Good morning all! Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving yesterday and were able to be surrounded by good company.

After breakfast, blogging, and parade watching, I headed over to the gym in order to carve out some caloric space for the carved turkey that I would be consuming later. Twas a decent workout that included the following:

-30 Min. treadmill run/walk (2.75 miles total)

-Uber quick and light strength training workout that included 2 sets. 10 reps of the following:

-Lunges, squats, calf raises, bicep curls, tricep extensions, overhead shoulder presses

-25 crunches, 20 oblique crunches on each side

-streeeeeeeetch

I’m looking to spice up my strength training regime. I try to stay away from complicated exercises that require fancy accessories. If anyone has any free weight exercises or fun twists on the classics (push-ups, crunches, squats), I’d love to hear them!

I had a light lunch for some post-workout fuel just to tide me over until the feasting commenced later:

Whole-Wheat Pittettes, Granny Smith Apple Slices, Hummus, Cheddar Cheese

I love this lunch. It’s my new go-to simple, no-cook lunch. Though, it is nice to heat up the whole-wheat pitettes in the microwave for 15 seconds before the hummus dipping takes place.

I then got geared up to head up to Harlem for a Thanksgiving bonanza. I walked a lovely, serene beautiful 2.5 miles from my apartment, through Central Park (which was filled with families enjoying T-Day walks), and met up with these two kids at the 72nd Street Subway Station:

Jodi and Vince

I also sipped on this while inhaling the incredible atmosphere on my walk:

Tall, Non-Fat, Decaf, No-Whip Pumpkin Spice Latte (My Most Complicated Starbucks Order to Date)

Then, once our destination was reached, all this crazy stuff went down:

Candy Yams, Creamed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes, To Name a Few of the Many Dishes Available

Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, To Name A Few More.

Apple Crumble Topped Apple Pie (Tez Combined the Two Recipes, Soooooooo Good)

I didn’t spend too much time snapping carefully poised photos during the Thanksgiving feast because I was in serious c’est la vie mode. Suffice it to say, Jay and Tez (the charming and wonderful hosts) know how to put on a feast. I had an unpictured horderve plate with a few small bites of sun-dried tomatoes, half a grape leaf roll, and these delicious little pumpkin filled pastry crust doo-dads (I think that’s the proper name for them).

Here’s what my plate ended up looking like:

Green Beans & Carmelized Apples, White Meat Turkey, Deliciously Fluffy Roll, Apple Slaw, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Stuffing, Creamed Spinach, Candied Yams

Nick took care of the turkey leg:

Own That Leg, Boy!

Dessert plate:

Chocolate Cake, Apple Crumble Pie, Lotsa Whipped Cream (Sorry, Healthy LIving, It's Thanksgiving, A Time to Be Grateful and Splurge).

Prosecco is yummy:

The night was great. Much laughter was had, as well as some Wii play, Left Right Center, Yahtzee (I came so close to winning, thanks a lot, Jay!), and it’s worth mentioning that we each had to take a shot of our preferred liquor whenever we took our “chance” turn in Yahtzee. I chose Vodka. It burned, hence the term “fire water.”

I don’t think I can articulate how much food was present. Let’s just say, that at around, ohhhh 11:30PM, Jay PULLED THE SPIRAL HAM OUT OF THE OVEN.

We all enjoyed an appropriate midnight snack of ham sandwiches and coffee:

Again, Healthy Living Was Not My MO Last Night.

I then scooted home in a cab, read, and passed out. It’s Friday, and I’m still in a bit of a food coma.

What was the best new dish you tried for Thanksgiving this year?

All the fun things to do in New York City make it a fantastic vacation destination for families during the summer. NYC has everything parents with kids of varying ages are looking for.

Start your vacation with an overview of New York City. Head off to the Top of the Rock’s Observation Deck, located at the 70th floor of 30 Rockefeller Center, to have a 360-degree look of the splendor of New York City. Or you can bring the family to the Empire State Building. The NY Skyride, in particular, is a thrill for the kids as it gives a virtual tour of New York City in 3D.

The many museums in New York City provide a great learning experience through fun activities for the kids. If you are looking for a thing to do to tickle the minds of the youngest members of your family in New York City, take them to the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, which features Dora the Explorer and other characters your children are fond of. Next, join the Ground Zero Museum Workshop Tour where you can learn about heroic eyewitness stories and personal accounts of people who participated in the Recovery through the exhibits displayed. This will be a very interesting and educational experience for older kids and teenagers.

Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close is one thing visitors always include in their New York City itinerary. There are different tours and cruises such as the Lady Liberty Helicopter Flight and Liberty Cruise that can give you a closer look at the very famous American icon.

Sports fanatics find themselves with an interesting thing to do in New York City in the summer. Share the energy and excitement of New Yorkers at Rucker Park in Harlem as professional athletes play their respective sports in a court that is celebrated every year! Or you can always catch a ball game in the court or in a ball park like Yankee Stadium.

Have an afternoon stroll and picnic with your family for some down time in Central Park for free! Parents can sit and relax at Central Park while watching their children run around and skate for free. To make the most of your Central Park stop, check out the expanse of Central Park Zoo with all its polar bears, penguins, monkeys, lions, zebras and a lot of other animals.

New York City houses a lot of hotels for your lodging needs. Get ready to be treated like royalty at The New York Palace, which is conveniently located within walking distance from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Rockefeller Center and the high-end shops in New York City.

Have an alone time with your spouse with an intimate romantic dinner at the View Restaurant. Located atop the hotel, the View Restaurant serves exquisite cuisine with an incredible view of the entire city giving you an amazing outdoor dining experience perfect for the summer. Catching a musical or a play in Broadway is one more thing to do with your spouse in New York City that you both should experience.

Fun and excitement for the kids, alone time for the parents. The things to do in New York City will surely make your family summer vacation a blast!

Before I headed back to Richmond, I ventured out to the city yesterday for some pre-Thanksgiving fun. Nothing sounded more awesome than watching balloons being inflated by the Museum of Natural History for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I imagined myself happily snapping away as the balloons slowly took form and floated into the big blue sky.

That image was tarnished as soon as I stepped outside. First of all, it was almost dark (This happens around, what, 4 p.m. now?). Second, it was raining. And third, there were too many people there, namely kids. Now, I love kids as much as the next non-maternal woman, but they’re pretty much guaranteed to step into shots, obstruct your view (hoisted on their parents’ shoulders) and the like. In many cases, this still could present the opportunity for great familial pictures, except it was too crowded and we were herded like cattle, nicely encouraged by staff to keep moving so as to keep the next group of gawkers happy.

Instead of happy pictures and big blue sky, there was rain, serious multitasking (one hand on the camera, the other on the umbrella), and disgruntled strangers.

“Watch your umbrella!” said the angry woman behind me.
“It’s not even raining!” some guy muttered.
“Oof!” said another after my umbrella stabbed his neck (I guess you could say this one was warranted).

Further, the floats looked like they were held captive, waiting to be freed the following morning for the spectacle that awaited them. Mickey Mouse wasn’t soaring above us, his white gloves in a permanent high five. A net covered him from head to toe. The Pillsbury Doughboy, making his first appearance at the parade, lay with his head on the pavement, weighed down by sandbags. At the end of the line, men and women in bright colored uniforms inflated yet another one doomed to meet its Gulliver-like fate.

Still, beneath all that unglamorous presentation, I admit there was something kind of magical about it.

Happy Thanksgiving, you.

Mickey under siege. Photographers nearby looked through their photos.

Two pups.

Hordes of balloon lovers.

Smurftacular.

Pillsbury Doughboy eats it.

Lilliputian hijinks.

Pooh from behind. What a great last glimpse.

Central Park, New York. July, 2008.

Autumn in Central Park on Film #15, originally uploaded by CVerwaal.

I have not been shooting with my old Olympus rangefinder for a while because of a problem with it, but recently I bought a second one and I’ve just finished a roll of film. Here is one of the results. The camera, with it’s sharp 42mm f1.7 lens is a joy to hold and use.
A lonely biker on the 72nd street drive in Central Park, New York City.
Olympus 35SP rangefinder, Zuiko 42mm f1.7, Fuji Superia 200.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As long as I can remember, the Macy’s Parade has been a big part of my holiday morning.  The floats, the marching bands, and the balloons — Snoopy is still my favorite — were the sights and sounds that woke me up and provided the soundtrack for our family’s holiday preparations.

Now that I live in Manhattan’s Upper West Side — one block from the parade route and just around the corner from the Museum of Natural History where they inflate the balloons — the Macy’s Parade has gone from television spectacle to neighborhood block party.

From mid-day Wednesday until Thursday afternoon, throngs of people — including a celebrity or two — invade my block to witness the festivities.

My favorite Turkey Day celebrity encounter to date?

On my second year in New York, Rory and I took an early walk in Central Park on Thanksgiving — but not quite early enough, as it turned out.  We got ‘caught’ on the park side of Central Park West in the gathering crowd, and I couldn’t cross the street without police escort.

As I stood there waiting, Rory in my arms so he wouldn’t get trampled, a boy’s hand reached over to pet him on the head.

“Your dog is cute,” his quiet voice said.

As I turned to say thank you, I realized the hand and voice belonged to Michael Cera of “Arrested Development,” “Superbad,” and “Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist.”

He and I chatted for a few moments about typical dog topics (breed, age, name) until his mom told him it was time to meet the producer from NBC.  He never introduced himself, and I never acknowledged who he was.

We were just two people hanging out, talking puppy dogs, at the Turkey Day block party in the ‘hood.

In a completely uncharacteristic move today, I headed over to the Upper West Side on the spur of the moment to see the inflation of the Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. Admittedly, I imagined the balloons spending the night in Central Park, softly bumping against each other on the Great Lawn, patiently queued up along the 102nd Street Transverse, or all huddled together around the bandshell at Bethesda Fountain, waiting for the show to start. Nope. So much for the romance of my running routes being populated with chubby and dumb aircraft–they just close off 81st and 77th Streets at CPW, on either side of the Museum of Natural History. The sidewalks were jammed (and I mean jammed) with kids and mommies and strollers. Every child had a rubber balloon tied to their wrist, which was kind of cute. When I wasn’t taking abstract photos of these massive cartoon characters, I was cracking jokes (The Pillsbury Doughboy tethered face down on the street: “Okay hands on the car fatso! Spread ‘em, lard ass!”) and trying not to cuss out loud. Come on, you can’t expect me to actually be earnest about this holiday shit, can you?!

"Hands where we can see 'em, Chuckles!"

Snoops, lemme borrow your noise-cancelling headphones. This Lucy bitch won't shut up.

Miss Piggy once again practices taekwondo on Kermit.

This dawg is pumped, yo!

"How ironic," Spidey muttered dryly.

I’m listening to Empire State of Mind by Alicia Keys (awesome song). Miss Keys was playing in Rockefeller Plaza this weekend when I was in New York City. It is that kind of event that makes you realize that this is where everything is happening. In my entire life I have been to this city seven times, and every time I go there it is a completely different experience. Ironically, I am more free in New York than I am in Toronto, and I am a Canadian. Maybe I should move. Anyway, here is a list of some cool things I did this weekend.

The Apollo Theater

1. The Apollo Theater

My wife and I took the subway to Harlem, getting off at 125th and Malcolm X Blvd. For some reason I was surprised by how many Starbucks there were. I was also a little surprised by how small The Apollo Theater is on the outside. There is so much history here I just assumed there would be a big gift shop and a huge outer-facade (is that even a word?). There is a tour you can go on that we couldn’t do because there was a matinee performance of Dreamgirls (I saw the original on Broadway).

2. We walked the entire length of Central Park

IT'S A CONCRETE JUNGLE!!!!

For the first time I walked the entire length of Central Park from Harlem to the Upper West Side. Next to Stanley Park in Vancouver this is the nicest park in the world. It barely seemed like any time went by, but we walked miles. We watched people skating, saw a turtle, witnessed a wedding and watched two jazz trios. I kept remembering all of the movies I have seen that take place in this park (mostly Woody Allen movies).

3. Angelo’s Pizza (Next to the Letterman studios)

Angelo's Pizza

New York has six million people, but we actually bumped into my family at this restaurant. Maybe it was because I wouldn’t shut up about how great it is. We all sat at Madonna’s table right there in the front window. We also ate at a few Italian restaurants with more nouveau cuisine, but there is something about the basics that will work forever. Good tomato sauce, white bread, cheese, pepperoni and spaghetti done in an old fashioned New York Italian style. The last time we ate here my wife talked to David Letterman shortly afterwards.

4. The Empire State Building

The Empire Strikes Back

One night we went up to the top of the Empire State Building. It seemed to be going through a cloud and it was snowing even though on the ground there was no snow. It was still a great view and we were able to see people practicing for the Macy’s Parade. Interesting factoid: the observatory that is further up was supposed to be a waiting room for zeppelin balloons.

5. Macys Parade Practice

Macy's Parade

Well we didn’t get to watch the parade but we did see them practicing. There is always something happening in this town.

6. We stayed near Times Square

WHAT TIME IS IT?!!!

Um…if there is a recession someone forgot to tell Times Square. It was much more crowded then it was two years ago when I was last here. And yet I never felt like I wasn’t safe. And I was mugged here once in the 80s. It is now completely different from the Times Square I was mugged in. It’s all chocolate and toys now. I’ll save my Broadway experience for my next blog, but here is a teaser: GO SEE IN THE HEIGHTS!!!! Also Rihanna played here on Monday morning for Good Morning America. I missed it but my niece saw her.

We stayed at the Westin off of 43rd. Nice comfy beds.

7. The Brooklyn Diner

The Mixed Marriage of Irving and Gina

This is my favorite place to eat in New York. This is an interesting breakfast they have called The Mixed Marriage of Irving and Gina which has challa bread and Italian sausage. It was delicious. I love mixed marriages myself and this was as delicious as my own mixed marriage. I also had pancakes the next day that were also soft and yummy. They serve polenta instead of hash brown.

8. FAO Schwarz

The BIG Piano at FAO Schwarz

One thing I love about New York is that they are proud of their film history and they take every chance they can to exploit/celebrate that rich culture. Here two FAO Schwarz employees gleefully dance on the piano while dozens look on.

9. Gray Line Tours

Part of the Berlin Wall stands near the WTC ruins

We took the Gray Line Downtown tour. This was the only way we could see everything we wanted in the short time we were in the city. The only place we got off the bus was at the WTC site. My father told me that when I was a baby we stood there as they were building the World Trade Centre. In the 80s we both went to the top of the World Trade Center. And now we stand looking at the construction of the Freedom Tower.

10. We didn’t get in to see The View but we did stand in a cold line

Take some time to wait outside in the cold hoping to get in to see The View

Actually this wasn’t a cool thing to do. It was a freakin’ cold thing to do! And we didn’t get in to see The View. We stood in the stand-by line early in the morning. They do give you a complimentary breakfast which is nice. And I did get to see producer Bill Getty walk into work. And I learned that The View is actually filmed in a really ugly building. And they don’t have enough seats, because even people with tickets couldn’t get in. Get a bigger theater Barbara!

Of course the real reason it was so busy and crowded is because it is much cheaper to go to New York City now because of the recession. So there are a lot of deals and I encourage you to go down and experience the city Toronto can only pretend to be. Most of my immediate family went down to spend some time together and celebrate some birthdays, good health and my sixth wedding anniversary.

We are exactly 1 day away until Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday season. Let’s celebrate with our family and friends and enjoy the next few weeks ahead as they will go by quickly. Make sure you slow down and enjoy every moment from now until the New Year. These are the most important moments of the year, focus on it and live it. But don’t forget to smile, relax and of course, exercise!

Do Not Sabotage your weight on Thanksgiving Dinner

• Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner or bringing a few dishes to share, make your recipes healthier with less fat, sugar, and calories.
• Our bodies aren’t meant to handle 2,000-3,000 calories all at once and will store excess calories as fat.
• Skipping breakfast and lunch is a sure recipe for overeating at the Thanksgiving table.
• Before you fill your plate, survey the buffet table and decide what you’re going to choose. Then select reasonable-sized portions of foods you cannot live without.
• Better to eat smaller amounts and drink lots of water throughout the day and really enjoy a healthful dinner.
  Control your portion sizes: Draw a 12-inch dinner plate in your mind and divide it into three-inch-sized circles with each one representing one food group: proteins, vegetables and starches. The key is to stay within your circle for each food group: If you like turkey and ham, fit a little of both in one circle.
• Be active: Go for a bike ride, a long brisk walk, a run or spend at least one hour at your local gym to burn calories before the big Thanksgiving meal.
• Be mindful of your alcohol intake: Mixed drinks tend to have high amount of concentrated sugar and quickly add empty calories. One glass of wine may be reasonable, but remember alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein.

Make sure to thanks your family, loved ones, and those who matter most on Thanksgiving!
Thank you all for what you do!

Committed to your success,
Stacy Papakostas

At the heart of Central Park in NYC lays “The Mall”, a wide promenade that was created to allow visitors to the park the opportunity to mix and mingle and congregate in an open space. Its bordered on both sides by beautiful American Elms, that stretch their limbs in interesting ways. Its a peaceful, yet busy, place in the heart of Manhattan.

Had great light the morning I shot this- the Mall was alive with people and pets… and the trees seemed especially alive in the morning glow. Snapped this shot during a break in our DLWS workshop, and finished it using a NIK filter called Glamor Glow. I use this filter sparingly because it tends to blur things a bit, but here, it brought out the magic of those majestic trees as they prepare for the long coming winter.

If you haven’t been to The Mall, I would urge you to go… a truly amazing place to see… and just be…

Enjoy! And HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!

Dude, all my adventures in New York are kind of a messed up blur of events, so unfortunately, this won’t be all that neat. But deal!

—

Friday, October 9th
Arrive there, I think, and HsuHan has told me that HsuKen is in town with lady friend, so I meet up with them in the yuppie shopping area, and they go shopping and we go shopping and I buy a couple things. Not too much to speak of. My hostel is fine, but I think I get a lotta weird bug bites from being there… hrm. My roommate Stewart is this British guy, and he seems pretty cool, but I can only stay in that hostel for that evening because the rest of the weekend is all booked up, so I have to change hostels. We loosely chat about going to church on Sunday because there’s this awesome gospel church near where the hostel is in Upper West side of Manhattan. That night we go eat pizza, based on Judy’s recommendation, and it’s delicious! That’s about it, though.

—

Saturday, October 10th
Walk around Central Park with Stewart in the morning and then we split paths. He’s supposed to call me the next day regarding going to church, but he never does! Ass! He went to a miscellaneous white party that evening with random people from the internet so maybe he ded.

Go eat lunch with Jesse [Jensen] and his girlfriend, Fara! It’s been like, five years since I’ve seen him, so it was nice. Him and his girlfriend are really funny and cute together, but are kinda unshy about PDA… ;x Apparently a lot of their friends hate hanging out with them because of that. Jesse goes off on how he hates Brooklyn and when he was there the other night screamed about how people in Brooklyn are ugly and poor or something. LOL! Guess it’s the newfound lawyer in him?

After that, I walk around Central Park a bit. Find some markets. This guy makes this cool paper holder stuff out of polymer clay… there’s the clothespins behind them that when you press them, make the mouths open. SO NEAT! Such a cool material…

BAD ASS.

I very much enjoy this picture since it’s fairly plain in itself.

They’re hardcore about haunted houses in New York. Wish I coulda gone to one…

That night, I stayed with Don [Vu] and Van [Vu] and Phil, Tammy’s boyfriend, in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Their place had mice! I slept on the couch! I actually SAW the mice, too, which was a little weird, but whatever.

We went to eat at some Japanese restaurant, and it was quite delicious. It felt like being in Japan again, which was cool, and the menu was hilarious. Wasn’t cheap, though.

I just ate some takoyaki (was saving money and trying to not be a huge fatass).

Afterwards, they gave us a cup for using with the cotton candy machine. Score!

—

Sunday, October 11th
The following night, I was staying with Judy and Doug! For the day, we walk around and explore Brooklyn. They live in a nice, homey part of town.

Get some mothafuckin veggie pizza which is real nommy! New York pizza rules!

They’re going to go to the show with me at nighttime but we find out that it’s freaking sold out. Aaron tries to see if he can get them on the list but there’s no space… I get on the list, though. But before that, Aaron texts me and lies to me saying that there’s no way they can get me on the guest list because Muse’s bassist is in town and took all their guest list spots. Which I was like, “What? That’s weird,” about but it didn’t occur to me that it could possibly be a blatant lie. Turns out it was in fact a blatant fabrication. A pretty good one, at that. -__- To kill time with Judy and Doug, we get some yummy cupcakes that I’m going to bring to them because Aaron’s birthday was the previous day and he’d never eaten gourmet cupcakes before and that’s a crime (although these cupcakes were, in my opinion, not so good as freaking Cupcake Royale, which I still maintain has the best cupcakes, although people beg to differ).

Anyway, that cupcake shop also has these cakes in a cup… just basically really creamy cake they mash up into a cup. It looks really godamn good! The place is closing by the time we get there, though, so we just munch down and finish up. Then we go putz around this bar and stuff. Just chat. Play some Connect 4. Hollar! Then we go visit their friend’s house — some old musicians — and they pick up some stuff. And since they can’t make it into the show, they go home after that (bummer! But it was a late show anyway and they are early risers for work, so they probably wouldn’t even have seen Le Loup’s set anyway. Ah, well).

I get to the Mercury Lounge to meet up with Aaron and John and James.

Sold out show which must be a good feeling. It was a really good show, perhaps the best I’ve seen them ever, although I guess Aaron felt really weird about it. Went for an aimless walk after their set cuz that’s what Aaron and I do a lot of the time we hang out, and he was talking about his girl problems a lot. Good fun times.

Later on, I’m hungry, so I wanna eat some falafel… so we go next door to this yummy falafel place which makes them SPICY — a thing I’ve never had. Aaron teases me nonstop about how I eat and it’s embarrassing and really messy and self-conscious-making. Post making fun of me, he goes off on some hilarious really long monologue tirade about how he needs to do interviews for me (like for Micachu) and pretends to be a businessman trying to help me succeed and yadda yadda and he says that he understands that I like who I am and don’t want money to change who I am, etc. etc. but that if I just let him do interviews then I’ll have more success than I know what do with, basically. It was a totally really ridiculously long joke where he played some character, and he definitely really got into it. Ha.

—

Monday, October 12th
Wake up and head to Coney Island! It’s in southern Brooklyn and is just a skip and a hop away from Judy’s place, so I head there by myself. After that, I meet up with Judy to give her back her key and then head over to the Bushwick neighborhood where my new hostel is. Bushwick is this really cool (and really small) neighborhood where there’s a whole lot of fun artsy stuff going on, and the New York Loft Hostel is located there. Really awesome hostel, which I highly recommend. It’s not for people who don’t like being in a central location, though, but it is definitely for people who like going to New York just to hang in Brooklyn. Far as I’m concerned, Manhattan kinda sucks. Brooklyn’s where it’s at, dawg. (Although just by sheer quantity of things to do there are at least a few good things to do in Manhattan.)

Didn’t get to eat the highly regarded Nathan’s cheese fries at Coney Island because I was stuffed already. I bought some hummus from the supermarket and ate the shit out of it — while walking, while hanging out on the Coney Island Boardwalk with the seagulls… yum! I love hummussssssssss! Coney Island was more thriving than I’d anticipated; I thought it would be closed for the season but there were definitely people walking around. Not that many people, mind you, but that’s fine, really. It’s kinda small and sad, and I don’t think the average person would find it all that entertaining, but I did, for sure.

Aaron and I were supposed to hang out that day, but he was impossible to get a hold of! Turns out he was chillin real hard at a friend’s place literally like… within a mile from my hostel. Which is kinda funny.

Anyway, I checked into my hostel in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, which I really like cause it’s really small and artsy.

Anyway, I think I walked around and explored Manhattan for a while since I hadn’t really explored it proper, and it was alright.

The giant Toys R’ Us was funny…

Jeanette used to do PR for this company, and it’s ridiculous they have toy phones as well as real phones. WTF!

Indoor ferris wheel at the Toys R’ Us.

Their bathroom ruled. Ha!

Hilarity on the subway. Britney SPARES!

Tried to find a nommy dinner by way of aimless wandering but everything everywhere I went looked really good but was super pricey, and I eventually settled on this Indian food hole-in-the-wall that was pretty delicious but kinda ghetto… like, they had all the plates already sitting there, probably for hours, and when you ordered, they’d heat it up. It was fucking good, though. I’m a bit obsessed with Indian food lately. Not sure what the deal is. I used to just think it was okay, but since I started loving paneer, I started really, really loving the SHIT out of Indian food. MMMMMM.

—

(OTHER NEW YORK POST FROM WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IN NEW YORK)
(OTHER NEW YORK POST FROM JFK AIRPORT, ALSO)
(OTHER NEW YORK POST FROM BROOKLYN)

Charles Parsons painted these ice skaters in 1862, during the park’s infancy. Ice skating was quite a fad among middle- and upper-class New Yorkers at the time. Even the little dog on the right is getting into it.

Later this painting was made into a lithograph by Currier & Ives.

Aerial view over central park showing the location of the cave entrance

The National Reporter
A massive cave network estimated to be as extensive as Monmouth caves in Kentucky, has been discovered in New York city’s central park.
The cave entrance was discovered by accident a little less than a month ago when a dog chased a ball into a rarely traveled wooded area.
The National Reporter asked the NYC parks commissioner how such a huge cave located in the middle of the worlds largest and most populated city could have remained undiscovered for all these years.
“Well,.I guess the reason no one has ever stumbled on it is because there is nothing but city folk living here.” He said. “City folk don’t know the ways of the wilderness, so they are less likely to wander off the paved paths to go exploring in the bushes. They would get lost.”
The National Reporter – That would explain why all caves in the U.S. park system are located in the country. They were all discovered by country folk who know how to explore the bushes beyond the beaten path.
“That is correct.” He answered.

The entrance to the cave lies hidden in the bushes about fifty feet from the well-traveled path, covered with greenery it is barely visible even up close.

the well conceled entrance to the cave lies around fifty feet from the well-traveled pedestrian path

Once inside the well hidden entrance, the cave opens up into a palatial chamber.
Scientists have already begun digging for artifacts in the main chamber and have found nothing interesting so far.

Just inside of the mouth of the cave is an enormous chamber.

The cave continues on for a few hundred feet until it comes to a pit that is around five hundred feet deep.
The National Reporter donned the special gear provided by the NYC spelunkers society and went down below with the team to explore the subterranean chambers.
In one small alcove there was an old rusted out model T ford that had been sitting for ages.
No one knew how it got there or what happened to the owner.
it is speculated that he ended up in the cave by accident and perished when he became trapped.

The National Reporter's Ace Flashman seen here repelling down into the five hundred foot deep cave pit.

A model T ford that somehow ended up at the bottom of the deep pit in an alcove. There was no trace of the owner.

As we explored farther into the extensive network of tunnels and chambers, one of the team members noticed some drawings on the walls.
We all huddled in for a closer look and it was obvious that they were prehistoric cave paintings.
They were later estimated to be over 250 thousand years old.
The style and techniques used in the drawings are remarkably similar to cave paintings found in Europe.

Cave paintings estimated to be around 250 thousand years old

The fantastic central park cave is closed to the public for now, but is expected to open up this summer in mid July sometime.
There will be a brand new paved path leading to the entrance so that it will be easy to find and an elevator is being installed to take visitors down the deep pit where they can explore the subterranean chambers and view the prehistoric cave paintings.
There will be several brand new McDonald’s, Burger king and Kentucky fried chicken restaurants opening up on all levels of the cave as well as retail stores, movie theaters and a new branch of the Chase Manhattan bank.
For added security there will be new police sub stations on every level of the cave.
Plan on making a special trip to central park cave with the entire family!

Photo by joiseyshowaa

Our offices will be closed on Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We will reopen on Monday, November 30.

If you are in town for the weekend, NYC has a plethora of events to celebrate the Holiday weekend! Here are a few favorites:

Macy’s Balloon Inflation on Thanksgiving Eve:
What’s better than watching the floating giants rise? For details and the inflation map click here. For information on the balloons, please click here.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
Be part of the more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets of New York City, and more than 50 million viewers tuning in nationwide to watch the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Parade boasts approximately 8,000 participants including balloon handlers, float escorts, clowns, marching bands, cheerleaders, dance groups and other performers.

The 2009 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route will, for the first time in its history, bypass Broadway on it’s way to Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. This is the sixth route change in the 83 years of the Macy’s Parade. However, this is the first time that the Parade will not travel through Broadway.

The Parade will begin at the traditional 77th Street and Central Park West kick off, it will travel down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, where it will veer towards 7th Avenue and march down 7th through Times Square. It will then turn onto 42nd Street to 6th Avenue marching down the Avenue of the Americas to 34th Street where it will turn and end at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

Thanksgiving Meal
Eater.com compiled the best list of restaurants with reservations left, from fancy to down home cooking (and the prices to match), from the Upper West Side to Carroll Gardens – and a few right here in the neighborhood! Click here.

The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience at Madame Tussauds
The Polar Express™ 4-D Experience is back at Madame Tussauds New York, just in time for the holidays! This unique cinematic experience will enable you to smell the aroma of hot chocolate, feel the icy chill of snow brushing past your face, hear the roar of the locomotive and feel as though you are a passenger aboard the magical Polar Express as you follow the story of a young boy who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve! It’s a full-sensory adventure that is perfect for the entire family. (Trailer)

Holiday hours are 10am to 10pm from Thursday, November 26-Saturday, January 2. Purchase your all access pass online, which includes general admission to Madame Tussauds NY, SCREAM, Polar Express, Madame Tussauds Story, and Behind the Scenes, to save up to 20%.

NYC Service:
Give thanks by sacrificing some of your time. NYC Service, run by the City of New York, knows that everyone has something to offer. They can assist you with using your time, passion, skills and willingness to help address New York’s most pressing needs. Simply visit their website, and answer this question: I want to help New York with: ________. You can search volunteer opportunities by a variety of variables such as date, area, and your specialties.

Ice Skating:
Ice skating in the City is a beloved seasonal tradition. Whether you are participating or watching, the only problem is which of our World famous rinks do you choose from?

Rockefeller Ice Rink is closed on Wednesday, and has a schedule change on Thursday, November 26, with sessions from 9am-12pm, 12:30-2, 2:30-4, 4:30-6, 6:30-8, 8:30-10, 10:30-Midnight. Normal sessions resume on Friday from 8:30am-1000, 1030-12 1230-2, 2:30-4, 4:30-6, 6:30-8, 8:30-10, 10:30-Midnight. Pricing for adults $19, children under eleven and seniors $12.50. Skate rental is $9 per session. The Christmas Tree is up, but not lit. The lighting ceremony is on December 2.

The Pond at Bryant Park is open from 8am-10pm. Admission and lockers are free. Skate rentals are $12, lock rentals are $9, small bag check is $7 and large bag check is $10. The line tends to be longer on holidays – but you can make a reservation online and skip the line!

The Wollman Rink in Central Park is open from Monday & Tuesday from 10:00am – 2:30pm, Wednesday & Thursday from 10:00am – 10:00pm, Friday & Saturday 10:00am – 11:00pm, and on Sunday from 10:00am – 9:00pm. Adults are $10.25 Monday-Thursday and $14.75 Friday-Sunday. Children are $5.50 Monday-Thursday and $5.75 Friday-Sunday. Seniors are $4.75 Monday-Thursday and $8.25 Friday-Sunday. Skate rentals are $6.25. Lock rentals are $4.50 with a a $6 deposit. The spectator fee is $5.

Flatiron High and Low:
Our very own Flatiron District’s rich architectural heritage is on display with an exhibition at the Van Alen Institute. The exhibit spotlights two centuries of building culture in the Flatiron district The exhibition is free and is open from M-F from 12-5pm at 30 West 22nd Street – through December 11.

Enjoy!

If you place an order for virtual office service online via our secure order form, please note that orders completed on a Holiday will be reviewed the following business day.

Make sure to check out our specials page for November’s NYC virtual office promotion.

With regards,
The Team at VH International Business Solutions, Inc.

Please contact us with any questions:
Tel: 1.212.627.8900
Fax: 1.646.861.6610
Manhattan Virtual Office

Since 1990.

VH International Business Solutions, Inc.
Follow us on Twitter: @ManhattanOffice

E’ strano… alle volte non ci si pensa, ma a NY la metropolitana (qui subway) è per la maggior parte in superficie, dobbiamo pensare a tutta NewYork e non solo alla city. Mi è capitato solo l’anno in cui soggiornai a Williamsburg di usare la metro in superficie… poi sempre sotto… in stazioni da film: umide, buie, spartane, in continuo miglioramento senza una deadline…

Ma tornando all’inizio, ogni mattina salgo alla stazione della 125esima, salire è il verbo giusto visto che è in superficie ma molto in alto… fa parte della line 1, la rossa, quella linea che taglia in due manhattan, la city appunto.

Perchè ho scritto di questa stazione? perchè per la seconda volta c’è la calma, è una zona di residenza, in cui c’è movimento al mattino ed alla sera prima di cena, ci sono dei locali, ma piccoli.. in questa parte di città o si studia o si lavora… e i ritmi vengono comunque dettati dalla stanchezza. Fa strano vedere venire la sera, e non sentire il casino di taxi suonanti, si gente e schiamazzi tipici della zona centrale di NY.

Qui si sentono i camion che scaricano al mattino, si vedono le auto private cosa quasi strana… una zona cmq perfetta per correre… il parco vicino è meraviglioso, il Riverside Park, la vista è sull’Hudson River.. certo non favoleggiante come il Central Park, ma ottimo per correre… anzi chiudo qui perchè devo andare a percorrere le mie miglia quotidiane.

And I’m back, for another installment of: What a G. This week features Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi, the “Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution” of Libya, aka the guy with the longest set of titles (TITLES!) ever.

For more information about our friend the Colonel, see minute 3:16 of the below clip, five of the greatest minutes of television ever made.

However, I have to disagree with Leo (our dear, dear friend), because Gaddafi is definitely a seven letter word for one thing: crazy, plus he really likes silly hats.

What brought this on, you might ask? Thanks for asking. It was the Gawker that reminded me of our friend Muammar’s lunacy, namely, that he named his son Hannibal. That’s right, Hannibal. As in, the Carthaginian general who tried to overthrow the Roman empire, or, if you’re so inclined, a serial killer who likes DBIH favorite Nell too much to eat her.

Would you let your child share a name with this guy? Idk. After the jump, more ways that Muammar Gaddafi is almost as cool as Silvio. Then again, the Gawker is telling me that Hannibal is a probable rapist, so really, nbd what his name is.

1. This one time, he tried to pitch a tent in Central Park. If I tried to do this, I’d be arrested, and not in that really cool I’m just trying to get on Page Six way, but in the you’re probably a child rapist way. Not good.

Why did he think he could get away with this? Well, it worked in Rome, thanks to our dear friend Silvio, who, it turns out, lets crazy African dictators do whatever the fuck they want in his non-country’s capital.

2. His bodyguards are called “Amazons.” Yes, they still have both boobs (thank god), but they are heavily armed and pretty freaking hot if you ask me (a non-lesbian). The Italians (obviously) fell in love with the idea of these women, though I would assume that in practice Italian men would not like women to have guns when they go to grope them on the train.

3. Once the Arabs realized he was a lunatic (the kind of lunatic that names his child Hannibal), he decided to try to fuck with my people, the Africans. Somehow, he got a bunch of traditional chiefs to make him King of Kings. I can only imagine it was one of those situations like when Andrew Jackson’s troops would make the Native Americans sign papers they couldn’t read handing over all of their land forever.

4. According to Wikipedia, he likes to spell his name Muammar Al Gathafi, which is really just retarded if you ask me.

So yes, Silvio is still my love of loves (King of Kings, if you will), but Muammar has a special place in my heart. He likes tents, Roman history, and hats, so I’m really not complaining. He can teach me and my scantily-clad friends about the Koran any time if you ask me.

By Dian Hasan | November 24, 2009

The hallmark of any great city is its urban park!  Commonly located at the center of its core, urban parks play a significant role in providing traffic-choked cities with much-needed green lungs. As well as recreation, sporting and cultural venues for residents and visitors alike. Here’s a look at some of the larger urban parks from across the world, as seen in through the lens of Google Earth.

CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK CITY (843 ACRES)

Created: 1853. Located in uptown Manhattan, in the midst of some the island’s densest and wealthiest neighborhoods. Frederic Law Olmstead’s urban pastoral masterpiece contains several bodies of water, a zoo, playgrounds and fields, natural wooded areas, and so very much more. Sadly, if America ever become totally insolvent, the government will likely have to sell Central Park for trillions of dollars to the Chinese so our nation can keep buying cheap toasters.

Source: The Infrastructurist

Le duo d’artistes Christo&Jeanne-Claude travaille ensemble depuis Novembre 1958, quand ils se sont rencontrés à Paris (il y a 51 ans). A partir de ce moment, ils ne se sont plus quittés et ont réalisé beaucoup de travaux dans le monde entier. Leurs installations temporelles sont très caractéristiques par leur grande taille et leur impact visuel.

Normalement, ils travaillent dans la planification de leurs projets avec des spécialistes de la construction et des ingénieurs. Avant de commencer la construction, ils font beaucoup d’esquisses et ils commercialisent et vendent les idées à des investisseurs privés et publics, et avec cet argent ils font de grandes installations. 

En 1979, ils ont commencé à travailler avec ‘The Gates’, une installation à Central Park New York. Ils ont trouvé l’investisseur et ont fixé les autorisations et les détails techniques pour la construction (toiles, structures etc.). En 2003, le maire de New-York a fait l’annonce officielle de la construction de l’installation. Deux ans après, en février 2005, elle a été inaugurée et après, toutes les toiles ont été recyclées.

La même chose s’est passée avant, avec le bâtiment du gouvernement en Allemagne (1971-1995). Ils ont fait ‘Wrapped  Reichstag’ avec l’aide de 90 professionnels de l’escalade et 120 installateurs. Cette installation a eu une grande signification politique et a été financée aussi par les artistes ; ils n’acceptent pas de donations économiques par leur travail.

            Christo and Jeanne-Claude ont travaillé ensemble, jusqu’à ce dernier mercredi 18  novembre, quand Jeanne-Claude est morte suite à des problèmes cérébraux.

Cet article est un petit hommage pour son travail, et pour la regrettable perte de Christo, son époux, collègue et artiste qui continuera à travailler en mémoire de Jeanne-Claude.

(Plus d’information sur http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/)

 Abril Sanchez Gzz., étudiante mexicaine, 4ème année art

Autumn in Central Park on Film #14, originally uploaded by CVerwaal.

Continuing my series of pictures with the legendary Olympus Trip 35 in the Ramble in Central Park, New York City. Not only does the Trip work well in low light, but it does very nicely with back-lit scenes as well. The automatic exposure is right on target, and the Zuiko 40mm lens creates a beautiful sharp image without any noticable flair.
Olympus Trip 35, Zuiko 40mm f2.8, Fuji Superia 400 Xtra

I was trying something new with this image. It did not quite come out like I wanted it to, so I consider this an idea in progress. I used my telephoto lens with the sun behind the subjects. The dogs were running around a lot and I wanted them to kick up more dirt. This was the image that was the closest to what I wanted but not quite there. I converted it to black and white and added a vignette. I will be trying this again but I need to go a little earlier in the day.

Kyla had fun at the dog park today. She did a lot of fast and hard running. She was in doggy heaven. I wish I could take Donnan there too, but the dog trainer said he will probably never be able to go there. Willie took Donnan for a walk and we met up by the lake. It was a nice outing. I enjoyed taking the photos and I am so glad that I am back to taking photos every day. This one is late getting posted because I was having “technical” problems with my computer last night. I finally had to shut it down and go to bed. I am sorry about that – hopefully it won’t happen again!

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The buttonwood leaf (resembling much the more popular maple leaf) is the official logo of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The department is responsible not only for the Central Park but for all public parks. The golden leaf on black indicates a New York City public park, playground, beach or athletic field.

Many of them – especially those with playgrounds – have clean and free public restrooms.

If you’re in need – watch out for the buttonwood leaf!