Yesterday morning I awoke with some back pain--the usual spot where it always hurts when I overdo something, although heaven knows what it was I 'overdid.' This weekend was the first time I felt like myself in quite a while: off of all meds and without the exhaustion and 'cotton-head' sensation of a sinus infection. The back pain was worse today, but how could I stay at home--IT SNOWED! Now, to most of you that may mean shovelling out your driveway, a danger of slipping on icy sidewalks, difficult driving, etc. But to us old retired folks who have nowhere we [View Full Entry]

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We have had many varied experiences here in New York and, exemplifying that diversity, this entry will cover such topics as ballet choreography, philo dough, snow blizzard, mansions, Jackie Robinson, and lemonade (!), all in a day's wanderings. This Sunday we traveled north to 152nd Street to attend the monthly open house of the Dance Theater of Harlem (http://www.dancetheatreofharlem.com/), which teaches classical ballet to students of all ages from the surrounding neighborhood and around the world. This was a special celebration because it marked the 39th anniversary of the organiza [View Full Entry]

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Today was 'snow day' in Central Park. No, it did NOT snow (still!)--but some was brought in to form a small hill for people to go down on inner tubes. There was also an artifical 'ice wall' for kids to climb, with harnesses, crampons, and ice axes. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. Central Park was begun in 1858, the design of Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. At that time the area housed pig farms, shacks, quarries, and swampland, and over 10,000,000 cartloads of fill was required to level the area (which is 843 acres--or for my fellow [View Full Entry]

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I have previously spoken of the many reduced-price or free cultural activities going on in New York, and tonight we attended another. The many branches of Barnes & Nobel and of Borders have 'special event' spaces in their stores where lectures by authors and performances by musicians are held for free. One or both of us have attended a performance and talk by The Blind Boys of Alabama, various folk singers, and the cast, director, and songwriter of the off-Broadway musical 'Gone Missing.' We have also heard lectures by Jimmy Breslin and by James McBride. Tonight's talk was by the [View Full Entry]

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Every morning, our day begins with a pot of coffee and the home-delivered New York Times. The next 2 to 3 hours are spent lying in bed, reading the paper, and awakening our brains with the caffeine. Having read quite a few newspapers, either briefly while traveling or for a longer periods of time while temporarily living in a city, I am of the opinion that this newspaper is among the best in all of North America. I know I'm not exactly going out on a limb here, but there is a reason for the general consensus of opinion as to [View Full Entry]

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Here's an update on yesterday's ticker-tape parade for the Super Bowl Champion Giants--today's New York Times reported that it produced only 36.5 tons of confetti... I say 'only' because the record--for V-J Day in 1945--was 5,438 TONS! Of course, this football game didn't have quite the 'life or death of our country' feel to it (except to some really crazed Giants & Patriots fans perhaps). AND, this was a cold weather parade, and had only a 2-day advanced notice. Ticker tape, of course, is no longer made. And many windows in newer thermostat-controlled buildings are sealed, as are do [View Full Entry]

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The last time the Giants won the Super Bowl, Bush invaded Iraq (the father/the first time) and the parade was cancelled out of respect for Armed Service personnel. So this celebration had to be big enough and rowdy enough to make up for lost time... It began at 11 am at Bowling Green and traveled up Broadway to City Hall. By the time we arrived all streets leading to Broadway had been blocked off at the other end, so over half the crowd got no closer than about 250 yards to the parade route. I was quite dismayed, thinking I'd just [View Full Entry]

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Well, you KNEW this blog was coming, right?! I mean, has there ever been a BETTER time to be in New York City?!! Cliff and Heather went their own way yesterday, exploring New York for hours and hours on foot and subway before seeing and loving 'Wicked' Saturday night--we lounged around most of the day, then spent a wonderful evening at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. I have to give a shout-out of respect and appreciation here to TARGET. Many people are unaware of the many, many arts-related activities and opportunities sponsored by this corporation. Please visit the following [View Full Entry]

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FAMILY VISITORS! Cliff and Heather, our son and daughter-in-law, flew up from Tallahassee today for a weekend visit. So, we promptly hit the ground running. And running: not only were we trying to accommodate the desire to see and do everything in a short time, we were also trying to dodge the raindrops that began falling right around the time they arrived (accompanied by warmer weather!). Dinner was first at Rosa Mexicana, followed by a cab ride in a downpour to MoMA and a quick run through the 4th and 5th floor galleries. When that closed at 8 the rain had [View Full Entry]

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This week we attended two free dress rehearsals of the Ballet 'Double Feature' at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. Directed by the multiple Tony award winning choreographer and director, Susan Stroman ('The Producers,' 'Young Frankenstein'), this production of the New York City Ballet will run for only one week. Inspired by silent movies, whose look it emulates, this ballet is divided into two acts. The first, 'The Blue Necklace' is a melodrama with music by Irving Berlin (e.g. 'How Deep is the Ocean?,' 'Alexander's Ragtime Band'), while the second act, 'Makin' Whoopee,' is a [View Full Entry]

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