China Town and Little Italy

We went to China Town and Little Italy on Wednesday.  We took the subway to Columbus park in china town.  It was very small but older people were there playing chess, checkers and Mahjong.   With as many beautiful parks as we have seen it wasn’t too impressive but I imagine it has great value for the people who live there.  From there we walked to Chatham Square and he down to Canal street where the Mamayna Buddhist Temple is located.  We didn’t go inside but we went down the block and turned on Eldridge Street where we wet to the Eldridge Synagogue Museum.  We both really enjoyed it.  We learned a lot about the Jews in New York and much about the immigration here in general.  And we learned a little about Judaism.  We both really enjoyed this.   We then hiked over to the Tenement Museum for a tour.  I think I enjoyed this more than Jeff.  Our tour was of two families one in the 1880’s and one in the 1930’s.  Both had a little political slant as both women became the bread winners.  After the tours we headed to Little Italy for some fresh made pasta at Gelso and Grand.  We then headed home exhausted.

The Movies

Going to the movie is very expensive here. $23 a ticket so we joined the Stubbs Club with AMC and go on discount Tuesday.  Our theater is only two blocks away and looks very fancy but it really isn’t any better than any other theater.  If they don’t have the movie we want to see we hop on the Subway and head down to time square and go to the AMC there.

POTS

We were asked to help at a homeless shelter for a ward service project.  It was hard work as we were doing the kind of work that shelf stockers do in a grocery store.  I was so tired when we were done.  Walking back to the subway we found Briggs Street so I took a picture. 

Central Park West

We went exploring in Central Park.  We walked about 6 miles and I got blisters again.  We walked up the west side to Frederick Douglas Circle and wandered around seeing the swimming pool and the Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir and then we walked back from 110th street looking for a place to eat.  I had blisters but it was such fun.  We need to return and go across the top to the east and then south to the bottom end.  We do have plans it just seems to take us so much time.

Kelly and Ryan

Jeff and I were invited to have dinner with the Jensens and the Dodds on Sunday Aug. 4th.  It was a fun evening and dinner was wonderful.  While we were out Barbra Bradford texted and invited me to go with her and Kathy Jensen the “live with Kelly and Ryan” on Monday morning.   I was excited to spent the time with her and Kathy Jensen.  We got up and left at 6:30 only to find out that we had tickets for the 10:00 taping not the 8:00.  Barbra and I stayed and waited and our patience paid off when we were up grade to VIP tickets because we had been there so long.

The guests were Gina Davis and Milo Ventimiglia.  Kelly was on vacation so the guest host was Lisa Rinna.  We had a lot of fun together.

Scarsdale

On the 17th the missionary couples made a trek to Scarsdale to have a barbecue at the home of one of the coordinators, the  Bodines.  Their home was amazing.  It is old and they have added onto it.  I felt like I was in a museum because it was like walking into the past with all of the antiques.  The highlight for Jeff and I was meeting Brother Brad Bodine’s father Bill Bodine.  He had fascinating experience he shared about his professional life and the growth of the church in New York City.

Hearing What?

Jeff decided he needed hearing aids and determinedly sought a solution and forcing me to do some research.  We decided to go to Costco who advised we see and ENT first and get a clearance for them.  We went to and ENT and both of us have hearing loss especially in the right ear.  The doctor sent us to get an MRI to make sure there was no physical reason for the loss.  There wasn’t, however they found a blockage of my left sinus and I had to take a strong antibiotic for 10 days.  I will go back Tuesday for a CT scan and hopefully it is now clear.

We went to Costco with all our papers.  Long and short, Jeff decided he didn’t need them and I bought some.  I won’t get them for three weeks but I am excited to have them.

We traveled to Brooklyn to go to costco and I have planned a trip there to see the key sites.

Come From Away

Jeff and I were Blessed to see “Come From Away” on July 24th.  Becca got us tickets and just before we were to leave I tried to download them.  I couldn’t so I called.  They said they had to talk to Becca before they could release them to me.  I call her.  She called them and finally they were left at will call.  I was a little anxious as we were going as it had been frustrating to me securing the tickets.  The theater was beautiful and I was so glad to get inside.

I loved the play!! Perhaps my favorite.  It is the story of passengers diverted to Gander Newfoundland on Sept 11, 2001.  It is sad, funny, happy, and my emotions were all over the place.  There was one set and a handful of actors who convinced you they were in many places and many people.  Amazing.

Temple Closing

The temple has been closed for two weeks and I feel a little out of myself.  I thought I would enjoy this more.  We have been busy.  The first week we didn’t do much as I was dealing with my thumb and we had meetings with the new president and some of the sister missionaries.

I had surgery on the 30th of July.   I had to find a new doctor and I found one at Mt. Sinai.  She was just a subway stop away.  I was only there about 30 minutes.  She cut off the growth and then cauterized the blood vessels.  It has been almost a week and it is healing nicely even though it is ugly.   After my surgery, we went to see Greenwich village and Washington Square Park.  I loved the Park!

Wednesday we got up and headed out to see The African Burial Grounds, a graveyard and memorial discover when building.  From there we went to City Hall Park and walked around in the government area seeing courthouses and government buildings.  We went to China town but couldn’t figure out where things were and decided to go to The Federal Hall Memorial Building but when we went to the subway we were turned around and ended up in Brooklyn so we decided to just come home.

Thursday we slept in and were lazy in the morning and then went to visit Central Park. We got a map and planned out but discovered it needs to be multiple trips.  We did go visit Belvedere Castle with an awesome view of the park and city skyline.

Friday we went to another immigration hearing for Amneris Puscasu.  The ceremony was better organized and it went quickly.  The Judges comments were more concise and I found it moving.  We were in Lower Manhattan where Jeff and I had wandered on Wednesday.  Congratulations Sister Puscasu.