Easter Weekend in New York - The Met Cloisters 1

The Met Cloisters, NYC
March 31, 2018

Another reason for visiting the Big Apple is the MET Cloisters.

Located on four acres overlooking the Hudson River in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the MET Cloisters is the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET) dedicated to the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe. Deriving its name from the medieval cloisters that form the core of the building, it presents a harmonious and evocative setting for more than 2,000 exceptional artworks and architectural elements from the medieval West.(from their website)

Photos of the building and grounds. (A must visit in fall!)

Hudson River and George Washington Bridge as background.

Easter Weekend in New York - Different Sights

New York City
March 30-April 1, 2018

Not your usual New York "touristy" photos.

Beautiful art installation at the Hudson Yards.

The security guard allowed me to take a photo with my cellphone only. This is not completed yet as it does not have the plaque of the artists and the name.

Frontage of the Church of the Guardian Angel (Roman Catholic) at 10th Avenue and 21st Street.
Founded in 1887, this church originally ministered to seamen and dockworkers on the then bustling New York waterfront.

A mural for a store I missed noting the name.

Inside the beautiful St. John the Baptist Church at 30th Street.

Would be a waste if I do not have a picture here. Along 30th Avenue.

My 6th time in NYC and I still love the place.

Easter Weekend in New York - Day 1

New York City
March 30-April 1, 2018

Once in a while comes an urge to do something different. Like revisiting a place you've already been but mixing it up a bit. Thus decided to visit New York city but taking the Greyhound bus instead of driving, taking a tour or going by plane.

With only our backpacks left Toronto at 7:30 on Thursday night and arrived at the Port Authority Terminal (8th Ave., between 40th and 42nd St) at around 8 AM Saturday. Upon arrival, we headed to Riff Hotel Chelsea (300 West, 30th Street) to drop off our bags and walked back to Penn Station.

Me and graffiti - always.

"Some days I have to push myself"

Hungry, we decided to tackle our first target - Jollibee. At the Penn we got 2 Metropass. Barely minutes in NYC and we were already lost in the jungle of New York's transport system. We asked, we followed instructions, we walked to different locations. Finally settled in a train that was marked "Woodside". Wow! Comfy and so clean - this is a different subway train now from the ones I remembered 5 years ago. Just as we got settled, the ticket woman came and said "tickets, please". Showed our card and she said "this is not a ticket, this is not your train". We were on an Long Island Rail Road train instead of the Metro Transit Authority train. "Oh, can we get off? She said -"you can or you can still take this train but it will be more expensive". We did not want to transfer again - so we paid $14 for each of us!

A portion of the MTA subway map.

Jollibee (62-69 Roosevelt Ave.) was at least walking distance from the Woodside station. The crispy chicken and gravy were worth the expensive train ride.

Back to the concrete jungle.

 Not even halfway on our first day. More to come.

Good Friday

Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ~ Isaiah 53: 1-5

National Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Massachusetts, USA
July 6, 2017

Maundy Thursday

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

~ John 13 : 12-16

National Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Massachusetts, USA
July 6, 2017

Holy Wednesday

Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. ~ Matthew 26: 14-16

National Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Massachusetts, USA
July 6, 2017

Holy Tuesday

Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me. He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified." But I said, "I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my cause is with the Lord, and my reward with my God. ~ Isaiah 49: 1-4

National Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Massachusetts, USA
July 6, 2017

Holy Monday

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coast lands wait for his teaching.   ~ Isaiah 42: 1-4

National Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Massachusetts, USA
July 6, 2017

Greater Napanee

Napanee, Ontario

October 10, 2017

A quick stop at Greater Napanee on our way home from Merrickville.

Photos taken at Springside Park and River Trail.

Traveling is the healthiest addiction indeed.

To Move Around

“I need to move around a bit. To shuffle my surroundings. To wake up in cities I don't know my way around and have conversations in languages I cannot entirely comprehend. There is always this tremendous longing in my heart to be lost, to be someplace else, to be far far away from all of this".

Massachusetts, USA - Chairs

I need to have this post - not for anything else but only for me so I can locate my benches and chairs photos in this trip. Some of the photos may have appeared in my other Summer 2017 postings, but as I mentioned I have to keep them in one post also.

Lenox, MA

North Adams, MA

North Adams, MA

Some town in MA.

Stockbridge, MA

Massachusetts
July 1-8, 2017

Click here for the other benches in Massachusetts posting.

Massachusetts, USA - Places Where We Ate

A run down of the places we ate on this trip.

July 2

Late lunch at the Elm Street Market in Stockbridge. 

The town's local cafe.

Ice cream at Love, Peace and Chocolate. I loved the chairs!!

July 3

Light lunch at the Blake House Cafe at the Springfield Museums.
(No photo but the 5 museums included in the admission was so worth the 1 hour trip from Pittsfield, MA)

The pricey dinner at Church Street Cafe at Lenox. Pricey but food was not that great.
This salmon was rather dry.

July 4

Cafe 7 - That dining place at the Clark Museum, Williamston.

No photo and nothing fancy but the museum was unforgettable.

Coffee and sweets at Moma Coffee at the Museum of Modern Art, North Adams.

July 5

Smithsonian Cafe and Chowder House at Northampton. 
No wonder it was cheap, the chowder was not that great. (No photo)

Au Bon Pain - at Yankee Candle, South Deerfield. 
Coffee and muffin by the indoor fountain. What is there not to love?

Dinner at the West End Pub at Shelburne Falls. I loved my white bass here.
There was just too much rice.

July 6
Breakfast at Shots Cafe in Lenox. I think anything in Lenox is pricey. 
My omelet is way better.

Late lunch at Fiesta Mexican Grill at Great Barrington. Yummy food and huge serving.

July 7
Finally was able to try The Starving Artist Cafe, in the town of Lee.
I guess it is true that they use only organic and homegrown ingredients. 

And then ice cream at the end of the day at Friendly's - the pride of Massachusetts.
Still serving the US East Coast for 82 years. They also serve meals.

"There is no love more sincere than the love of food."

Massachusetts

July 1-8, 2017

Massachusetts, USA - Lenox Sculpture Garden

The town of Lenox is a mere 10 minute drive from the resort. In this charming town was a modern sculpture garden. I say modern because the owner and artist makes sculptures out of ordinary materials (mostly recycled).

Take a closer look at some of Tom's work. 

Call it weird, unique, strange, junk or not everyone's idea of art - but it's art still. I believe he creates them from his heart. And that is what matters most.

July 6, 2017