Travel Ventures – Page 3 – Tribute Journal

Crazy Good–All Things New York!

Crazy Good–All Things New York!

Aside from the crazy good frenzy of last weekend’s New York City marathon, these are a few of the other things I love about New York City:

I love the epicurean delights served up in New York City! Although I’m pretty mainstream, I can honestly say I have not had a bad meal in New York City! (Granted, it helps that my daughter and son-in-law live in New York and aptly guide my foodie cravings in the right direction!) The eclectic energy of this amazing city has a way of opening up your mind–and taste buds–to being a little more daring when it comes to making cuisine choices! New York style pizza always seems to be the perfect combination of soft, chewy crust, fresh toppings and delicious blended cheeses! Italian restaurants are my favorite, and the ones I’ve been to in New York City have expertly honed the talent of adding just the right amount of spices to any sauce and take personal pride in their homemade noodles! When it comes to breakfast or brunch, the options are endless! This time of year, it is highly likely that fresh pumpkin will be added to your pancakes or waffles, raising the delectable quotient of your meal up a notch or two!

“Public” restaurant has become one of our favorites in New York City–it was once a public library, thus it’s name! The menus are like library cards!

Since space is at a premium, dining tables are set close together in New York City Restaurants! Often you become acquainted with those you’re sitting by and can ogle the menu items they’ve ordered!

My daughter, Mandi and I savored their pumpkin waffles with cranberry compote! Presentation, as well as taste are given thoughtful consideration!

Equally delicious were my husband’s Salmon Eggs Benedict!

Mandi’s husband, Cole, is the most adventurous when it comes to trying out unusual menu selections–although I didn’t get a picture of them, he ordered Turkish poached eggs–kinda crazy, but he assured us they were very good!

Leave it to New York City to come up with a unique restaurant called “S’ Mack” that serves up indulgent macaroni and cheese! Crazy Good!

I love the vast and varied urban culture and the parks and secret gardens of New York City! There will always be the usual popular draw to the various museums and Broadway plays in New York City, but I have recently been enlightened as to what’s available when you take a detour off the “touristy beaten path”, so to speak!

My parents always tried to plan their many travels to include a few days in New York City to take in a Broadway play or two! “Matilda” is my new favorite–right up there with “Fiddler On The Roof” and “Lion King”!

The iconic Empire State Building! (This is for you “Sleepless in Seattle” fans!)

If you want to really broaden your cultural experience in New York City, just get off the Queen’s Street subway exit and the flamboyant art of 5 Pointz Graffiti Park will greet you!

Obviously someone’s interpretation of their super hero!

My daughter and her husband unknowingly came perfectly color coordinated for pictures at 5 Pointz!

Amazing stippled art! So crazy good!

My husband is not a fan of graffiti that defames other’s property, but loved that this place exists for talented artists to express themselves!

5 Pointz is a popular spot to film music videos!

My husband lovingly told me that this was a perfect rendition of my face on any given Monday morning as I’m racing out the door for work! (Funny guy, my husband!)

Although New York City is known as the “concrete jungle”–there are so many beautiful parks and secret gardens intermittently tucked away inside busy city blocks! Note the garden plots that neighbors often work on together–reminds me of one of my favorite books, “Seedfolks”!

I love shopping small shops in the big city of New York! Upon entering a small, quaint shop along any side street of this grand city, you quickly become aware that your shopping habits are about to take on a new, more personalized nuance! (You’ll find many big chain stores in New York City and of course, there’s the larger than life eye candy of 5th Avenue too!) At these self-owned shops, more often than not, the owner will greet you warmly, then with kind, considerate care go out of their way to help you find exactly what you are looking for. My husband has noted, however, that one of the downfalls of browsing the merchandise in these one-of-a-kind, specialty shops, is all the things you find that you never knew you needed! Ha! All I know is that shopping becomes an event to be cherished whether you buy anything or not!

Embracing the New York City retail experience while waiting for my daughter to model some great clothes finds! Store clerks in New York City always seem make a fun addition to a good shopping excursion! (The gal who waited on us at this store was from Australia and was such a doll!)

My husband is a succor for small neighborhood book stores–and New York City has many! You do lose track of time upon entering them!

New York City bakeries! www.mytributejournal.com

Stopping at one of the many cute bake shops in New York City makes for a perfect ending to any shopping trip!

I love the outerwear style and fashion of New York City! So many in the “Big Apple” rely on the public transportation systems to get them where they need to go, and since cold fall and winter weather conditions often have to be braved when additional blocks must be walked to reach intended destinations, outerwear in New York City serves the dual purpose of being functional as well as stylish. While observing the random, yet clever pairing of various coats, scarfs and boots on the subway or any other place in New York, you soon realize that it’s hard to feel quite as free to pull off the same look for yourself upon returning home!

Floral patterns can be mixed and matched and animal ears on your stocking caps are trending! Is this not the epitome of crazy good! Mind you, many of these pictures were taken at a very fast pace, which is also another crazy good aspect of New York City!

Although this picture doesn’t do it much justice, the wool texture and darling yoke of this cute coat caught my eye! I actually asked this gal where she got it, but alas, we never had time to find the store–maybe next trip!!!!

My braver alter-ego wears a pink fur vest and high-top converse sneakers! The lady wearing this did appear to be somewhere near my age bracket!?!

My granddaughter, Marli, pulls the look off without a hitch! Clothing boutiques for children in New York City are worthy of a post all their own–for any grandma out there, they are sooo crazy good!

Outerwear just begins to describe the diverse style of people in New York! Anyone willing and able to walk the city streets in 4 inch heels, certainly has the strongest caliber of New York City grit–doing that just seems crazy!?!

Mostly, I love that people live so passionately in New York City and have such a deep love for America and display it proudly–doing that is just so good!

I know I got a little carried away with this post–thanks for bearing with me! Now it’s back to reality!? My oldest daughter reminded me that at least my reality is pretty darn good, even if it is a bit crazy at times! Thanks again to Mandi and Cole for being such great hosts!

If you’ve never been to New York City, I hope you can arrange to go someday soon! If you have been there before–let’s start planning our next trip!!!!

What do you love most about New York City or anywhere else you’ve visited recently?

–Mary

The New York City Marathon!

The New York City Marathon–A Race Like No Other!

The headline in the 11.4.13 USA Today newspaper read, “NYC Marathon is 50,000 strong!” Add to that number, friends and family members who come to cheer from the sidelines, and it seems almost incomprehensible! However, I see New York City as being very much like a large family, whose various members invite other friends and acquaintances over for Sunday dinner, and the parents just welcome the extra people with open arms–you know sort of like “the more the merrier”…since after a certain number of people, it just doesn’t seem like that big of a deal! New York City, in it’s usual capable way, hosted people from all over the United States and the world with efficient and congenial care!

You often hear that the New York City Marathon is like no other! After watching my daughter, Mandi, run in the marathon this past Sunday, November 3, 2013, I believe it! Since last years race was cancelled due to super storm Sandy, combined with the very tragic events that took place at the Boston marathon, many runners looked to this year’s New York City Marathon as a chance to heal emotionally!

The energy and vibrancy of New York City was amped up to full throttle as the throngs of marathon runners arrived!

We enjoyed indulging in the pre-marathon meal with Mandi at Lombardi’s, the oldest pizzeria in America! So good! If you ever visit New York City, this is an experience worth having! The ambience of this quaint, little restaurant alone, is classic New York City–such fun!

What do you follow-up the best pizza with–the best cake! If you’ve ever heard of the black and white cookies that are so popular at New York City deli’s–this is the cake version–it is moist, creamy perfection! It’s a good thing you walk and walk and walk some more in New York City!

Come marathon morning, Mandi was bused to the starting point in the wee hours of the morning, even though her start time wasn’t until 10:05. The weather had turned quite cool on Sunday morning, (apparently runners like it a little cool?) so Mandi was glad to wait for her turn in one of the warm tents set up for the runners!

Mandi’s husband, Cole, is always great support to Mandi during her races! A biker at heart, Cole, recently bought himself some new running shoes! (Mandi can be very persuasive!) I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it was to have Cole help guide and maneuver us through the busy streets and barricades as we tracked Mandi’s progress!

The New York Police Department was a strong and firm reminder to everyone that New York City was in good hands!

Local bands played and added a fun addition to the festivities!

Mandi’s dad was a proud spectator–although having run his fair share of marathons, I know he was a bit itchy to join the runners!

Even the birds seemed to be enamored with watching the tireless tenacity of the runners!

Mandi rounded the corner by Central Park at mile 25 looking good and ready for the home stretch!

Mandi’s tired but triumphant look of accomplishment was truly inspiration to me to remember that even when we’re busy just living life–we need to always strive to make time to fulfill a few of our dreams in the process!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE RUNNERS!

Have you got a dream you’re going after?

–Mary

A New York City Tribute!

A New York City Tribute!

As cliché as it sounds, like any t-shirt spiriting the infamous slogan sold by endless vendors on the street corners of New York City…

My parents had traveled to New York City several times in their many journeys throughout their lifetime, but I did not have the opportunity to visit there until I was expecting my youngest child. My husband’s profession is in finance and he used to travel to New York City more frequently than he does now. When we were finally able to arrange for me to accompany my husband on a much anticipated business/pleasure trip, I remember waiting for him in the immense courtyards of the Twin Towers feeling that it was surreal to witness the stately presence of these two iconic New York City landmarks!

Like so many events that mark time in history, I think we all remember where we were and what we were doing when we first heard word of the tragic events that took place in New York City on September 11, 2001! I was at the hospital where I work, prepping to help receive a new baby that was soon to be born that morning by a scheduled caesarean section. I attended a few other deliveries that day as well, and sadly, it seemed almost as if some of the parents were a little afraid to show the joy they felt as they held their precious babies close while watching some of the news coverage of the horrific events that took place in New York City on that day! (I suspect that strong, kindred spirits share September 11th birthdays!)

Like many families, we have taken our children to New York City and enjoyed all the various activities that make going there such a unique experience! Once while visiting New York, our youngest daughter, Mandi, who was about 17 years old at the time, really wanted us to take a tour of New York University! Afterwards, Mandi told us that she was going to attend NYU one day! (As mentioned, I was pregnant with Mandi when I first went to New York, so her love of this amazing city seems to have come innately!) I’m not sure my husband and I really gave much credence to this statement at the time, and considering the price of tuition, we hoped it was a fleeting dream!

We underestimated the power of Mandi’s determination to fulfill her dream. She studied exercise physiology as an undergraduate student, and is now working on her PhD at New York University!

New York City has definitely taken on a more personal role in our hearts now that Mandi and her husband, Cole, live there!

Our son-in-law, Cole, is in his fourth year of medical school at NYU!

Each time you touch down at JFK National Airport and hear Frank Sinatra singing “New York, New York” on the speakers of the elevator as you go up to your hotel room, you can’t help but be engulfed by the energy that is New York City! We have been lucky to be able to get acquainted with this great city in a more intimate way since having Mandi and Cole as our personal guides when we visit!

On one of our last trips to New York City, we were able to go with Mandi and Cole to see the memorial pools that occupy the space where the two Twin Towers once stood. We also saw the construction being done on the Freedom Tower. The reverent nature of this sacred, historic site is palpable! You leave with a firmer conviction to try harder at doing your part to make the world a better place!

Our neighbor at the time, had a brother killed when a plane crashed into the Pentagon. We found his name among the many listed at this beautiful memorial!

The two pictures above were taken by Cole and capture so well the kind and thoughtful consideration that the designers of this amazing memorial took to heart as they created a way to pay tribute to all the loved ones lost on September 11, 2001!

We cherish the opportunity we had to see the memorials at Ground Zero with Mandi and Cole!

I’m always fascinated with what Mandi and Cole are doing while living in New York City, and although they assure me that it isn’t always glamorous, they love living there!

When I asked them to tell me in a sentence or two what they loved most about New York City, this was their responses:

Cole said, “One of the things I love about New York is there’s always something new to experience. You’ve never seen it all!”

Mandi said, “I love the fall in New York City! I love that you can feel the anticipation of the holiday season in the air. It is the best time to attend the farmer’s markets, and it’s a couple of months worth of perfect temperatures! Another weather note…I love rain in New York. I have always loved rainy days, so I appreciate that it rains much more here than it does in Utah. (However, the snow situation is pitiful compared to Utah!)

I also love that on a daily basis I have some nice interaction with a stranger. People perceive New York City as a rushed and impersonal city, but that is a misconception. I rarely have a day go by that a stranger doesn’t give a nice compliment or help me out in some way. Finally, of course, I love all the activities in the city. If you want an adventure, delicious food, or a relaxed evening out, you can make it happen!”

Cole also took this picture of the beautiful New York City skyline and entitled it: “The setting sun on the center of the universe!” Perfectly stated!