Final Faves: New York Mix ~ Brooklyn, The Park and Around Manhattan

Life has got to be lived --

that's all there is to it.

~Eleanor Roosevelt 

Most of these photos were taken on my last full day, in New York, and on my way home the next. 

It was the end of August and difficult not to anticipate the coming of September and "School" starting. Doesn't September always feel like that? For me it does. It always feels the start of the year. And now, with my job teaching (even though many students we've had for years), things really switch up in the fall, because we also get a lot of new students.

But ... I still had a full day in New York!

The Mercedes Apartments ...

And time to fuel up, at Giorgio's Country Grill, with a rather enormous breakfast ...

The church across from Larry's.

Hell's Kitchen area

There is a calmness to a life lived 
in gratitude,
a Quiet joy.
~Ralph H. Blum

This was the day that it started to rain, when I was in the park ...

Central Park

But not before doing a little field sketch!



This is at the South End of Central Park, but over on the East Side,  north of the Plaza Hotel, where I ended up charging my iPhone.

With arms outstretched   I thank.

With heart beating gratefully   I love.

With body in health   I jump for joy.

With spirit full   I live.

~Terri Guillemets

My last day in N.Y., was also the day my niece moved into her new apartment, in Brooklyn. I ended up being there for the Ikea deliveries and the first dinner in their new place. (It's still New York, so that meant ordering in, since the kitchen wasn't unpacked yet.) It was perfect timing that I was there that day!

Brooklyn

Up on her roof!

I am thankful for my struggle because without it.

I wouldn't have stumbled upon my strength.

~Alexandra Elle

The Manhattan skyline, from her roof! The big building in the distance, on the right, is Freedom Tower.

And then ... Time to go home.

I love a window seat!

Well, that trip was a huge thing to be Thankful for, this year! Thanks to my Dad and Mom for the "birthday mileage!" And there is just so much more to be thankful for. As always, my incredible family and friends, my health and the health of those I love. Everything else? Gravy!!!

I feel so blessed.

I hope you feel that you are too!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!!!!

See you in December! ;)

Blessings and light!

Rest and be thankful.
~William Wordsworth

Central Park ... Strawberry Fields, Upper West and a Famous Beer

It was a beautiful day in August, and the humidity had let up a bit. I met my friend Marlene for a carb breakfast on the Upper West Side, across from Julliard. We walked over to this bakery, Levain, famous for their cookies, which seem to weigh a half pound. 

Marlene got the Chocolate Chip Walnut, and I got a dark chocolate peanut butter cup. One cookie is practically a meal, but because I felt I needed something savory to start my day, I got a flat bread which was sort of similar to piece of pizza. So, as you can see, I was not on a wheat/flour free diet of any kind. 

Kind of an obvious music choice, so I went with another artist singing, just to mix things up. Is that bad? Anyway, here you go!

Strawberry Fields

Central Park

We headed over to Strawberry Fields, directly East of us in Central Park, with our cookies and flat bread, and sat on a bench and listened to some interesting versions of Imagine. We chatted about our lives, got caught up, and talked about the upcoming birth of her second child. (Which ended up coming, less that a week later!)

Strawberry Fields was dedicated by Yoko Ono, to John Lennon, in 1985. The couple lived just across from this part of Central Park, at the Dakota.

On another day ... "Imagine," surrounded by rose petals.

The Dakota

1884

Residence of John Lennon from 1973-1980. Also called home, in the past, by Lillian Gish, William Inge, Roberta Flack, Rosemary Clooney, Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, Gilda Radner, Rex Reed, Joe Namath, and John Madden.

After loading up on carbs when headed back into the Upper West side, past more cool buildings.

And then we headed to Marlene's, just off the Hudson River, for more visiting. I love how they have their son Kai's artwork up in their place! He just turned 3!

Marlene was in a past post of New York, from our trip to the Metropolitan Museum together, in 2013. We met in an oil painting class at UCLA extension. (She's brilliant.)

Kai! Isn't he beautiful? His baby brother came soon after this. :)

After hanging out for the day with Marlene, I headed back toward the park ...

Past Lincoln Center ...

And then, when I got into the park, I thought, what a cute place to have a beer!

When my beer came, then I realized where I was.

Turns out Tavern on the Green was closed for years and had recently reopened with this more casual outdoor setting, that was the perfect place to stop and wet your whistle. 

I even did a little mini sketch, at the bar. 

After my beer and sketch stop, I headed back through the park, toward Larry's. We had plans to go tux shopping for him, and grab dinner.

After being in Central Park for quite a while, it always seems somehow surprising to be suddenly thrust back out into the city again.

Larry, trying on his tux, in the J.Crew Men's store, in Columbus Circle, and me documenting it. :)

After shopping success, we had a yummy dinner at El Centro, on 9th. So tasty. I had grilled fish and a pomegranate margarita. I remember many years ago, it wasn't easy finding decent Mexican Food in the city, but this place totally hits the spot.

To see an old post of Central Park in snow, click here.

For my post of Central Park in Fall, click here.

To read about Strawberry Fields in Central Park, click here.

For more on the Dakota, click here.

Living is easy with eyes closed

Misunderstanding all you see

It's getting hard to be someone

but it all works out

It doesn't matter much to me

Let me take you down,

cos I'm going to

Strawberry Fields

Nothing is real

and nothing to get hung about

Strawberry Fields forever

~Lennon-McCartney 

Blessings and light!!!