Fun stuff in May

A group of fabulous lady missionaries attended "Broadway Cares - Easter Bonnet Competition" in the Minskoff Theatre, as a fund raiser for AIDS. The Minskoff is where the Lion King has been shown for several years, and is a beautiful theater. I think we hoped it would be beautiful/cute/festive actual Easter bonnets or hats, aka Judy Garland's Easter Parade - but, Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore! But it was fun, if a just a teensy bit off-color. Many of the current Broadway shows presented parodies and songs, along with really amazing, weird creations for their "bonnets". Did I mention that it was weird? But the talent was amazing, company was wonderful!

Friend, Linda Hughes, Bonnie Forsberg, Lisa Adams, Marie Cella, Barbara Kippen, moi

Here's an example of the "hats".

Stan & Judy Nielson, HH

We love our p-days! The following week, Todd McKenna, Director of CES for NY, took a group of the temple missionar-ies all over lower 
Manhattan. He showed us sites of historic importance, both in the Church and American History.

Federal Reserve

Don and I loved the area so much, we decided to do our own tour and walk the following weeks. Gorgeous day, the tulips were out in mass, I discovered my new favorite mall! We took the #1 train to Battery Park, and walked north along the Hudson.

The little church that could

Battery Park

Always a stirring sight 🗽

WW II Memorial

1625 - Cheapest                                                                      land grab ever.

      National Museum of the American Indian - in the historic Alexander Hamilton Custom House.

Bowling Green - The oldest park in NYC. In 1770, the British erected a statue of King George. Didn't last long ♔ The iron fence was built during the time of George Washington and the Revolutionary War.

I think I want some wrought iron. It lasts awhile. 😉

A zillion people in front of the bull - couldn't get a pic. Glad for a tall cameraman.

 Federal Hall - Inside and out. George Washington outside. I love George!

Fearless Girl(s) heehee. I hear she keeps moving around lower Manhattan. I'm talking about the bronze.

 
Alexander Hamilton Grave

The Merchant Marine Monument 

 Trinity Church

Love the name of the street. There's no street, btw. Just a park.

What?? 

Brookfield Place

This mall is gorgeous - floors and grand staircase all marble. And yummy food upstairs!

Towering over everything is One World Trade Center

Heading back home, we found this darling little park - right in the middle of a bunch of residential buildings. Totally private after the craziness of the rest of the city.

Look closely, there's a person asleep on the grass

And the "piece of resistance" (Jack will get this one 😉) - I could hear really beautiful birdsong from close by, and this little Northern Cardinal let me get close for a good shot. 🐦All in all, a beautiful day and tired feet. 

T & T come to visit

We enjoyed our first "official" visitors last week, new hide-a-bed and all. Tom & Tracy came to visit and enjoy the sights of NYC. Unfortunately a bad cold got in the way of a few attractions, but we loved having them here. They took the red-eye to NYC, braving the subway from JFK (not sure I would have done that my first visit!), and arriving at our apartment about 15 minutes before our Temple shift began. I think they enjoyed some private time, a nap, a walk of the neighborhood and Central Park. That evening they joined us in the Temple for a wonderful time together. 

One day we took a cold, windy walk down to the Hudson Yards, a huge redevelopment down in the Chelsea area. I hear it's the largest private real estate development in the U.S. Didn't think to get tickets to climb the "Vessel", but we'll definitely do that someday! Pretty cool shape. The mall associated with Hudson Yards was INSANE and huge. I've never seen such crowds.

Times Square

Tracy loves the Today Show

Love these cool brownstones facing the river. We found ourselves wondering about the cost of renting!

We loved walking the neighborhoods in Brooklyn around DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). It's another area that's been repurposed from old factories. We love the views of Manhattan, the beautiful walkway along the East River (which hasn't been crowded yet!). This huge poster was on the side of the famous Jane's Carousel, so Tom decided to have fun.

After DUMBO, a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge.

One afternoon, Tom & I walked up a few blocks to take a look at "The Dakota" - of John Lennon fame 😢. Our neighborhood is quite amazing.

THE BUILDING AT THE END OF OUR STREET - throwback

I didn't know when we got here that just down on the corner of Central Park West and 66th is a certain building from a certain famous movie. Recognize? When our little boys were young, they loved the movie, and even spent hours making the backpacks. 

Ghostbusters