Our First July 4 Celebration

Today was July 4 - The American Independence`s Day, a big event in America as this was also a public holiday.

We had breakfast in the lovely garden at Er``s apartment; I realized that this was the first time we all had a meal with Er. in this shady quiet spot. How time flew! He has lived in this same apartment for four years and ten months already and would be leaving soon to start a new job on the west coast.

We spent the whole afternoon packing stuffs, going through what needed to be sent back to Toronto and what would go west.




Er. was invited to two July 4 BBQ and since we were never at a July 4 event before, he emailed Adam and asked if he could bring two more guests. Adam was gracious and  invited us for the July 4 BBQ.

Adam has been hosting the July 4 BBQ for the past ten years.

Adam lives in Brooklyn on the 5 floor of an apartment. He holds BBQ\'s regularly on the roof top of his apartment.

 Apparently, he has been doing this for the past ten years inviting his friends to join him for the July 4 celebration. What a host with great hospitality!

Er. and his friends attired in red  for  the July 4 roof top party

Guests to the party were asked to dressed in red for this evening`s event in honour of the special
day.

They did and it was a sea of red colour on the roof top party site!

Grow in the dark necklaces were given out to guests when night fell.

Freedom Tower - on the former World Trade Centre Site seen from Brooklyn

From this Brooklyn apartment  roof top, we could see a lot of the buildings around us.

The Freedom Tower, built on the same site as the former World Trade Centre Towers, glistened in the dark and dominated the night scape.

July 4 Firework at Manhattan Waterfront - seen from Brooklyn!

As soon as it was dark, we saw fireworks all around the city, as far as from the Manhattan waterfront to the Battery Park and around Brooklyn.

Everyone got very excited when  the first firework lit up the dark sky. People started running to the railing and trying to take pictures of the firework. Guests then broke into a heart felt rendition of the American National Anthem!

People ate, drank, chatted and had a great time relaxing and enjoying each other`s company. The cool breezes on the roof top was wonderful and a welcome reprieve from the scalding heat we have been experiencing in the past few days.

It was lovely to have met Sarah and Andreanna, Er`s colleagues from his former company.
Funny that we have visited Er. so many times but this was first time we met his colleague friends just before he leaves this exciting city!

As Canadians, we also experienced our first every July 4 BBQ party! It was a lot of fun! Yes, the Americans are more bold when comes to expressing their patriotism.  Canadians are more humble and reserved in this regard.  


A great night in Brooklyn on July 4!

R.T., Day 4
New York City 

Good Eats near Broadway in Manhattan, New York City

We know that prices in New York is high and  eating in the Big Apple could be expensive.  But if you know where to go, eating out in NY can be reasonable.

Walking down from Columbus to 53 street, we passed by many great restaurants.

 We went to Luigi`s Gourrmet Grill ( 936 8th Ave, between 55 & 56 Streets), a small Italian restaurant that served pretty good food for an affordable price.

I ordered Eggplant Parmigiana and my husband had Grilled Chicken Panini with cheese and roasted read peppers - both dishes came with a good size crisp garden salad that whet our appetite.
 The size of both entrees was huge!

I always find that the portions in restaurant meals are very generous in the States compared to Canada.

This was our second lunch in New York City and both times, we could hardly finish our meals. This delicious Italian hot lunch cost under $30.00. An affordable and yummy meal indeed!

Unless we are starving, next time, we need to remember to order one dish and share among the two of us.

After lunch, we went to Er's  office and visited him in  Manhattan. It was located on the sixth floor in a beautiful building. We had to sign in with the concierge and took an elevator to the sixth floor. There were two young women standing beside us also waiting for the elevator. We got in the same elevator and one of the girls started talking about work and office politics. I wondered if these young women were working in Er's office.  Lo and behold, the elevator door stopped on the sixth floor and we all got off on the same floor! Those two were Er's colleagues!!!

That was the reason we should not talk about private business in public places. You never know who are standing beside you and listening to your conversation.

Since Er. would be leaving his current job and moving on to the west coast, we brought a box of chocolate to share with his colleagues. Er kind of talked about his colleagues and the interns working there. It was nice meeting them and put names to their faces.

It was raining cats and dogs when we left Er.'s office but we did manage to visit the Bible Museum , bought some plastic storage boxes at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I even managed to make a tasty dinner from all the leftover chicken we had from our dining out meals from the past two days! I made a spring salad with goat cheese, chicken with mixed vegetables (mushroom, onion and cherry tomatoes) and green curry chicken with potatoes.

Er. loved eating what I cooked and it was worth the effort spent in that hot kitchen!!

R.T., Day 3
New York City

An Oasis in New York City- Central Park , A Free 5 Star Attraction!

Living around the Columbus Circle area in New York City, Er. Has easy access to Central Park. Since we are here to visit him this week we will take advantage of this excellent location and try to explore this famous city ourselves.

Today was a hot and humid day with temperature around 80 degree. We did our emails, made a few pone calls for Er and then headed out for some lunch. There are a lot of restaurants in New York,; they are located at every street corner and there are many choices from which to choose. Any food you would think of, there is a restaurant that would satisfy your craving here. After looking at the restaurants' menus We ate at the Big Nicks on west 72 and Columbus. I ordered Moussaka and Stan had chicken Soulaki, a delicious and satisfying meal for $30.00 in New York city, what more could we ask for? We found out Big Nick was featured in numerous American T shows for its delicious food at a very reasonable price. We were lucky we stumbled on this good eatery by chance.

Central Park - An Oasis in an Urban City

For the afternoon, we walked to Central Park located at West 72 and Central Park West.

Central Park - an oasis in the middle of a metropolis of 8.3 million people living in the city, according to the most recent U.S. Census Data

An Excellent Place to Escape the Heat of the City

 It was a very hot afternoon, we did not feel like going anywhere but sitting in this famous park,  enjoying the breezes and  watching people going by.

The John Lennon Memorial - Central Park, New York City

Not long after we entered the park on the west entrance, we saw a big piece of round mosaic artwork on the ground with the word - IMAGINE - ( one of John Lennon's most famous song!) in the middle of the mosaic.

This is the John Lennon  Memorial New Yorkers made in honour of John Lennon who was shot to death in front of his  Dakota apartment across from Central Park.

Almost every tourist stops and takes a picture at the Lennon Imagine Memorial

After John's death, so many people were bringing and leaving flowers in front of his apartment blocking the traffic that they had to move all the flowers across the street and therefore creating a memorial for him.      

Lot of tourists visit the IMAGINE memorial in Central Park and John Lennon's former residence  every year.

When we were sitting on the one of the many benches, a couple of street musicians kept singing Lennon's songs for the whole time.

It was quite entertaining and kept us there listening for over an hour.








Who would guess a tranquil place such as this can be found  right in the middle of a city  of millions of people?

Every time I come to New York City to visit my son, I always walk through Central Park and every time I find something beautiful that takes my breath away.

Gondola ride in the park

 Or  I would discover something which I didn't see the last time I was here about a year ago new such as this gondola ride. You  don't have in be in Venice to get a Gondola ride. There are rides right here at Central Park!

Very often I could always  find some feather friends and cute animals to admire.

Rock climbing is not just a fun thing to do for the kids!

It is fun for the grown ups too!!!

Climbing to the top of the rocks for the young at heart in the park

There is always something to do, to see and to claim victory at Central Park!

A welcome resting place for visitors in the park

 
The best part about Central Park:

 It has no admission charges!

It is free for everyone to enjoy;

There are ample resting places for those tired feet!

A beautiful shelter made from natural logs in Central Park, New York

You can do a lot, walk, run, jog, row a boat or you can just sit and listen to the breeze or read a book by the water.

I love Central Park! It is my most favorite place in New York City!


R.T., Day 2
Central Park, New York City
July, 2013

Day 1 in NY - Celebrations!

After driving for about ten hours and staying overnight at Cortland's’ Travel Lodge for the night, we arrived at New York City finally at around 5p.m. But crossing the Lincoln Tunnel from New Jersey to New York City alone took almost an hour! Fortunately, all the drivers behaved in a civilized manner,  patiently waiting for their turns and there was no road rage or anything like that

We met Er at his apartment and congratulated him on his  new job offer and went to a Thai food restaurant to celebrate. Er was in a really chatty mood this evening. He told us that even though he had lived in this exciting city for a number of years, he wished he had more time to enjoy all the wonderful things New York City has to offer. Unfortunately, working in a big legal firm demanded most of his time and robbed him of his leisure time leaving him few opportunities to enjoy the sights and sounds of this world famous city.

He told us about the process,  the ups and downs that he went through to find this job that he would really enjoy doing.  He even shared his little secret with us of a pleasant   situation while he was out in the west. We were happy to learn of all these wonderful things that took place in his life. Er has worked really hard in school and at work and we thank God that wonderful things are happening in his favour.

This is why we are here to support and celebrate with him this week!

Today was Canada Day. We went back to Er. ‘s apartment and he went out with his expatriate friends to celebrate Canada Day. He put on his white t shirt and red shirt for this event.

 I must remember to buy him a nice Canada T shirt and give it to him for his birthday next year!

R.T.

July 1, 2013, Canada Day

New York City

The Canada Day Long Week End!

Canadians  love leaving town for the long weekend. This time we would be heading to New York City visiting our son. Driving from Toronto, Canada to New York City, U.S, takes about eleven hours of non stop driving.  There are a lot of preparations to be done before we go away for a long driving trip such as getting the car checked, the house cleaned , removing all the garbage, making the house secure, and packing  all the essential items etc. By the time we  were ready to leave Toronto, it was well past 1 p.m.

Enroute - the New Pit Stop for Travelers in Ontario

We have always enjoyed a driving holiday.  Driving in Ontario is a real pleasure as long as we are not fighting with the thousands  of other Ontarians trying to get out of the city at the same time. When we left on Sunday, there was no traffic congestion and the weather was just beautiful with a bright blue sky.

Outdoor seating area is Available at the Enroute rest stop

 We discovered that a lot of the roadside small scale pit stops/ restaurants have now been  replaced  by the huge modern Enroute buildings with national chain restaurants such as Tim Hortons, A & W, and a few others instead of the traditional mom's and pop’s stores.

Spacious and comfortable  eating area inside the  Enroute buidling

The new facilities are modern, clean, and convenient. Each Enroute building has been equipped with free WiFi as well as information about traveling in the province of Ontario.  

 Kingston - Border Crossing into the United States

 Knowing the border crossing would be very heavy during this holiday weekend, we purposely avoided the Friday departure and  left on Sunday afternoon.  Instead of  waiting to cross customs at Niagara Falls for an hour or more, we went through the Kingston crossing instead.

The car ahead us was carrying a huge piece of cargo waiting to cross the U.S. Customs

 Our planning paid off! The traffic on the highway was much lighter and the border crossing at the Canadian/ U.S. customs was a piece of cake! We waited for about fifteen - twenty minutes.

However, the car ahead of us was carrying a huge piece of something on its roof. We were worried that clearing the U.S. custom would be held up by this car in front of us.  Fortunately, the driver of the car had his papers all ready and they were cleared by the customs with no problem at all.
By the time we crossed the border into U.S., it was after 7:p.m.

We kept on driving in the rain for a short while and stopped at our favorite American restaurant - Cracker & Barrel for some wholesome home cooked American food. The salmon patties were delicious!!! The waitress was very friendly and the food was good. We love tasting different food  and we always look for this restaurant when we are in the States.

Driving  past Syracuse, we stopped in Cortland and spent the night at Travel Lodge, ready for a good night of rest and continue on with our holiday!

A Garden Scene - Cortland, New York State

My Hobby - Taking Pictures of Gardens and Plants

R.T.
New York State

Yoda - Saying Good Bye to a Great Family Friend

Yoda - Our Beloved Family Pet

 Yoda, an English bull dog , has been a member of my sister`s family for the past eight years.  He has just celebrated his eight year old birthday. 

With two big sharp pointy teeth protruding from the sides of his mouth, Yoda looked ferocious and could easily frighten people away. But he was not vicious at all; in fact he was a cute, kid friendly, lovable family pet and very human like.

Rosie - Thanking Yoda for the Joy He rought to the Family

Rosemary, my sister has been crying every week for the past few weeks over the thought of losing Yoda in the near future.

There were so many fond memories and happy times she and her family had with Yoda.

She shared a few of Yoda's pictures with me and recalled many of the wonderful moments Yoda brought to them.










 At the beginning, Yoda was limping on his left foot and my sister took him to the vet who diagnosed him as having an old dog disease with some bone problem. 

 After a year or so, the vet took X ray pictures of Yoda and discovered that he had cancer and the cancer had spread to the other part of his body.

Yoda was suffering the pains and effects of cancer just like humans.

Yoda and Roxy celebrating Yoda's 8th birthday at home

He  underwent regular chemo therapy at Guelph University for the past two years. He whimpered when he was in a lot of pain. It pained my sister and brother in law when they watched their pet suffer.




The Vet said Yoda would have to be put down soon as the cancer spreaded to his lung, he would have a hard time breathing.

Yoda - The Apple of Kelvin's Eye

Last week, Yoda refused food and water. Kelvin, my brother in law was feeding him drops of water using a syringe throughout the day to keep him hydrated.

When Yoda could not go to the bathroom on his own, Kelvin carried him outside every two hours to let him do his business.

Little Trevor Comforting Yoda

 My sister called me and told me about Yoda`s condition. Last Thursday, I went to say good bye to an old friend.  As I saw Yoda, I hugged him and stroked him on his neck. I saw tears in his eyes and that really got me going.

Pictures of the young Yoda jumping around me every time we went to my sister`s house for family celebrations and dinners were vivid in my mind. Yoda gave the family such a fond memory and many happy moments.


Yoda was fond of people and  kids. He was always friendly, especially to the little ones.
.

Kelvin and Yoda

Yoda was a very affectionate dog and he was responsive to both human affection and emotions.

He shared many happy moments with my sister's  family and her extended families.

The family remembers all the good times they have had with Yoda.

There were times when Yoda was dressed up in various costumes.

Yoda looked very comical, sitting around at a poker table with a hat on and looking serious.

One of Yoda's favourite activities was spending family time, sun bathing and lounging with Roxy by the  family pool in their Richmond Hill home.

Rosemary told me that Yoda occupied a very special place in her heart. He possessed amazing human characteristics and emotions. When her husband was injured due to a motorbike accident, he was visited by physiotherapist and medical personnel at home to have his dressing changed. Yoda led the way to their bedroom.


The nursing staff was a little slow following him, Yoda stood on the stairs looking back and beckoning them to follow him to his master's room on the second floor.

Yoda led the way to his msster's bedroom and beckoned the medical staff  to follow him

Paul Kissing Yoda Goodbye

When the nurse peeled off the dressing from Kelvin who screamed in pain, Yoda, waiting outside the bedroom door, jumped up and down and barked ferociously trying to protect his master from harm from these strangers.

Fanny with Yoda

The family again saw the human emotional side of Yoda. When Wendy, their daughter came to say goodbye to him a week or so ago, tears started streaming down on Yoda's face. When Wendy saw Yoda crying, she cried too.

We will all miss Yoda, a great family friend who has brought much joy and happiness in our lives.

We will always remember you!

R.T.
July, 2013

Attending Grace's Graduation - A Miracle indeed!

Last Monday was Grace's graduation from Grade 8

Attending Grace’s Graduation

It was short of a miracle that my husband and I attended Grace’s Grade 8 graduation on Monday.

We have known Grace’s family for the past two decades from one of the sister churches in Toronto. Though we did not attend the same church, we always got invited to either their annual church Christmas celebration or to their family special events.

I remember when Grace’s mother was still young and just landed in Canada from Laos.  Mr. and Mrs. Hung had been married for a few years but remained childless.

She had been longing and praying for a baby for q few years.  It took them quite a while before she was pregnant. When Tony, their first child was born, the couple was absolutely elated because God had answered their prayers and gave them the precious gift of a baby son. They loved the new baby, devoted their energy and heart to raising their only child at the time.

The M.P. congratulated the graduates.

We watched Tong growing up. A smart little boy flourished under the dedicated care of his loving parents. As Tony was getting older, his parents did try hard to have another sibling for him.

Despite all their efforts and prayers, nothing happened for a long time. In the meantime, Tony was approaching his teen years, growing up all lonely without any brothers or sisters.

After a decade and half, Mrs. Hung was

Grace and her family

pregnant for the second time! A baby girl was born and Tony finally got a sister! The family was complete and they were on cloud nine. A family of four with a boy and girl! How perfect was that!

In the next couple years, another baby girl was born unexpectedly and they named her Grace. A few years later, David, another baby boy was born.  From being barren to having a family with four children, Mr. and Mrs. Hung felt really blessed by God.

Grace & her Grade 8 Graduating class

As I was sitting there enjoying the pomp and circumstances of the graduation ceremony, I looked at Mrs. Hung sitting beside me.

She was beaming from ear to ear the whole time, a proud mother indeed. But nothing compared the joy and excitement she felt when the recipient of the Principal’s Award was announced – Grace Hung!!!






Of the one hundred or so Grade 8 graduates, Grace was awarded the most prestigious award!   Grace - A beautiful, smart and compassionate girl with a bright future ahead of her. Which mother would not be proud of such a lovely  daughter?

After the graduation ceremony, we went out to have a celebration dinner at a Korean restaurant. We had a great time chatting about everything. 

 I love sharing happiness with other people and was privileged to share these wonderful moments with the Hung’s.  I presented Grace with a bracelet made with seashell little people.

 She loved it! This made me very happy!!!!

R.T. ,Toronto

 June, 2013