I Love New York Travel

I know it’s saying something…. no idea what, lol.

Is there any beauty to metal?

I don’t know. I only like metal that has been painted (like metal roofs or pole barns or metal buildings) or metal that has been coated, like enameled things or jewelry. What is it about metal that screams “utilitarian”? The gray color? The coldness of the material? The sharp, unyielding angles?

Metal sculpture eludes me. I look at it and I see drab utilitarianism. It has its purpose… but that’s about it. Now, compare metal with wood. I have never met a person who hated wood. There’s something inate about our love of wood. But metal? Hmmm.

What do you think?

Photo taken at The Cloisters in Manhattan, a museum dedicated to medieval art and artifacts. The placard stated that this was a “liturgical comb” made of ivory, dating to the 11th century.

WOW! That’s old.

But what the heck is a liturgical comb?! Was this used to comb out hair shirts?! If you know, please enlighten.

P.S. The museum was GREAT! More on that later.

Hey, do you notice my nice, new logo that I am now using as my watermark for photos? Pretty snazzy, huh?

We strolled through a portion of Harlem last week. I spotted the HSA, or Harlem School of the Arts, building as we walked down St. Nicholas Avenue. I’d never been to Harlem before. It’s a lovely place with lots of beautiful buildings, shops and LOADS of restaurant venues. The place was teeming with young people as there are a number of universities in the surrounding area. And, of course, there are a zillion billboards advertising everything from fruit juice to logo golf balls. But everything is very colorful and interesting.

We visited the area to see Alexander Hamilton’s old home, The Grange, which is a national historic site and newly restored. Part 1 of our adventure is at my travel blog, New York Traveler.net. I’m still recovering from the exhaustive, whirlwind visit we had. I think I am getting too old for this!

I’ll be going back to New York City again sometime again soon. I’m really looking forward to it, as I like the city. But it can be very stressful. First, there’s the loooooong drive. Then there’s the loooong train ride (which is otherwise very pleasant, just long). Then, after the relative peacefulness of the train ride, you are dumped into Manhattan with millions of other people. The place is like a living, squirming organism. Pretty hectic. Then, there’s finding your equilibrium so you know which direction to go. Whew, I’m tired remembering it!

But it’s a birthday gift to my daughters. Their birthdays are near each other and it’s therefore easy to get package deals. Of course, we do celebrate their own days separately. Thank God for redenvelope promo codes, too– gifts are SO much easier when you get a nice little discount along with it.

As the kids get older, it seems they like the more meaningful gifts. Instead of trinkets, a nice gift and a trip or something memorable are terrific.

Do you see it? AHHHHH!!! Spiders give me stenosis of the spine!!!

The photo is from the Adirondack Museum. We visited in September 2012. It was a wonderful time. It cost us almost $100 in admission, it had better be wonderful, lol!

Anyway, I thought the hairy spider was cute on the garden gate. This was the area of the “typical” Adirondack garden. HOW these people were able to grow anything up here, I don’t know. The growing season is, what, only 4 months long? People had to eat a ton of protein, too, because life in the rugged wilderness was so tough. It’s still rather difficult, I think. In the winter, the ADK park practically shuts down (except for skiing and snowmobiling). I never saw any large grocery stores anywhere we traveled, only a few convenience stores with astronomical prices. I still wonder where people get their groceries.

It’s a lovely park, well worth visiting. Just beware of the big stuffed spiders!