You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
After a great night’s sleep and a nice cold brew…coffee that is…I started my stroll up to the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges for my “Brooklyn day”. Didn’t venture on any subways today at all and it was so relaxing and gorgeous. It’s about a two mile walk, straight shot from A&K’s apartment, up Court St., through the diverse areas of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights, a stroll through Columbus and Cadman Plaza Parks and voilà, you’re there!
I’ve seen the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges from the water numerous times, but had never actually been there & knew this was the trip to get that memorable picture. Even before I reached the waterfront I saw this awesome picture opportunity under the Manhattan Bridge! I spy the Empire State Building!
Did you know that the area under the Manhattan Bridge is called DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)? Isn’t that clever! If you vear right on this sidewalk you’ll end up at a cute little pop-up lunch area. One of the vendors there is Chickpea and Olive, 
….and look at the other events under the archway…and in DUMBO!
…and a little lighthouse!
I continued my stroll southward along the waterfront through Brooklyn Bridge Park. The first fun thing you happen upon is this bright, clever public art installation by artist Deborah Kass. If you’re standing and looking at Manhattan it says “OY”…cause you’re near the very Jewish area of Brooklyn, Williamsburg. If you’re in Manhattan looking across the water it says “YO” because, well, it’s New York City. Who thinks of this stuff?…it’s awesome!! It’s leaving this August, so you don’t have much time to capture this pic!
Keep meandering down the walkway and you’ll see Jane’s Carousel.
It was just about time for lunch and I was originally planning on trekking all the way down to Red Hook and Red Hook Lobster Pound, when I came upon Luke’s Lobster. I’ve had Luke’s at the Food Hall at the Plaza Hotel, so I knew how good they were, but would I miss out on the comparison with Red Hook Lobster Pound? A quick google comparison search and I was confident that I wouldn’t be missing much if I went with Luke’s…so I did! Okay, so Luke’s is directly under the Brooklyn Bridge…and so is another very pricey place called The River Cafe. It’s a really nice looking restaurant in an amazing location…but there’s a lovely little tree covered garden adjacent to it, so I got my lobster roll and sat on a bench with a gorgeous view of Manhattan and saved myself a few bucks! (I’ve heard from many that River Cafe is really good..so maybe next time?)
Continuing down the walkway along the waterfront I took in the view of Manhattan and few other fun things….
…the iconic Statue of Liberty in the distance
…another public art installation is this revolving, neon, “Understanding” sign by artist Martin Creed…looking at the lower tip of Manhattan. It’s leaving in October.
I had left the house around 10, walked a little over 4 miles and it was around 2:15, when I took a left at Atlantic Avenue on my way back to A&K’s place. ….and the adventure continued….
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
I always have such grand plans when I’m mapping out a day in NYC…and this trip was no different…but the reality was less ambitious than planned, but still OH SO FUN! I arrived in the wee hours of the morning after a red-eye flight, which I prefer and usually sleep on, but for some reason I only slept a couples of hours this time. So instead of hitting the ground running, I decided I should start the day with a quick hour nap at A&K’s apartment before my adventure to Roosevelt Island and day in Manhattan.
You gotta love the, most times, very efficient public transportation in NYC. The “F” train starts in Coney Island, has a conveniently located stop around the corner from A&K’s apartment, makes a “U” from Carroll Gardens westward to Manhattan, up the East side and then takes a turn back west, stopping after about 1/2 hour at Roosevelt Island, before finishing it’s run in Jamaica, Queens. A ride on the subway is always a lesson in social behavior….whether it be the interaction between people, just basic people watching, or the use of headphones and cell-phones that allows one to retreat into their own world. I just love observing it all.
So, why Roosevelt Island, you ask? I don’t know…it’s just one of those places that I’ve seen numerous times on previous trips as I’ve come over the East River on my arrival into Manhattan and was always curious. Do people live there, is it a big park, are there restaurants? Well, yes, yes and yes. Mostly, Roosevelt Island is a residential enclave in the middle of the East River, although part of the borough of Manhattan, it is owned/operated by the state of New York. It is home to about 11,500 people, has a few restaurants, a couple of hospitals and a cool lighthouse at one end. So, this would be the NY trip where I put my curiosity to rest…and, of course I had to see that lighthouse! I exited the architecturally cool subway station and headed north on the pedestrian river walk. The weather was gorgeous for the one and a half mile walk along the waterfront looking towards Manhattan’s upper east side in my quest to see yet another lighthouse.
Blackwell Island lighthouse (named after the family that owned the island for awhile) is not an official Coast Guard lighthouse, but was built in 1872 to light the northern tip of the island for boats navigating the East River, as well as the nearby insane asylum. It is Gothic in style, looking almost cobblestone-like and, interesting side note, designed by James Renwick, the same architect that designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Ave across from Rockefeller Center.
The island itself would be a nice place to take picnic and hang out for lunch…maybe on one of the many hammocks scattered about… or catch one of their outdoor movies in the summer. Maybe next time I’ll try to catch a football game at the Riverwalk Bar and Grill Restaurant? I didn’t get down to the south end of the island, where there is a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the ruins of a smallpox hospital, South Pointe Park & FDR Four Freedoms Park, but I’m sure it’s a beautiful extension of the river walk and a nice stroll. You can also take a yoga class on the lawn!
It was time to take the tram back over to Manhattan and I’m a little scared of heights, but no time like the present to face your fears! It’s a cool view as you fly over the water for the 5 minute tram ride. Got to the other side in one piece and booked it over to the subway to meet my childhood friend, Kelley, for lunch at Trattoria Trecolori. It was packed and we got the last table for two. I’d recommend it for a meal or quick bite before or after the theater. We did some catching up and then headed over to see the Broadway musical, Shuffle Along.
It was a non-stop tap dancing spectacular and why wouldn’t it be with a choreographer like Savion Glover and a great cast including Brian Stokes Mitchell, a Broadway veteran. I saw it without their star, Audra McDonald, and her understudy was great! I didn’t miss Audra at all…but, unfortunately, due to McDonald’s pregnancy, the producers decided to cancel the show and it will close on July 24th (they made the announcement the day after we saw the show). So stupid! She is not the only one who makes this show fun and great. I think it’s a bad call…but I don’t have money invested, so they’re not listening to my opinion. I also ran into an old friend of my mom’s while I was at the show…small world!
Next we started to walk across town to check out a roof top bar that Kelley had been to, but they were closed for a private event…but, we stumbled upon a Latin dance party at Bryant Park fountain, so being that we were both fans of Zumba, we joined in! It was a fun little detour in our day! We continued on to cocktail hour at my daughter-in-law’s desk at Conde Nast Publications, with a view of the World Trade Center….pretty impressive & a cool place to work!
Kelley left us to head back to her home in Connecticut and we walked over to Pier 25 for our 8:45 reservation at a new-ish place on the Hudson called Grand Banks.
It’s a floating, stationary boat docked at Hudson River Park and we arrived just in time for sunset! It was a bustling scene with a line down the pier for those without reservations, but we walked right on and waited in the bar area until our table was ready.
The kids started with some oysters….I’m not a fan…and then we enjoyed lobster roll with New Bay spiced potato chips from their small plates menu, which was just the right size at that late hour (although being on California time, it felt like 6pm, perfect!) I loved the addition of cucumber on the lobster roll too!
Back to the subway where it wasn’t as “on time and efficient” so we Ubered it back to Caroll Gardens and fell into a deep sleep. Didn’t get to everything I had originally mapped out for the day, but is was a fun-filled, exhausting day one!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
….Day two of my Aptos adventure
I again slept really well and enjoyed a leisurely morning with my coffee out on one of the decks. One of the recommendations from my exchange hosts was the Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College on Saturdays, so I thought I’d give it a go. There’s nothing like being with all the locals to make you feel like you belong. I couldn’t resist all those gorgeous fruits, veggies, breads, cheese, homemade jams & almond butters…and quickly decided I was eating in again for dinner.
I had made dinner reservations at the recommended Cafe Sparrow in Aptos Village, but seeing that I’d changed my plans I figured I should try it out for lunch. Aptos Village is just that, a quaint throw-back village with a few shops, an old hotel and a Starbucks, but I did make a pit-stop on the way to the village at Aptos center and found a few treasures. For lack of a better word, Aptos Center is a strip mall on Soquel Drive, but with much more charm, architecturally, than your average strip mall. It was a nice little place for a quick stroll through some shops before continuing on for lunch. Outside-In has some local artisan items, as well as the perfect hostess gifts and just generally a nice little store. I found a perfect little cross-body purse for my travels…
There’s also, Pacific Coffee Roasting, which is obviously a total local hangout…with a nice patio and some good coffee.
…back to Cafe Sparrow! It’s a popular place. I arrived around 11:35, thinking I was early, but the place was packed, with one large party celebrating a Santa Cruz graduate. I ended up waiting around 20 minutes, which was actually a fun people watching activity. The menu looked really good, but I wasn’t super hungry after sampling all the wares at the farmer’s market & coffee at Pacific Roasting, so I opted for a menu item that looked like it would pack a lot of punch in a small package, the Fromage Baguette. It was described as “fresh baguette rubbed with garlic & topped with cheddar, gruyere and brie, broiled golden.” It was perfection! How can you go wrong with 3 cheeses & garlic on a crusty baguette….and low-calorie too! I guess I’ll have to go back someday to get the recommended Surf and Turf menu item, which is a petite filet mignon with two crab cakes..yummy!
Another afternoon on the, now very crowded, beach was followed by the serenity of the roof top…writing and reading in my jammies enjoying my farmer’s market delicacies. Isn’t that what vacation getaways are about?…changing your plan as the day presents itself!
Woke up early on Sunday and took a more leisurely drive back home on the beautiful, coastal 101 freeway…arriving home in time to share a glass of vino and swap stories with my new home exchange friends, who stayed until Monday to avoid the Sunday traffic nightmare. These arrangements are called “hospitality” where you just invite them to stay while you are still at home. It was nice to get to know them, hear about their time in my home and share my time in theirs….again, WIN, WIN!!
Weekend getaways are so rejuvenating…and even more fun when you meet and share them with new friends!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
I never tire of the adventure of a last minute trip up the coast to Central or Northern California…or down to San Diego for that matter! Last weekend took me to Aptos, CA….but let me back up.
I had taken Friday off for a planned girl’s weekend, but due to some sad circumstances it was cancelled the week beforehand. I guess I can work on Friday now, I thought to myself. That was my contemplation, until I serendipitously got a request for a last minute home exchange in the seaside town of Aptos, about a 7 hour drive North for me. I checked out the house, with views of the ocean from almost every room in the house, as well as a roof-top deck, and replied with a resounding “YES!”
I left after work on Thursday, taking the ucky/boring 5 freeway, instead of the picturesque 101, in order to make it up before the sunset. I made it with 20 minutes to spare! I was pretty tired, but also needed time to wind down after having some coffee to keep me awake for that boring drive. I stayed up later than usual (“usual” is around 9:30/10ish due to the 5am rowing alarm) but I slept like a baby. That’s actually a really stupid saying “slept like a baby”…babies really don’t sleep very well! Anyway, the cool ocean breeze wafting through the windows, accompanied by my zen-inducing ear plugs, allowed me to sleep until almost 8:00! WOW, haven’t done that in awhile! As my mom would have said, “Well, you must have needed it!”
I took a walk down to the beach to see the cement ship I’d read about at the end of the pier, enjoying the refreshing breeze and the smell of the ocean, and contemplating my plan for the day.
I googled “lighthouse Santa Cruz”, just to see if there were any, found out there were two, and decided to check out the Walton lighthouse because it was closer. I’d only been to Santa Cruz once, many years ago with the was-band, and thought I’d take the coastal route through a few little towns along the way. I quickly found out that I was not alone and that it was graduation weekend at UC Santa Cruz. I wasn’t in any hurry as I inched my way up the 7 miles to Santa Cruz catching glimpses of the umbrella dotted beaches along the way, eventually stopping at the lighthouse. Parking is a bit of a challenge, but I was lucky enough to find one right around the corner…gotta love parking karma!
There’s a cute little restaurant at the beginning of the jetty, on the dock, leading out to the lighthouse called Aldo’s. So, after strolling out to the lighthouse and taking some commemorative pics, I had to try it out! I got a perfect little table on the patio with an incredible view of the harbor, lighthouse and ocean. The menu was extensive and I should have ordered chowder, but I’m a sucker for french fries, so just had a basic burger and fries, which were good…the view was awesome!
So relaxing watching the boats heading in and out of the adjacent marina….and then this boat went by….
Check out the name! I realized I was meant to be at that restaurant, in this harbor, at that exact spot at that exact moment….more good karma!
I made a brief stop on my way back to Aptos in the cute little town of Capitola. A lot of typical kitschy shops that you’d expect, a welcoming beach and a promenade full of restaurants on the sand with a view of the water and these brightly colored cottages….
I spent the rest of the late afternoon on Seacliff State Beach reading and enjoying the chatter of the beach-goers. Side-note…on the way back to my car I overheard a group of teenagers discussing the houses adjoining the beach area, when one commented, “They’re just normal rich people.” It made me chuckle! I headed back to the house and decided to make simple pasta with pesto that I had brought with me and enjoy the view from the roof top. I just didn’t feel like taking off my jammies and heading out when I could enjoy that roof-top view…it was calling me! I turned on the Warriors game, pressed pause, and soaked up the last light of the day until it got too chilly…even for me…..then pushed play..woohoo, go Warriors!
What a great first day!
….Day 2…to be continued
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
My book club read a great book this past month titled The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt. What started as an email exchange between a son and mother, and the curiosity he had about her history, ended up as this truly inspiring, although sometimes tragic, family memoir. We all enjoyed it and would highly recommend!
As an added bonus, one of our members, Barrie, will soon be a grandparent, so, of course, Mimi, our host, came up with the brilliant idea of a surprise baby shower book club (…and the book is about the relationship between a mother & child.) It’s always so much fun, interesting, and never enough time, to discuss a really thought-provoking book…chat about our life events (weddings, moving, new jobs,,etc)…enjoy cocktails, a fabulous meal and then throw in an adorable baby shower.
All those tiny baby clothes brought back memories…as well as oohs & aahs. At the end of the evening we were all well satiated, with food, friends, anticipation of the next book and the milestones that will be made before we meet again.
Here are some quotes from the book that resonated with me, for one reason or another…
…and my favorite, and so true…..
I love that last one because it’s speaks to gratitude, adversity, resiliency and hope all in one sentence. Yay…another saying for my walls…just kidding Taylor, I know, enough, enough!! …but it will become part of the repertoire of affirmations that are always in the back of my mind.
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
School’s almost out, which means I’m almost off for the summer and I’m soooo ready! So, what better recipe than gazpacho to get you in a Summer mind-set. Thanks to my sister’s good friend (….& now my friend), Nancy K., for sharing this yummy, refreshing gazpacho recipe.
It’s a lot of chopping, but makes a big batch that you can enjoy for days.
4 Tomatoes, chopped (I added little tomatoes too for texture)
2 medium cucumbers, seeded & chopped
1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
4 shots of Worcestershire sauce (4 quick squirts from bottle)
1 T. sea salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Handful of cilantro (though you can also add parsley)
Equal parts:
Clamata juice
Spicy V-8 juice
Lemon juice to taste
Chop & mix everything…then add equal parts of the juices (though the lemon juice is just to taste). Chill & serve. (Note…sometimes I just halve the recipe when it’s just me and there’s still a lot to enjoy!) Isn’t it gorgeous!!
The perfect summer meal to enjoy alfresco…pair it with a light cucumber cocktail!
What’s on the table, is never as important as who is around it!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
