Day Feels like Days

You know you have had a successful day when you get home and realize that stuff you thought you did for the last few days actually took place over the course of the past few hours. The fact that I accomplished/traveled as much as I did in the past 24 hours is still not quite settled in. I am impressed with how this weekend has gone.

Today I woke up with the plan of taking a train from north Jersey into NY to run some errands and buy something items before heading to central Jersey for a few hours. After the train mishap got straightened out and I ended up having to drive to the Bronx, things just got better. First, I was finally able to get my package from the Bx and give Alex his birthday gift. I got my hair cut, we visited a very cool comic shop and I bought a Scott Pilgrim t-shirt. We headed to Times Square and got to check out the brand new Pop-Tarts store. It was great.

We headed to Bryant park and jumped on the 6 down to Washington Square Park. Walked over to Thompson and grabbed lunch at Boyd Thai. I love this place and lunch was delicious. We then went next door to Generation Records and I picked up two gems - The Decemberists' Crane Wife and Sufjan Stevens' Illinoise. Then it was on to the train and back up to the Bronx for a quick and delicious slice of University Pizza (for old times sake). Got in my car around 4 and went to Chris' to pick him up. Then it was back to MontClaire to get Mike's car and then down to Central Jersey to a friend's house who lives by the beach. We got there around 6 and spent some quality time hanging out with friends. We had a delicious train shaped cake and ended then night hanging out on the beach. I got in my car around 11 and just got home.

For anyone who thinks driving 2 hours to see people is absurd - this is proof that it is not. Not only was I able to visit friends that live 2 hours away today, but I was also able to accomplish all of those other things and still be in bed by 1 am. No excuses!

A Trip With Nothing To Show For It

My intention for going to NY was to get done the things I would have done today in Philadelphia. Since graduating and moving back home I have realized that there are several things I need. My dress shoes are ripping, my black sneakers have a hole in the toe, my headphones are dying, etc. I have had money issues (ehem, Drexel). Because these have recently been solved, I decided to use this weekend where I had nothing planned to pick up a few things.

I ultimately went to NY because I miss the city and could accomplish all of the things I needed to there and spend a day walking around outside in the sunshine in Manahattan. I came home with no shoes and no new clothes for work. I did get headphones, although that one was very low on my list of necessities.

Instead I spent 2 hours in a coffee shop talking to a friend and saw a movie. It, however, was far from a wasted trip. The movie was spontaneous and due to my friend dropping me off in the city about 2 hours earlier than expected (different friend than the coffee friend.) And the coffee pit stop was really really great. As for the clothes/shoes - it is not as if I did not try. I went to three H&Ms and was not interested in anything useful. I went to two shoe stores and both were out of stock of the one shoe I really wanted.

In the end, I am glad I made the trip. I was able to buy the headphones I wanted in the store instead of having to order them, wait, and pay shipping. I was also able to catch up with a friend. Side note, while catching up I was interrupted by a staff member at the coffee house. You see, I was wearing my DriveShaft t-shirt. I have been asked and approached about it before. Here, it was so well appreciated by the staff that they offered me a free coffee. It was a small glimpse at stardom. I loved it. Note to self: where this shirt more often, consider buying a replacement for good measure.

Check!

Today I was able to cross the first thing off my bucket list that I made for college. It is a long list, and it is really becoming questionable whether or not I will get through it all. It is still nice to be making any progress on it.

After over two years in the making, Warren and I finally made it to B&H photo. This place has been one of mystery to me ever since our failed attempt at going there in October of 2007.

This was all part of an incredibly enjoyable day. It started out as one that would be cut short by a meeting at 2 pm. But due to Warren needing more time I was able to bump the meet up to before we left for the city, which also gave more time to Sarah Romeo who had hoped to come but wouldn't have made it in time had we left when we planned.

After B&H and meeting with Ellen for lunch, Sarah and I parted ways with Warren and cut across Central Park to head to the Lincoln Center theatre. This is only the second time I have seen a movie here, the first being only a few weeks ago. Here I was finally able to see How To Train Your Dragon, and let me say. This is the best movie I have seen this year. It was beautiful to watch, a blast to sit through in IMAX 3d (unlike Avatar which was taxing) and just an incredibly pure and fun film that I would absolutely see again. Parents should take their kids to this. It's engaging enough visually and in humor that any age group should be entertained and engrossed.

(this is the elevator downstairs to what I am told is where kids movies are shown. Ours, being in IMAX, was upstairs, but I am totally hoping I get to travel down this escalator for a movie before June - it's so cool looking!)

It's not about the destination

It's about the journey.

That is the mindset I have adopted from my friend, Warren, about trips into the city. Needing a goal, an errand, a destination to spend time in the city is silly. Instead, the time spent in the city leading up to that goal, if there is one, is worth it in it of itself. Tonight I went into the city with him and my friend Kristen. I had a few loose goals: see if I can pick up a book at the library, and hunt down a Frame store to finally frame a print of a painting I purchased a few months ago. Warrens only goal was to get into the Mozart show at Lincoln Center.

All of this backfired. The library was closed by the time we got into the city, and they don't carry the novel at Barnes & Noble. The frame store was closed by the time we got to it, and the show was sold out. Nonetheless we were mobile from 5:15 to 10:15. Even though we accomplished none of our goals, we all still agreed we were happier to have made the trip than not.

Bawiden

If you get a chance to, do yourself a favor and spend sometime, on a nice day, in Washington Square Park. Walk around a bit and check out some of the people performing there. Most of them are performing there, and not at home, because they want you to listen, so don't feel like you are intruding if you walk over to someone who is playing an instrument of some sort.

Today we watched a 5 piece doowop group doing songs like In The Jungle, under the arch. Next we saw an upright bass, but it was being put away and it turns out we had just missed a group performing. Not to worry, though, as we overheard a banjo and bass drum. As we walked around the fountain we found a man playing his banjo and singing while sitting on a brief case. The briefcase, which was positioned in a way that propped him up the highest, was also doubling as his bass drum. He had a bass drum pedal attached to it and was stomping on that with his heal (in reverse), thus hitting his briefcase, creating an audible tempo. There was a small crowd around him and we hung out for 4 or 5 songs before purchasing his cd. He was that enjoyable.

We came back later to find, and actually help a man with a piano (more rare in Washington Square park) by lifting it over the wall of, and carrying it down into the middle of the fountain area. He then teamed up with a bucket-drummer and a few dancers to put on a show for anyone who would watch, which turned out to be a lot people.

On our way ouch, under the arch, we once again found our banjo friend. He positioned himself under the arch with his back against one side. Standing on the other, the way the sound bounced around - his voice and banjo carried perfectly and it was really awesome.

So, if you get a chance, at some point you should really find some free time and head over there to take in some of the free, and usually entertaining, performances going on. This little square is quickly becoming my favorite place to spend time in the city.

Maybe I Am Getting To Be Redundant

This weather is amazing and spending it outside just makes coming home at the end of the day and getting in bed more satisfying. Today, I didn't actually make it outside until 4 but pretty much from then until about 30 minutes ago I was outdoors. Met up with some friends and played soccer for a bit. Returned home to take a quick shower and headed into the city.

We got into the city and walked. A Lot. We were dropped off at 59th and 8th. We walked from there to 65th and 1st. Which is a decent walk as avenue's are about 3.5 blocks each. After meeting some friends at a bar, we decided to head to meet other friends at 50th and 8th at a place called Blockheads. In route, however, we found out that they were already announcing last call and so we'd have to find somewhere else. That place would be on 50th and 10th - adding two more avenues to walk. So this walk was from 65th and 1st to 50th and 10th - basically the width of the island. After our night here we walked back to Rockefeller Center.

I'd say as much time was spent at the destinations as it was spent walking and that is fine by me. The fact that at 1 am I was walking around in the city with a light jacket, unzipped, and comfortable, even on the verge of warm, was awesome. It was so pleasant to be there.

Tomorrow I go to the daycare, and then heading into the city to hopefully check out Top of the Rock and maybe even dinner in Brooklyn. Excited about the school because its warm enough to start going outside with the kids again for their activity instead of arts and crafts.

How To Sum Up The Day

Today I was productive. I had a brief lapse where I considered not going through with it, but it passed and I am glad it did. I was able to get into the city, even on little sleep, and have an excellent breakfast at the Tick Tock Diner. I ordered the Captain Crunch French Toast. Never heard of such a thing, but it was great. After leaving Warren at 10 am, I headed west to the water and walked south along the path for awhile. Eventually I headed back north and made it to 42nd and 8th in just enough time to catch an early morning movie. Because of the lack of sleep and such I decided against Oscar nominated performance movies like An Education and A Single Man, seeing The Crazies instead for the adrenaline rush. The movie wasn't reinventing the wheel, but it wasn't attempting to, either, and I appreciated it a lot. I was actually surprised at the violence/gore in the movie. It, other than some blood spatter from gun shots, was not nearly as gory as most films of the genre. This is not to say it was dull. On the contrary, the movie was well paced in it's tension.

Anyway, from there I bought a book, called Lowboy, about a 16-year-old paranoid schizophrenic boy. I spent some time in the Times Square pedestrian zones reading it before heading to Jersey for some eats, malls (it's what they do best), Lost, and Cranium.

Tomorrow I plan to be outside but less mobile. Trying to get some more quality time in the sun and reading so I think I might head to Battery Park and sit for awhile, and read some more of this new book.

Picture today is a summary of the day. I took many pictures and most, if not all, were better quality, but this picture sums up what was most important about today, and what made it possible. (Note: no worries - this is actually just the sun, not an asteroid heading towards earth)

Believe it!

It might be a little hokey, it might be pretty strange, but we found our entertainment for a few hours today in the Ripley's Believe It Or Not building in Manhattan, and we all enjoyed ourselves. One of the last things you can do there is a lazer room. Straight out of any spy movie, you enter a room and it is filled with green lasers that you have to maneuver through and reach the other side, press the yellow button and make your way back. Sure you aren't stealing the Declaration of Independence like Nic Cage would have hoped, but its a fun time. Based on time and number of wires you trip you receive a total score which everyone else with you can try to beat. It was just one part of the day but it was pretty cool, even if I sucked at it.

(todays picture is of good old frank. But look closer and it becomes apparent that this picture is made entirely of butterfly wings - courtesy of Ripley).

Ignore The Weather

Sometimes you just have to forgo. Today, my sisters and a close friend came to visit. They are here for 2 days, and the two worst days NY has seen in the past 10-14 days. We were especially spoiled after last weekend and the start of this week. As this weekend approached and the forecast was telling nothing but bad news, there were brief talks of trying another weekend. Ultimately it was deicded that, despite the bad weather, this was the most convenient weekend.

Sure, there was a lot I wanted to do that was 100% dependant on good weather like walking High Line Park, eating lunch in Union Square, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and spending some down time in Battery Park, but you do what you can. Today we hit a bunch of places and were in the city, and on the go from 1 pm until 11 pm. Fortunately for us, not until we reached the final part of our night - searching for a restaurant for dinner, as well as the trip home - did we really battle the elements.

Tomorrow is looking to be a bit worse, but after spending a few hours online we came up with a few options, keeping in mind the volume of people in the city on a Saturday and that many will be looking for similar indoor activities. Hopefully something works out, and if not, we already have lunch reservations in the city, and the plan to have some quality down time in my home, capping the weekend off with a trip to Arthur Avenue for Little Italy before heading to Penn Station.

Highlight of the day was the boardwalk at Southstreet Seaport overlooking the river with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge. They really loved it - everyone had their cameras out taking pictures. If you haven't been to this area I would check it out - the mall/shops combined with the restaurants are all great entertainment in an area with such an impressive view as this.

The Lake Has No Benches

I had wandered into Central Park a few days ago a bit later than I had hoped and spent very little time in there as it is quite creepy in the dark. What I accidentally found was the giant lake that starts at 86th street. Despite having been in NY for almost 4 years now I have not spent much time in Central Park, almost never traveling north of 70th within it. I decided I wanted to go back to this lake when it was day time in the stretch of amazing weather we were to experience.

Today I did just that. I walked from Penn Station, after leaving a friend of mine, all the way up to Central Park and then proceeded to stroll through the park with the end goal of reaching the lake, finding a bench, and reading for a few hours. Little did I know that the path surrounding this body of water is purely meant for walkers and joggers and thus is without a place to sit. Bummer.

I did find another bench and got some reading in. Today was an excellent day to be outside and I am glad that I was able to be for much of it.