Something "New"...That is Jersey and York

Arriving in Jersey

Specifically, Highland, NJ.  Located on the banks of the ocean.  Set for a weekend visit with our relocated Louisiana friends.  We had time to fish, catch ocean crabs and sit out on the dock with a great night view of Manhattan and the Verrazano Bridge.  Zach caught and cooked dinner, 2 crabs.  We also had a day at Sandy Hook Park, sunning and playing in the ocean.  The walk out to the beach was brutal!  Hot sand, hot sun and a heavy picnic load, but once at the beach it turned into a perfect day.

Corning Glass

Waiting for Maddi and Zach in New Jersey were their glass pendants.  They made them at the Corning Museum of Glass.  It is a great place to tour and take in a class.  Located in picturesque Corning, New York; with convenient RV parking provided.  The cost of the museum is free to kids under 19 and $15 for adults (*for an additional $5 you can also tour the Rockwell Museum down the street).  CMoG offers glass workshops: kiln work, flame work, glassblowing, glass painting, enamel, engraving, etching and stain glass.  Workshops costs start at $19.  The kids opted for a flame work class, and they each made a tri-color pendant.  The workshop was first thing in the morning and we toured the museum in the afternoon.  Attending the workshop enhanced their perspective on the rest of the museum.

Set complete with circumcising Mohel

http://www.cmog.org/


6 miles: WTC to Central Park
~People~Places~Shops~

We stayed at the Liberty RV Park, Jersey City.  Lady Liberty, herself was in plain view.  It actually was a little uneventful seeing her like that.  So unexpected, and for the first time.  Maybe you feel something different standing at the base of her, or coming in from the water.
The location of the RV park is at the bottom of Marin Blvd, right beside the water.  This section of Jersey City is clean and feels relatively safe.  Park wise it was a squished gravel lot.  We were really careful putting the slide out out, so not to hit the neighbour.  It is a great location though; to be able to be in Manhattan within 15 minutes.  It's a close 5 blocks to the PATH train, that takes us to either the World Trade Center or 33rd Street.  The park is 15 blocks from my friend, Nathalie (and her beautiful family). Nathalie and I made the most of the close proximity by visiting every day.

~On our day in the city, the kids and I took the PATH train from Exchange Place, NJ to WTC, NY.  The new trade center is impressive in the sunlight, with its multi angled window surface and viewing it at night being lit from inside.  (*We had a beautiful view of the WTC and Manhattan from the 24th floor in Jersey City.)  We walked the 6 miles between the WTC to Central Park, stopping along the way for snacks and free facials at Lush.  We took our time really enjoying the city and the little villages within.

On two of our evenings while staying on the Jersey side we had a chance to catch up with old friends; Nathalie, David & Anneliese.  And Rich, Christine, Haley & Hunter.  For Zach's birthday (back in July) he asked for a Muppet.  The only place to get one made and designed by you is in New York City.  Mike took his time building Sid.  **I think Sid looks a little like Mike Knott** As it turns out, Haley and Hunter are Muppet fans also.  So the whole gang posed for a photo.

**I have gained a new understanding for navigating New York.  Know that everyone is vying for the same piece of sidewalk and just keep walking.  It's best experienced on foot in comfortable shoes.  And most important, always watch for the yellow devils.**

Art & A New York Style Birthday

In the afternoon, Maddi, Zach and I took the subway to Brooklyn.  We had to see Maddi's sketchbook at the Brooklyn Art Library.  The 3 of us received a library card and started checking out books; sketchbooks, sent in from all over the world.  The first book we checked out was Maddi's, of course.  We found out that Maddi's is not on the current tour because she is part of the Limited Edition, and will be in the published volume of 2012 Sketchbooks, printed this fall.

Maddi has started her 2013 sketchbook, although she is only allowing us to view the covers for now.  We'll keep you posted on the progress of the Limited Edition book and this years sketchbook submission.
You can check out her 2012 book with the following link, search under her full name.

http://www.arthousecoop.com/projects/sketchbookproject

Once we were back on the island of Manhattan we walked from Union Square in Gramercy to Quintessence, in the East Village.  My birthday dinner.  The restaurant had seating for only 18 people.  A really tiny place, good atmosphere though.  And of course the food...raw, organic and YUMMY!!  The best way to try out a new restaurant is to agree ahead of time that it's okay to grab a bite from someone else's plate.  We shared the appeitizer of spicy tomato-cilantro salsa & guacamole with raw corn chips & flax crackers, and we each ordered a different entree: raw pizza, sun dried tomato basil ravioli & squash pasta, and shared the dessert sampler of tiramisu, coconut creme pie, chocolate pudding cake & pecan pie.  Tasty food, but plan to go before the dinner rush or make a reservation.  **Sorry no photos...we were too busy enjoying the food!

www.raw-q.com

My birthday celebrations seemed to continue for the rest of the weekend as we found ourselves visiting the PEZ factory and in Mystic, Connecticut and in front of Mystic Pizza, the location of a movie from my childhood.

**A special thank you to all my friends & family who have inspiried, encouraged, challenged and guided me through the last 35 years.  If I've done what you wanted, pat yourself on the back.  If I've done something you didn't agree with, know that I heard you, I just choose my own path.  And if there is something that you would like to change about me, know that I might be this way because of you...and it's all your fault! Haha**

Goodbye 34

The PEZ factory

Mystic Pizza