A Warm Up Road Trip

From NYC to Albany and Back
Thursday, February 4th, 2010

So I’m moving to Albany……that’s Upstate New York. In preparations for my move and my new job I had to do a few things. One of those was get my stuff into a storage facility in Albany.

The majority of my stuff. No I'm not sure how I got it all into that tiny little Manhattan apartment either.

The next was to fly home to Vernon to get some different stuff (including my car). The final will be to make the 4 day drive back across the country to Albany (see future blog entries). So I rented a car, loaded it up and drove to Albany.

So for anyone who has driven in New York City you will understand how frustrating it can be. Not the whole driving part……the finding a place to park part. Seriously annoying. At one point I basically just gave up, risked getting a ticket and parked outside my apartment so I could load my car (on Mondays and Thursdays you cannot park there from 0800-1000 for street cleaning). I managed to get everything in the car….....without getting a ticket and then I was on my way. Ok.....there were a couple more stops and I now remember why I stopped complaining about how much it costs to park anywhere else in the world…..how does $15 an hour sound to you? Because that is what I paid.

Anyway, eventually I got out of the city and onto the open road, Teddy strapped in the passenger seat next to me (I couldn't make my first road trip to Albany without him) and I quickly remembered one thing……how much I missed having my car these past 9 months.

Ahhhhh....open road. How I've missed you.

Not during my work days of course when it is just so much easier to walk or take transit, but definitely on my days off when I wanted to just pick up and go somewhere. Sure there are a ton of things to do in the City but there are also a few million people and some days I really did just feel kind of trapped there.

I had to stop at the scenic lookout. There's something to be said for looking at something other than skyscrapers.

The drive to Albany was actually quite pleasant. Rocks and trees and even some snow. I’m sure it is much prettier in the spring and summer when things are in bloom and green but I really just enjoyed all the open space.

More open road. Just love it.

Anyways, it was a quick trip and I only got a quick glimpse of the city but I am sure I will enjoy my time there. It is only a 6 week contract (maybe 12 weeks depending on what happens) but as we all know, I can cram a lot of things into a short period of time.

A major bonus of this move to Albany....it's gets me all that much closer to the Canadian border.

Julie

Spring is in the Air....For the Moment Anyway

New York, New York

So I had a day off in the middle of my 2 on, 1 off, 3 on stretch at work (in case you need help with the math, that equates with me working five 12 hour shifts in 6 days....not so fun) and all I really wanted to do was sleep in, wake up, watch a movie (or 2), eat and then go back to bed. However, the weather had another idea. It was a beautiful 10 C (50 F) which meant it was time to pull out some flip-flops and go for a walk.

It wouldn't be a walk if I didn't find some stairs.

After faxing some very important paperwork (I had to send more money to the CRNBC so that they will fill out some paperwork for me to renew my VISA screen certificate......you would think the $500 a year I pay them for my license would cover such costs but no, I actually get nothing from them except a magazine....ok I'm done complaining now) I decided I would walk as far west as I could and see what I could find. From my apartment, if I walk half a block to the east I hit Central Park. About 5 blocks to the west though I also hit some park land....who knew?

Ahhh the sun.......how I love you!

Through the trees you can just make out the West Side Highway and then past that the Hudson River.

I also found this in my newly discovered parkland. This is the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Monument of The City of New York. (No really....that's what the plaque says). I am sure that I went past in on my bus tour way back in February 2007 but this is the first time I have been back. I guess I will have to head west a little more often. Who knows what else I will find.

Another shot through the trees. Can't wait for Spring to really arrive and for everything to turn green. Of course Spring also means the return of baseball season so YEAH!!!!!

This was the advertisement at my local grocery store. I think someone is trying to tell me something.

Julie

Who Knew it Would be So Hard to Get to Brooklyn

Brooklyn, New York

Yes this is in Brooklyn. For some reason looking into the face of The Statue of Liberty freaks me out. Come on admit it.....she looks creepy from this angle.

So today I attempted to get back to what I do best........peruse the local museums. I know it has been a while but hey I've been busy. It takes a lot of time, effort and recovering to travel to Canada as much as I have. Plus....I have a job. I'm not in New York on vacation (that would make things so much more fun).

The front of the Museum.

I decided today that I would head to Brooklyn to check out the Art Museum there. For months I have been seeing the advertisements about it while sitting on the subway and I figured today was the day. The MTA attempted to have a different plan though. Turns out there is a ton of construction going on in the subway (they have to do it on the weekend...can you imagine if they closed subway lines during the week? New Yorkers would go mental!!!). I had checked earlier in the week and knew what train to take....however that train line was "not running in Brooklyn today" (I'm quoting the MTA announcer guy) so I had to find another way. I kind of felt a little less than a New Yorker today......because I was kind of getting lost in the subway trying to find my way around.....but then I felt better because it seems as though no one really knew where they were going. Lucky the MTA put up lots of signs with arrows for us to follow. And it is also lucky that there was some entertainment on the train.

Making a little pocket change on the weekend.

Anyway, it took me almost an hour but I eventually made it to Brooklyn and lucky for me you walk out of the subway and the museum is right there. I still have problems with directions when I am travelling below ground and then have to return to the surface. No, my sense of direction has not improved over this past year. I still get lost..........a lot.

Of course the museum is full of all the usual things and since I had a little less time then I had planned I actually skipped some things.....including the Egyptian art. Not that I don't love Egyptian art but as I have mentioned before, now that I have seen it in Egypt....it's just not the same seeing it here. Here are a few things I checked out.

These guys always make me smile when I see them. This is one of the Twelve Heavenly (or Divine) Generals who guard Yakushi Nyorai, The Buddha of Healing. They always seem to be in a dance pose although I am sure he is suppose to have a weapon in his hand.

This tile recalls the garden-like setting of heaven described in the Qur'an. It reminded me of the tiles in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

I found this interesting. This is called Loss of Our Identity #1 (Boy) by Iranian born artist Sadegh Tirafkan. The image questions the deterioration of traditional Iranian culture in the face of an increasingly superficial world driven by new media.

This is a beaded crown which is the ultimate symbol of Yoruba kingship. The Yoruba people are from Nigeria.

Really there was one specific exhibit that drew my attention to the museum. Unfortunately this exhibit also drew in a lot of other people too. So what should have been the most enjoyable part of the museum turned out to be the most annoying. The museum was actually pretty empty for a Saturday (which I was enjoying)....until I wandered up to the 5th floor and realized where everyone was.

Anyways, the exhibit I saw was called Who Shot Rock and Roll and as you can imagine it was all pictures related to music and the people who make it. Of course being a special exhibit I couldn't take pictures so you will have to imagine. What did I get to see? How about a picture of Johnny Cash fingering the camera in 1969, and Mick Jagger standing on a stage covered with shoes in 1978 and James Brown sitting around with curlers in his hair. There were Polaroids of Madonna and Courtney Love and album covers by Lil Kim, Tupac Shakur and Carly Simon. There were pictures of those who have had huge influence on music over the years including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, and Micheal Jackson and artists like Amy Winehouse who hasn't been around long enough to really know what her lasting impression on music will be. I think my favourite though was a wall sized picture by Garard Markowitz titled Psychedelic. It was actually made up of 19 photos of Jimi Hendrix, presented in 3D lenticular technology. When you moved, the picture changed. In a word it was.......haunting. I really did enjoy the exhibit.

Of course I had to leave once all the people annoyed me enough and there was more museum for me to see. Here are a few other things that I enjoyed as well.

I never could find the name of this but I actually had to lay down to get this picture. Don't worry I didn't lay on the floor......there was a couch there.

I also could not find a name on this but you have to love anything that pays this much homage to African Queens. There are about 12 of them but here are 4 of my favourites.

This is a huge wall sized picture by Mickalene Thomas called A little Taste Outside of Love. It is dated 2007.

Ahhh Picasso.......one of my favourites. This is Women in Grey dated 1942.

Ahhhh Matisse (that's Henri Matisse and you should all know that I like him as well). This is Nude in a Wood dated 1906.

The set up of the museum did confuse me at times. This 1863 James Hamilton painting titled Foundering as right next to........

.....this 1963 Leonard Freed photo titled Harlem. I am sure if I spent more time reading the museum signs as I traveled from room to room it would have made more sense but when I peruse museums I tend to just walk and look and see what grabs my attention.

So am I looking at the art......or is the art looking at me?

Anyway, it was a great afternoon. I certainly could have used a little bit more time in the museum but what can you do. Check out the website: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/

Julie

A Random Building....it's New York so Probably Not

New York, New York

This is the Dakota. It stands at the corner of West 72nd Street and Central Park West.

Does anyone know why The Dakota is famous? Anyone? Dad? Come on Dad you have to know.

The Dakota is the building that John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived and it was under this archway on December 8th, 1980, that Lennon was fatally shot by Mark David Chapman.

So you see, not just a random building but actually another very famous New York City landmark.

Julie

Stop and Take a Look Around

Central Park, New York City

So I had to stop and take this picture on the way to work today. Why? Because I get to watch the sunrise every morning on my way to work and I probably don't appreciate it. Anyways, I had to share.

Julie

The Snow I've Been Waiting For

New York, New York

This is the view from the 8th floor at Metropolitan Hospital. Those are garbage trucks lined up on the street. Here in NYC they throw plows on the front of the garbage trucks to remove the snow. So in reality these are snowplows just waiting to head out and remove the snow.

Well I saw the snow in Vernon, and I saw the snow in Banff but I have been patiently (well rather impatiently) awaiting the first real snow fall in New York City. I had all these romantic images in my head of horse drawn sleigh rides in Central Park and the lights of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree sparkling in the snowflakes. You can tell I am not from New York because all my coworkers could think about was ankle deep snow, the buses not running and people slipping and sliding all over the sidewalks. I am glad I ignored them.

Anyway, you couldn't turn on the TV yesterday without hearing about this big storm that was battering the East Coast. As it was to be my first snow storm in New York I was a little excited. It started to snow while I was at work yesterday and I can't lie, when I walked out of the hospital towards the bus stop I found myself looking up and smiling as the snowflakes fell all around me. I do believe I was the only one.

This is what I woke up to this morning. These are the cars on W 86th Street just outside my apartment.

My walk through Central Park.

I can't lie......I loved the walk through Central Park. I loved walking across Park Ave. The temperature was not that cold (around -10 C or 14 F) and the city seemed to be silent. I never imagined that New York City could be so quiet. All I really know is that I found myself saying "It doesn't get much better than this".

This is Park Ave and trust me you will never see it this empty again.....that is until the next snow storm.

Julie

A Merry Christmas Tree

New York, New York

Looking back across the skating rink at 5th avenue from under the tree.

It is the Christmas Season and although I am pretty much done celebrating the holiday already I thought I better make an attempt to embrace the season while here in New York. That meant a visit to one of New York's most famous Christmas landmarks. And no I don't mean the windows at Macy's......seriously you couldn't pay me a million dollars to be near that place this time of year. I am of course referring to the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center. Now I made a promise to Heather months ago that I would go and take pictures of the tree for her so here they are.

Here it is. As seen above the Rockefeller skating rink.

Me with the tree. I am very glad that we had Christmas in November so I didn't have to stress all of December. I can't lie.....I was a little disappointed with the tree. Compared to the National Christmas Tree in DC this tree is......well it's pretty average.

Just to remind you...this is the National Christmas tree in DC that I visited in December 2007.

Yeah, I am wearing the same outfit. I guess some things stay the same year after year.

But the atmosphere was holidayee (yeah,it's a word.......now) and I almost didn't notice all the annoying tourists (ok, we all know that is a lie but I am tyring to be positive here). The trees origins go back to the Great Depression during the construction of Rockefeller Center. Things were a little more modest back then. Now the tree is chosen by a tree scout who travels by helicopter to find the perfect tree (usually from Connecticut or Vermont or Ohio or where ever but once they even went to Ottawa to find one). It is decorated with 8 kilometres of lights (about 5 miles). It is usually a Norway Spruce, which funny enough is not native to North American but you can find them almost anywhere these days. It actually travels from it's location at night by police escort to Rockefeller.

A few of the other ornaments around Rockefeller.

So although I dislike the touristy nature of the tree, I am a traditionalist and love the fact that after all these years, the tree is still present. If you are in the city during the holidays you have to check it out.....if only for a few minutes.

Julie

Another Parade........But This One for Real Heroes

New York, New York

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....well in the stores anyways but here is one of the big trees that decorates the city this time of year. I am sure in the next few weeks I will see a lot more.

No matter what the season.......someone or something in the city is going to tell you off......it's the New York way.

Well today is Veteran's Day here in the US. Of course that is Remembrance Day back in Canada and like back home it is a holiday down here. Because of that I didn't have to work. I am still on orientation and they of course won't give us holiday pay for orientation so I had the day off.

The Posse.....well part of it anyways. They are actually heading the wrong way but we would see them later again in the parade. Although the term posse is used to describe many things including a temporary police force or a gang involved in crimes such as running guns (I know how opposite can you get), I of course am using the term to refer to a group of black cowboys (and cowgirls).

Remembrance Day has come and gone for me that last few years and I was trying to remember the last time I had attended any type of a ceremony honouring our veterans and troops. It has probably been since high school. I decided today that I would at least spend some time at the New York City Veteran's Day Parade. A round of applause and some flag waving is the least I can do.

Gotta love the old school police car.

So the parade started on 25th street travelled along 5th avenue all the way to 56th street. It was a long parade route. It was scheduled to start at 1100 and I managed to get there by 1020. Of course an 1100 start time meant at 25th street but I was watching the parade from 50th street so it was much closer to 1200 before the first parade participants came wondering by.

Members of the Veterans Motor Car Club of America showed off their pride...for their country and their cars.

I had never heard the term before but everyone on the street were calling these guys "Doughboys". I had to look it up. It was a term most commonly used to describe US Army infantry men in World War I although the term actually dates back to the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. Obviously these guys are not actually Vets of World War I but they played the part really well.

Members of the crew of the USS New York. The USS New York is the US Navy's newest ship and has been built with metal recovered from the World Trade Center site.

The parade was lead off by Parade Grand Marshal Spann Watson, a veteran of World War II. He fought with the Army Air Corps and happens to be one of the famous Tuskegee Airman (I know I have mentioned them before, but to refresh all of our memories the Tuskegee Airman were a group of black pilots who flew in World War II.) Then newly re-elected New York City Mayor Bloomberg and NY Governor David Paterson walked by. Pretty sure this will be Paterson's last parade. He is not doing very well in the recent polls and the Governors race is heating up right now.

Paterson is the guy in the red tie with the flag. Bloomberg is the guy on Paterson's left with the black overcoat.

There were many groups of US soldiers marching by. This was the loudest of the bunch.

After that we saw active members of all the branches of the US Military including the National Guard, The Army, The Navy, The Marines and the Coast Guard.

Members of the Army showing off their guns.

Mmmmm....Marines.

Look, the Army plays music too.

And then the Vets started to come by from every war the US has been involved in. Of course there were also Vets lined up along side the rest of us on the street. Not everyone can walk all those blocks so some just waited until their group walked by and there were lots of handshakes and hugs and "hellos" and "welcome homes".

Not sure if he walked the whole parade route or not but for some reason I feel like he did.

A lot of Vietnam Vets on hand, both in the parade and in the crowd.

Of course I did get a few weird looks because I was the lone person along the street holding a Canadian flag among all those American flags but the Vets seemed to understand. I even got a few hugs from them. Apparently they always loved fighting along side Canadian troops. There also was one Mountie in full Red Surge in the parade. He was pushing someone in a wheelchair.

Never did figure out who that group of Vets were and why the Mountie was there but I have to tell you......it is always nice to see piece of home.

By the time the last group came by it was 1530 (3:30pm). My original plan was just to stay for an hour or so but after a couple hours I was so committed that I just couldn't imagine leaving before the end. There were lots of Junior ROTC High Schools and that kind of thing and I figured if those kids waited that long they deserved to have someone there as they marched by.

Yes this little guy did travel along the parade route along side some very large military vehicles. It was just kind of cute.

These are members of the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) Police. That little guy must have been marching with his Dad......and he tried his hardest to keep in step.

Of course the parade also had marching bands from all over the US including Ohio and South Carolina. Here is a video of the Isiserettes from Des Moines Iowa. They performed at Obama's inauguration in January. They're pretty good.

These guys in blue are one of my favourite groups. They are members of The Doe Fund. Basically it is a program that is set up to help men get off the streets. They provide a paying job, and housing and all that kind of thing. It really is a great program. Check out the website. http://www.doe.org/

So the review of my second parade in just under a week.....much better than the first, although there were a lot less people.

Julie