New York, Part Eight--The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

So I thought I was going to post Letterman next, but I decided I needed to do this one first.

Of course, no trip to NYC is complete without visiting Liberty Island. We went down to Battery Park early enough to be on the first ferry to the island. Which is good, because the lines got really long after we boarded. The ferry ride was really pleasant, and we could see so much of Manhattan from the water. Here is Lady Liberty from the ferry.

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And we had to get the proof that we were actually there by getting our picture taken with the Statue in the background.

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The walk up the stairs was a killer for me. I must be becoming a wimp. But the walk down was much easier as you can see from the smile.

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I loved the view of Manhattan behind the Statue.

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And here is Ellis Island. What a landmark! The museum is really something, too. I really am impressed with the immigrants who came through here. What stalwarts!

Be sure to visit these islands when you get to NYC. It's well worth getting up early for.

*Part Nine--Letterman and Rupert Jee

Dork TV

Okay, so I am a total dork. I usually watch reality shows only every once in a while. I'm not a big TV watcher, period. Well, I got interested in American Idol this year, mostly because someone emailed me about a girl in it who is LDS. So I decided to check it out. And what do you know, but there was an LDS boy on it, too. So, what initially started as a simple curiosity turned into this weird gotta-watch sort of thing. Anyway, my mother-in-law didn't help with the whole rabid fascination, either, because I had to call her after every show since she had to know the results every week as soon as they happened. :) (That's the joy of living on the east coast--no delayed broadcasts.) Anyway, I decided that I really rather enjoyed listening to all of these really talented folks every week. I'm sure you can tell who I decided was my favorite by listening to my music. Well, the season is finally over and I can get back to my not-watching-much-TV zone I was in previously. Although I couldn't resist compiling these favorites of mine for you. If you don't care for them, just turn your sound down. And as for Nina, turn it up and rock out!

New York, Part Seven--Central Park, Strawberry Fields, and the Manhattan Temple

Yes, finally, two months later, I'm working on finishing up our New York trip.

After visiting with our local friends, we went on a sightseeing hike. First, we went to Central Park, which is only about 5 blocks away from Tom and Tracy's place. (Give or take.) Central Park is absolutely huge, so we didn't get everywhere, but the whole time I was wondering where Disney filmed "Enchanted". (That must have been a sight.)

It's hard to see in the small picture below, but there is an ice skating rink hiding in the middle that was packed. What a place to skate!

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Nestled in the west part of Central Park is Strawberry Fields. For those of you who don't know what Strawberry Fields is, brush up on your Beatles and John Lennon history. We were told that there are always flowers on the Imagine mosaic.

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Since we were there, we couldn't pass up the chance to see the Manhattan Temple. It is right in the middle of the city, completely surrounded by huge buildings. It may be overshadowed a bit by the surroundings, but it holds its own.

*Up next: Part Eight--The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

Have you heard the one about...

Mummi, the Chinese man, and the sauna? This one is just too good not to document. Chris was on the phone with his mom this evening and she related an awesome story about her Finnish mom. In case you don't know, the sauna is huge in Finland. Usually it's done by just the women, just the men, or an individual married couple at one time. Well, this one is a bit outside the mold. (I hope I get the retelling right.)

Mummi (Chris's grandma) was a bit early for her usual sauna time at the shared sauna in her apartment complex. Usually there isn't anyone in the earlier time slot. So she got undressed in one of the dressing rooms and was ready to go in when she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. So, in her full 80 year old Finnish glory, she went into the room and found a Chinese man in all his glory. He seemed to be just finishing up his sauna, so she explained that she was a few minutes early and would he mind if she went ahead and got started. Apparently his Finnish isn't all that, because he seemed to think she was inviting him to join in a sauna with her. So, the 80 year old Finnish lady and the Chinese man enjoyed a true Finnish sauna together.

Only in Finland!

The Ex

I almost forgot. Tom and Tracy had this rather curious knife block in their kitchen. (But their's is white.) When I saw it I actually burst out laughing. It was morbid now that I think of it, but it was just too out of place in their kitchen to be taken seriously. Tracy said that she came home one day and it was just there. Surprisingly enough she didn't demand that Tom remove it. She said that it is one of those things that you either love or you hate. I wouldn't necessarily say that I love it, but it caught me off guard. Tracy said that usually the men love it and the women hate it. So I guess I'm outside of that mold. So, I ask, what do you think?

New York, Part Six--Visiting with friends

While we were in New York we visited with some friends, Tom and Tracy. I have known Tom since we were about 6 years old. We had a great time visiting and catching up. They took us to a great indian food place called Utsav. (If you are ever in Manhattan, reserve a table here and enjoy their chicken tikka masala and their mango mousse. Good stuff!) We also got to visit with them in their home. Granted, I have not seen any other Manhattan residences, but Tom and Tracy have got to have the best place to live in mid-town. It is absolutely fantastic! They live in the penthouse of their building, and the whole top floor is theirs. They have a deck that wraps around the whole top of the building, and their view is wonderful! I was completely envious, and completely thrilled that they have such an awesome place for themselves. And they have an impeccable decorating style. Anyway, below are some pictures we took on their deck.

All of us on the roof deck.

The view to the west.

The view to the north-east (I think). The bridge is the 59th Street Bridge, of Simon and Garfunkel fame.

Thanks for a fantastic visit, Tom and Tracy! Visit us in DC soon!

*Up next: Part Seven--Central Park, Strawberry Fields, and the Manhattan Temple