Chronicles Continued

A true City trophy, fit for the wall!

 

created by pablo picasso

These apples hung unexpectedly on the tree this fall. They were picked by someone standing on the bed of a pickup truck.  Eating out of hand, they are crisp, sweet and juicy all at once.  A ‘local’ thought they might be known as ‘striped apples’.  Made into applesauce they are a gourmet City item.  But look at them. No store would sell anything looking so disfigured or discolored, but this is true organics.  Untouched by spray or fertilizer.  Just wind, rain, sun and snow.

 

 

 

Near to Carnegie Hall and other venues of entertainment.

My first non-recommendation. Went for drinks here, and the stuff in the bottle is not what the bottle originally held.  When asked to speak to the Manager about this, his reply was so transparent that we left the drinks and the restaurant.  This was a first.

This advertisement has been around for about 12 months.  Every time I see it I am at a loss at what it is trying to say.

 

Bryant Park turns into a winter wonderland every year around 30 October.  The transformation is underwritten by the Bank of America and is therefore named: The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park.  In spite of the corporate participation, it is a festive and free event. The skating rink is one half of the attraction at 17k square feet.  It is the only free ice-skating rink in the City. 300k pairs of skates are rented each year.  The rink is available for skating this year until approximately the 3rd of March 2016.  There is a beautiful tree at the end – just like Rockefeller Center, with 3000 LED Christmas tree lights. The other half of the attraction: the 128 vendors and eateries.  They are all housed in small glass houses  [never seen anyone throwing stones] the lighting through the panes of glass, sides and top add a festive light ambiance that the other rinks don’t have.  The vendors wares include finely wrought gift items, jewelry and other and well-considered merchandise.  The idea is to resemble the German Christmas markets. It does a nice job of it.

facts courtesy of TimeOut

1924- Originally named Christmas Parade.  Macy employees herded animals from the Central Park Zoo to the Herald Square Store.

1927- Felix the Cat is the first giant balloon

1934 -Mickey Mouse balloon joins the club.  Nearly 1 million people line the streets

The parade is cancelled during WWII years.

1947- Gains national attention after being featured in the film Miracle on 34th st.

1952- Aired locally, now it is broadcast on NBC for the nation,

1968- First Snoopy balloon, followed over the years by 7 variations on the theme.

1971- Tom Turkey is the opening act, and continues to this day

2014- 8000 volunteers help navigate the 2.5 mile march while 3.5 million people line the parade route.  50 million watch on TV

NBC November 26, 9 a.m. EST

facts courtesy of CountryLiving 2014

The directional signs in Cities – pretty much in any city in the world, are put in place by the people who live there. These sign-placing-people have knowledge they don’t realize they have to share.  This results in their leaving out crucial bits of information when placing the signs on the street.  You follow blindly and get part way to your destination and then the thread breaks and you are at a bend in the road, wondering which way to go.  To those that put the signs in place, it is somehow obvious, but not to the tourist. Try it in your city.  Pretend you don’t live there and try to navigate by following the signs alone. No phones allowed. Went to Boston; arrived by bus. The bus station is next door to One of the city’s train stations.  Of course pre-Googled where I wanted to go after arriving; printed out directions.  Boston has a rail system formerly known as the MTA, [remember the song?]  now referred to as the ‘T’.  But there is also another train running, referred to as the ‘Commuter Train’.  It shares some of the route with the T but runs on a rigid schedule.  Google didn’t make the distinction. Most thankful to the SYT* trying to save my soul via the “Watchtower” because she gave the clearest of directions.  [Perhaps she gives clear directions because she is clear about her message- certainly some comparison can be drawn.]  And the auto machines for tickets.  Never could read how much money was on my card, as every time I tried to enter via the turnstile the little screen read, ‘insufficient funds’, so I added a wee bit more.  Have card at end of trip with no idea how much is left.

Another astounding event was the adverts in the train station, through which I had to pass to get to the T.  They were so overbearing, the information for the T was completely overshadowed.  This, I believe would not happen in a foreign rail road station.  The US is so bottom line focused, that the money of adverts it more important than leaving the purpose of the train station to one primary function.  Please supply examples to the contrary if I am misinformed.

*sweet young thing

A Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child.  Read this entertaining thriller if you want a street-by-street description of the West Village.  T was reading it when I visited A&T this summer.  He asked me about the streets and that made me curious.  Just finished it and it is fun to be able to absolutely visualize the exact places.  The other fun fact, the book mentions Oregon and Holland.  Small coincidences.

Anyone want my copy, I’ll send it on.