Snowy Nights

Hello! Last post was over 7 months ago, time flies! This year has flown by and guess what? It's my last winter in NYC! It has definitely been a cold and frigid winter here-it's so funny how it always takes New Yorkers a few extra weeks to really get into the winter routine and outfit. Now we're in full-fledged bundle up weather. I have my usual routine of 1. big puffy winter coat 2. mittens lined with fleece 3. scarf: wrapped around twice and stuffed underneath my coat with face tucked in 4. hat or hood.

Here's a little secret. I love it when it's snowing in the city. Despite the constant whiplash of the cold air hitting your face and the bone-chilling wind that smacks your uncovered legs, I still love how magical it is to see snowflakes dancing in the air and making the first footprints in the virgin powder. It's a phenomenon of Mother Nature that still amazes me. This past week I ventured out in the snowstorm and couldn't help pulling out my iPhone to snap some pictures....

Snow's coming down hard.

Cars are tucked in for the night.

Quiet, untouched park. 

Church on First Avenue.

Shoveling snow in front of a school-yard. Snow day? 

The Life on Uros Island

Wow, time flies!

Graduation has come and gone. My post-graduation, celebratory massive amazing trip to Peru also has come and gone. One more week until I start my new job and all I can say is... I'M EXCITED! Before I dive back into reality, I really need to put down some of my thoughts about this trip to Peru. It has always been on my bucket list to go to Machu Picchu and we did see these great Inca ruins and trek on the Inca trail. However, what really touched me more was the second half of the trip to Lake Titicaca. My minor dabbling in Anthropology in college taught me that in order to understand a culture, you have to see it yourself, experience it, immerse yourself in it. While this short trip didn't allow for me to go all Margaret Mead on the many people on Lake Titicaca it did show me quite a bit about how other people live.

Near the city of Puno, Peru on Lake Titicaca are a group of islands called the Isla Uros (Uros Islands) where the inhabitants live on floating reed villages. How to explain? Pictures are worth a thousand words so here goes....

The Uru people live on these man made islands, and survive on the benefits of the lake's tortora reeds for just about everything: dried reeds create structure for the island floor, huts, boats and are a means for bartering on the mainland. 

Reeds are also a source of nutrition; the white root is chock full of vitamins, minerals and medicinal benefit. Each island houses about 3-4 families. What's really interesting it that all of the local Uros people were obviously overweight/obese. With a diet of the lake's fresh fish and reeds, its hard to understand why....a pandemic of hypothyroid? Genetic disturbances? The tour guide framed it very simply...it's hard to get any exercise on an island that's 100 steps in any direction.

The local "economy" if you will, seems to subside on tourism, since we saw many similar tour boats docking on the islands on the morning when we arrived. 

We didn't stay long though...once we didn't seem interested in buying the souvenir handicrafts that had been laid out for us, we piled onto the reed boat and were jettisoned off to the next island on the Lake..... 

P.S. Read this book again: http://www.amazon.com/Material-World-Global-Family-Portrait/dp/0871564300/?tag=toofyoga-20

From the streets

Found: on Park Avenue and 64th Street. Steel interpretation of Empire State building.

Wonderland

Nothing says lovely ladies lunch like Alice's Tea Cup-Chapter II which is on 64th and Lexington in NYC. This place is a delicate dream come true for young girls, and actually quite a popular place for bridal showers, birthdays, etc even for the more mature ladies. 

Alice's Tea Cup is most well known for their scones and tea: the best deal on the menu is the $12-two scones with 1 tea combo which willprobably bowl you over for a solid 3 hours afterwards. Also on the menu is an extensive list of tea sandwiches and salads, with cute names such as "King-of-Hearts tea-smoked chicken ruben." My scone-monster  inside was giddy after hearing the wide selection, and I finally settled on the Pumpkin scone with caramel glaze, while my friend tried the Ham and Cheese. 

I leave you with a favorite & germane quote from the book: 

“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” 

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Mini-Moments

As a denizen of NYC for four years now, I figured I would have seen everything there is to see in the city, at least once. Of course, these past two weeks have definitely proved me wrong! I was finally able to step foot into the famed Radio City Music Hall with the magnificent golden curtains and enchanting wall mural.

Not to mention, I stumbled across this beautiful garden called the "Children's Sculpture Garden" that sat next to the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (a massive gothic church that's hard to miss) in Morningside Heights.

The prominent sculpture of a large Sunface with two crab pinchers dangling Satan's hand is hard to miss too.

Even in the wintertime when everybody is busy looking down, this city can surprise you!

Up, Up and away!

I have amassed a small collection of interesting photographs from my recent travels. Being a very frequent visitor to several different airports, I've come to appreciate the art and decor inside them. These go a long way to enhance your (short-lived, but sometimes looong) layovers before boarding. 


This photo doesn't do this sculpture justice. It's called "Brushstrokes in Flight" by  Roy Lichtenstein (American pop artist) at CMH. On a side note, Port Columbus, is well known for displaying community art. Always makes for a pleasant visit home!

A very large dino skeleton from the Field Museum and a replica of Butch O'Hare's famed fighter jet both call ORD (O'Hare) home. 

A dining table with Seat Belt Chairs from "the Hunger Games". The makers, Phillips Collection, are actually from High Point, NC. Fitting to be in the GSO airport (Piedmont Triad International).  

P.S. Made this photo collage with "Pic Stitch"

You can't NOT stop and take a picture of these. Fishes of the sea arranged in circles. I think I see a school of tuna fish! (from none other than MIA-Miami International Airport!)

A Nature Break

I've been staying with a friend in the wonderful state of North Carolina for the past couple of days. My first extended stay in the Mid-Atlantic states! In my mind, NC is lush, green and spacious. Boy was I right! There is still lots of green winter grass on the ground, the temperature is moderate and the silence around here is eerily comforting. A few mini-moments from our nature walk this past week in Bur-Mill Park (including a special sighting!):

Suburban houses nestled within Bur-Mil Park

No lush green leaves on the trees but isn't this path endless? 

I just loved this vantage point of Lake Brandt. 

And one of its local residents-the Great Blue Heron!

Owls Roost Trail- considered a path for advanced mountain biking!