New York Nortons

We got a new camera this weekend, and I went to Central Park to try it out. It’s a amazing how simple it is to get great pictures. Here’s an example. If you notice, this is the same bridge as the one in the picture with Dad in the previous post. That’s how much the colors have changed since his visit three weeks ago.

You can go to My photos for more.

By the way, I owe Amelia and Marc a post about their trip here. The only holdout is that the mac is in the shop, and the pics are on it. I promise to have it online soon.

nyc

My dad took the train up from Philadelphia this Saturday, and I met him at Penn Station. Ashley and I gave him our patented “first time visitor tour of the city.” ©

First, Dad and I got off the subway at the World Trade Center site and walked around the site and through St Paul’s. We then met Ashley at the apartment and went to the roof for the spectacular view. It was a beautiful, clear day, and we could see the entire city. It’s an incredible site for someone who has never been to New York before.

We then went for lunch at the South Street Seaport. The restaurants there aren’t that great, but it’s fun to go sit by the water and eat. We then went on the Staten Island Ferry… a must when you’re visiting the lower Manhattan and the weather is so nice. After the ferry, we took the subway to 66th street and walked through Central Park along with every other New Yorker who has been couped up inside for the last 8 days waiting for the rain to end. After the park, we took Dad to Times Square just so he could get a taste of it. I think that all of the sights, advertisements, and people really impressed him (as they do everyone visiting New York for the first time.)

Dad and I rode back to Penn Station around 7:00. We had been touring non-stop since 10:00 that morning, and we were both exhausted. It was definitely worth it.

Here we are in Central Park. I look a little goofy… must have been the angle…

family, nyc, travel, visits

I added a photo album on flickr.com with pictures that Ashley took of our apartment. However, I set the pictures to only be viewable by family and friends. If you want to see the pictures, you’ll need to sign up for an account on flickr.com and send me an email – dnorton [at] gmail.com. I will add you as one of my contacts and you can see these pictures.
Our Place pics

nyc

Mom came up for her first visit to see us. We decided to try something a little different since she’s come up a few times already this year. So, instead of doing the typical touristy thing like going to Times Square or Central Park, we saw partsof the city that are usually reserved for people new to New York (still excited enough to want to discover the city but experienced enough to know to avoid the major tourist stops.) *update* On Friday, Mom and I met a couple of Mom’s good friends, Marianne and Mike, at a small Mexican restaurant in the east village. The food was delicious, and it was great to finally meet Marianne who I’ve been meaning to meet for a while now. On Saturday, we went to the Forbes Museum and then to Buster’s Garage for the UGA/Tennessee game (which Georgia won with authority I might add.) On Sunday, we took the A to Fort Bryon Park and the Cloisters ( see this map)

Fort Tyron Park is beautiful and felt totally disconnected from the rest of Manhattan. Ashley loved breathing in the fresh fall air and really didn’t want to leave. The park overlooks the Hudson River and has beautiful trees and small gardens. It’s Central Park without the people. Ashley and I will have to go again when the leaves start changing colors (very soon.)

Here’s a picture we took at the Cloister’s. I turned on black and white because it was overcast, and I thought it would have a cool effect on the picture, give it some depth. Now I think it would have been better in color, but that’s alright. I still like this picture.

family, nyc, travel, visits

$5 to the first person who can name where they have seen this? And by $5, I mean $5 internet money… which is pretend money… I think.

family, nyc, travel

Please read this post immediately after or preceding the post about September 11, 2005 because that’s when the events described occurred.

We had our third visitor recently… well, it was Ashley’s dad who is actually a repeat visitor, so how do you count that? Since it was just him for the weekend, I say we count his visit as visitor number 3.

As a birthday treat, Jerry (aka Dad to some) came up specifically to go to the US Open with Ashley since Robbi Ginepri was playing in the semi-finals against Andre Agassi. They had a great time at Arthur Ashe stadium and Robbi almost came away with the win losing in the 5th set. Afterwards the two of them met me at Buster’s Garage, our local spot to watch UGA football with the UGA Alumni Association.

Sunday was September 11, and Jerry and I went to ground zero which I wrote about already. He called Taylor to let her hear the names being read out, and after I went home to make breakfast for Ashley, he attended a church service at St. Paul’s which he described as one of the most moving sermons he’s ever heard.

Here are Jerry’s own words about the rest of the day:

Later on Sunday, something fantastic happened. We went on the best bike ride ever (excluding Sanibel) for 20 miles. We went several miles with the Hudson River on one side and tall buildings on the other. Near 59th street, we cut over to Central Park, about 600 acres and a six or seven mile ride of perfect land. Thousands of NY’ers were all over the park having a super time. There were so many bikers and skaters, it was so fun. I also got something I was looking forward too, that is a relish hotdog and a sour kraut hotdog (YUM YUM). Daniel got a fairly plain dog, something is wrong with him. We biked several miles back and finished of the ride in typical NY Norton fashion, cream filled doughnuts before returning home. After a quick shower, we were off to Times Square. You have to see this before you die, you have too. There are just too many incredible lights and advertisement signs lite up with so much activity. It is to die for. We ate at the Times Square Brewery and I had the best ever crab meat sandwich.

Here are a couple pictures from his visit.

atlanta, family, nyc, travel, visits

Living downtown so close to the World Trade Center site means that we have this constant reminder of September 11. And we face it every day. Of course, we choose to face it in different ways. For me, I needed to go to the site and remember.

Standing and looking down into the pit that morning was beautiful and sacred and heart breaking. I stood at the fence surrounding the void and listened to the siblings of those who died read out the names of those they lost. I stood there in silence for a long time… we all stood there in silence for a long time…

That night, they lit the beacons of light that shone in 2002 in remembrance. I took this picture from the top of our apartment. I think that it was the most fitting tribute to the people who were in those towers.

nyc

OK, I’ll admit it… I think there is something to be said for the concept of karma. Well, it’s more that I believe sometimes what you say will come back to you. It’s like the stories of people who find a genie in a bottle, make a wish, and then find that what they receive is more than they anticipated. (moral: Careful what you wish for…. yada yada)

This weekend while we were in Atlanta, I complained about the fact that I have to ride the elevator everyday. I didn’t just say it once… I think I said it to everyone I ran into. So, I get to work this morning, and guess what… the elevator’s busted, sucka! My options are walk up the stairs or walk down to 9th Avenue and take the elevators at the back of the building.

As self-punishment, I chose the stairs… I walk up the 7 floors to my office and find that, lo’ and behold, the door to my floor is locked. Locked! So, I walk back down 7 floors, down a block (a city block goes on forever)… did I mention it’s 85 and humid… and then I have to take the back elevators. That will teach me. No more complaining about the elevators.

nyc, rant, travel

Ashley and I went to the Bronx Zoo yesterday. It was a great day for a zoo visit because it was relatively cool out and overcast, so the animals were out and about. This tiger walked right up to the glass separating us from the tiger exhibit.

bronx zoo – tiger

Originally uploaded by dnorton.

The Bronx Zoo is wonderful. We spent hours at the zoo yesterday and probably only saw 1/3 to 1/2 of the zoo. It’s alright though… we bought a zoo membership so that we can go back whenever we want. The membership also includes admission to the Central Park Zoo, the Queens Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium.
We also discovered the best way to travel in New York… the express bus! It’s a $5 ride from Madison Square Park (26th and Madison) to the Bronx Zoo on a posh tour bus. Honestly, it beats the subway, taxis, and regular buses.

Lots more pictures here

activities, nyc

Ashley and I had dinner with the second set of Atlanta visitors last weekend… and by last weekend, I don’t mean the weekend that preceeded today. I mean the weekend that started Friday, July 29. I would mean the real last weekend if I wasn’t so lazy and had not waited over a week to say that we had dinner with friends from Atlanta.

Anyway, Lee and Melanie Blackburn were in town for a vacation. We had dinner at Lombardi’s, a great Neapolitan brick-oven pizza restaurant just north of Little Italy. It is our defacto restaurant to take out of towners (simply because we really like it and most people have not heard of it.) We also walked back to the apartment building to visit the roof. Again, it’s going to be a defacto standard for visitors because it’s so cool. And by so cool, I mean I’m not very creative and couldn’t think of any better way to describe going to the roof.

food, nyc, visits