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The New York Pizza Connection
It is an accurate economic principle that states that the average price of a slice of pizza matches the cost of a ride on the subway.
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The Brooklyn Bridge – the oldest of its kind
Stretching between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn on the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed and suspension bridge.
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Manhattanhenge – a unique phenomenon unlike any other
Manhattanhenge is when the setting sun or the rising sun aligns precisely with the east-west streets of the main street grid of Manhattan.
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Intercourse
Surrounded by beautiful Amish farms, Intercourse, PA is where Amish farmers, craftsmen, and local folks meet up to conduct their business and socialize.
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Red Cube
Is it a cube? Or just a distorted installation stretched to give it an illusion of a cube? The red cube is designed by Isamu Noguchi, and installed in 1968. Either way, this iconic Red Cube, on 140 Broadway Manhattan balances itself quite well on one corner while another stretches upwards, rising to 24 feet. Designed by Isamu Noguchi, it was installed in 1968 and has been drawing curious crowds since. Painted in red, its main feature is a cylindrical hole. It’s made of steel and cast in aluminum. Painted in red, and balancing itself on one corner, its main feature is a cylindrical hole that runs upwards through the…
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African Burial Ground
Walk through lower Manhattan, on Duane Street, and you will come across a unique burial ground amongst all the high-rise buildings that surround it. The African Burial Ground Iwas forgotten for more than a hundred years until its discovery in 1991 when the city was excavating the area for a new building. The African Burial Ground is a unique memorial that is dedicated to all the African slaves who created a sacred space to bury their loved ones. It also acknowledges the role slavery played in helping build this city while recognizing their heritage and the hardship they had to endure. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this site was…
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Orchard Farm
“All fruits are equal, but some fruits are more equal than others.” With that one sweeping statement, Choqita, leader of the bananas and plantains, seized power and took control of the lemons and other fruits to proclaim the first Banana Republic. However, some things just are not meant to be. Once Choqita had cemented control over the farm, it would not be long before the lemons and other fruits rebelled. They were led by Volks and Wagen, two partisans who had seen and survived a war that had engulfed the whole fruit world many decades ago. With the blessings of their guardian angel and the original lemon simply known as…
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Step back in time
It helps when you have a local showing you the sights and sounds in and around Austin, Texas. You get to stop by at towns and places that you didn’t know existed, until you walked in and had a crash course in history. Like Fischer Historical District. Walking around Fischer Texas wasn’t what I expected it to be. Sure, I had seen plenty of movies and read enough to mentally paint a picture of this state, its cities and towns. But what I didn’t expect was to immerse myself into the history of some of these innocuous sounding towns. Straight roads for miles on end A few years ago, I…
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In praise of train travel
What’s it about long-distance train journeys that brings out the little child in me. A sense of happiness each time I take my seat, listening to the train as it whistles past towns and the countryside. Hurtling through tunnels or racing with the setting sun. There is something that is magical and wonderful about train travel, letting me be the little kid that I always will be. Whizzing through a tunnel between Mostar and Sarajevo Hours spent watching from a window or door of a moving train, as scene after scene unfold. Striking up conversations with complete strangers as they get in at different stations, heading to places near and…
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People watching
“I know what boys like I know what guys want I know what boys like I’ve got what boys like” The Waitresses On a wet evening, a few summers ago, a brief shower had me scampering for shelter on one of the streets in Downtown Manhattan. Once safely protected from the elements, it gave me ample time to soak in the atmosphere and do what I like to do – people watch. As people scurried to wherever they had to get to, there was this one guy who liked what he saw. As he went by her, he turned around one more time. Just confirming. I guess. Like this…
