Tag Archives: A to Z Challenge

R: Riverside Park & Routine

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RIVERSIDE PARK: When I visited NYC for the first time with a friend in 2013, Riverside Park was the first place we went to. Our mutual friend, who at the time, lived on the Upper West Side, took us there. The scenic waterfront park runs along the Hudson River between 129th and 72nd Streets. It was a beautiful August afternoon with surprisingly low humidity and we walked from 91st Street all the way down, to Christopher Street, close to 4 miles.

At 330 acres, it’s a gorgeous park and you may remember it from the final scene of You’ve Got Mail. The park includes Riverside Avenue, a boulevard lined with trees, shrubs, and flowering plants.

Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park (just one of many) came up with the initial design for the Park and wrote in 1873, “[Riverside park] presented great advantages as a park because the river bank had been for a century occupied as the lawns and ornamental gardens in front of the country seats along its banks. Its foliage was fine, and its views magnificent.” Eventually, his vision for the park fell to the wayside after being ousted as parks superintendent. Other designers came in, but no single plan made up the park, prompting Olmsted to write, “in many important particulars the design had been mangled,” because of steep terrain hindering recreation, and many of the trees blocked views of the river. Olmsted’s offer to help with design was declined. For the next several decades, the park’s development faced numerous challenges from redesign, outdoor sewage problems, coal emissions from trains, garbage dumps . . . the list goes on. It’s had its ups and downs, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that things started to look up and cooperatives combined to create the Riverside Park Fund. It’s now a city landmark housing several monuments and other historical structures. From the park, you can take the riverfront Esplanade that extends for miles in each direction (and say hello to New Jersey).

ROUTINE: I like having a routine, so for me, it’s not a surprise that I’ve been trying to stick to one since being quarantined. Before all of this, my routine involved going to Ninth Street Espresso, my neighborhood coffeeshop, at around 8:00 a.m. and writing until noon or 1:00. It got to the point where I didn’t even need to verbally place my order of an oatmilk latte and pastry (alternating daily between the apple turnover and scone–talk about routine). After writing all morning, I would maybe do some drawing, or head over to a park to stretch the legs, or into the city to check out a museum. I really, really miss that routine. I miss seeing the usual coffeeshop crew and getting my writing groove on. I hope that not only does the coffeeshop survive this disaster, but that the employees and fellow regulars are doing well and that I’ll see them soon.

Without much else to do, I probably have more of routine now than I did before. During the week, I tend to workout in the morning to get it over with, then I make my latte (our espresso machine has never been so busy), and I write for a few hours, followed by some copy editing I’m doing for some friends. By late afternoon I’m sick of being in front of the computer, so I read or pass time working on a puzzle. Then I make dinner and we watch some TV. On weekends (after the latte and maybe a workout) The Husband and I might make a big breakfast, listen to some podcasts or music, and play a game like Rummikub or Yahtzee. (Note: if you’re looking to order dice, make sure you check the quantity. I don’t what happened, but we now have a bag of 100 die.) Anybody need some dice?

Because COVID-19 has taken a lot of things away, I refuse to let it steal something I can control. I want to be able to say I accomplished some things during this time, and without a routine, those things will never happen. How are you passing the time? Have you found it difficult to have a routine? Or is that the best part?

Q: Q-Train & Quarantine Rainbow Connection

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Q-TRAIN: We live a 5-minute walk from a large subway hub and often take the Q-train. The Q has had many different service patterns since it began running in 1920, and since January of 2017, its route covers 34 stations from 96th St in the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Coney Island and runs from 12:12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. We’ve had a lot of strange and entertaining subway stories over the last year, and I even got myself stuck in a turnstile with my leg up in the air (I still can’t figure out how that happened), but I thought I’d share some fun facts about NYC’s subway system. (Source)

  • 1.7 billion people rode the NYC subway system in 2016, making it the seventh-busiest in the world. Beijing tops the list with nearly double the number of riders, followed by Tokyo, Shanghai, Seoul, Guangzhou, and Moscow.
  • The busiest station is Times Square (not a surprise) and apparently, if it’s your regular stop and you’re late to work because of a train delay, the MTA will email or fax you a “late letter” of explanation.
  • In 1953 when the fair was raised to 15 cents and turnstiles could only accept one type of coin, tokens were used. Thieves would jam turnstiles with coins and then use their mouths to suck out the tokens that were stuck in the slots. Gross. Clerks resorted to sprinkling the slots with chili powder or mace.
  • To function as an artificial reef, 44 decommissioned subway cars were dumped in the ocean in 2008.
  • Living out most little kids’ dream, a 16-year-old impersonated a train conductor in 1993, driving an A train. For three hours, he safely shuttled passengers to and fro, only getting caught by accidentally triggering an emergency break.
  • To ensure a conductor is paying attention and stopping in the right place, he or she must point to a black-and-white striped board in the middle of every subway station. In 2013, a couple of New Yorkers wanted to liven things up and stood beneath the striped bar holding signs, one reading, “Point here if you re dead sexy.”

For a hilarious insider’s view of NYC’s subway system, check out the podcast, Everything is Alive, where they interview a subway seat.

QUARANTINE RAINBOW CONNECTION: It all began in mid-March when a Brooklyn mom posted in her neighborhood Facebook group that her two kids were “getting frustrated with not being able to go to the playgrounds or touch anything when we went on walks.” She suggested residents hang pictures of rainbows in their windows for kids to spot on their daily walks. Other parts of the world had been doing this, so why not in Brooklyn? The idea caught on and even one resident has been keeping a spreadsheet for people to post their addresses–like rainbow-caching–“a lovely reminder for all of us that, in a storm, there is still something to look forward to.” These are just some of the fabulous rainbows we’ve spotted on our walks (who said only kids can have fun playing I-Spy)?

P: Pierogi & Peloton

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PIEROGI: I eluded back in my C-post that I’d be talking about a Coney Island-related ritual. A trip to the boardwalk isn’t complete without a short trek to Brighton Beach, the Russian and Eastern European neighborhood for some pierogi, or vereniki, as they’re called. They are pillowy potato perfection. I definitely fall off the vegan wagon when I eat these, but at least I’m still on the veggie wagon. My favorite place to go is Ocean View Cafe, a recommendation of a friend of a friend who is from the Ukraine. Pierogi can be stuffed with just about anything (my favorite is potato and mushroom), but you can get them filled with salty cheese, sweet cheese, meat, cabbage, or fruit. Like a lot of places, I really hope the cafe makes it through this pandemic because I’m going to need a pierogi fix when this is all over.

PELOTON: So it happened. The Husband had become addicted to using the gym’s Peloton bike, so when everything shuddered up, he started having withdrawals. It helped his bum knee (or so he says . . . hmm) and being stuck in front of a computer all day, working out has always been a priority. He would often ride his bike in Prospect Park or around Brooklyn (which always made me nervous), so I’m happier with this safer alternative. We figured since I’m not going out and getting into trouble, we could dip into my bail money fund for this one.

Most people who know me, know I hate riding bikes. I lack coordination (did you see my H-post?!) and the fear of getting hit by a car or running into a pole has kept me off two-wheeled contraptions for many years. But I’m competitive and I gain weight easily, so it’s come to this. (I will not, however, be the Peloton Wife!) I have to say, I really, really like it, plus it ensures I shower more often, which indeed, is a plus. It does worry me a little what the neighbors must think of all the heavy breathing going on in our apartment.

I also enjoy doing puzzles, and as you can see, I’ve got one going. Although the proximity of the two isn’t ideal, as one mocks me while I’m focused on the other.

Oh, I want some pierogi right now.

N: NYC Marathon & Not Up to Dick

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW YORK CITY MARATHON: On the first Sunday each November, over 50,000 runners take to the streets of NYC’s five boroughs in hopes of completing the 26.2-mile race. In 2019, participants from over 142 countries competed and since the inaugural race in 1970, 1.2 million people have crossed the finish line. In 1970, the entry fee was $1; in 2018, it cost $295 for U.S. residents and $358 for non-residents. Prize money however, ranges from $2000-$100,000. The route goes right past our building on 4th Avenue (at around the 7-mile mark), so we were thrilled to see the elite runners fly past and cheer on participants with high fives. The event is quite fun to watch because the atmosphere is so full of joy and kudos. You can tell the runners appreciate the support. The view from our building’s roof:

NOT UP TO DICK: We’re revisiting Victorian slang for this one. While I’m sure this could be interpreted in a few ways, the 1800s definition of the phrase is not feeling well. I searched for some further explanation, but I quickly discovered that wasn’t the brightest of ideas, so we’ll leave it at that. Many of us are not well these days, both physically and emotionally.

Thanks to medical advancements, we’re much better equipped than 19th century humans to handle diseases, illnesses, and ailments, but obviously, that doesn’t mean we won’t struggle. The 1800s endured its fair share of epidemics such as cholera, measles, and small pox, however, before color photography, doctors and medical students relied heavily on medical illustrators to help them diagnose and treat patients. In a less dangerous Google search, I came across The Sick Rose: Disease and the Art of Medical Illustration, a book featuring a collection detailed 19th century medical illustrations. The young woman in the illustration is clearly not up to dick.


M: Museums & Missing Magnolias

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MUSEUMS: How can I not mention museums for M? (You saw my arts calendar; they’re a big deal.) The Husband and I have always loved museums and no matter where we travel, museums top our list of activities. After all, I majored in art and minored in art history (which seems like a long ago era in itself). With museums constantly adding exhibits throughout the year, becoming members to several made sense (I had to include the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens because, hey, the gardens are designed to be more than just a bunch of plants).

Did you know the first museum dates back to the Babylonian era, 2,500 years ago? Neither did I (reiterating my college days probably need to be carbon dated too). During an excavation of a Babylonian palace in 1925, British archaeologist Leonard Woolley discovered a collection of neatly organized and labeled artifacts. This early museum belonged to Princess Ennigaldi and contained items as ancient to her, as the fall of the Roman Empire is to us. Crazy to think about. The idea that the science of archaeology existed in 530 BCE, blew Woolley’s mind. Coming across artifacts spanning a couple of thousands of years, all jumbled together, would be like an ancient jigsaw puzzle. Items included inscriptions from the Kassite period around 1,400 BCE; a 2,058 BCE statue of a Babylonian king; another statue dating to 1,700 BC; and a large votive stone mace-head believed to date back 2,200 BCE. All of this is so fascinating to me. I have to wonder, considering so much of our current world is digital, what tangible discoveries would future civilizations unearth when our society disappears? Would they find evidence of our technological advancements? It’d be a shame if they thought we only got as far as floppy disks and Blockbuster.

My actual Blockbuster card (circa 1998) unearthed last year from an ancient handbag stuffed in a closet.

MISSING MAGNOLIAS: Mourning, mopey, melancholy, marooned, are a few of the other M-words I could easily monologue right now. We’re halfway through this A to Z Challenge and I admit, my momentum is waning, but at least there’s an end in sight after “Z.” The virus, however, lacks a clear end date. With so many other things to be missing right now, like my family, it rings a bit petty to bemoan missing this spring’s magnolia blooms, but y’all don’t need to see a meltdown. So here we go.

One of the few things I can appreciate humidity for (including sunsets), are the plants that thrive in this muggy environment. Coming from the dry Colorado climate, magnolias were simply never a thing in my world until I moved here. Last year it was Magnolia Mania.

This year, we’ve only been able to catch a few blooms since we don’t venture out too often these days. We did manage to see a beauty earlier in March.

For your viewing pleasure, here’s a video I took of a magnolia tree with some early blooms:

L: Literature

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

LITERATURE: Just a tiny departure from my usual dual format because topics I kept coming up with all had to do with literature. Plus, literature is near and dear to me and now is the perfect time to load up on lit. A couple of my favorite literary-related L’s I came up with for the before part are Lear (as in King) and Library Lions (as in the stone sentinels of the New York City Public Library).

When a visiting friend had an extra ticket to see Glenda Jackson and Ruth Wilson in the Broadway production of King Lear, I jumped at the offering. Closing a month early, it wasn’t a hugely popular production, one critic calling it “confoundingly muddled,” and another describing it as a “hot, heavy mess.” Despite the reviews, I enjoyed it, marveling at how anyone can memorize and perform an entire Shakespeare play. It is no easy feat. Seeing Tony-winner (and 84-year-old!) Glenda Jackson on stage got checked off my to-see-in-life list that I didn’t even know was on there. I also got to score an autograph from Ruth Wilson, one of my favorite actresses.

The New York Public Library‘s stone lions are also a symbol of literary magic. Patience and Fortitude are the names of the two Tennessee marble lions seated outside the historic library since its opening in 1911. They didn’t get their monikers until the 1930s when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia named them for the qualities he felt New Yorkers would need to survive the economic depression. Uh, sound familiar? These lions have seen a lot and just last year, were professionally cleaned and restored. I have to include a few shots I took last year of the beautiful library itself:

As for my current literature fix, I have a few to highly recommend:

I absolutely LOVED The Book of Delights and it’s the perfect antidote to feeling miserable. I’ve nearly finished White Fragility; every white person on the planet needs to read this book. I’ve learned a helluva lot about myself (talk about self-reflection). The Far Pavilions is probably my all-time favorite book and at 955 pages, it’s ideal for riding out a quarantine.

What are you reading? Please share!

K: Kahlo & Know Thyself

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KAHLO: It is near impossible to sum up in a short blog post, everything Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo was. She accomplished so much in her forty-seven years and I have great admiration for this unapologetic revolutionary. She began her painting career in 1925 after a bus accident left her bed-ridden for three months. Using a specially rigged easel and mirror, she painted many self-portraits while on her back. She found inspiration through native folk art, popular Mexican culture, and post-colonialism, exploring questions of race, gender, class, and identity. A political activist, Kahlo used her work to express statements against colonialism, sexism, and racism. Married to famous muralist, Diego Rivera, she often lived and worked in his shadow, remaining relatively unknown until the 1970s after art historians and political activists discovered her work.

Last year, we had the opportunity to see Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving, at the Brooklyn Museum, the largest U.S. exhibition of her work in ten years, and the first in the United States to display a collection of her personal belongings. (I wish I could have taken pictures, but we weren’t allowed!)

Her clothing, jewelry, hand-painted corsets and prosthetics (all incredible!), and many artifacts from her home in Mexico City, were on display–discovered and inventoried in 2004, after being locked away since her death in 1954. Kahlo and Rivera stipulated that their possessions not be disclosed until 15 years after Rivera’s death.

We were also lucky enough to catch the Viva Americana exhibit at the Whitney Museum last month. Last year, it seemed Frida popped up everywhere and it thrills me to see that she remains a symbol of resistance and justice.

KNOW THYSELF: I touched on this in both the H and I posts. Do we really know ourselves? Is it even important? The term, “know thyself” has been attributed to about a dozen Greek sages (hard to find an exact paper trail on this one) and according to the 2nd-century Greek traveler, Pausanias, the term was inscribed on the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

Thales

Ancient Greek philosopher, Thales said knowing oneself is difficillima factu (roughly translated as this shit’s hard). Conversely, what’s easiest? “To give advice.” Yes, that’s true, as you will see from my post. Self-knowledge is considered the highest form of knowledge and is a concept that essentially went viral, traveling the globe through races, cultures, traditions, religions, teachings, and more, including art and literature.

Achieving self-knowledge is a tall order, even for the most devout seekers. And would it be worth a lifetime of dedication or a letdown like Men in Black International? (Hmm . . . my second MIB reference of the challenge . . . ) Those much smarter than me have determined the value of self-reflection: enriched emotional intelligence and greater empathy and listening skills; improved critical-thinking skills and decision making; strengthened communication and relationships; and enhanced leadership capabilities and capacity.

The average person will never attain this enlightenment, but there are ways to cultivate the benefits in our day to day lives, and what better time to try than now? First of all, start small. Find a quiet place to sit alone and do what you need to do to make yourself comfortable–basically, set the mood to relax mode.

A starting point could be identifying a situation or relationship in your life that might benefit from some self reflection, such as a meeting at work or an argument you had with someone. Oftentimes, we (including myself) do not want to ask ourselves these questions, because they force us to take a look at our behavior and we may not like what we see. However, it’s better than avoiding it as you’re more likely to make better decisions later. So take some cleansing breaths and ask . . .
How are you helping others in their goals?
How are you not helping, or even hindering someone’s goals or perspectives?
How could you have been more effective?
What are you avoiding?
What did you learn?
What are you still unclear about?

Try just ten minutes a day and see what happens and whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up about anything. Use the reflection as a way to expand your capacity for empathy and compassion–two things I feel are the basis for a good human.

Check out 87 Self-Reflection Questions for Introspection to get the self interview started.

J: Juggler & Jeopardize

2020 A to Z Challenge, , , , , , , , , , ,

A to Z Challenge: My theme this year is NYC before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

JUGGLER: Just another Monday morning in Brooklyn last year:

JEOPARDIZE: Like yesterday’s isolation, jeopardize is another current buzz word. Everyone is in jeopardy of contracting Covid-19, which means, we would then have the very likely potential of jeopardizing others if we get it. Every day, we need to think about the essential workers who are jeopardizing their lives and the lives of their loved ones when they go to work each day. One way to make their lives easier, is to think about what we’re doing when we go to the grocery store, or any other outing.

While we’re talking about gloves, be sure you know how NOT to wear a mask.

Check out these links for various ways to help essential workers:

4 Ways You Can Help
PPE for NYC: Keep NYC Hospital Workers Safe
Direct Relief
Pizza vs. Pandemic
Off Their Plate
15 Gifts to Give Essential Workers