A Firestation, NYU Library & AIA Exhibits

We were walking past Carnegie Hall on the way to Columbus Circle when we passed this firestation that lost 12 men on Sept. 11. That's a long way from Ground Zero, almost at 60th Street. On the way to Balthazar, we walked thru NYU which is in the center of Greenwich Village these days. It seems to me it used to be more to one side of the Village. The AIA exhibition is stressing bicycles and walking. Sounds like a good idea to me.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

In our quest to see all of New York, today we travelled to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We took a water taxi from South City Seaport over to below the Brooklyn Bridge. However, we ended up taking 2 buses to get to Williamsburg because Brooklyn is very big. When we got there, I must say, I still felt like I was in a bombed out area. And, besides that, it was still expensive!! So why? Why, bother to go there. Just stay in Manhattan. Send me msgs. Explain it to me. Of course, it's full of young people and so maybe it's for them. We went to everywhere Zagat's told us to go.

Dinner at Petrossian......................

This is a Russian restaurant that specializes in caviar. Also, it's a beautiful building, complete with Erte etched mirrors and Lalique crystal sconces. They had the fixed price menu so we thought we'd try it. It was very nice.

The Cooper-Hewitt Museum

This is the cutting-edge design museum for NYC. Everything that is new is in this museum. Prosthetics for our returning vets who need arms and legs, material for clothes that is made without harming the environment, etc. The building was Andrew Carnegie's retirement mansion. Fifth Avenue at 89th Street, a pretty good neighborhood. They had a cocktail party with a jazz combo. Beautiful gardens. Very nice all and all.

Trip to NJ to see my Cousin Nancy & Aunt Margaret

Today was the day we travelled to NJ to visit my cousin and my 100 year old aunt. They have deep water access as you can see. We had a lovely lunch and met her 3 Yorkies. The trip over took 2 1/2 hrs. The return trip took 4 1/2 hrs. to get thru the Holland Tunnel. People were just waiting to do this giant merge-in for hrs. and Ed and I just can't understand the mentality of people who will wait 2 hrs to go thru a tunnel. There must be a better way. Tell me. Tell me the better way.

Wednesday/Billy Elliott

Another Wednesday, another B'way musical. On this day we went to see Billy Elliott which is the one about the coal miner's child in Durham, England who wants to go to London to join the Royal Ballet School. Apparently, they are constantly searching for young Billy Elliotts because they keep growing out of the part. In any event, it is a quite spectacular show.

Brooklyn Heights under the Brooklyn Bridge...

In New York, anywhere there is a waterfront, they have turned it into a people friendly, walking, running and cycling site. The city has been transformed by this decision. There is also beautiful architecture with brownstones and apt. buildings that look out over Manhattan. The place we had lunch was very good Italian.