From shorts to polar fleece

After my run Saturday morning, Steve and I took a walk  around the neighborhood though things were closed due to the Sabbath

local graffiti

This bizarrely named café was near where we ate Saturday lunch (back to the crepe place to try a different crepe). It is  across from the Good View Bakery, so named for the nearby train or maybe this cafe

Later a long walk along the Straits of the Verrazano. We attempted this a few days before with 10 degrees and 30 mph winds
Winds were still 30 mph but at 60, more tolerable

Then a stop at Spumoni Gardens for rainbow spumoni, a mix of cremolata, pistachio, and chocolate

Last breakfast. Hamantaschen for Purim. Whitefish and lox for the bagels.

Our ride home: all photos from a moving car. Sparkly Gehry building in eastern light

Normally we don't take the FDR drive and then the George Washington Bridge because it is out of the way but our access to the Holland and Lincoln tunnels were blocked by a race. Glad for the detour as all was beautiful

Bridge in Toledo

It was sunny and warm Saturday morning for my run in a short sleeved tee shirt and shorts. Much less traffic as theoretically, no one should be driving. A sharp contrast to today where I was greeted with minus one temps and some wind. Steve and I then went for a walk around the neighborhood and then later to lunch.

A small family sat across from us as we waited for our food, the child, a girl of about  12 was nimbly editing photos for her Facebook page. I was impressed with her adeptness with bent thumbs. Although she was quite pretty, many of her photos showed her with grossly contorted grimaces or kissy faces. Why do young people find this attractive? But the funny thing was when her crepe arrived, her mother silently went over and cut it into little pieces for her. She had no obvious motor difficulties (quite the opposite) but yet....

We walked along the water under the Verrazano Bridge, a 5 mile walkway ( in the olden days, I'd run the length and back) Very breezy but pretty (we did only 3-4 miles of it) The rest of the family was out at Jones Beach further out on Long Island but it would have been a pain to go in 2 cars and we had water and beach right here in Brooklyn. Then on to my favorite Spumoni Gardens, which surprisingly,is more known for its pizza (always in the best lists) but the family does not agree. We had gone to his brother's favorite place, over in Sheepshead Bay, for the real stuff the day before (where I contentedly slurped my pasta fagoli instead). Spumoni is sort of a cross between gelato and ice. Not as rich as gelato but has milk in it. The place makes ices of all sorts too but rainbow spumoni is what I came for.

A few hours later, the family returned for one last dinner at Steve's favorite Italian restaurant, a stop for some baked goods to take home to Michigan (who has the best rainbow cookies? Cuccio's or Elegante?) and then movie night, this time with the NYC classic Goodfellas. I fell asleep during it but woke frequently during the night due to Purim festivities nearby which seemed to include firecrackers and drunken shouting and singing. Oy! Our Purim activities included me eating hamantaschen though my sister in law got a 4 day weekend because of it from the yeshiva she teaches at.

After bagels and all the Brooklyn fixings, the long ride home commenced. Good driving weather though and our detour due to the NYC half marathon blocking our usual path was pretty with the buildings sparkling in the early light.

Still the snow covers all the lawns and still the snow mountains but the street are mostly clear of ice so I have a path now. A visit from Naomi and Maya as soon as we got home (couldn't wait for those rainbow cookies) and then today I delivered a package to Shanna.

It's Josh's birthday today but he wants us to celebrate it later in the week.

And don't forget the cherry cheese knishes.

Walking to Manhattan

A cherry cheese knish

Over the many years and visits to NYC, I've run across most of the major bridges though all were in races: the Verrazano, George Washington, Henry Hudson, Queensboro and a few into the Bronx and back but not the most pedestrian friendly: The Brooklyn Bridge. Well cross one off the bucket list.

We were dropped off at the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo, the latter being an acronym for down under Manhattan bridge overpass, not sure of that last word and most of it seems under the BB. Lots of piers and vista points to see lower Manhattan, the bridges, Statue of Liberty along with ferries, public art, native plantings, art galleries, etc. A pretty day, much better than the previous day when we had aborted our under the Verrazano walk due to really uncomfortable wind chills.

It was late in the day when we decided to walk across the bridge. The sun was starting to set, the lights on the bridge came on. The walkway is suspended over the car lanes and is divided into bike and pedestrian lanes though both yesterday were quite crowded. Aside from the many tourists, commuters were hurriedly making their way through the slow sight see-ers. The buildings sparkled in the light especially the new World Trade Center. So pretty! Photos to follow but the good ones will have to wait until we have access to a computer (soon!).

We made it to lower Manhattan. What to do? The stiff wind had been on our backs but now we would be facing it. Plus it would be at least 2 miles to the train in Brooklyn though seeing all the buildings light up during the sunset would be great. Still Steve had no gloves ( nor did I but I am much more tolerant of cold). 

Trains are plentiful in lower Manhattan but ones going in a useful direction for us, not so much. There are two systems, the numbered trains and the lettered trains without convenient points of intersection. The closest lettered train still was closed due to Sandy damage. After some walking in circles, we were finally able to get a hold of Steve's brother for advice and soon we took the A train which crosses the desired F somewhere in Brooklyn. After our slightly late Shabbas meal deliciously prepared by my sister in law, I was exhausted. I had run for more than an hour earlier in the day and then walked for almost 3 later.

It is the middle of the night. Just because I am somewhere else doesn't stop the insomnia. It is quiet though I can occasionally hear the train. When the downsized storm Vulcan came a couple of nights ago, the strong winds set off car alarms. so sleep, fuhgetabodit!

This is another world much different than Michigan. Appetizing is used as a noun often such as Avenue P Appetizing. It's a store to buy lox and other things to serve guests. We've gone out for babkas and cherry cheese knishes, the latter to bring back to the kids. I am not sure if one could still buy egg creams at the diner. Somethings are changing.

 Drivers honk incessantly. Someone followed my brother in law the other day honking to prod him to go over the speed limit. As soon as traffic stops for any reason, the honking begins. Ramy's brother brought his NYC ways back to Michigan and got a ticket for honking too much. There is no turn on red because drivers can not be trusted not to run people over. My runs up and down Ocean Parkway crossing-the Alphabet avenues are scary sometimes with cars zipping cross my path with no regard for my safety. And drivers are just crazy dangerous..a car stopped suddenly in the middle lane of the Belt, cut Cross a lane to drive on the grass to get to the exit he missed. At night, we have been watching movies, the last movie being Dallas Buyers Club. Good acting but mixed messages in the plot.

Getting tired...finally.

It was so cold walking along this facing the wind. We turned back in a NY minute

My swiss chard/bacon quiche at The Farm restaurant in Ditmas Park

My running path. Ocean Parkway goes north from the ocean for 5 miles lined with trees and paths on both sides.
The alphabet streets are perpendicular

chocolate babka. I prefer it without the mystery yellow stuff

sculpture next to bridge  Not sure what they are pointing at

locks at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Lovers throw away the keys

Interesting Dumbo pizza building

Our ride home. Should have taken the photo when we first got on and were packed in like sardines but couldn't move my arms The further from the city, the less crowded

View from the bridge Largest building: new World Trade Center

Me on our walk

From the park

Looking north back into Brooklyn. You can see the BQE and The Esplanade where I first wanted to go for the views but this park is so much better 

Dumbo bench

Tiny spot is Statue of Liberty

Gehry building looks the tallest here but just is closer than the WTC

My new favorite which we called the wavy building.
Designed by Gehry

Totally Green

 

We went for lunch at a Panini/crepe place. This is mine..the brown stuff is balsamic vinegar

The staircase looking down of the Bright n' Green  building that we had our personal tour of
There will be a mobile made up of legos suspended in this space

From the rear. This place is about a 5 minute walk from the Beach

Lots of lighting

Our architect/tour guide in the common space showing where the planters will be. Hot tub is already there

Steve needed to go down a porthole to the tanks where the worms will deal with the sewage.
The newspaper's reporter was afraid to go down as he has a fear of heights..His camera visible in the foreground

Above is looking down the staircase of the totally green building we toured yesterday designed and developed by my SILs friends husband. There will be a mobile suspended in this space.

The building is made of all recycled materials such as recycled glass for the countertops and back splashes. It will be totally off the grid making its own water from rain and recycling, including vermiculture of the sewage (worms!!!).. Heat is generated by heat pumps and solar panels. Excess energy will be sold to the utility company. Residents will never pay utility bills as water, heat and electricity are self generated.

Already the energy produced was useful during Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the area surrounding the green building, Brighton Beach, where Steve grew up. The building remained high and dry and provided electricity to all the pumps needed to dry the area out. There will be 6 units for 13 tenants plus some retail space. No parking is provided as tenants need to be totally committed to the no carbon lifestyle  they can bicycle or use the nearby trains. 

The air in the units will be so clean, no one will ever need to dust nor will any materials be used that are allergens. Units are small to discourage excess accumulation of things. There is a rooftop garden, patio and hot tub for all to enjoy. Although it will marketed to middle income people, by Michigan standards, they better be rich as the largest unit will go for 825K. Brighton Beach has yet to be gentrified so where would they shop? But it is close to the boardwalk and beach.

I went for another run before the rain came, in shorts no less. I will give my legs a day to recover. Now it is cold and windy though less so than back in Michigan where everything was cancelled yesterday.

We ate a nice lunch that featured various panini and crêpes. Tasty. At night, a healthy family dinner with salmon salad and lentil soup. Delicious. Then we all watched Nebraska, which I liked.

This and the following photos are from the building's website. It was raining during our tour so we couldn't take our own

recycled glass

some of the plans

solar panels

A Walk in the Park

From the internet..I am editing now a week later but still is difficult using IE
Why won't Chrome support its own products?

I still haven't found the ideal way to post photos to an iPad  so perhaps they will have to wait until we return to Michigan ,which is now being hit with a blizzard of 6 to 9 inches of snow, strong winds with very low temps to come. Meanwhile yesterday it was sunny and close to 70 in Central Park where we took a walk yesterday. I have a photo of beach volleyball played by shirtless people next to snow piles. A beautiful day enjoyed by many. Thr reservoir is starting to melt with lots of water birds crowding the liquid portions including my favorite wood ducks..need to wait for Steve's pictures for that. Throngs of tourists crowding Strawberry Fields, hawkers of John Lennon stuff, the Dakota, snow drops flowering in some parts.

We are staying in a large for NYC apartment in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, mainly populated by various Jewish groups. My running path goes by bearded men with very tall hats. I rarely see women. Little girls wear long skirts. Seven of us are currently sharing my BIL  and his wife's space along with my Seattle SIL and her son and our step niece who also lives here. Steve and I are sleeping on a sofa bed, difficult the first night because of the springs in my back. I have since cushioned myself with couch cushions though the first night of that resulted in me tumbling to the floor as it is an unstable. arrangement. Last night I actually had a good nights sleep. Still there is just one bathroom and it is hard to coordinate activities whensome of us are up at the butt crack of dawn and others aren't up to well past noon. As it is still nice here, I will go for a run soon. Michigan's crappy weather hits about a day later but in a much milder form.

Here's a tip: never, never take a car into the city during the work week.
After having a nice lunch in a Polish section of Brooklyn, my BIL drove us into the City. We would have been fine until he attempted to cross town through Times Square. Oh well, we were able to see a lot as we creeped along. Parking turned out to be impossible so we were dropped off and returned by
train, which has a stop a few blocks away.

Later, dinner for ten ( my SIL's best friend, husband and daughter joined us) at Steve's favorite restaurant per la cucina napoletana.  Very good..veal parm for most, wine, baked clams, antipasti, spaghetti. I had Vitelli alla bolognese. Yum.

Then to the friends house for Italian pastries. The husband is a successful architect and designed the rehab of this house. OMG  Very beautiful..photos at some point. The kids chillaxed on a terrace in a large hot tub. I used the heated toilet with a whole menu of cleaning options beyond the usual dabbing oneself with toilet paper. Water jets, whose force and temperature, could be directed at various portions of the nether regions. Oscillating or pulsating? your choice. Oh and a deodorizing button too if need be No need here.

The architect has designed and built an entirely green condo structure on the beach. The press is touring today and we get our private tour right afterwards. There are similar places in Portland and Seattle but it's a first for the East Coast. Everything is recycled so need to tap into the grid for any utility. Looking forward to this and you, my readers will get it before the press, whose article won't come out for a week or two.

The veal parm

detail of Central Park Bridge

In the Strawberry Fields area. Lots of tourists lined up to lie down next to it

Detail of the Dakota fence (where John Lennon was lived and died)

The restaurant

Sherman statue in Grand Arm Plaza

The tallest building is 157 57th. I will be the tallest residential building n th Western Hemisphere

Snow and shirtless volleyball players

Rainbow cookies



On the Coney Island boardwalk

 

Rainbow cookie cake

lobster tails 

had a lobster roll at Nathan's  Steve had clam chowder

parachute jump Hasn't been operational for years. Steve's mother jumped down from it in the forties

Trying to publish anything on an iPad is an exercise in futility. It took me forever to figure out how to download photos yet I can't edit them. I will have to wait until we can get home to make this pretty. Daylight savings time...so early this year making it extra hard to get up for our long trip to NYC. But we had good weather and traffic so we got here in 10 hours despite eating in Toledo and the middle of no where Pennsylvania. So many times we have made this trip with little kids, big kids, big kids and their significant others but not for almost two years. Still it was a thrill to see the city going down the big hill in NJ.

We took a walk along the boardwalk after visiting an Italian bakery to get rainbow cookies and lobster tails pictured above. Since Hurricane Sandy destroyed so much, a lot was rebuilt. It was the Golden Hour. So pretty. We ate in Nathan's..lobster roll for me; clam chowder for Steve. Time to go back to share dessert with Steve's brother and sister. So, so tired!

This morning,  running the Brooklyn alphabet (effing A, effing B, effing C..).  Went from Avenue O to Avenue Z and almost a mile beyond on Ocean Parkway, a tree lined boulevard with bike paths on both sides. No ice, just piles of dirty snow. the weather is a day delayed and about fifteen degrees warmer in general. Winter storm warning for Ann Arbor Wednesday. When will winter be over?