More pics from NYC

I had such a nice time on my visit to the Big City last weekend and just wanted to share some more photos with you. Click on photos to enlarge.

We stayed at an apartment in Greenwich Village that is leased by a relative of a friend. The relative was travelling and the apartment was available, so this was a huge plus.

This is the memory wall I mentioned two posts down. My friends are shown here looking at it. On the right is Mary Ellen. She's a former student at our school and graduated the year before my eldest. It was her aunt who allowed us to use the apartment for the weekend.

On the left is our school's art teacher, Margie. She's been my friend ever since I started working there, ten long years ago. She taught art to both of my sons and while in upper school, my eldest chose to continue with the subject as an elective course for four years. It was Margie and her husband, Charles, that suggested that since my son was so interested in pursuing a degree in architecture, he should spend a day at a firm owned by a friend of theirs in Wilmington, DE. They contacted their friend and an invitation was issued.

Spending that day working at that firm cemented my son's decision and we were so thankful to Margie and Charles for helping him. And while we were in the city, we went to visit my son. He was working on a deadline and could only get away for a short while, but he invited us up to tour the firm where he's employed.

We got to see all the models on display in the front lobby, and if I remember correctly, this is a model for the city of Berlin. But I could be mistaken because there was so much to look at.

This one is a school and Mary Ellen was wondering how the children could learn to read, when they they can't even fit inside the building.

And my son explained that the center would have to be at least . . . three times larger for them to fit.

(This didn't really happen, but if you Name That Movie, you will have my undying respect. Really.)

We received a wonderful tour from my son, who seemed to know what every photograph on this wall was and where the building was located.

Then we left and walked to one of his favorite restaurants and had a fantastic meal. We talked and laughed and it was great.

And when we left, we realized that it had begun to snow! The snow was laying on the pavement and swirling all around. It is so beautiful looking up into the sky and watching it fall. We walked him back to his building and stopped at Trinity Church along the way. I've got a picture of that up on my other blog today.

We passed the big Christmas Tree on Wall Street, all lit up in its holiday finery.

And I'll leave you with one final photo, and this is of my son and I at the restaurant.

Until tomorrow, my friends . . .

Different day, different views

As I write this, it's Sunday night and time for bed. I returned from my trip to the Big City just a couple of hours ago and I walked for miles and my feet are hurtin' (name that song). Just wanted to share a couple of photos with you before I turn in for the night.

I had to take a pic of these pigeons. And no, I was absolutely NOT on the ground. They were at eye-level. We'd just gotten off the subway in the center of Chinatown, crossed the street and I looked to the left and there they were. It must be a small park that was somehow elevated and in the center of the street.

This was in Greenwich Village, near where we stayed. These tiles were lined all over this fence. I'm sure it has something to do with 911. They're really sweet.

We just liked this guitar.

I have no idea what surprises these bins hold, and I don't read Chinese. But even if I did, I'm sure that some of them have feet. And I don't think I could eat feet. The restaurant where we had brunch on Sunday morning in Chinatown, however, was fantastic. It may have had some of these ingredients in it.

We also visited my son, who was working late at the architecture firm. More on that to come.

Until tomorrow, my friends . . .