Springtime in New York City

Here we have the Brooklyn Bridge. Rob and Jacquie were in town a few weeks ago and part of the itinerary was a walk across it. Being a beautiful New York City Spring Day, it was on a lot of others' as well. Despite the crowd (or maybe because of it, one starts to yearn for human contact when one lives amongst wild turkeys and tobacco farms) the walk across the bridge was fantastic. With views of Manhattan at one end, the water beneath, the Manhattan Bridge running sort ot parallel and Brooklyn up ahead, mixed with the blue sky and the sounds of multiple languages being used by all of the other bridge-walkers (as well as the warning shouts from bikers anxious to get clueless gawkers out of their designated path), it is a walk not to be missed.

Here we have the Empire State Building, as seen from the Highline. Marla was in the city for a conference so we met her, crashing in her room and helping her play a little hooky. She hadn't been on the Highline before and it is, well, a must-do. It combines great people watching, innovative land-use planning and interesting architecture all in one walk.

Notice Diane von Furstenberg's studio in the left-center of the picture. She was instrumental in getting these old elevated tracks made into a park. 

This is a pint of Guinness on our table at the Baker Street Pub, where we watched Bayern Munich lose to Internazionale Milano in the Champions League final. A nice pub, not too big and with flat screen televisions visible from every seat. They serve a juicy half-pound burger. A group of Germans were in the back and it was mostly Italians in the front. Marla had to leave for the airport so we shared our table with two young Bulgarians (Inter fans, unfortunately). Our waiter was from just outside of London.

Finding a random pub and watching an international soccer match is highly recommended. 

The fountain in front of Lincoln Center, on a warm, humid but breezy night. Inside, Reneé Fleming was singing in the final performance of Armida and the end of the Metropolitan Opera's season. Despite the lovely setting and the relaxed atmosphere, I was a little disappointed. We never got to the opera this year, despite being drawn in weekly by the live radio broadcasts.

Okay, let's chalk that up as next year's first must-do.