A Day in the City

There are no photos of the beginning part of the trip because, at 3:30am, we were a bit cranky. Our flight left at 6:10am, and got into LGA around 10am.

Bus ride out of LGA into Manhattan

Beware the creepy guys dressed as cartoon characters in Times Square, who hug your kids, bully you into taking a photo, and then demand tips. We'd much rather pose in front of NY's finest. 

Brunch at Nuchas - tasty!

Dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History

Studying my favorite - Archaeopteryx!

Excited to ride "the under ground trains"

Aidan decided that subways are an excellent way to travel.

Woohoo!

Kobe beef at Yakiniku West - awesome!

Finger licking good sushi!

This was our second plate of sushi; the first was devoured long before it occurred to me to photograph its awesomeness. 

Just a short walk to my favorite pastry shop from back when I lived at Union Square...Venieros! My roommates and I found it by accident long before we realized it was famous. 

After selecting a box of tasty treats to bring home, we treated ourselves to some gelato. 

Cab ride to the ferry because, after being awake since 3:30am, we felt we earned being a little lazy. 

Thumb wars on the ferry into Jersey City - these boats are WAY nicer than I remember them. Heated cabin? Comfy couches? Carpet?! Wow!

The Freedom Tower gets bigger every year!

If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to just rent the penthouse at the Hilton for three months out of the year - just so I can stare at this view every night. 

Cheese!

Remembering 9/11 in Photos

Christmas 2000, Pt. Liberte, Jersey City, NJ

(late) August 2001 - View from my balcony, taken the day I moved into U-Hall, one of the two NYU dorms at Union Square

I have no photos of the WTC in days and weeks following 9/11 (dorm room antics aside). I felt that, as someone who didn't loose anyone personally, it was not my place to stand beside the true mourners and gawk at their misery. My place was up at Union Square, or Washington Square Park, continuing on with my studies at NYU. 

I did take photos of all the outpouring love and support in and around Union Square. Most of the following photos were taken on 9/22/01. 

Lady Liberty - a very interesting woman. 

Tibetan Monks Praying for us - ALL of us. 

A stark contrast from the views from the south side of 14th Street, where military barricades, soldiers (with big guns!), and police dogs stood guard. I had to show my NYU ID in order to pass. As with the WTC, I felt it was disrespectful taking their photos while they were just trying to do their job. Nevertheless, passing south of 14th St was like entering another world...New York City under martial law (or so it seemed). Further down past Canal St was completely off limits to everyone. 

 Christmas 2001 - what a difference one year can make

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The next set of photos were taken on the one year anniversary:

Union Square

Eleven years later and yes, I still believe Murder is Murder. I only wish I knew who this guy was. He received such icy stares from most people, but he bravely wore that sign all day long. 

Down Broadway

 Chamber's Street

Someone from Hawaii sent boxes of Hawaiian leis, and people were passing them out on the streets of lower Manhattan. Stopping at Starbucks for a rest, I spent quite a while thinking about the past year, and about my future. September 11, 2002 was my last day living on the east coast. The following day I flew to Minnesota to start Carleton College, and have lived in the midwest ever since. 

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Related Post: Ten Years Later - my personal experiences witnessing the 9/11 attacks standing outside on Broadway & 4th St, and my thoughts on the last ten years. 

Belated post on our NJ trip

Long ago...(in October)

...Aidan and I got ready for another trip to NJ. He gets to use his new passport!

We flew from MSP to JFK, then took the A Train into Manhattan. This was the first time either of us has seen the Freedom Tower, and it is much more impressive in person. It MIGHT even be growing on me. From Manhattan, we hopped on the PATH into Hoboken.

My good friend Laura and her fiance, Alex, were kind enough to host us for the evening. It was nice to see Mink again, and to finally meet Sable!

After a fun day at my 10th MKA high school reunion, (where, amazingly, I took no photos), and dinner with Tatjana and her sweet family, my dad and lil bro came to pick us up. Aidan LOVES his Uncle Carlos.

Aidan thinks his Grandfather is pretty fun, too. Love the white beard, Dad. Thanks for saving it for me!

Mimi, you look so beautiful when you laugh.

We took a Hay ride with more family...here is my awesome cousin, Katie!

Aidan loves his Nena. I love her, too.

Nena cooked me my favorite meals, and Grampa showed Aidan how to fish. Aidan remembered this pond from last time. Unfortunately, he also remembered how to fall in...again. This time, it was only one leg, and Grampa wasn't around to see it. I laughed. If there is water, my son will find a way to fall in. Every time.

AND after 3 years, I FINALLY took my son down the shore! Aidan kept calling it a lake - such a Midwestern boy. The waves kept him from temping the waters, for which I was grateful. *I* had no intention of swimming in the Atlantic in late October, thankyouverymuch.

Oh, and thanks to Ari for driving all the way down to the boonies in order to have a drink with me (my first time in a bar in over four years). It was so nice to see you again, and I enjoyed meeting your girl friend. We need to take pictures next time, because you have a lot more hair and a lot less ink in the most recent ones I have of you.

45-51 Park Pl

I wasn't going to write this post, and then I wasn't going to post it, but the last few days have seen such a surge of negativity that I simply can no longer remain silent.

1. They have no right!

Actually, they do. Whether it is a mosque or an Islamic Center makes absolutely no difference. They have every right to erect their building, having gone through the appropriate (city) channels and obtaining the requisite permits.

Read the actual wording of the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Forcing them to relocate, whether by injunction or through persecution, is in direct violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. You can't simply throw it out just because it happens to be inconvenient with regard to your own personal opinion. I suppose you could spend the rest of your life picketing in front of the building once they build it - after all, that is your right - but I do hope you'd find something a bit more productive to do with the rest of your life.


2. But Ground Zero is Hollowed Ground/The remains of my loved ones are still there!

How far is far enough? The location is already several blocks from Ground Zero. I was living on Union Square when 9/11 happened - about two miles away. I breathed in all the smoke when the winds shifted the plume northward. I remember the smoke was so thick that I couldn't see my hand if I held it out in front of me. Are my lungs also hallowed ground, too, because some partials of human flesh might have rested there?


3. Islam/Muslims are evil!

It is not the fault of Islam that 9/11 happened, and blaming all Muslims for the actions of a few psychotic extremists is not only unfair, but it also solves nothing. I almost lost my father that day. I watched, helplessly, as people jumped to their deaths. I am sorry it happened, and I grieve for those that lost loved ones that day, but I urge you to not let your personal grief infringe upon the rights of others.


The right path is not always the easy one. In fact, it rarely is. Our Constitution makes us great. Don't throw it away.