Fall along the Hudson

The last Saturday was a perfect fall day. With the temperature in the 70s and the leaves at their peak, we have picked a idyllic day to drive north. Nelson had made reservations at the CIA campus in Hyde Park for lunch. We enjoyed the beautiful views from campus as well as the food at the American Bounty restaurant. It was interesting to see the students managing the restaurant in every aspect and we really did have great service.

Our main feature of the day was the Walk Way Over Hudson, the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It has been a once prominent rail road track which has been abandoned due to a fire in the 1970s. But due to great pubic effort has been restored as a national park. It was a busy day on the bridge with a diverse group of people.We parked a few streets away to avoid paying the $5 fee. There were rudimentary snacks sold at both ends. Hopefully with the number tourists it can expand and improve in the coming years. It took us about 30mins each way for a leisurely walk while taking in the picturesque views.

On the drive back we drove through Newburgh and decided to stop at Bear Mountain State Park. As we arrived late enough in the evening, we were able to drive in without any admission fee. There was a festive atmosphere due to a month long Oktoberfest events on Saturdays. With a band playing, the area was active with beer, food and crafts stalls. We drove up to the top for some great views of the bridge and town below.

After a fabulous day outside I was terribly sick on Sunday with a sore throat. But it was worth having a fabulous day outside.

Move to East Fishkill

Last Monday I started my new job based in East Fishkill. I'm still getting used to the daily commute but enjoy spending that time with Nelson.

I have already been out to lunch twice. So I wanted to make a note of them as Fishkill is an all together new town for me. On Wednesday it was a vendor sponsored Italian lunch at Avanti Restaurant. On Thursday, we had a farewell lunch at Toro, a Korean & Japanese restaurant.

I have already scouted out some more places to try when I don't have time to make lunch.

A night out in West Village

Last weekend had a lot going on for me. Friday was my last day as a post doc and it was also time for Ammi to head back home. So in the evening we drove to Queens as Ammi was leaving on Sunday from Lukshi's place.It was so hard to say good bye, but that fact that we had guests for the weekend took my mind off of it for a while.

My sister-in-law Jenn and her fiance Jay were here on Saturday afternoon. We had planned a fun night out in the city. We parked in West Village and headed directly to Brooklyn for a the spectacular views from the Promenade. Our next stop was at the Ground Zero sight. We toured the preview center which showcased the building plans and served as a reminder to that horrific day. With Jay being a firefighter, it was especially meaningful to us.

Our dinner reservations was at Otto, a pizza restaurant. The atmosphere was vibrant and we all enjoyed some great thin crust pizza. After dinner, we walked through Washington Square, parts of NYU and MacDougal street before heading to the Comedy Cellar. This place seemed to be really popular with four shows on Saturday. I was glad that we thought ahead to make reservations. The MC was as good as we had remembered from our last visit and it was quite a versatile line up.. We had some drinks and dessert as there was a two item minimum. Hanging out in the Village was a really New York experience.

On Sunday we had brunch at the diner close by and said good bye to Jenn and Jay who were heading to a wedding in NJ.

Sightseeing in Arlington & Alexandria

This trip also presented us with an opportunity to explore neighboring suburbs of D.C. On Sunday morning, we took a quick trip the Arlington National Cemetery. We did a short, self guided walk up to the graves of the Kennedy family. The eternal flame that marks JFK's grave along with excerpts from his famous speeches. The thousands of identical graves of military men and women gives us a glimpse of the many valuable lives lost in years of war. It stands as a testament to America's commitment to world's freedom.

We headed back to Old Town Alexandria for brunch and sightseeing in the afternoon. There was a variety of restaurants and ice cream shops on Kings street which appeared to be a vibrant part of town. We had a seafood inspired lunch at The Wharf and headed to the seaport for ice cream and beautiful views of the water.

This cobblestone street which is very symbolic of an old European settlement caught our eye on the walk back to our car.

Tina & Josef's Big Day

Tina & Josef's wedding was held at a colonial style Christ Church in Old Town Alexandria. Though we arrived late for the ceremony, we got to see the the church grounds which was frequented by George Washington and Robert E. Lee.

The reception was at The Westin Alexandria. It was great seeing the glowing bride and listening to a beautiful speech by Katie my first year roomie at MHC. Congrats Tina & Josef, we were so happy to be a part of your special day.

D.C. Sightseeing

We arrived in D.C. around midnight on Friday and checked into the Holiday Inn in Alexandria which was a few subway stops from all the major attractions.
Early Saturday morning, we started sightseeing at the Lincoln and World War 2 Memorial. It was a sunny fall day and the reflection of the Washington Monument on the pond was breathtaking.

Then we headed to Eastern Market for brunch. We stopped at a Montmartre French cafe a few blocks from the market for a satisfying brunch. We strolled through the market browsing stalls of various food and crafts.

We walked across the Mall as close as we could get to a glimpse of the White House. Though we were at a distance with restricted a view, it was still an exciting experience. The next day, we saw the Capitol and drove by the Pentagon. The stately architecture of the government buildings had such a regal presence. It was remarkable to think that this city was planned this way about 200 years ago.

We also stopped at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Though we had seen in it in passing during our previous visit, this time we had a chance to really appreciate the extreme detailing and the large size of this amazing tribute to the the US Marines.

Fall Haven

After a week of rain we were treated to a beautiful fall weekend. On Saturday afternoon we went apple picking at Wilkens Farm in Yorktown Heights. Though the crowd was a bit intimidating at first glance, the farm was well equipped to handle the large numbers of visitors. We stayed in line for a few minutes to get a bag and then walked up to the orchard. There were several kinds of apples and plenty of trees to choose from. Afterwards we hitched a ride on the wagon with a bag full of apples ($27 for 1/2 bushel, I think) and headed to the treat shop. After another organized line I was immersed in my favorite fall treat, fresh apple cider donuts. Ammi noticed that the framed photos on the wall indicated that the farm was now run by the fourth generation. It was truly wonderful to see that they were doing such a great job with keeping the family spirit alive.

In the evening, we baked an apple pie for dessert as we had a lunch for a few friends the next day. It great to catch up with old friends and enjoy home made food by Ammi.