New York Family Style- Brooklyn edition

We made it across the bridge at about noon, which was perfect to quickly get a seat at Grimaldi's Pizza. The restaurant had been aluding me thus far due to long lines and little time, but no more. I'd heard from many sources that Grimaldi's pizza was the best in Brooklyn and I can't exactly argue.

One of the artistic waterfalls.


Mom on the Staten Island Ferry passing by the statue of liberty. It was really windy! Dad enjoying the Yankee's game... although the Yankees didn't really enjoy themselves loosing big.

Philly Phun

We are standing in front of the non-cracked side of the liberty bell. We didn't want that imperfection in our picture (actually the other side was just much more crowded).

Betsy Ross House
Hot reenactor. He told us that he only takes bathes twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall, but he being a man does get to go first.
Top of Independence hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed.
The "rising sun" chair where George Washington sat during the Constitution Convention
The Senate Chambers from when the U.S. capital was in Philadelphia.

Sitting in the House of Representatives Chambers

A group of nuns were touring around all day.
The Trenton bridge. It welcomes me and bids me fair well every time I go to Pennsylvania. It is a little cut out the full bridge says "Trenton makes the world takes"

Exploring the Upper West

My friend Becca the ultimate Seinfeld fan was in town this week for training and stayed a few days after to hang out with me and see some more New York so we headed to the Upper West side to see "Monk's" restaurant. Tom's Restaurant in real life. We had lunch there and although different inside it was a true New York diner experience. They had all kinds of Seinfeld pictures and autographs all over the walls.




From Tom's we walked over to St. John's Cathedral over a hundred years old built in the Gothic style. It was very impressive both on the outside and inside.

Next to the cathedral was a children's sculpture garden. All the small sculpture's were made by children. The large sculpture represents good conquering evil.


We then walked up by Columbia University and through the quad.

The Cloisters, Ft. Tyron Park, Inwood, The Heights

I wondered and hiked a bit Sunday morning before the heat got to me. I went up to the top tip of Manhattan for my first time. It is really hilly up there and Ft. Tyron Park was really nice; more of a hiking park than a strolling park. The Cloisters are in the park... but I didn't end up going in due to a $20 entrance fee. I strolled around Inwood and the Heights a bit too, but wasn't too impressed... the streets were a bit dirtier, well everything was a bit dirtier, except for one area by the park and along the Hudson river where there were really nice condos overlooking the river.

The George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River
Part of the cloisters

Some German looking condos near the park and river
A funky church in the Heights

Weekend with Kendra

My friend from Mizzou came up for 4th of July weekend and we did NYC right. We didn't rest for one minute... Here are some of the highlights!

Natural History Museum~

I was most impressed by the dinos and gigantic whale (if you couldn't tell )
Me at the Yankees/Sox game.
From the cheap seats. It threatened rain, but we stayed dry all night.
Kendra with the score book. We both kept score for our first time. I enjoyed it (even if we did make up some notations). We did have matching shirts... but she was A-Rod and I was Wang.
The Yankees won! Winning hit was by Gardner just up from the minors. Damon was out with an injury. We also saw a guy get kicked out for some "friendly" rivalary talk.
Buildings near Meatpacking District.

The Irish Hunger Memorial. This was my first time to this memorial. I had heard about it before. And seen it in a movie (can't remember which), but hadn't found it. The entire memorial- plants, cottage, rocks, etc. are from Ireland.

For the All Star game there is a parade of statues around the city for each team and some others. Just before finding the Royals Kendra and I were talking about how we wanted to find it... then it appeared right before our eyes!
One of the current Waterfall installations. This is the one by Governor's Island. A Staten Island Ferry is crossing in front.
We were walking around Battery Park and saw.... um a turkey?
The Brooklyn Bridge behind some buildings and a mural.

If your lucky you can stumble upon roller dancing in central park... boy they can groove.
Strawberry Fields in CP
Rector Set replication of building at Rock Center
A bustling Grand Central Station
The Cyclone at Coney Island.... It was rough but we lived...