Midsummer's Nigth Swing

It was raining, but still, Nate and I made it to at least a bit of the Lincoln Center's Midsummer's Night Salsa Dura night. The dance floor was closed, which was no issue for us, since you have to pay to go on it anyway.

So instead, we danced for free just beyond the roped off area.

Sheep's Meadow in Central Park

I've been working for a few weeks now on the Upper East Side, which is pretty long commute from Brooklyn, but is also a great opportunity to explore a side of the city I used to know little about. This week, to celebrate the fact that it's getting warmer, Nate and I decided to meet at Central Park after work. We chose the Sheep's Meadow, because it was the best midpoint between our respective offices. And, it's a great place to just lay out and people watch.

This Dude was sitting pretty close to us, wearing a teeny tiny speedo. It wasn't that warm, and most people were in fact fully clothed, but to each his own, I guess.

We stayed out laying on blanket doing crossword puzzles until dusk. And as much as I miss the ocean sunsets of my Peruvian childhood, I have to say that the sun setting on the Manhattan skyline is a very satisfactory alternative.

Rainbow Over NYC

I meant to post this a week a go. But after an obnoxiously wet month of June, last Saturday we saw the most wonderful thing: a full rainbow over the Brooklyn sky. I hear you could see it over all of NYC, but in Park Slope, because of the lower rise buildings, we could appreciate it in all it's glory. I can't remember the last time I saw such a complete rainbow, the full arc, and all the colors individually delineated

And in time for Gay Pride Week!

Times Square is car-free

Times Square is now Pedestrian-only along Broadway Avenue. I'd heard about it, I'd read about it (this is a great article on the urban planning and transportation rerouting involved in the process: New York Magazine), but I hadn't seen it with my very own eyes yet.

It's incredible, Times Square is once again new and filled with possibility. It's reborn as a pedestrian haven, where one can lounge on the public chairs, and admire the crazy lights without fear of being trampled by taxis.

What I like about it is that it's not just a nod to tourism, by making it easier for visitors to see one of NY's most famous landmarks. As an urban intervention, it's a wonderful step in the "right" direction of a more landscape-unrbanist city. I'm excited about the end game being a linear park on Broadway dissecting the city, it's better for quality of life, adds an element of green to the urbanscape, and I also believe it will help congestion by forcing people to spread their choices rather than bottle necking on Broadway.

I'm excited about it, and can't wait to see this project continue. Janetter Sadik-Khan, transportation commissioner, are you hiring? I'm an urban designer wanting to do more transit alternatives and city-wide pedestrian initiatives. Seriously, a Jane Jacobs sensibility meeting Robert Moses scale? This rocks!

Warm Weather.

This weekend it's been in the 80's in New York, which would have been great to enjoy if I wasn't currently visiting Texas for the week. And, in Texas, it is always in the 80's this time of year.

A part of me is a bit bummed that the heat wave came when I wasn't there to enjoy it. It's not enough that I am also in the sun and wearing tank tops, it's like I feel that no one else should either. I was supposed to come back glorious to the city telling tales of the crazy Texans and their unbearable heat. People were to be jealous and ask me about this strange concept known as heat during April.

Alas, it is not to be. Though I am glad to hear that when I get back in town, I will be able to wear all the sundresses that have been sitting on my closet for way too long.

Spring

It seems that spring is finally showing itself, or that at least some plants finally got the memo. And, on a totally unrelated note, I am learning to use the macros and manual focus on my camera.

Snow

In all my years living in Texas, we never had a true "Snow Day". Sure, we had days when school was canceled because of inclement weather. Times when a wet cold front would come in, and the temperature stayed below 32 degree, prompting the city to shut down because of the dangers of ice on the roads. On such days, we would even be able to make little 6 inch tall "snow" men, and look around in wonderment at the icicles on our cars.  And let me stress that we wouldn't driving at all, not even to the store because we didn't have snow tires and the roads never got salted.  All this for 30 degree weather.

New York is a different beast. Since I moved here a year ago, there have been many, many days when the temperature did not rise above the freezing point. In fact, I remember a solid week recently were the temperature never rose above the mid 20's. Seriously.  Unacceptable.

And yet, through this whole freezing wonderland (with snow on Christmas, imagine that!), there was never a Snow Day. It was never deemed miserable or dangerous enough to shut the school system down. Which really made me wonder, what would it take to declare inclement weather?

Apparently a whole lot of snow. About 8 - 10 inches, to be precise. It snowed all of last night and this morning. And it covered everything. Though I must say that I was a bit disappointed in the whole snow "storm" denomination. In Texas, rain storms are full of thunder and lighting, and rather theatrical. This snow storm was kinda lame. It just snowed. Continuously. For many hours. In a gentle lovely way. No wind. No thunder. Just snow.

And THAT is apparently how you get a snow day.