It is located on an 80-acre dairy farm and overlooks a covered bridge with Amish buggies crossing (clop-clop at a rapid pace). After a bit of a rest, we made our way to a nearby Amish farm where we had arranged to have dinner prepared and served by the family. It turned out we were two of about 25 tourists there and we all ate at a large table served by Ruth Esh, an Amish widow with 11 children. They had cooked a fantastic homemade dinner with countless dishes, including fried chicken, ham, salads, vegetables, jam and applesauce, and at least five different desserts. Two daughters and two sons helped. Ruth patiently answered numerous questions about Amish ways.

When we returned to the Eby’s B&B, we watched an interesting documentary film about the Amish on faulty VCR machine. It included footage of the Eby’s barn which had burned down by arson, and how the Amish came together to help them rebuild. The Eby family is Mennonite, but have many Amish friends.

Tuesday, April 19

We woke to the sound of Amish horse-drawn buggies clip-clopping through the covered bridge, and were served breakfast by Joyce Eby. We ate with a large family from France and a couple from Bristol, England. Then we left to tour the dairy, which the Eby’s son has run since Joyce and her husband Mel retired about 10 years ago. We were allowed to milk a cow and feed a calf. We saw barn that was rebuilt with Amish volunteer help after the 2005 fire.

Mid-morning we drove to Lancaster to check out the Central Market (nation’s oldest operating farmer’s market—275 years-old). We had lunch and bought some gifts and cookies. Then we drove in rain to Intercourse, PA and country craft locations suggested by locals. There are some amazing quilts, furniture and other crafts in the towns.

We had dinner at Dienner’s Country Restaurant in Soudersburg, which was recommended to us by Joyce Eby. After waiting 20 minutes for $10 buffet dinner, we discovered almost exactly the same dishes we had had the night before at Ruth Esh’s home. Kurt particularly loved the shoo-fly pie.

After dinner we drove around back roads to Strasburg, a charming, well-preserved village that lacks the tourist trappings often found around Lancaster (except for a wonderfully themed Red Caboose Motel). We stopped to photograph Herr’s Mill Bridge (another covered bridge) and watch families fishing while Amish buggies passed by.

Then we returned to Eby Farm B&B to read Joyce’s account of raising two special needs children who died at 16 and 20 from an inherited genetic disease, and to look at her photo album of the barn raising.

Wednesday, April 20

It was misty and overcast when we awoke this morning. Kurt went outside after his shower to get some photos of a buggy clip-clopping along the rode after passing through the covered bridge.

We had another hearty breakfast and spent a pleasant time talking with our fellow B&Bers, particularly a couple from Bristol, England, who told us about some nice gardens in their country. We had expressed interest in visiting there someday.

Joyce Eby brought in a basket of three little kittens, so young their eyes have not yet opened. The French children who are also staying at the B&B were all over them. Luckily the mama cat was okay with having her babies handled. Later on I helped Joyce take them out to their crate on the porch, where there were two more two-week old kittens.

The weather was still overcast, so we decided to go back to the wonderful quilt shop and museum we had seen briefly in Intercourse the day before. Called The Old Country Store, it is advertised as one of the 10 best quilt stores in the country, and we don’t doubt that it is true. They have a museum of spectacular quilts where we spent the better part of an hour admiring the artistic colors and designs, and the beautiful workmanship of a number of quilts.

We ate lunch at Stoltzfus Meats & Deli, then drove back through Intercourse to Abe’s Buggy Rides. The weather had improved considerably by then so that it was mostly sunny with the highest temperature we had enjoyed yet on the trip – around 70-75 degrees and rather muggy. Our hour-long buggy ride was great fun and we had an excellent driver/guide. He was an older man (in his 70s or so) who had grown up Amish but left the group when he was 21 year old. He had not yet joined the church, so he was not shunned when he left. His wife, however, had joined the Amish church and when she left she was shunned. He spoke of a few ways this plays out in everyday life. On our ride we saw a number of Amish people, their farms, their businesses, and their buggies. We passed by a one-room schoolhouse while the children were out at recess, and saw quite a few of the people on scooters that look much like outlawed bicycles, but are allowed by the church.

Upon our return, we drove to an Amish bakery we had passed on our ride, and shared a delicious apple tart with ice cream outdoors. We were very near the school house, and watched as the children walked home from school.

At this point we drive to Strasburg and found a Laundromat where we did a couple of loads of clothes. Jacki walked across the street and browsed through an Amish furniture and household goods store. The Amish are accomplished carpenters and make beautiful furniture. We learned over the past few days that the Amish people are very astute business people and seem to be quite well off with large farms and homes.

The beauty of the countryside really stood out with a sunny afternoon, and we very much enjoyed the drive through the farmlands back to our B&B. We spent some time on the front porch rocking in the chairs and watching cars and buggies come through the covered bridge.

For dinner we drove to an Amish restaurant near Gordonville where we had yet another Amish meal with almost exactly the same dishes and in just as great a quantity as the past two nights’ meals. Good, but very filling. While we were trying to figure out where to eat, we ran across an Amish restaurant not far away that advertised a number of discounts, including 50% off for people over 90 years of age, and 50% off for people who have recently had gastric bypass surgery! By the looks of restaurant customers and judging by the typical meal, there must be a lot of people who would qualify for the latter discount.

It was dark by the time we returned to our B&B, where we hurried inside from the car due to a very recent spreading of manure in the field across the street.

Thursday, April 21

We had breakfast at Eby Farm, packed, and took a last drive through the Amish countryside before returning to Lancaster. We returned the rented Prius, took the trolley to the Amtrak Station, and bought tickets for the train back to New York City.

We had a very relaxing ride to Penn Station, where we made our way through the madness of the station, both below ground and above, to the Brooklyn subway. It was rush hour on the get-away day of a three-day weekend and was pretty chaotic, especially since we had our heavy luggage to deal with.

We took a Q train to Park Place in Brooklyn and waited for landlord. The apartment was just a block over from a nice area, but was itself rather run-down. It was adequate considering we were to spend little time there, but Jacki would not book it again. After unpacking, we had dinner at Franny’s -- one individual pizza, a salad, one glass of wine and one glass of beer for $60+. Good and light after our Amish meals, but pricey. We returned to our flat for a rest, then walked around the Park Slope neighborhood to revisit sites of last year’s stay.

Friday, April 22

In the morning we walked through the Prospect Heights neighborhood in search of a good cup of cappuccino. Kurt’s iPhone app listing coffee sites in the area turned out to be a little out of date and we found at least one of the listings closed for good. Then we walked to Park Slope to get muffins from Blue Sky Bakery that we had discovered the year before.

We toured a little of the Fort Greene neighborhood, including Fort Greene Park, that has an interesting historical significance way back to the Revolutionary War. A subway trip later, we found ourselves in West Greenwich Village and the refurbished Washington Square Park.

We met Reid for a delicious hamburger lunch upstairs at the Fairway Market near his apartment. After lunch we walked through Central Park and escaped the chilly weather for a time by doing a little shopping at the Met Museum gift shop. We went back outside and were able to locate the famous Pale Male’s home on 5^th Avenue.

We walked back through Central Park and up Broadway a number of blocks before meeting Ira for dinner at the Italian Buca Restaurant on 103 Street and Amsterdam. After dinner we walked to an all-night diner for warm drinks with Ira before riding the subway back to our flat in Brooklyn.

Saturday, April 23

We walked across the street in the pouring rain to the Q Train Subway entrance, and departed at 72^nd Street to get coffee at Starbucks. Then we went to Reid’s apartment on 75^th Street and met his roommate Mike, a very personable young man who was instrumental in helping Ira get a summer internship at his firm. Reid fixed bagels, cream cheese and orange juice, and we had a great time sitting around talking. Ira arrived while we watched Reid’s newest favorite reality TV show Mob Wives. It was a lot of fun to hang out with the boys for a bit.

Jacki and I said our goodbys to Reid and Ira then took a cross-town bus (in the rain again) to the Met, where we spent the afternoon and early evening looking at the amazing collection they have on display.

Afterwards, we walked through Central Park as the rain had stopped. It was a warm and pleasant evening. We had dinner at Harry Burritos on Columbus, and shopped for snacks for our flight home at the Fairway market. The we rode the subway back to our apartment in Prospect heights.

Sunday, April 24

We got an early pick-up from Carmel Limousines and got to the airport early for our uneventful flight home. Thus ends another wonderful trip to New York City. The side trip to the Amish country was delightful and informative.