NYC for a Day

The last time I was in New York City was seven years ago in the fall of 2007 (before I started this blog!). Mom, Rebecca, and I did all the usual touristy things, like the Empire State Building, Central Park, Times Square, and Broadway. Although those things were very fun, I never made it a priority to go back. NYC seemed like another world, and I was overwhelmed by the thought of navigating a new, huge city. But then I heard about the High Line. Suddenly, I really wanted to go to NYC.

I wish I could remember where I heard about the High Line, but I have no idea. I suspect it was in one of my classes at SNRE, since the High Line is a perfect example of brownfield redevelopment. The High Line is an urban park built on a 1.5-mile stretch of unused, elevated railroad in the meatpacking district of the city. The first stretch opened in 2009; the latest expansion opened this fall, and an additional stretch will open in 2015. The park winds its way along the Hudson River into the heart of the city, uses native landscaping throughout, and includes tons of benches, lounge chairs, and bistro tables to encourage community use. In the summer, there are food vendors and art events. In October, the High Line hosted a Halloween party where kids could trick-or-treat with ghostly characters from the West Side's industrial past.

Basically, the High Line seems like a little oasis in the midst of the city.

I mentioned the High Line to Colin earlier this year, and when we were making plans for last weekend, he happened to remember it. Trains run between New Haven and NYC every half hour or so, and it's an easy 1.5-hour trip. Saturday was supposed to be relatively warm (i.e., not freezing), and we had nothing else to do, so we decided to check this off my To Do For Fun list!

It was everything I'd hoped for.

The first section we walked, which was sort of in the middle of the park, was the more curated section. It was gorgeous. I loved how the designers incorporated the old railroad tracks into the walkway, and I loved the plantings. I imagine that the park is actually a green oasis in the middle of the summer! We noticed a ton of new highrise construction alongside the park, too, so I'm guessing property values in this area have skyrocketed.

The High Line

The next section we walked was less curated and was intended to show what happens when nature takes over an abandoned railroad. In that section, a single, narrow walkway followed the Hudson River shoreline next to the old tracks and whatever plants happened to grow up - and over - them. It was neat to see the two different approaches to "greening the railroad."

We then turned around and walked to the southernmost end of the park. Most of the rest of the park was of the highly-designed variety, but I continued to be impressed with how fun and engaging the design was. One of my favorite details was the series of movable lounge chairs - built with old train wheels - that could be rolled along train tracks of their own. I didn't think to take a photo of them, but this one shows what I'm talking about. So cool! And given how crowded the High Line was on a sort-of-cold Saturday in November, I can only imagine how full those chairs are in the summer.

Colin and me on the High Line overlooking the Hudson River

Although the High Line was the highlight of this trip, Colin and I also stopped for lunch at a restaurant in Korean Town (which we didn't realize was a thing until Yelp told us that that was where we were) and for cupcakes on our way back to the train. We walked past the Empire State Building and saw the newly constructed Freedom Tower in the skyline.

That night, we returned to New Haven to check another item off my To Do For Fun list: a Yale a cappella show. I loved watching Brown's a cappella groups back in college, so I told Colin we should take advantage of his student status to see another show. Thinking he was picking the best-of-the-best, Colin got us tickets to a show by Yale's oldest a cappella group. Unfortunately, we could tell from the minute we walked in that it was not exactly what we were hoping for. The Whiffenpoofs (yes, that's really their name) perform in tuxes with tails and white gloves. They have no beatboxer. For goodness' sake, they have to remove their white gloves in order to snap along to their singing, so that tells you exactly how often they do that. The most upbeat songs in their repertoire were Cole Porter show tunes (Cole Porter was a Whiffenpoof himself). Colin and I had a good laugh about the show after the fact, but I'm keeping "a cappella show" on my To Do For Fun list. I'm confident that Yale has some more fun a cappella groups somewhere; otherwise, we'll just have to plan another day trip, this one to Providence for some good old Brown Derbies singing.

Bacchus and Artemis Do Halloween

This year, Colin and I decided to keep Halloween low-key. Instead of hitting up various parties, like the huge one thrown each year by the Yale School of Forestry, we decided to throw our own. Unfortunately, our guests apparently wanted an even more low-key holiday than what we were offering because they all backed out and decided to do totally un-Halloweeny things like visit girlfriends in DC or schedule music lessons in NYC.

I wouldn't let Colin skip out on dressing up, though, even if it was only for ourselves and the trick-or-treaters. Costumes are the best part of Halloween! In honor of his Greek research, we chose to get in touch with our inner god/goddess and go as Bacchus, the god of wine and parties (because our party was so very much fun, even if no one wanted to come), and Artemis, the goddess of forests and wildlife (because that seemed appropriate for a party hosted by two environmentalists).  Colin filled an empty wine bottle with water and enjoyed gulping it down all night, although he left it behind when answering the door for the little ones.

Bacchus and his "wine"

Artemis the huntress

We spent the early part of the evening baking apple crisp and carving a pumpkin while manning the door for trick-or-treaters. This was my first time handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, and although it was fun, it made me miss St. Louis. In St. Louis, kids have to "work" for their candy by telling a joke. Some of my favorites: What do you call a hot dog with nothing in it? A hollow-weenie! And, how do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it!

My first time handing out candy to trick-or-treaters!

Pumpkin carving.

Colin had the great idea to bring our jack-o'-lantern into the 21st century by foregoing candles and instead using a string of remote-controlled, multicolored LEDs inside. (This idea might have come about because we didn't have any candles.)

Halloween still life: LED Jack-o'-lantern, empty Nerds box, bag of apples, pumpin carving supplies.

The finished product!

 We had about 20-25 trick-or-treaters before 7:00, when it started raining, and shortly thereafter, two friends showed up to watch Sleepy Hollow with us. It was a party after all!

The only deadline that matters: Happy Halloween!

Come Sail Away

I've been joking for years about how I'm "solar-powered." Every year around the first of October, I get a little panicky, knowing that my time in the sunlight is running out. It takes a lot to keep me indoors when the sun is shining. I start my countdown to spring on October 31st, when CBI closes for the season.

But last Saturday, the sun came back out to relive summer for one day. It was in the high 60s, and the sky was a bright, cheery blue--good enough for a sail on the Charles! Colin was in town for his fall break, so we sprang out of bed early in the morning, threw on our sailing clothes, and hurried down to the river. It was a solidly yellow-flag day: enough wind to keep the boat sailing, but light enough wind to make it not scary. I sailed us most of the way to MIT, where their sailing team was out practicing, but Colin took a turn at the helm as well. He still remembers how to sail! I look forward to the day that he can chauffeur me around in a sailboat.

It was the perfect way to cap off the 2014 sailing season. The day was beautiful; the wind was ideal; the company was superb. I even launched and docked the boat so smoothly that you would have thought we had a motor. Smooth as silk, y'all! We stayed out for about an hour and a half, zig-zagging our way up the river and trying (unsuccessfully) to sneak up on seagulls. I hated to leave, but I couldn't have asked for a better last sail of the season.

As an aside to illustrate how amazing Saturday's weather was: later that afternoon, Colin and I were hanging out on his aunt's porch, and a bee flew up my skirt and stung my thigh. This was extremely uncomfortable and a little shocking, but the important points are that: (1) I was wearing a skirt, and (2) there was a bee.  

The following day, after Colin left for New Haven, I headed back to the river for the last time this season. Since sunset is so early these days, I knew I wouldn't be able to get to the river during the week, so last Sunday was my last chance. As it turned out, Saturday had been a total anomaly--Sunday was cold, gusty, and gray, just like it had been for the past couple weeks. I bundled up and hopped in a kayak since sailing was impossible. It was a super strong red flag day, and even paddling was tough. I ended up paddling upriver via the lagoons then riding the waves in the river back to the boathouse. It started drizzling about halfway through my paddle, and the waves looked like the ocean. Nevertheless, it was great. I couldn't stop grinning because I was outside with the wind, the water, the sun, the boats...

See you again in five months, CBI!