- Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge – iconic views, and the friendly policeman out of central casting who pointed out the shortcut to getting onto the bridge. And when he heard Ashley’s accent, stopped & chatted a bit about the upcoming NFL match to be held in London – with ‘his boys – the Giants’
- Going for a run in both Riverside and Central Parks on a sunny Sunday morning, ending our run with H&H bagels, lox, Starbucks coffees and a fat Sunday New York Times. Could we be any more New York-y?
- Wandering through Washington Square Park, and stopping with the locals (or other tourists – who knows? That’s the great thing about New York, such a mix) to enjoy a jazz interlude, complete with spaced out drummer, and blissful keyboardist in his own world
- Checking out Rye’s classic Playland (since 1928!) – I never knew there were so many variations on kiddie rides. Next time though – it’s the big kids turn!
- First visit to Yankee Stadium – and trading good natured comments with the 99.9999% of fans there who were cheering on the Yankees. Of course, we were good natured because –amazingly – the Mariners were winning; they were good natured because they could see the Yankees were still going farther in the post season... best moment of the game: Ichiro hitting his 200th hit, Ashley standing up and shouting, everyone in our section looking at him, and Ashley responding, as if for explanation, ‘we’ve got the same birthday’
- US Open vs Wii Open in Rockefeller Square. Missed out on tickets to Flushing Meadows – take in Federer and Williams on the big screen set up in Rockefeller Square. OR cross the street and see 2 people you’ve never heard of battle it out on a different sort of big screen – playing Wii Tennis in the ‘virtual open’
- Taking in New York skyline at night – at Top of the Rock – definitely one tourist attraction worth a visit (though how come our photos don't look as good as those on the site?!)
- Travelling back to DC for the first time in 10 years – and finding it quite surreal. Almost everything seemed the same, and I had to keep reminding myself that it really was 10 years later, and I’m 10 years older. But then little changes would appear – like the fact my old shared house at 17th & P has been turned into individual apartments. Or I’d pass a corner and think ‘hmm... was that always here?’ I think Ashley got tired of me saying ‘Ooh – I ate here once’ or ‘this is where I got my drycleaning’. Yes, dear, very exciting.
- Getting coffee at ‘my Starbucks’ on Connecticut Avenue – I almost told the girl at the counter ‘I was a barista here 13 years ago’... but figured she wouldn’t be perhaps as accommodating with my recollection stories as Ashley
- Enjoying a day out at the Zoo – one of the best in the US, if not the world... I especially like the gibbons, though can’t give a specific reason why...
- And of course – the real highlights (saving the best for last!) – getting to see family & friends – from Chez Olson (yay – place in White Plains looks great, happy to see you looking settled in with so much space), to our Hotelier Friedman Towers (thanks Kim – not only for Upper West Side pied-a-terre, but the great Mexican recommendation for Rosa Mexicano), to Zoo buddies the Caltrider Clan, where I finally got to meet the lovely Lauren and beaming Ben...
Fantastic trip... when do we go back?
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