Last Sunday in Harlem

They have a tradition in the Harlem Ward. If you are a visitor of three weeks or less, after Sacrament Meeting, you stand and introduce yourself and then the entire congregation says, "Welcome!" So we stood today and Quint introduced us for the third time and said that it was our final week. The Bishop looked genuinly sad and thanked us for lending Sterling to the to pass the sacrament. In Relief Society, I sat next to Amber. She's lived in the Harlem ward for 3 years now? She worked at my store in Michigan... about 8 years ago at least. Small world.

Tonight we had peanut butter Hershey kisses cookies with milk. We ate them at City Park. Marcie graciously agreed to conduct a private walking tour of the LDS church history sites in lower Manhattan. Joseph Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Martin Harris and others visited NYC. The Brooklyn set sail from NYC, sailed around South America, the Cape and into San Francisco. Brannan, the leader, is credited with begining the gold rush (printing the news in his paper) and settling San Francisco. It was Yerba Buena then. We saw where the statue of Joseph Smith stood for 6 months. It's now in storage in the parking garage of the Harlem Ward. Then we looked over the harbor. It was a fun night.

On the subway ride home some of us sang camp songs with Laurie and her ukelali. Three passengers actually joined in and requested songs. We had no need of begging subway performers. We brought our own. Only we don't beg. Allison shot video and posted it on Google video. I'm next to Lauri — not singing.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3111513436482905830

Coney Island, the Aquarium then Jail and a Lawyer

They are tearing down Coney Island. So we had to see it. It takes about 75 minutes by subway to get there. The subway was running faster than it was last week, but it was mixed up. The local 1 train was running on the 2 and 3 express tracks and vice versa. Now why this helps construction, no one seems to know.... another mystery to be cleared up in the heareafter.

We decided that we needed to have the real Coney Island experience. We started by going on Cyclone. Quint and Jennifer were the cheering section. It was a combo of "Colosus" at Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA.... "Space Mountain" (before improvements) at Disneyland, and "The Tower of Terror" in Disney's California Adventure. I'm glad the operator told me to put away my camera. It was insane. Jennifer and I did the "Log Jammer" type ride while the rest went on Dante's Inferno. Then they joined us. Then it was off to another "land" for the Ferris Wheel.

Ever since 1979, I have liked Nathan's Hot Dogs. When I found them at the supermarket, I started buying them. Quint was in heaven. He prefers hot dogs over burgers. Everyone had a dog of their choice, a drink (mostly lemonade) an we split 5 orders of fries. A real NY experience.... followed by the Freak Show. No photos allowed.

It was so freaky that no one wanted to leave. After an hour, we headed to the NY Aquarium. Good thing it was open util 7. We got there about 3. Then we headed to the exit/entrance to head home. Except Jennifer saw the beach. She knew we brought her suit. She never got to actually go into the water in Massachusets. Not content to sit and watch the volleyball game, we trekked out to get her feet wet in the water. But that wasn't enough, so we trekked back to get her suit on and back again so she could get in the ocean. This is when I realized that when your mom tells you not to run (as I repeatedly did with her) it is not because she thinks you may fall (although you may and then that could require an ER viist) but it's because the child has too much energy and the mom is worn out and cannot keep up. After we returned to the boardwalk and joined the others she stated that she planned on getting in her stroller and going to sleep.

BITTER ALERT: Sterling says I am bitter about the following experience. So skip it if you don't want to have to read a rant.

It's a nice entance to the subway. Except the MTA person isn't at the gate. New York doesn't win any awards for disabled subway access, stroller access, etc. But cities are made to be efficient and babies and handicapped are not efficient. I have to be careful of my right elbow, so picking up the stroller and carting up and down the stairs is a potential problem. This gate was a real nighmare. It's a "goat gate" Like the ones at a children's zoo to keep the goats in. There is no way a child in a stroller can go through. You either have to disassemble and fold up the stroller (and the "crap a la family of 4" that goes with it) or you have to ring the attendant and have him buzz you thru the emergency exit "normal" gate. So Quint rang.

We knew, from another intern's first-day-in-New-York experience, that even if you hold a monthly pass, you have to swipe the card thru the reader and then turn the stile when using the gate for a stroller. If you don't you could be fined $60. So Quint rang. He was buzzed thru. But held the gate open for me in case it didn't work. We pushed the stoller thru to Ster, who went thru the goat gate. Quint swiped his card then went thru the gate. I swiped my card but turned the stile for Quint, stupidly, locking my card out since I had just swiped. It said JUST USED. No problem, Quint held the gate open for me. Meanwhile, the open gate is setting off the emergency alarm; even though the attendant buzzed us through.

Next thing we know, four officers meet us at the stairs to go up to the trains. Three remian on the stairs and one comes down on to the landing to us and gets in our face. He is accusing us of opening the emergency exit and not paying. Quint starts to explain and he gives us this Brooklyn cop attitude. I knew we were in for it. He wantes to see ID. Quint gives him his driver's license. I give him my I-house ID. It has a photo, my signature, a hologram stamp. etc. I'm not driving. But it's not good enough. Not wanted to further the butt-head moment, I get out my wallet and give him my license. "We don't do things here you do in Utah." He continued the heated lecture. I explained what happened, backing up what Quint said, but I got tongue tied. He jumped all over me. So I raised my voice at him and cut him off when he cut me off. AND I RAISED MY INDEX FINGER.

Evidently this is a crime in Brooklyn. I also could see that this guy was not into solving a problem or finding the facts. He wanted blood or money. He started in on a lecture about the rules in New York. And the problems including people with strollers who open the gate and then non-paying people come in. (How is a tourist supposed to know which NY rules are real when everyone walks across the street on a red light?) So I said to him, "Why don't you take our passes and scan them and see if we used them." He shut up. Evidently a novel idea. Also I had him trapped. I knew we had used our passes. He didn't know. He didn't hear the conversation with the attendant and he didn't witness us going through the gates nor swiping our passes. He only heard the alarm. So he gave our passes to his little buddy partner. I was peeved that he didn't do it. But now I am glad. I don't know if he would have told the truth.

What I didn't notice was that the other cops had told the students and our kids to go upstairs. We were sectioned off on the platform with the one cop. I swear this cop with the bad attiutde and accent was going to arrest us. He was salivating. He continued to explain that people going thru the emergency exit was a real problem in NYC-- holding the door open for other non-paying foks. I told him that if it were a real problem, then he should be stationed at the door. That this was the most unfriendly stroller town. PERIOD, Then his buddy came back. "They are good." The cop was stunned. We told the truth. Quint said we appreciated the job he did and we walked away. What a suck-up. (Obviously he is practicing.) But my view of Brooklyn cops has changed. 4 cops. One shooting off his mouth. The other 3 standing there like dumb, dumber and dumbest. No one trying to be productive — trying to solve NYC's biggest problem. He was out for a Saturday night of bashing heads.

That night I had dinner with my best friend from Jr High and High School. She is now an attorney in L.A. with an advanced law degree in mediation. She said his problem was that he ran into someone who was was a thinker. Just like most of our current elected government officials, this cop didn't want to actually solve a problem, he just want to bash heads. I'm glad I told him to check our passes. It certainly wasn't on his radar. Or at least if it was, he wasn't going to say anything about it. I'm glad I knew that you could do that. I found that out by accident when Jennifer turned the stile and went in ahead of me weeks ago. I had to ask an attendant to let me in. If it is a big problem in NYC, then one of them should have a reader to check those around gate when the alarm goes off... or run the card thru the gate reader. It would say JUST USED. But they were there to bash heads and lighten wallets... and make tourists glad they are leaving Coney Island.

Coney Island is supposed to be redesigned to resemble City Walk or Downtown Disney. I wish them luck. No one ever comments on how they like abusive cops at those venues. They may need to send them out for extensive training. Or bring LA or Anaheim cops here for tourist training. The urine in the elevators on the subway and the lack of elevators at any station other than Time Square are bigger issues, in my opinion.

Dee and I had a great time together over dinner. It funny how you can not to talk to someone for years and then pick up a conversation and it feels like you haven't been apart for long.... I showed her the way to the shuttle to Grand Central Terminal and I continued off to Harlem at midnight. There were more folks out at midnight than during the day! She was to take the train to see Roger in CT. I hope she made it. Roger is a trooper. He is so excited to see anyone he goes to great lengths to accomodate our weird schedules: the Bronx Zoo or the train arriving at 2 am.

But the mayor is getting a letter... and maybe the NY Times and the new Coney Island Developers.

Dinger to Plymouth, Plimouth and Hyannis

When Q was on his mission in Montreal, a trip outside of your assigned area was called a dinger. It was NOT a good thing. But I really, really wanted them to see Plimouth Plantation. And this dinger wasn't against any rules. I had been there in 1996 with my folks. After a couple minutes in the air-conditioned car, we were all glad to make the trip. We stayed in Plymouth Wednesday night after a 5-hour car ride. It only takes 4 hours, but we had to stop 4 times for potty breaks!

We saw Plymouth Rock that night. Sterling was doubfounded that it was so small. They say it has eroded to about 1/3 the original size. Earlier, Jennifer wasn't impressed with the pool. We thought after her Connecticut visit, she would be anxious to swim. Ha. The water slide was too scary to even attempt a swim in the pool. (That only makes sense to a 4-year-old.) Quint and Ster loved the hot tub. Jennifer was too young for the hot tub, despite her insistance that she was 16-years-old. I'd be totally grey-haired if she was...
Across the street from the hotel is a cool pond. Complete with geese and turtles.





The next day we went to The Mayflower II and Plimouth Plantation. It was very fun. Although it had been chilly and drizzling a bit the night before, the weather was perfect and not at all humid.
The actoros on the Mayflower will only answer questions and talk as if they lived at the time. There are other guides who will answer modern questions. At the Plantation, the native people will answer any quesitons. They freely talk about their life now and what their ancestors did. This particular fellow was showing how they hollowed out a tree to make a boat. A woman was cooking. others were gardening. One was in a home. Then Pilgrims in the plantation answer questions just like those on the Mayflower. Some of the homes I saw in 1996 are not there. They have build new ones. Last visit, they told us that it isn't uncommon for one to burn down. There are no chimneys — they cook under a hole in the roof. After a rain, it can be quite muddy inside. Made of all natural materials, the homes probably rot also.

That night we drove to Hyannis and stayed there. Jennifer was impressed with the playground outside the sliding door of our hotel room. They have a wave pool, a hot tub and a mall with a Talbots. So everyone was happy. She was a little more brave in the wave pool and that prepared her for the beach the next day. She delighted in "saving" her brother from the waves.The next morning Jennifer awoke with a start and said, "I'll be outside if you need me." Off she went to the playground. We then went to IHOP and the beach. They have cool shells on the beach, unlike Santa Monica or Malibu. Jennifer got so wet "wakling on the beach" and splashing in the waves that we had to open the suitcases and start all over.

Then we drove home... until a couple miles outside of NYC. Then we crawled home. 7 hours total. Two hours spent merging and merging and merging and merging awaiting to get on the Geo. Washington Bridge. Which we actually don't get on... we get off the freeway at the last exit in Manhattan and the one before the bridge! It was crazy. We barely made it home by 10 pm to return the rental car.

We took a short subway ride home and were ready for a shower. No sweating all day and 15 minutes going home in the subway and we were soaked. But now we understand a country home, city apartment and the purpose of "The Hamptons."

The Met and the Pyramid Playground

We went to the Met on Tuesday. The costume exhibit was moved for the Egyptian exhibit. It was fantastic. I had no idea they had so many various mummies, sarcophogai (?), and a real temple. The Poiret costume exhibit is in the midst of the Greek artifacts. Wonderful. The sign outside the exhibit is the same as the general museum.. no flash photographey. So I'm clicking away.... well no photos allowed. But here is anillegal photo. I think I took five total.Obviously, they want you to buy the book. (The interesting thing is that there are Mary Englebreit-type flowers beaded on the skirt of this outfit.) Then we saw Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Gougin, Van Dyck, Monet and many more. The ones I wanted to see were in storage to give more room for a special collection of someone whom I can't remember. So I bought the postcards.

We also went into American furniture. Frank Lloyd Wright and Tiffany were my favorites. Can you image having this mural of Versailles in your home? I thought this photo of Sterling was a little funny. It reminds me of family vacations of the past... driving long distances somewhere.

Quint's feet hurt so much he and Ster got a wheelchair while I was in the Poiret exhibit. In handing the fellow his driver's license, it fell, flipped and slipped into the back seam of the desk. The problem is that the desk is made of granite. It took at least an hour to disassemble the specially-made desk to retrieve his driver's license. I wonder if they will now chalk the seams. He paid Ster to push him around the museum. I pushed Jennifer around in her stroller. She was asleep.

We saw perhaps a quarter of the museum. Perhaps. But I didn't get to read all the placards so I don't know if that even counts.

Outside the museum, to the north is the Pyramid playground. After the hour-long nap in the stroller and a frozen lemonade, Jennifer was ready to unleash her energy.

Happy 25th Anniversary

In celebration of our 25th Wedding Anniversay, Tuesday evening, we took a taxi (after a subway ride) to the Boathouse in Central Park for dinner. Excellent. Best food I think I've eaten. I had salmon. Quint had steak. We both had spinich. I liked his better. He had a creamed spinich, mine was steamed with garlic slices. It had rained earlier in the day, but by evening, it was dry and very pretty. They slid open the wall of windows so we could overlook the lake and watch the Gondola. Then we walked through Central Park and saw the Falconer Statue. I knew the way home, Quint asked an officer. I was right. Some things never change after 25 years.

When we got home and I think I did a load of laundry. Afterall... this is a real reality show.

Lauri Frost, one of the interns — who is a great news photographer, took this photo on our last day. I didn't bring the camera with us the evening of our anniversary. I wanted Quint to have a great time also.... actually I just forgot it. I wasn't trying to be considerate.

We Miss Derek

This is one of the latest photos of Derek, Jennifer's nephew. He is getting to be quite the little chunk. He looks like his daddy... now; not when Bryce was a baby. He looks more like Nancy's baby photos.

More lines... The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

I tease our family that our vacations are ADHD vacations: small spurts of activity then we go home and rest the feet. Friday morning's goal was to get tickets to the Disney plays. At least one or two. We got to the box office to stand in the immense line. We were it — for 45 minutes. But we got out with tickets for 3 of us to see "Beauty and the Beast" that night. Jennifer obediently took a nap for a couple hours so she wouldn't fall asleep before it was over. Her eyes were enormous during the play. Especially when the giant champange bottle pops and confetti spurts over the audience. The wolves were terrifying. She loved it.
Saturday morning, we got a relatively early start (for college students) and headed down to the Statue of Liberty. The boat ride was refreshing and a lot cooler than standing in line... or Manahttan... period.




Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Lacrosse.

















Together for 2 seconds....



We boarded another boat and continued on to Ellis Island. What a wonderful place. We called Grandma Barlow to double-check if we had any relatives that went through Ellis Island, but all of ours came at the peak before the island opened. The documentation, pictures, history and accounts are facinating.








A U.S. flag from one view and photos of folks descended from immigrants on the other side.










And now a word from our sponsors...








We ended the day with a water run-through in Battery Park. Jennifer and Quint were the test subjects. We brought Jennifer's suit. Then she fell asleep in her stroller for the subway ride home.

American Museum of Natural History

Wednesday, Jennifer and I happened upon this little oasis walking home from Rockefeller Center/ American Girl Place. The guys were attending "Wicked." Quint won the lottery! Quint thought Jennifer would be sad if she did't see it. I knew better. I told her we would go to American Gril Place again. she was thrilled.
Thursday we went to the American Museum of Natural History. They say three time's the charm. This was the first time with Sterling. I know I promised more pictures of Sterling... but he hates posing. We saw the film presentation "Cosmic Collision" in the space section. The screen is a dome. Then we saw the Frog exibit. Including several hundred live frogs. Very cool.




Can you say, "Dinonycus?"


















Big whale. Tired Girl. Teenager.





What if Mom told you to get a switch from this tree in the backyard?












Dart Poison Frogs. Both are about 1/2" long.

Another Seamstress?

My mother made all of our clothes when I was young. I wasn't allowed to use the sewing machine until about 5th grade, so I designed clothes for my dolls using scraps and held them together with pins. A couple days ago, Jennifer decided to make Bitty Baby a dress. She used Kleenex and Scotch tape. Very resourceful. And a lot safer than pins. Maybe the designing thing is in her blood.

Good Morning America: A Red Blur

We saw "Pirates" yesterday. (Bryce's contribution was phenominal, BTW). Just before the movie started, GMA called. Wendy, one of our BYU interns recommended Jennifer for a segment Wednesday morning. I had no idea what for. Who cares? It was chance for grandma to see her on TV.
We got up at 5:05 am, got ready and rode the subway to the 44th and Broadway studio. We had to be there at 7 am. It was for a Chris Cuomo piece on SUV safety. 10 children demonstrated how, even with a back-up camera, kids can go undetected. Jennifer was the last one in the line-up and one of the youngest. Most of the 5-8 year-olds seemed about 10. At the end of the segment, they put the car in reverse. Three moms were to move the kids, I was one of the mom's. It was typical TV: Hurry up and wait. But it was fun. Three rehersals. We were on the sidewalk, just next to where the crowd congregates in front of the windows.
This is Jennifer talking to Morgan, the producer. On the way home on the subway, I noticed my zipper was down. Typical. Good thing I wore a long sweater and I wasn't on camera. Bryce taped it for us. I have no idea if she even got any camera time. But it was another You Nork experience!

Post Script: I added A Red Blur" because that is all you saw. And grandma saw the red and didn't realize it was her. Like Mike Waczowsk from Monster's Inc after his face gets covered my the logo, "That was ME!" It doesn't matter-- we have a blog! And I shook Chris Cuomo's hand.

Memorial Day in Connecticut

We began the day at Grand Central Station. We were settled in wonderful seats ready for the hour-long ride to Connecticut. The boys were buying snacks and then they announced, "The train has been changed from track 24 to track 21. Talk about mass confusion. I didn't realize how many folks were on the train and that folks use this opportunity to get better seats. Silly me. I think we were given the true-to-life typical train experience. We had to get creative with our "real seats" on the next train. We sat in two rows, one in back of the other, at least. Our old seats had faced each other. I used my hour like a real commuter and worked on the church newsletter on my laptop.
We loved our five years in Okemos, Michigan and Weston, Connecticut is much like it. We had such a relaxing, wonderful time. We spent the day with Quint's cousin Jill, her husband Jan and their children Emily, Reice and Sebastian. The kids got along great. It was so pleasant. Jennifer didn't want to leave. Emily treated her like a princess. They played dress-up and with Emily's American Girl dolls. We had lunch and then the kids played with these cool bubble guns I found in Manhattan (Broadway about 82nd). Quint and Sterling paddled their canoe up and down the river along their property. Jill made a wonderful lunch and we were able to visit for quite a while. Quint saw them maybe 10 years ago when he was in Boston for the All-Star game — it's been a long time! Were off to the Weston Field Club after lunch. Jan took Quint and I on a scenic route. We travelled through the forest and by the reservoir. It was awesome. The club has swimming a large pool, a kid's pool, a lake and playgrounds under the trees, in the kid's pool area and on the beach. They treated us to dinner and then we were off for the train after a quick stop over at the house.
We had such a great time in Connecticut. It was a refreshing recharge from Manhattan's noise, heat and smells. The train ride home was even more creative. We were spread out between two cars — but at least we had seats! We arrived at home about 10:30 after the train ride, the subway and then the walk.

Harlem First Ward and Central Park

Alfonso invited us to attend his ward at Stake Conference last week. They were short a deacon, so Sterling helped pass the sacrament. He was the only white boy in Priesthood (all the boys meet together), but in Sunday school, there is a white girl (there is also only one class for the youth). They are going to Riverside Park for mutual Wednesday, so he wants to go with them and keep attending that ward. The building is actually closer to us than the Lincoln Center building. We took a bus (first time!) east across 125th and then walked three block north. It's a new building, five stories high. It"s partially completed. Meaning that they use padded folding chairs unstead of pews and the 4th floor (where the Relief Society meets) is a large room that doesn't have the lower acoustical ceiling yet and there is no door. The other part of the floor is sealed off. It is a beautful builing with room to grow. currently, the two Harlem ward meet there. One is Spanish-speaking.
The cool thing they do is that after sacrament meeting they ask all the visitors to stand and and introduce themselves. Then the enitre congregation says, "Welcome" to you. One of the counselors in the bishopric was conducting and he looked familiar to Quint. After we were welcomed, he commented that he had Dr. Randle as a professor at BYU for the research class. We also met the friends Professor Cutrie stayed with while he was out here last week.
For dessert with Sisiter Randle, I made two types of homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I have now decided that I don't like the white chocolate chips — too sweet. I had two choices: white and semi-sweet chocolatechips with pecans OR semisweet chocolate without nuts. If I had made pecan and semi-sweet choc ships that would have been perfect. But the kids appreciated the no-nut option, as did Sterling. We met in Central Park to eat them. We got off the subway at 79th strreet (I think... ) and walked three blocks to the American Museum of Natural History. We entered the park on the north side of the museum. We found Diana Ross playground. Then ate our cookies on the other side of this big rock.
Next, we were off to Turtle Pond. It is located just south of the great lawn. Some fellows there were feeding them. I doubt hamburger bun is the best food., but they did say they also fed them hotdogs. Ah, a true city turtle. They were of the opinion that they didn't get enough food, but I doubt it. There is lots of vegitation in the pond. Although there isn't a central basking place — just several rocks on the south end of the pond. We'll have to go during the day and see how high the turtles are piled up in the sun. Red Ear Sliders are kid of the "rat" of turtles, they are overbread and commonly dumped when they are tired of as pets. Another man commented that there is really no place for the turtle to nest. However, he said, by naming Turtle Pond as such, it has been christened as the cast-off pet turtle dumping ground. I think the lack of a formal nesting place is a good thing and probably planned. They said there is a large snapper, a map, the native painted and a cooter. But they are all outnumberd by the red ear. This is a shot looking straight down from the observation deck. The largest turtles are the size of our female river cooter. Our pair are aobut 12 years old. The "babies" in the pictures appear to me to be at leat a couple years old. Of course captive turtles, when kept heated all year, can grow faster than naturally kept turtles
This fellow also feeds "George"a red-winged blackbird. He calls on a reed, or the top of the post, or from across teh pond and this man answers him. The man holds out his palm, filled with seed. George come and eats out of your hand. He said he will do it to anyone. A while back, a man claimed to have been attacked by a black bird. The bird landed on his outstretched hand and pecked until he drew blood. The man was inscensed and demanded the birds be detroyed. He was ignored.

The Bronx Zoo, an Old Friend and a New Friend

Roger and I attended Nobel Jr. High in Northridge, CA and Chatsworth High School. We endured Mr. Hyman Lubman for AP History, we had AP English together and of course, Play Production. We graduated in 1979. He, being much smarter than I, works with DNA and has lived in Connecticut for 2 years. He brought his six-year-old son, Justin, to the Bronx Zoo so we could meet again after 28 years. Jennifer and Justin hit it off and she couldn't quite understand why he wasn't coming to our house. When I asked her her favorite part of the day, she said it was making a new friend. Quint left the zoo early to meet Sterling's shuttle. He arrived about 6 pm. Then they took off for the skate park at Riverside Park at 108th. They got home a couple minutes before we got home from hour-long subway ride. Ah those holiday hours and changes. After dinner, we took Ster down to Times Square and Toys R Us. We got home at 11! Good thing this city never sleeps.

The City Quilter & Heckscher Playground

I decided we had waited long enough and Quint had something else to do... so Jennifer and I headed off to The City Quilter on Friday. I mistakenly thought I had seen it all (and owned it all) from the quilt stores in Utah. I was wrong. Jennifer had to walk to our next adventure and the shopping bag rode in the stroller. They have great stuff. Really cool felted dog kits and books, the neatest purse patterns and some fabric I coudn't live without. I resisted the felted dogs kits until I finish the other 100 or so UFOs in my studio. Check out their website. http://www.thecityquilter.com/
We met Q at Columbus Circle for a nutritious lunch of yet another hot dog in Central Park. A breeze was coming off the fountains, Jenifer was saying"cheese" and we had to test the new camera again. Chris Cutrie owns the same camera so he adjusted our default settings. When Sterling arrives, maybe we will post photos of another child. Though he will never sit on a wall, cock his head to the side and say "cheese."


The purpose of this trip to Central Park was to try out Heckscher Playground. Oh my gosh! We didn't know it's a WATER playground. Ah! the advantages of being young. Take off your top and get in the water. The playground has the cushy, non-slip floor of recycled tires — including the towers and elevated waterways kids can explore. Slides, tunnels and fountains, oh my! She would enter a tunnel from the towers on the left and pop up on the right side of the fountain. It was a nightmare to keep track of her, but she had a blast. She was soaked. And happy. And tired. We got home at 6:30 and she fell asleep while I was making dinner — and didn't wake up until morning. Now that was FUN. The shorts she wore have been soaking for three days. Wet metal slide, sand and water=dirty bum.

Fairway

There is neighborhood deli at Teiman and Claremont Streets (I think it's Columbia Deli) and then along 125th street, east of Broadway, toward Manhattanville is another grocery store. But Fairway is the big grocery store. It's been there about 6 years. Professor Cutrie came out to NYC on Thursday. He will be the advisor next year. So we took him to Fairway. This grocery store is also located in Harlem, but on the west side of Broadway, almost to the river, almost under the expressway and about 1/2 mile north of the I-House. (Quint says it's 1/4 mile, but when you are carting the groceries home, uphill, it feels like a MILE.) We found out they deliver for about $7. So DEAL! Here's a photo from the outside. Then Jennifer in the refrigerated ROOM. It is so cold, they have jackets for you to wear. The meat, dairy, fish, and perishables are in there. Dressed for a hot day, I wore sandals. I thought I would lose my toes! The delivery was wonderful. It took about an hour. I only had to cart the bags upstairs in the elevator. Three trips with the stroller. On the last visit to the grocery store I broke the plastic spokes on our $14.95 K-Mart grandma cart. I did find a hardware store in Harlem that sells the sturdy ones. $24.95 for a 4-wheeled one. I found the hardware store on the walk home from the Post Office. That evening we went to Dinosaur BBQ. It's actually across the street from Fairway.(Becasue you can never walk up and down that hill too many times ina day!) We got lucky. Only a 45 minutes wait... that turned into an hour and 15 minutes. Great food. Grocery shopping, the post office... then Dinosaur BBQ. That was enough walking for Thursday. On the way home from Fairway, at the corner before the hill is the Cotton Club. Outside the nightclub during the day is parked a car I think is funny.