New York - A City of Many Curiosities

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News Sand
 News stands. They are everywhere and seem to be busy all the time. I used to see these in old movies and wondered if they are still around and yes, they are....everywhere in the city.
Architecture
 Architecture. Look up and you will find many classical buildings. A lost art at a time when the designer really thought about the building and its place in the city. Too bad many of these stately buildings are being razed to make way for ever taller condos..
Parking Manhattan style
 Parking. Certainly at a premium and that means finding ingenious ways to stuff as many cars as possible in the least amount of space. Wonder how long it would take to get my car if it was parked at the top.
Oculus
 The Oculus. At first I thought, what the heck is it? A bird, a statue, a jumble of metal? No, it's a train station and I'll bet it costs a pretty penny to build.
Trendy cafe
 Cafes. They are everywhere. We wanted to sit down and have a coffee and a Danish in this pastry shop. You couldn't just sit down and have a casual coffee, they ushered you into a part of the shop that I am sure costs twice as much going in, getting a coffee and a Danish and leaving. $20 for two cups of coffee and two danish....come on!
Interesting people
 People. There are interesting characters everywhere in the city. They are there to entertain and of course if you wish you could give them a little stipend for performing. There are people everywhere. For example, in Times Square you would literally be shoulder on the sidewalks at any time of the day. And I thought Toronto was crowded!
The Orb
 Art. This was in Battery Park. It looked like somebody bombed it. Well, later checking revealed that this was once the Orb that graced the WTC square circa 2001.
Barnes and Noble
 Bookstores. The Barnes and Noble we found on about 79th and Broadway is the biggest I have ever seen and large enough to grace a reading room. I suppose you could sit down and listen to well known authors flog their new books. Where else could you do this?
AlJazeera News Agency
 News. Here is the New York office of AlJazeera. Not sure I expected to see it's presence in America. Times have changed!
The Empire State Building from Manhattan Centre
 Skyscrapers. Why does this building look like it was just built? It is amazing to me that it was built 85 years ago and it is as elegant today as it was then. A true marvel of New York. And a sight worthig seeing.
Wine, anyone?
 Food and Wine We had a wonderful dinner at the Lincoln Restauranti (yes there is an "i" at the end of the word)., If you want a wine display, this is it. The food was terrific.
A great way to get around - the subway
 The subway. You cannot get lost in New York. Impossible! Just ask anyone for directions. Be prepared for something a little different. You will get precise directions given very politely by a New Yorker but before you know it, they are gone. They don't care where you are from but don't mind helping you out if you are a little lost.
Bumper Bully
Cars Why would you need a Bumper Bully? When you back into or out of a parking space bumping the car ahead or behind you is inevitable. The parking spots are really that tight.

Anyway a fascinating city and just a few of the things that I noticed on our Easter weekend to the Big Apple.

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