Why I Want To Live in NY (Bklyn) Again -- yet another in the series

People read on the train.

Why I Want To Live in NY (Bklyn) Again -- another in the series

PIZZA

I mean truly great pizza, not what passes for pizza in other places (except for Italy).

Pizza worthy of interaction.

Hot Town, Summer in the City

We made it to Brooklyn only hours after Jesse & Thom returned from their Portland Oregon excursion. After a brief and stormy visit to Brooklyn Flea, Jesse & Thom, Helen, Mark and I hopped a few Bklyn bars.Then we settled in for some amazingly crispy and delicious pizza, and this huge calzone, at Lucali.
The next day Mark and I met Jesse for lunch in Soho near her new job. And watched her walk back to the office before heading down to the lower east side for a bit of shopping.
Uptown the next day Mark and I headed to the roof of the Met to see the Jeff Koons balloon sculptures.Love how New Yorkers enjoy their parks. Central Park is spectacular. Prospect Park is nice too, and we enjoyed a picnic by the lake one day.
Prospect Park is pretty trashy though, so Mark did his bit to clean up the environment.

Another day we went to MoMA to see Home Delivery, interesting show about prefabs.
There was a great little show of Picasso sculpture at MoMA too.

The boys really enjoyed hanging with Helen while Mark and I ran around. Our last night in the city, Mark and I met up with Jesse and Thom for dinner at La Paloma in the Village for some good Mexican food.


We ended up back in Brooklyn at Beer Table.

Fun time, but there's more. Next up: the hot tickets we managed to fit in to the trip before heading northeast to a cooler climate.

The Boys and the Subway

Kids who grow up in NYC are different from other kids.

Check out this entry from the Abstract City blog.

Cascades, Sing the City Energetic

Summer is so not my favorite season in NY, even though it is normally when we go since we are stuck with the school schedule, and will be for the next four years, until Mark retires. (Wow, did I really say that? Four years doesn't sound like that much!)

Anyway, spring and fall are absolutely the best in NY. Winter can suck but only if it goes on and on and that doesn't always happen. And though there was a time that I hated winter in NY most of all, that was when I was forced out into a cold and crowded commute day after day after day after day....

That won't be the case when we are retired in NY. Imagine, for example, whiling away the day in a museum with a great show or old favorites and a good coat checkroom, a good cafe, and comfy chairs where you can sit and read a while when you get tired. There are so many that fit that bill in NY.

Or relaxing in our cozy apartment, taking a walk and wandering in and out of warm shops, stopping for something hot to eat, heading to the theater to spend an evening engrossed in a wonderful story.

Yeah, winter won't be too bad I think.

Anyway, so, my point is that we are going to NY this summer and it's likely going to be hot and smelly and none of the options of where we can stay has central air like we are used to and it's like a filthy sauna in the subways.

But now, this summer, there are waterfalls and I just cannot wait.

Don't miss all the cool extras you can see linked to the article, including a slide show, a video, and viewing tips.

Why I want to live in NY (Bklyn) again -- next in a series

That's right, Brooklyn.

Yes, this will be our closest subway station.

Not that it won't be Manhattan the minute after I win the lottery.

You Got a Problem With That?

Yet another in my list of reasons why I want to live in New York again.
Thanks to Thomoli.

Wedding, eating, drinking, and more....

We had a busy weekend in New York. Mark and I flew up on Friday, dropped off our stuff at Val & Tony's and hit the streets of the Slope, eating pizza, of course, shopping, relaxing in Ozzie's, a third place for many in Park Slope. Then we got dressed up, took the train into the city, and wandered Tribeca a bit in the rain until we found the right building. While a wet crowd gathered in the lobby, waiters circulated with champagne, people began to chat, and a good time began. We went up to the top floor, alas, no view in the pouring rain and heavy fog, but it was pretty none the less. After a brief and sweet ceremony, our niece Beth and her Rondell were married. Great food, drink, plenty of dancing and so much fun followed.
Saturday Jesse & Thom picked us up -- lots more rain. We headed into Chinatown for a post wedding lunch, and then spent some shopping time getting drenched on the streets of the Lower East Side. Soon we gave it up, headed back to Brooklyn to Jesse & Thom's house, to get dry and to play with their new Wii. After recovering from a hard game of tennis we were dry and ready to go out for the evening -- first stop, a new and wonderful place in the Slope -- Beer Table. Owners Justin and Tricia welcomed Jesse and Thom back and were happy to meet Mark and me. They settled us at a table where two young men were sitting and we ordered our first beers. And began talking to the guys, Shane and Ian. When we found out that they had actually crafted the beer I was drinking, Righteous Rye, and that they are the guys behind Sixpoint, a great beer (and dog) conversation followed, and before we knew it, Shane was heading out to their brewery and bringing back some beers they are working on for a fabulous private tasting. By the time Shane got back we had more people at our table, every one friendly and interesting. It made us wish we could move to the city now.
Soon Thom's friend John showed up too, and in a while our little party was ready to move on to food so we headed right across the street for Italian home cooking, more good pizza. It was a magical evening, the kind that makes you say "only in New York."
Sunday Mark and I headed back into the city with my mother, Helen, for a great organic brunch at Josie's on the upper West Side. Then we met Jesse and Thom and saw a matinee of a new musical based on an old play, Spring Awakening.
In spite of a way too long journey home due to repeated flight delays, it was a wonderful weekend in the city.
See for yourself.

Off to the city!

Very early tomorrow Mark and I will take off for NY. We are going to see, and party at, the wedding of our niece, Beth. She is marrying her longtime partner, Rondell, at the Tribeca Rooftop, how romantic! We are very excited.
We'll be staying in Park Slope at Val & Tony's apartment again (thanks V&T!) and if we have the energy we may get the chance to spend some time in the Slope tomorrow afternoon. And eat pizza.
After that it's going to be nonstop busy -- wedding, wedding luncheon, doing a whole bunch of stuff the rest of Saturday with Jesse and Thom, we are really looking forward to spending time with them, Sunday brunch in the city with Helen followed by a matinee of Spring Awakening which Jesse and Thom will meet us for.
I hope to really learn my new camera this weekend.
I hope to read the manual on the plane.
We will not get home until about 2 am Monday morning so we will both take the day off to recover, hang with our animals who we will miss so much, go to yoga, and maybe blog.

Free parties in great museums

Yet another on my "Why I want to live in NY again" list.

Super New York Weekend -- Day Four

On Sunday, we had another celebration, Helen's birthday brunch at Artisanal. Jesse and Thom gave Helen art for her birthday too, a beautiful picture of the Brooklyn Bridge embroidered with one piece of black thread.

This was NOT followed by great theater as planned (the stagehands strike started the previous morning and shut down Broadway), but by an afternoon of wandering the magnificent Central Park and then warming up with cold beers at Dive 75, a neighborhood bar near the park.

Wonderful friends and family, wonderful city. Thank you so much to everyone who joined us in celebration -- Barbara, Steve, Judy, Billie, Jesse, Thom, Helen, Eleanor, Susan, Paul, Jerry, Marjorie, Val, Tony, Meryl, Alec, Susan, Heather, Steve, Matthew, Melissa. And thanks to Barbara & Steve for some of the photos.

Super New York Weekend -- Day Three

Saturday morning and Mark's 60th birthday! The reason for the whole trip! We headed over early toward's Jesse & Thom's for brunch, stopping briefly at Grand Army Plaza to see the Brooklyn Public Library and the greenmarket. Then great food and fun Barbara & Steve, Judy & Billie, in Jesse & Thom's very cool old home in Crown Heights (very near our future home). Jesse & Thom gave Mark his birthday gift, a bearded man print by Ashley G that looks very familiar!

Next, we headed into the city for a sort of surprise party at Otto, pizza and gelato right by Washington Square, one of Mario Batali's places. It was really a surpise for Mark when everyone joined us there, in addition to the Friday night crowd, and Jesse & Thom, there was Val & Tony, Susan & Paul, Helen, Eleanor, and Mark's brother Jerry, his wife, Marjorie, Mark's sister Susan, her daughter Heather, Heather's husband Steve. A fabulous time was had by all and an amazing Black Hound cake topped it off.

After that, most of us headed uptown to the Beacon Theatre to hear the brilliant Bill Maher. Afterwards, we continued the party for a while in a nearby Starbucks and Susan serenaded Mark with a tune specially written by Paul and Susan for Mark's birthday.

Listen & watch Susan sing the song above/read the lyrics below.

Mark Oliver’s Birthday Song
11/10/07
(attempt to sing to the tune of “It’s all happening at the Zoo”)
Something tells me it’s all happening at the zoo
The one in Tampa, that’s run by Mark and Sue...woo-hoo
You can hear the animals chattering away
“It’s hard to believe, Marks turns 6-0 today!” ...woo-hoo
Once there lived a lizard there, and cats and dogs and birds to spare.
Now Dylan, Marley, Daisy, Jules, and a bird named Hallie rule
At the zoo, at Mark and Sue’s...
They didn’t know what was in store the day they met
She wanted pet food, and he made her his pet
No regrets...lots of pets...
They were so creative they made up their last name
As Jesse grew up, she learned to do the same...they’re all insane
They moved away from city lights and now want to be in Crown Heights
Meanwhile Mark's still making waves, teaching kids in his own way
Not since Noah and his ark has there been a sailor good as Mark
Dolphins fish and manatees can’t believe that he’s sixty
If animals could talk you know, they’d say you’re great, as humans go
We think of you as our hero
Please enjoy your big 6-O
It’s true...Life’s zoo...
Happy Birthday to you....
Lots of love, Paul and Susan

Super New York Weekend -- Day Two

Friday was even busier than Thursday! Up and out early, Judy, Billie, Mark and I started out in midtown, seeing the wintery Bryant Park, the 42nd St. Library, Rockerfeller Center (and the just arrived tree), headed uptown through Central Park, enjoying pizza, beer, chestnuts, as we wandered. Finally had to jump on the bus, try for a cab, back on the train, to get downtown just barely in time (actually quite late) to meet Barbara, Steve, Alec (Barbara's brother), Meryl (Barbara's cousin), Matthew (Meryl's son), & Melissa (Matthew's girlfriend) at Joe's Pub in the Public Theatre to end the night with good food and the fabulous Lucy Kaplansky.