NYC Tourists

We're on the subway making our way from New York's Time Square to the southern downtown district.  Looking at the city map, we discuss how we'll walk a couple of blocks to get where we want to go--which won't be too far from where we can pick up the SIM1C bus back to Staten Island, Great Kills Yacht Club and "Velsignet."  We look up from the map and a friendly woman says to us, "How long are you visiting New York?  Where are you from?"  We talk.  She gets off at the next subway stop.  We ask ourselves, "Are we THAT obvious?"

We've spent 3 days at Great Kills Yacht Club ("Great Kills" is a neighborhood of Staten Island; "kills" is an old Dutch word for streams or creeks of which there are many in this area). Gold Looper John Calascibetta is a member of the yacht club and was instrumental in changing the club's policies to allow Loopers to stay in its marina at a very affordable price (most places in the NYC area charge 2 to 4 times the price).  From the marina, we were able to hop on a bus (a short 3-block walk) that took us right into Manhattan and brought us back "home" each day.

The highlight of our visit so far has been meeting up with our goddaughter, Jamie Reese.  We enjoyed a Mexican dinner over the 4 hours (which went by too quickly) we were together.  We're so happy for Jamie, and proud of how she has made NYC her home and workplace!

Today we left Great Kills and are currently back on the Atlantic cruising north along Long Island, NY.  We will go "inside" to anchor the night and continue tomorrow cruising north on the Atlantic along Long Island to Shinnecock Bay where we will meet Brenda's cousin, Catherine Cape Furey, and her husband, Tim, at East Quoque on Saturday.

We arrived at Great Kills Yacht Club with evening plans for dinner and "Pegs and Jokers" with Liz and Steve, MV "Shingebiss."  We began with a docktails on "Velsignet" with Liz and Steve, Mark and Lezlie (Texans on "Antonio") and Don and Jan (Ohio, "Time to Breathe").  Liz took this photo of us during the game.  The boys were the winners this evening.

Liz and Steve are Minnesotans that are currently living on their boat with plans to make Florida their new residence.

This picture was taken from the bus.  Taking the bus proved a relaxing ride from Staten Island, over the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge (This double-decker suspension bridge is the longest of its kind in the Americas and carries 13 lanes of traffic!) to Brooklyn, then to Manhattan.  It was a great way to see more of the NYC area.

The park by Union Square was beautiful this time of year.

Brenda took the picture of this hydrangea bush not because of the flowers, but for the leaves....look, closely, fellow gardeners...the leaves look like those of a maple tree...

Our first order of business on our first day in the city was to find an authentic bagel shop, Murrays!  When we share this with Jamie, she gave us her approval....her office orders from Murrays when they're looking for bagels.  YES!

The inside of Murray's gives a very informal and local flavor.

Here we are with Jamie.  We had such a good time with her!!

On our second day in the Big Apple, we enjoyed lunch in Central Park.

It was just a week or two ago that we were in NYC enjoying a pedicab ride with grandkids, Claudia and Killian. 
We were reminded of our wonderful time with our young traveling companions!

We took in an afternoon Broadway show:  The Cher Show.  Allison, Jordan, Nora, Claire, Rachel, and Claudia:  Should you have the opportunity to see this show, I would highly recommend you do so.  Not only entertaining, Cher's story is an inspiring one:  Believe in yourself and never give up!

Walking around NYC, we took only a few photos of what could've been hundreds of the buildings with architectural interest.  

We concluded our second day in NYC at the Fraunces Tavern, a landmark museum and restaurant.  The Tavern, which opened in 1762, has a rich history in the building of our nation: Prior to the Revolutionary War, it was a meeting place for the secret society of "The Sons of Liberty; In concluding the War, negotiating meetings between the British and American's took place here;  After the Revolution, General George Washington bid his military officers farewell in this tavern; and following the ratification of the constitution, the tavern housed our nation's first Foreign Affairs, Finance and War department offices.

There are several rooms in the Fraunces Tavern, which today is owned by Porter House Brewing.  It is one of the oldest restaurants in the United States (2nd oldest?) and the oldest standing structure in Manhattan. 

As we prepared to leave Great Kills this morning, we felt "velsignet" or "blessed" by the boating folks we met in the marina during our short stay...and this family of swans swimming close by.