Statue of Liberty in Photos

The ferry was only $13 for both Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. We got our tickets in advance; stand-by was a two and a half hour wait. We then went through airport-styled security before we boarded the ferry.




This plucky little schooner even made the foreigners smile. I rode over with Dr. J, Ted, and two other girls. Marcus was already on the island waiting for us. He said he fell asleep on a bench for 45 minutes and said it was the best nap he has had in a long time because of the ocean breeze.




This is only the very bottom of Manhattan Island. Notice how the once two prominent towers are missing. Ground Zero was really something. We walked by and saw the building that they are constructing for the memorial. The design looks rather nice.




A different view of the landing.




Lady Liberty herself.




Lady and the Tramp.




My pals. Where's Carrie?




Found her.




Leaning leading Lady.




The detail on the statue gave me a new found respect for those who built it. Come to think of it, this is the nicest thing the French have ever done for us.




You initially come up behind her. As you get closer, you realize how big it actually is. At first it looks smaller than you imagined. But once you're closer, it looks more and more massize. And it's a statue. It's not like its a geometric thing, but it has folds, fingers and features. It's just staggering.




It's just pretty, very pretty.




July 4, 1776




The base was paid for by donations from the people of New York City. The star-shaped stone platform under the base is an old fort that once protected the harbor.




It was worth it.




Ellis Island. (This image originally had three sky scrapers from West New York in it. I love Photoshop.)




My great-grandma on my Dad's Mom's side came over from Czechoslovakia. She was 15 and her name was Julianna Dzmura. Dzmura - how gypsy can you get!




The exhibits were well done. (Not medium rare.)




This is the main room where people used to sit and wait for their names to be called.




Marcus and Leesa reading some names.




The balcony around the main room.




I love the tiled ceiling.




Temporary lodgings.




I had a sinking feeling while taking this photo. I don't know why.




The detail on the outside was brilliant. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Very cool.




Marcus on the way home. The water is really that color. I always have a desire to jump off of moving boats, but this color made me think more than twice.




This was after we got back into the city, but I just thought the reflection was really, really cool. I love walking down the streets and seeing reflections of light and color among the glass-lined chasms of Park and Lexington. This happened to be right next to Grand Central Station and Bryant Park.

Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland

I don't know if I've shared this yet, but I don't want to go back and read through my posts. Whether I've previously said it or not, it still rings the bells of truth.

New York is like Walt Disney World and San Francisco is like Disneyland.

If one "goes" to Walt Disney World one is stuck paying Disney prices, for Disney service while operating on Disney time, but if one "goes" to Disneyland, one can leave the park at night and eat dinner at any one of the many restaurants outside the resort for regular prices. Why? Thirty thousand acres consisting of four parks, two water parks and twenty-three on-site themed hotels make the Walt Disney World a geographic monopoly. While, Disneyland is only 510 acres and is snug because of close neighbors like the ocean and Angel Stadium.

The relationship between New York and San Francisco is similar. If one "lives" in New York, one is stuck paying New York prices, for New York service while operating on New York time. If one "lives" in San Francisco, one can leave the City and shop, recreate and enjoy prices of the many, many bay-area vendors. Both San Jose and Oakland are not that far away. New York is an entire closed-off island while S.F. is a peninsula

You can still buy food at regular prices around S.F. You can still own a car in S.F. If you want to take a weekend break to somewhere, it's not a huge hassle. Driving through S.F. is an enjoyable experience; New York driving doesn't look that fun.

I'm not saying that I disapprove of New York or Walt Disney World, but if I plan to be at either of those places, I need to make enough money to afford it. At this point, I think I'm more partial to the City-by-the-Bay than I am the Big Apple. But depending upon the professional offer, I could live here.

Friday night Marcus and I went to find something to eat and it was really difficult because we were looking for value. If we were going to spend around $10 for dinner, we wanted the most bang for our buck. We were originally looking for a fish-n-chips place, but Yelp! let us down and suggested a place that didn't have a single piece of fish. It was lobster, crab & shrimp only, and seeing as how we didn't want to pay for a $21 dinner, we took our business elsewhere.

But I don't know if the place we went was much better.



Around the corner was a taqueria that had a very inviting feeling. Super-large open windows gave a Monterey-style vibe and the colorful Luchador theme seemed amiable (notice the masks above the bar tenders in the photo). I can't remember what it was called, though.

The service was good, the food was fabulous but I don't think the dollar-to-portion ratio would warrant another visit. I spent $8.50 on two pescado tacos. They were good tacos with fresh fried fish, green olives, hearts of palm and other assorted spices and dressing, but I don't know if my budget allows for food like that. I thought it would come with rice and beans, but it didn't.



Again, I felt like we were only left to pick through the expensive Disney World options. We couldn't leave and find something better.

So far the best value I've found is that massive slice of really good pizza at Mariella's Pizza.

Apple Drizzle Milkshake

I'm pretty sure the subway guard didn't finish pre-school. If he had he probably would have been logical enough to let me through the gate.

On my way home, I had just swiped my card and walked through the turnstiles when my phone rang. In order to receive maximum cell phone signal, I left the loading area and exited out the turnstiles walking back up to daylight. After I finished my conversation I went back toward the baffle gates, swiped my card and went no where.

"Just recently used," stated the digital screen.

As the arm wasn't moving and the machine resisted all efforts to tell me more, I went up to the booth with the burly man inside and inquired about my card. His response - "Why did you answer your phone?" I am not quite sure how that related to my inactive status, but I explained myself. "Umm...I had a call come in?" (Is he trying to trick me? I wasn't trying to be smart, but he seemed genuinely puzzled that I answered my phone and left.)

"Well, now you can't get back in?" he said in a defeated tone.

(Wait, wait. I know this one!) "Correct. And I purchased the unlimited monthly pass. Do you know why this won't work now?"

"You have to wait 18 minutes in between swipes. That's the policy. You're stuck now."

"Umm...thanks?"

Not wanting to waste my time with someone who was obviously unsympathetic to my plight. I decided to walk home and see how far I could get in 18 minutes. If I wasn't close to home at that point, I would catch a train.

I got to 72nd Street and decided that as I was not yet halfway and it had already been a half of an hour, I left the streets and took the stairs to catch a train home. This time I was real careful to make sure I got in and stayed in.

I did appreciate the opportunity to experience more of the city. How many other times will I have in my life to walk through the city without cares or kids? I didn't have to worry about someone getting into the street, or about my fast gait. I set my own pace and enjoyed the fresh air. I can see how the subway policy is important to deter abuse of the unlimited privilege, but the New York subway system gets an F for customer service. And the New York streets get an A for freshness.



Tonight, Marcus and I decided to visit the Apple Store. It is right in front of FAO Schwarz. Well, it's kind of in front of FAO Schwarz, but more below it. It is in the ground. You enter in this glass vestibule and proceed forth down a glass staircase or a glass elevator. You know at the end of the X-Men movie where Magneto is in that glass/plastic prison? That's what this is except it's a magical place in between dreams where style and technology meet and write all the Beatles music. Once Yoko came on the scene they started making computers and Apple was born.

So we nerded out there for a bit. I still want two of everything. One for me, and one for my PC friend, Jeff DuBois.

After entertainment euphoria passed Marcus was hungry, so we set off past the empires of Madison Avenue in search of BRGR for a milkshake. It ended up being seven blocks away, and the rain didn't stop. My pants and shoes collected more water than they repelled.



The place was hip and colorful, and the milkshakes were good. I just wish they gave me more. I always wish they would give me more.



The way home required 11 blocks of drizzle. Our lower appendages and body units were as sloshed as the Mad Men that exited the Lexington lounges in search of a dry cab ride home. I told Marcus I didn't mind being out in the rain. You see a different side of people in the rain. And the buildings look different too. The haze illuminates the area around lights, and gives everything a submersed feeling. Almost like the farther you look up the less it looks like there is actually open air past the precipitation and the clouds from which that precipitation originates. Like the submarine pod that discovered the Titanic in the dark, you see only as far as the light. Everything else is unknown.

But I think it made walking around and laughing with a good friend in one of the coolest Cities in the world more enjoyable.

My View

Kermit entertains the firetrucks and the motorcycles on the shelf in the empty office. He sits next to this giant clock that has Goodman Media for numbers (12 letters for 12 spots). I want that office. Just because it has a window and a clock and a Kermit.

It is right across the walk way from my desk and every morning I open the door so I can see out the window. I'm constantly busy, but on day's like today it paid off.



This is the Queen Mary 2. It's bigger than a whole city block. I took the photo from my phone, but you can see the size of it. The dark stuff that looks like ground is actually 10+ story buildings. Then out by the water there are a couple of 20 story, or so, buildings. It's just a massive massive floating vessel. And tall.

Tom my boss pulled me in to his office to look at it. That's one of the things I love about this company. Everyone is genuine. Everyone is different, but they all seem united in making me feel welcome. I'm grateful for that. When I have a question, they don't make me feel stupid, and they let me participate in things that matter. Hopefully I can pay this forward, because I don't see payback as an option at this point.

My work is paying off, though. We've been having pretty good success. After this experience is finished, I will be able to report specifics.

The rain continued today, but just as I was leaving there was a hole in the clouds and light escaped to the water below. It was really pretty, but my phone had almost no battery, and so I was restricted from taking a picture.

But this I did snag a photo of a couple of days ago. It's the original yellow submarine mural by Roy Lichtenstein above the open area in the 42nd Street station. It's little details like this that make the entire trip so colorful.

Some color assembly required.

Rain

I have a compact umbrella for easy transport, and this little thing was truly "givin' 'er all she's got, cap'n." Though Scotty had faith, I was convinced the fabric top was going to be ripped from it's aluminum bones. I don't know if a golf umbrella would have been better or if it would have given the wind a bigger target to aim for. Either way, my little protective companion lived to fight another day, but don't tell it, it has to fight tomorrow. See that 90% chance. It's asleep right now in the little sleeping bag that came with it. I'll break the news in the morning; no sense worrying it now.

The rain came down in sheets. Thankfully the torrents ceased before I left work, but this morning it was so strong. I stood for a moment and peered out the floor-to-ceiling window in an empty office on our floor. Being 28 stories up gives you a different perspective, because you can see the mass of water that is falling down to the ground. Instead of looking up at clouds, you are looking toward the targets of scurrying umbrellas below. It's like the old movies of the bombing raids over London in WWII where the camera was looking out the bottom of the plane to the falling death, but instead of fire and death, the drifting cumulus covers unleash liquid ammunition hopefully bringing life to Central Park and the thousands of sidewalk trees that call The Island home.

Well, I guess it may bring death to hairstyles and the creations of Christian Louboutin. But people deserve it if they wear those in that.

Today I got home a little after seven, but I realized on the train that I should enjoy all of this and soak it up because I may not be here forever.



F. Scott put it nicely...

"I...like New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night and the satisfaction that the constant flicker of men and women and machines gives to the restless eye."

It really is something else, but I feel the most grateful for the financial opportunities this unpaid internship is providing. Experience is the dinero and tomorrow is another day.

Though the wind may blow and the waves fall, I will venture the storm in search of the little green light at the end of that far off financial dock - running faster, stretching farther - boat against the current for that one fine morning.

Columbus Circle, Zara and Thor

With a short jaunt on the 1 line, you can find yourself at most major spots in Midtown. The 42nd Street exit spits you into the currents of Times Square with accompanying near-by tributaries Rockefeller Square, Broadway & Fifth Avenue. Though 42nd boasts entertainment it was not the destination of our Saturday outing. Marcus, Dr. J and I exited at 59th - Columbus Circle.



Columbus Circle is like an indoor Santana Row. SR is a strip of high-end shops and restaurants in San Josie. I would not consider them to be on the same par as the Fifth Avenue options, but if you could cut up SR, stack the pieces on top each other and drape it in glass, you would have Columbus Circle. Look here for the list of shops, but such headliners include United Colors of Benetton, Tourneau and BOSS Hugo Boss. They don't make 'em like this in Salt Lake.

The most interesting store in the mall, though, was the Samsung Experience. This "interactive brand emporium" was a rather cool, open and very minimalist test-drive garage for Samsung products. The long and wide store was terraced with a sloping ramp in the center. Each terrace to the left and right had a different focus - television, video games, photography, appliances, etc. Everything was bright, moving and interactive - Times Square in one room.

As Marcus & Dr. J were gawking over the video game section where multiple command centers demanded attention (five angled screens wrapped around chairs with sound systems built into them), I stumbled upon this little gem.



I love the advertisements for the plays. The two screens on the old Times building (left) are little TVs with animations and Samsung ads.

The giant game of angry birds also attracted Marcus and me.



After the mall we decided to look for food and Dr. J recommended this little place down the way from Columbus Circle called Mariella Pizza. According to Dr. J, Oprah raves about it. This made me skeptical, because I haven't really cared for her show, her magazine or her choice of President. However, this tasty pizza is definitely "one of my favorite things."



It's a small establishment where the people take pride in what they do. No fancy frou-frou, corporate restrictions or giant mice. If Mariella Pizza were a show it would be called, "Two workers, some Snapple and a Pizza Place." And no, Mr. Sheen, you can't be in this one either, because this is pure, genuine, unadulterated goodness.

It was reasonably priced too. I've eaten at Famiglia's and Ray's, but I've liked Mariella Pizza the best by far. I paid around $4 per slice at Ray's and Famiglia's, but at Mariella's it was $2.50 a slice. Not bad for Yankee Italian bliss. It had sweet marinara and the crust was just right.

Pizza is just better here in New York. And pickles, too. And Reuben sandwiches, also. And theater productions. But NOT milk prices, Real Estate rates or the beach. Nope.

After lunch we walked 10 or so blocks south, just admiring stuff, to Bryant Park, because I wanted to retry this suit at Zara. Zara was made for Steve - European urban chic with sleeves and pants long enough. I'm contemplating buying it, because nothing else is Joseph Gordon-Levitt-esque in SLC. Suit shopping, well, shopping in general is hard, so I feel prompted to take what I can get, when I can get it. Take a look at it.



With rain looming, we saw Thor. Students can see movies for $6 at any AMC theater, including the Times Square one, with vouchers available at the I-House front desk. Thor = two thumbs up. The theater was three blocks into Harlem and after walking one, we weren't in Kansas anymore. Though Harlem is supposedly getting better, it's still Harlem. I was glad there were three of us. Remember, if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck...

On an up note, here is the beautiful Manhattan Temple/chapel/LDS public affairs office. Because of limited space in the city, the church built up instead of out. The chapel where I go to church is on the third floor of the building, which is actually sprawling on the inside. It faces The Julliard School in a beautiful part of town.

Day Something: Wonderland

Well, that didn't last long. I knew the days would get the better of me, and like an elephant before the army of ants, shear numbers would overrun and I'd be left fleshless (thankfully the calendar detests the taste of flesh). My reason for current NYC residence is work, and recently I have been very busy. I don't remember what day number it is, but that isn't the true reason for this blog, is it? So, without further ado, onto the flesh.

Tonight our NY internship group was treated to the cushy seats of the Marriott Marquis Broadway Theater. Our 15-person group tickets landed us upper mezzanine seats to Wonderland, the new-ish musical rendition of Lewis Carroll's most popular book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Despite mixed reviews I enjoyed it. If Les Mis is a lasagna with it's heavy ingredients and many layers and Wicked is sushi, popular and surprisingly fulfilling, Wonderland is like cotton candy ice cream with bubble-gum pieces.



Wonderland had fun, poppy songs with a likable cast and sweet little bits of the writers' wit to chew on after the velvet constitution of song and dance. It isn't trying to compete with Phantom or Cats or the self-deprecation of Rent (Glee is the new Rent and has enough self-deprecation for Broadway and the entire nation of France.) Wonderland, on the other hand, is casual cognition and a great way to spend Friday evening. My ticket was $32; not bad at all.

A middle-aged working Alice finds herself thrust into Wonderland during a stressful period in her personal life - her husband lost his job, her daughter doesn't like the brand new Queen's apartment and her marriage is on the rocks. Wonderland has a modern urban facelift, but the classic fun-house feel continues and the characters are endearing. Alice saves the day and family is the highlight in the end.

The White Knight and his boy-band backups were my favorites by far. I laughed audibly during their entire first song.



What I couldn't get enough of though were these Sir John Tenniel illustrations that were projected onto the curtain during the pre-show and intermission. The illustrations had little animations - the teacups would fly in the air and the Cheshire Cat would appear and disappear. It was so cool how they can manipulate the original illustrations like that. It was all so very Marauder's Map-esque. I would love a behind-the-scenes look.



I missed my better half when someone in the play sang, "Home is not a place to sleep, home is where you dream." Currently I'm streaming my dreams from my home server, but unfortunately they don't come in as clear as Netflix. I miss my wife, but I'm grateful she's coming out here in two weeks!



Afterward we all went to the Shake Shack. My review of there...I've had better.

Yesterday, before Marcus and I met up for Thai, I realized that I rely heavily on elevators. I live on the fifth floor of a maze and work on the 28th floor of a high rise. The four elevators at the I-House went down to two last weekend for maintenance reasons and I was about to go crazy. Now, my dad's probably thinking the classic Data reprimand from Goonies, "Use the stairs." But like the 80s Asian character, I couldn't help it. The I-House was designed by M.C. Escher who fancied the Penrose Stairs (Ah ha, that'll make 'em walk!), and 28 flights of stairs up 750 Seventh is just stupid. I was really grateful when they started running at full capacity again. It's what happens when you live in an 'up' world.

Here are some photos of the light fixtures at a Thai place Marcus and I went to the other day.