Manhatta

The building is now known as 28 Liberty. But the minute I saw it, I knew it was the old Chase Bank headquarters. It was a place I’d visited often; Chase was a client for many years. The building has since been sold. I never noticed or knew about the space on the 60th floor. It’s now occupied by the … Read More

Orchids in NYC

Yesterday, when it was gray, cold and windy I ventured north to the NY Botanical Garden for warmth and beauty, specifically to the Orchid Show. It is one of my favorite shows of the year, a riot of color, unusual varieties and fabulous presentation. This year the show maintained the tradition of vivid colors and varieties. The overall theme was … Read More

Orchids and more

I could easily write many posts about the orchids at this year’s show at the NY Botanical Garden. As I mentioned yesterday, I don’t like the theme of the show. But the individual specimens are glorious. As the orchid show had just opened the day before, many of the plants were budding. Seeing trails of buds about to burst was … Read More

American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) NYC

On Saturday I visited the AMNH with my nephew, his wife and daughter. Brianna is in fifth grade and is studying the Aztec and Incas so she asked if we could go look at those exhibits. The museum is enormous and even though I visit it regularly, I hadn’t been to the hall of Mexican and Central American peoples in … Read More

Hudson Valley

I decided I needed to get out of the city, even if only for a few days. So, I’m spending the weekend in Cold Spring. It’s a charming Hudson River town. And, in many ways fits in with my recent posts about quirky American towns. For many years I lived close enough to come for an afternoon. I’ve watched the … Read More

Beacon and Newburgh NY

This morning, I traveled a short way upriver to Beacon. When I was younger, I often hiked in the area. Just driving past reminded me of the difficulty of those trails, including the aptly named Breakneck Ridge trail. As I watched rain dripping down rocks, I imagined how slippery the trail must be. Even on good days, the combination of … Read More

Heading South along the Hudson River

Yesterday I headed home after my brief stay in Cold Spring. Driving back there were hints of spring—daffodils, weeping willows swathed in pale green, buds ready to burst. But, for the most part, branches remained bare and there was a grayness that contrasted sharply with the intense blue of the sky. My first start was at Magazzino, a museum of … Read More

Fort Tryon Park, New York City

Even though it’s not nearby and has hills, Fort Tryon Park holds the title of my favorite Manhattan park. Why? First, it is a ten-minute drive and has loads of free parking. Second, I’ve never seen it crowded, a rarity in the city. Third, and perhaps most germane to my visit there yesterday, it has an easily accessible flower garden. … Read More

Street Art Bushwick, Brooklyn

The last time I visited Bushwick to explore street art was during one of the worst parts of the pandemic. Streets were devoid of people but filled with fabulous art. This time, people swarmed the neighborhood. And, because marijuana is now legal, pot shops were everywhere, including a slew of pop-up shops and mobile weed trucks. Several tour groups passed … Read More

Tiffany Lamps and Clara Driscoll

Yesterday evening I met up with fellow Score mentors (the organization I volunteer with) for an evening at the New York Historical Society. It’s an often overlooked museum that has fascinating exhibitions. I immediately headed for the Tiffany lamps. Apart from the dazzling lamps, this is a show about feminism and how women’s achievements have been buried. Clara Driscoll led … Read More