We had a heat wave — high 90s! — so we took a beach day. Ocean Grove, how we missed thee:
outings
...now browsing by category
To the Beach!
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
The Greek Festival in West Nyack
Sunday, June 5th, 2011So we were out running a couple of errands, and we say the wooden sign — painted white with blue stenciled lettter: Greek Fest. We said, what the heck! It’s before noon. It opens at noon. How long could the lines be? We headed over to get some authentic Greek food cooked by the parishioners of the local Greek church. Here’s Greg, waiting in the line. Yes, it was considerably long, even though the place had just opened.
All the food is in a big tent. They have the gyros and soulaki along the back edge, and two identical buffet lines of other stuff on the opposite sides.
We finally got to the front of the line. It took 45 minutes, and we — and just about everybody else around us — just about blew a gasket.
The Paella Party 2011
Sunday, May 29th, 2011You know the kinds of parties you see in magazines, where the setting is as gorgeous as the food is delicious, and the guest list is an eclectic mix of creative types blessed with good looks and an inate ability to cook, mix drinks and decorate? Yeah, well, those parties are real. At least the one is at Cherry Ridge Farm, where our friends Dick and Sally host their annual Paella Party.
I first attended in 2007, when the party was held in March. (Here’s a link to the Paella Party 2007.) That was, of course, a great party. But over the years since then, it’s moved Memorial Day Sunday, which makes the party even better. We can cook outside —
— dine outside —
— and, after dinner, take a walk up to “the ridge,” which looks over the valley.
I have more than 150 photos from the day, so rather than make one long post, I offer you this slideshow. To see photo captions, hit the little conversation bubble in the lower left corner.
Nyack Garden Club Plant Sale and a Breakfast at the Art Cafe
Sunday, May 22nd, 2011We got plants!
The annual plant sale of the Nyack Garden Club has been a treasure trove for Sour Cherry Farm. We owe our fig tree, bleeding heart, columbine, Siberian iris and lots of ferns to the generosity of its members, who dig up their gardens and divide their plants to raise money for the community projects they do throughout the year.
This year, we came home with several good buys, including herbs from Hook Mountain Growers and rudbeckia, or Black Eyed Susans, for the new bed we’re planning by the driveway. And this year, Irene came away with a fig tree, too!
‘Edward Hopper, Prelude: The Nyack Years’ and ‘Hopper Happens’
Friday, May 20th, 2011Edward Hopper, famous for such works as “Gas” and “Nighthawks” —
— was born in Nyack and lived here during his formative years. The Hopper House Art Center — which is celebrating its 40th anniversary — has an exhibit this summer charting Hopper’s development as an artist before he left his hometown for Paris and New York and really left his mark on the art world and America itself.
Lunch at the Palisades Market
Monday, May 9th, 2011You may remember our little trip to the new Palisades Market a few weeks back? Well I went back, this time with Irene and Kris, and am happy to report that the food is very good indeed. We ordered a few things from the counter and then took them to the patio to enjoy lunch on a beautiful spring day.
Here is my crab cake and beet salad with pumpkin seeds and goat cheese. Fab!
Nyack Walking Tour: Oak Hill Cemetery
Sunday, May 1st, 2011After our visit to Carson’s McCullers’ grave a few weeks back, we’d noticed the Friends of the Nyacks leads a full-on tour of the cemetery, where you can find such famous remains as Edward Hopper and Helen Hayes as well as that of plenty of Nyack notables. We signed up. It was a lovely outing on a spring day.
Mom and Her Winning Flowers
Saturday, April 9th, 2011Mom took a flower arranging class, and took honorable mention at her first showing at the Nyack Garden Club’s annual Flower Show. Way to go!
A Weekend with Boo
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011After the Goatherd book club meeting, Boo stayed at the farm — “her country house” — for the weekend. We didn’t take many photos, but we hit the lake, did a little yoga, and took Boo to Carson’s grave for a visit on Sunday.
We also shared a delicious-but-bad-for-you meal of Bonchon wings and fries on Saturday night by the fire. Marissa joined us for a while, too!
To Palisades, and Stops at Two Markets
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011A little low-impact shopping Saturday morning led us to two markets in Palisades: our old favorite, the Palisades Indoor Farmers Market, and a newcomer, called, appropriately, The Market.
A Visit to Carson McCullers’ Grave in Oak Hill Cemetery in Nyack
Sunday, March 27th, 2011The Goatherd book club is reading “Heart is a Lonely Hunter” this round, and Greg and I will be hosting dinner. We thought it might be fun to meet up at Carson’s grave and toast her great talent.
We found, unfortunately, that the cemetery closes at 5 p.m. during the winter — way too early for us to meet there, even surreptitiously and with flasks under the cover of darkness. We thought we might meet, instead, in front of her home on South Broadway. Turns out, on the day of the meeting, it was raining, so we did neither.
But our trip to Oak Hill was not without reward. After driving around aimlessly and doing a little research on the phone, we finally found the grave, and now know it’s exact location. If you’re looking at the cemetery from 9W, it is as far right as you can possibly go, about halfway up the hill, behind the blue condos. FindAGrave says it’s in the High Lawn section, but I seem to remember that’s not exactly the right name, but it is close. More photos, after the jump.
Chappaqua Farmers Market: Duck, Yogurt, Greens and Sweets
Saturday, February 26th, 2011Things are changing around here, and ,even in the dead of winter — or worse, in March, when the hope of spring is there, but still nothing is growing — we are seeing more and more indoor farmers markets. The one in Chappaqua is a bit of a drive for us, but they have lots of good vendors, including Hudson Valley Duck Farm — the prospect of which got us to get in the car and drive from the farm.
MoMA P.S. 1: The Talent Show and Weeping
Saturday, February 19th, 2011After our lunch at M. Wells, we did a little low impact museum visit at MoMA P.S. 1. One of the exhibits there through April is called The Talent Show, and it’s artists’s — and our own — takes on everyone’s 15 minutes of fame during (and before) this age of YouTube and reality TV. Appropriate, then, that the first exhibit you see is a podium (for you to stand on, of course) in front of Andy Warhol’s screen test short film. Only Josh was brave enough.
Bee Class at Stone Barns
Sunday, February 6th, 2011Stone Barns Center has started a series calleld “Beekeeping for Newbees,” and Greg and I were there to learn all about setting up the hive, the queen’s nuptial flight and other bee-related knowledge.
Dan Carr, Stone Barns livestock assistant and beekeeper, lectured about setting up, ordering stuff for the hive, working with the hive and identifying brood, queens and diseases. Throughout the summer, there will be other classes to learn about hive inspection, treatments for mites, supering, harvesting and processing honey, and preparing for winter. Yay! We will go to all of them to better learn how to take care of our girls.
Christmas Eve at Grace Church
Friday, December 24th, 2010We sang all our favorite hymns, from Joy to the World to Silent Night to Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, to Glooooooooooooooooria in Excelsis Deo. Here’s Boo and Greg right beforehand, outside on the steps in the Hopper light.
A fine time was had by all.
Reece at the New England Aquarium
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010Reece got a new iPod Touch before he left for Boston. Boy did it come in handy for making movies of swimming fish at the New England Aquarium!
Ice Skating with Reece at Frog Pond
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010While Jessica and Kelly took care of Fischer during his surgery, we took care of Reece. We took him to Frog Pond on the Boston Common, where he picked up ice skating like he’d been doing it all his life.
Let’s Bowl!
Monday, November 29th, 2010After Fenway, we went for a little bowling with the boys at Lucky Strike. As usual, I lost. But we all had fun!
A Tour of Fenway with the Family
Monday, November 29th, 2010Jessica organized for us a tour of Fenway Park. It was cold, and there was construction, but we all had a good time and learned a lot. We also tried to squeeze in a little time for family portraits!
A Harvest Costume Party at Church
Saturday, November 20th, 2010The parish will be marking the 150th anniversary of Grace Church throughout the year. But we started it off with a Harvest Party, where you were invited to dress as if you were from any of the 15 decades that people have been worshipping at the church. Greg and I chose the 1920s. Mostly because of the influence of our new favorite show, Boardwalk Empire.
Lunch at the Russian Holiday Boutique
Saturday, November 20th, 2010Stroganoff. Dumplings. Stuffed cabbage. It must be that special time of year: The Russian Festival.
BDoF: Irene’s Party!
Saturday, November 13th, 2010So for the final portion of our BDoF, we went to Irene’s “It Ain’t 50!” birthday party. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any photos of the host — who looked ravishing, by the way! — but I did get a couple silly photos of some of the guests, including me and Boo. A little washed, bout, but I’m going to make a call here and say, at this point in the evening? That’s a good thing:
BDoF: Abstract Expressionist New York
Saturday, November 13th, 2010We’re at MoMA to kill some time, and this Jackson Pollock made me very, very happy.
More art, including Greg and Picasso’s Goat, after the jump.
BDoF: The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Saturday, November 13th, 2010For the first part of our BDoF — that is Big Day of Fun — this weekend, we attended the matinee of Million Dollar Quartet. (Thumbs up!) For the third and fourth part, were meeting Chris and Rory for dinner before Irene’s party. So we needed a second part. We decided on MoMA, since we’re members we don’t have to wait in lines or pay an entrance fee, even on a Saturday. So off we went from the theater to the museum. Along the way, we saw the Christmas tree. Or rather, the Christmas tree as it’s being decorated. We were both happy for this newfound knowledge, which I like to call:
SO THAT’S HOW THEY DO THAT!
Yes, Greg, that’s they do that.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Thursday, November 4th, 2010I liked the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson so much, I went again. I snapped this photo of the hanging horse in the theater:
Irene joined us. We had dinner at Shake Shack again, and then settled in for a fantastic night of entertainment.
On the Train Ride Home: Fall Foliage and a Sad Goodbye
Sunday, October 31st, 2010Parting is such sweet sorrow. The only consolation on the train ride home from the city was the beautiful scenery.
So Long, And Thanks for the Costumes
Saturday, October 30th, 2010We walked home from Sakagura down Third Avenue, enjoying some Halloween costumes along the way. Good night, Manhattan! Thanks for the fun.
Eataly: A Tour
Friday, October 29th, 2010We were warned. If you’re heading to Eataly, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich’s new emporium of all things Italian and food: Bring sharp elbows and lots of patience. We needed only a little of each. A map would have helped, too. At least at first.
Autumn in New York: The Flatiron Building and Pumpkin in a Tree
Friday, October 29th, 2010The Flatiron, framed among the fall foliage. Worthy of admiration, indeed.
And so is this sight, I would say:
Happy fall.
Walking in Brooklyn
Thursday, October 28th, 2010A walk through Park Slope to Carroll Gardens — two days before Halloween. We saw costumes, bats, spiders, and some very scary other things, like warehouses along the Gowanus Canal. But first, the pretty stuff. Like pumpkins.
