Sleepless City Part Dos...

I apologize for being a day late on this one. Yesterday got away from me. Believe it or not, planning trips to Austria, Germany, Greece, and Switzerland while trying to work out the details of closing on a new house that is approximately 4,700 miles away can eat away the hours fairly quickly. But I am definitely not complaining! Those are wonderful tasks to conquer.

So without further delay, let's get back to New York and the pictures involving various combinations of the three amigos.

This was my favorite group shot from the entire trip. Central Park was coming into spring-time liveliness, and beautiful pink trees were blooming everywhere. We had nearly perfect weather throughout the whole weekend, and on one day, we even wore short sleeves! Marvelous.

Thanks to Caleb for taking about 20 versions of this same picture for me. It was ultra sunny (hence our squinty eyes), but I had to have a boathouse picture. Who'd have thought this scenic oasis existed in the middle of New York City?

Hubby and I ran around on the piano from the movie Big in FAO Schwartz. Should've had our best chopsticks routine prepared. Oh well, next time. Or maybe, I'll just order one of these pianos for our new house in Houston. They only cost $250,000 a piece!

We made it out to the Brooklyn Bridge on our last afternoon in the city. Interesting side notes: The tall building over Matt's head that looks like the top half is metal and the bottom is glass is one of the new Freedom Towers being built on the former World Trade Center site. And the even taller building over my head is a luxury apartment complex designed by Frank Gehry, the architect who created the Disney Concert Hall in LA and the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Rent in this particular building is between $40,000 - $60,000 A MONTH!!!

Again, Caleb snapped a gazillion different angles for us until I was happy with the result. God bless him. Here we were standing on the Chelsea Sky Line. Chelsea was probably the most appealing of the neighborhoods we visited. It would be comfortable to live there, albeit astronomically expensive. The Sky Line is a retired portion of the above-ground metro system that has been converted into a walking path/park thing. It is elevated a few stories above street level, and I enjoyed the unique perspective that it provided.

Of course, no trip to NYC is complete without a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. It is free. It gives great views of the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Ellis Island. Did I mention that it's free? Hard to imagine what it was like for our country's immigrants to cross into this same harbor and see Lady Liberty for the first time after such a long voyage.

This little girl became my new friend. She was handing out big flowery green headbands to raise awareness for children's cancer. I was strolling unsuspectingly through Central Park when she popped out of nowhere and said, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day!" as she handed me a headband. Precious. I love it when children wear what they want and over-accessorize with beads, feathers, flowers, tutus, and Hello Kitty. Oh, to be young again!

A nice man lounging on a park bench let the boys pose with his psychedelic bike. The fur seat cover sure looked comfy. Apparently, the guy had been riding this bike for 30 years. He said that if gas ever became free, he might consider switching to a car. But seeing as how that will probably never happen, he planned to keep on ridin'. You go, hippie man.

At long last, Caleb got to be the star in front of the lens instead of behind it. PS - Times Square is loud. And bright. And crowded. Puts Piccadilly Circus to shame, really. Before we hopped on the subway to leave Times Square, we ran into three people from our high school! What are the odds? We figured we may see someone at the airport, but in the middle of Times Square chaos? Unexpected.

Next, it should not come as a shock to you that I am obsessed with nature, particularly flowers, as evidenced by the number of times I have posted pictures of landscaping. It's a fascination I'm obliged to give in to. Can't help it. So imagine the sheer glee that struck when I discovered flowers and greenery interspersed within the jungle of concrete.

Wish I was more familiar with tree species. Dogwood, perhaps? Doesn't matter. It's pretty and pink.

Closer up view of the same tree.

Ironic. Guess the mounties had better things to patrol.

This was a park squished in an alleyway near our Chinatown hotel. That mural made me think of Michael Jackson.

In Rockefeller Plaza this fountain of fish-riding statues is opposite the ice skating rink with the big gold guy. If I remember correctly, I believe that Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is reunited with his mother near this place at the end of "Home Alone."

And right behind the NYC Public Library is Bryant Park, home to New York Fashion Week. The famous white tents go up on this lawn every year as starlets and celebs catch up on the latest styles.

Lastly, to conclude our tour, I'd like to take a 180-degree turn from the natural to the man-made, and share some architectural shots and scenes of the city.

Underneath the street in a walkway that leads to Central Park, I found this wonderful, mosaic-filled colonnade. The street performer who left his guitar leaned against the corner couldn't have purposefully set up a better shot for me.

Ah, the subway. Not the easiest to navigate. Once we ended up on the gaudy side of town when we unknowingly took the express train to the ghetto. A shirtless man yelling obscenities was blocking the path to the return train while picking a fight with someone on the other side of the turnstile. However, he paused from screaming curses long enough to let us politely pass. Top notch chap.

We paid our respects at the 9-11 Memorial. Incredibly somber, but peaceful and uplifting at the same time.

Self explanatory.

Lady Liberty in the foggy distance.

The dock of the Staten Island Ferry. Couldn't quite figure out what all these poles were for.

A dingy! (Is that technically a dingy or a tug boat? I don't know, but I really wanted to have an excuse to use the word 'dingy.')

The Public Library was the largest marble structure of its time in the United States. In most places, the marble is 3 feet thick! Even the toilet stalls were made of marble. Classy joint.

Brooklyn Bridge.

A line of buildings near our hotel. Slightly reminiscent of Notting Hill in London. Less pastel.

The fog lifted on our journey back from Staten Island to reveal this great view of the tip of Manhattan. The two buildings toward the left with the cranes on top are the new Freedom Towers. Eery to imagine the Twin Towers and how tall they must have been when they were standing there.

The decor inside the Chelsea Market was warehouse shabby chic, and I loved it! Exposed brick and peeling paint galore!

On our last evening, Matthew and I went to the Top of the Rock. Meaning, we paid $50 to take an elevator to the observation decks on the roof of Rockefeller Center. By far, these are the best views in town. Along with every other tourist on the island at that time, we chose to go at twilight so we could see the city transition from day to night. The sunset made fighting the crowds totally worth it.

Breathtaking.

No words. I might have drooled and teared up simultaneously.

Gotta love the telefoto lens. This stirs in me a desire to watch "Mad Men" for hours on end.

After running into my neighbor from childhood (again, what are the odds?) we had a nice Spanish lady take our picture. Another perfect ending to another great adventure.

Conclusions Matthew and I drew from this trip:
- Caleb is the perfect travel companion. He has no inhibitions and will ask anyone any question at anytime. We loved having a few days in his company and look forward to many more when we are back on the same continent with him.
- New York is raw and cosmopolitan and gritty. But, it's also an enchanting place to spend a long weekend. If you can make it there, it is probably safe to assume that you can make it anywhere.
- We heart America! (And the purchasing power of the dollar.)
- We are beyond blessed. We have the means to travel and explore. We have our health, and we have each other. Most importantly, we are covered by Grace. The rest is just icing on the cake.