Welcome aboard...

Remember last week when I visited the Intrepid?

Well, I still have tons of pictures to share.

(You're shocked, I know...)

When I first visited the museum, I made my way onto the flight deck...

(Where I gazed in awe at the plethora of incredible planes and helicopters...)

And made my way to the island.

In this spot on the ship...

Higher ranking officials had bedrooms...

And day and night men pored over charts...

Dials...

And tables...

That were all integral in the operation of the ship.

As I climbed to the Navigation Bridge, I couldn't believe the view of the city and the rest of the boat below me.

(I tried to take a photo of myself- see that speck in the mirror? That's me!)

I loved looking around the Navigation Bridge.

There were so many instruments- and I had absolutely no idea what any of them did!

(Apparently this is what I looked like for most of the day aboard the ship... can you blame me?)

The higher I climbed, the better the view got!

But at a certain point, I knew I'd reached the pinnacle.

Not just because things were fancier (hello telephones!)...

But because I had reached the Captain's area: this was his wheel- pretty shiny, right?

I loved looking around the Navigation Bridge...

But it practically paled in comparison to the flight deck! However, I don't want to totally overwhelm you with photos today- so stop back tomorrow for another installment of my visit to the biggest ship I've ever seen!

Thanks for visiting- I hope you have a great day!

The Falconer

Just inside Central Park (on the west side) is The Falconer.

Every time I walk by it, I always wondered how it came to end up in the middle of NYC (it's not like we have a whole lot of falcon clubs, you know?).

According to the Central Park website:

This bronze statue is the work of British sculptor George Blackall Simonds (1844-1929). Born in Reading, England, Simonds's family had a partnership in the prosperous brewery, Simonds and Courage. He attended Saint Andrew's College, and, demonstrating early promise as a sculptor, studied art in Dresden, Germany, and Brussels, Belgium, before residing for 12 years in Rome, Italy.

While in Italy, Simonds learned much about the tradition of lost-wax bronze casting. He later published a series of articles on this subject in a journal, in which he pushed for the use of lost-wax casting in Great Britain. Simonds's The Falconer statue, cast by Clemente Papi (1802-1875), a founder in Florence, Italy, weds several of his interests. The statue depicts a young falconer in Elizabethan garb, holding aloft a falcon poised for release. It is installed on a cylindrical granite pedestal perched on a natural rock outcropping south of the 72nd Street transverse road, and east of the park's West Drive.

Simonds himself was an avid falconer, and was later depicted with a falcon in an official portrait made of him as chairman of the family brewery by Sir Oswald Brimley. The original sculpture of The Falconer was created for Trieste, Italy, and was shown at the Royal Academy exhibition of 1875. It appears that George Kemp (1826-1893), a wealthy merchant born in Ireland, who later lived in New York City, admired the sculpture so much that he commissioned a full-scale replica for Central Park, where it was dedicated on May 31, 1875.

Isn't that interesting? All it took to over a hundred years ago was a wealthy man's love of a statue... and ever since The Falconer has been gazing out at millions of New Yorkers ever since!

Thanks for visiting- I hope you have a great day!

Rain, sleet, hail... OH MY!

We had hoped that spring was here to stay... but we were sorely mistaken!

I awoke yesterday to the patter of rain on my roof.

By the time I made it to work, small flakes of snow were drifting down.

It was a pretty grey day- and by the time I was headed home...

It was hailing!

I couldn't believe it... but there were little white balls covering every surface!

So much for spring, eh?

Just a walk in the park

Central Park is a beautiful place! Perfectly planned amidst the urban jungle of NYC, the park is an oasis. Sometimes I need to get from the east side of the city to the west, and while taking a bus across town is the most efficient route, I'll use any excuse to walk through the park instead!
Yesterday was one of those fateful days when I got the chance to trek through Frederick Law Olmsted's handiwork. And wouldn't you know it, I saw something I hadn't noticed before: The Pilgrim.
Here is some information from the Central Park website about The Pilgrim:

On the occasion of the New England Society’s 75th year, the association commissioned the statue to honor the early colonists. The pilgrim grasps the muzzle of a flintlock musket in his right hand. The pedestal comprises four bas-reliefs depicting Crossbow and Arrows, the ship Mayflower, Commerce, and Bible and Sword. The inscription on the pedestal reads “To commemorate the Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers on Plymouth Rock: December 21, 1620.” The statue stands at the bottom of Pilgrim Hill, Central Park’s favorite sledding area.

Sculptor: John Quincy Adams Ward (1830-1910)
Pedestal: Richard Morris Hunt
Date: 1884
Placed in Park: 1885
Material: Bronze on granite pedestal

After that quick stop, I had to hurry up and get going. But as I walked, I couldn't help but check out all the amazing trees throughout the park. Without the layers of leaves that will start to bud in a few weeks (I hope), I was able to truly appreciate the beauty of the trunks and branch structures.
For instance, check out the bark on these trees- isn't it cool?
And the ivy crawling along this trunk was a welcome spot of green among the mostly browns and greys of a post-winter world.
And this tremendous burl caught my eye as I wandered by... isn't it incredible? (I wish I could have touched it, but it was pretty far up the trunk.)
I can't tell you how happy I was as I walked through the park... what a great way to spend a half an hour in the middle of the day!
Thanks for visiting- feel free to stop by tomorrow for more photos from my stroll through the park!

So long discount!

Ever since I've been working on the Upper West Side, I've visited Starbucks on my way to the office each day. Luckily, I made quick friends with my local baristo*... so what may have become a terribly expensive addiction ended up being free (or majorly discounted) most days!!

Well, my trip down easy street has ended because today was my baristo's last day at the Sbux because he found himself a new job at a fancy restaurant in the neighborhood. So while I'm happy for him, I'm sad for my wallet... and my dangerous addiction to chai lattes!

So, here's to you, Mr. Baristo- thanks for everything!
Thanks for stopping by- I hope you have a great day!

*That's a term I just coined for a male barista, because even though I know this isn't the case in Italian, the 'a' at the end of that word makes me think it's referring to a woman who makes my coffee... like "bravo" vs. "brava"- you know what I mean?

Dinner delivered...

Over the course of this blog, I've shared photos of some very fancy and trendy meals...
And while my dinner last night was neither of those things...
This carton of vegetable fried rice and can of Diet Coke delivered to my office was a welcome and tasty end to a very long day!
I hope you're staying warm wherever you are- thanks for visiting!

Christmas at Lincoln Center

As I was heading home last night, I stopped by Lincoln Center to capture the "holiday cheer" with my good camera.
Believe it or not, there aren't a whole lot of Christmas decorations in this area.
Luckily, the Met puts up their annual Christmas tree, which adds a bit of seasonal flair to the plaza!
And while this area might be devoid of Christmas lights, I think the beautiful fountain sorta makes up for it!
And while the only Christmas tree in the area is relatively modest, this ad for The Nutcracker sure makes a statement!
Thanks for stopping by- I hope you have a great day!