Key Adventures

Some of the images from my last minute run to see as many sites as possible with my key to the city. While I didn't always get to follow the letter of the project, I feel I always got to be part of the spirit.

First stop, the southernmost point in NY, Conference State Park, in Staten Island. A path next to the building led down to the sea, and the site of my first lock of the day.

But when I got there....

...not only was it already open, the lock was missing. I thought that the Parks Department had removed the key early since it was a holiday weekend, but along the way, people at other sites told me someone had stolen it. Stealing is wrong, of course, but stealing something of no value simply to deprive people of a pleasure...well, if it weren't so amazingly beautiful there, it probably would have ruined my mood.

Next stop, Staten Island Buddhist Viara. At the end of a very unassuming street, I walked down a driveway to find this gate.

The sign was a welcome for the Key To The City participants and invited people to enjoy the garden. If you were having trouble with meditating, please come to the front door.

I spent about a half hour. I'm not sure if I did it "right", but it was extremely peaceful. The tree in the middle of the garden was a Bodhi tree and was, essentially, planted from a cutting taken from the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

Heading north, I decided to stop at the Coney Island branch of the NY Public Library.

Their website had said it would be open,
but when I arrived, it was closed.
Fair enough.
So, figuring part of the project was to unlock areas of the city as well as the boxes, I headed over to Nathan's for a hot dog.





Then it was on to the Bronx. First stop PostNet where PO Box 136 was "our" mailing address.

Some of the mail - both left in the box & sent from other places.

If you can't read it, the original note says
"I'm in love with the girl next to me and she doesn't even know. :("
Others added the words of encouragement.

I really liked this postcard because the Louis Armstrong museum was another site in the project.

My contribution was that I finished the crossword puzzle (of course) and signed/dated it.

Next stop in the Bronx was Centro Cultural Rincon Criollo.
For some reason, the photos didn't save to my phone, but, here's the one from the KTTC site:

It's a community garden with 16 participants. This patch was brimming with cabbage, peppers, cucumbers & sunflowers when I arrived. A very friendly woman showed me her garden as well as the spot where they'd already harvested the potatoes, the pear trees, the peach trees, the chickens (that they let run around the place at the end of the season to eat the rest of the crops) and then gave me some of the sweet grapes that were growing on the trellises that covered the majority of the garden.

Last stop in the Bronx was The Point Community Development Corporation. They had taken a building and turned it into an artist's studio, inviting everyone who visted to contribute.

They started out with a bare space, the walls repainted white. The guy who was taking care of the site told me they were initially worried the space was TOO clean.

The site had been open about 3 months when I visited.

"I offered her sex and she chose to paint instead."

My contribution (the green things are my hand prints)

From there I went to Eddie's Sweet Shop in Queens. A truly old fashioned ice cream parlor.

My phone was not only full at this point, but running out of power as I'd also been using it as a GPS. To keep within the spirit of the project of having something to unlock, they had a small cashbox to open. It was FILLED with notes, mostly written on napkins about how great the ice cream was but also other sites to visit. I left a Teetsy sticker (www.teetsy.com) with instructions for someone to take it & place it somewhere else.

Oh, and I had pistachio pineapple ice cream. (I had the really adorable guy behind the soda fountain counter pick the flavor & surprise me.) Truly yummy.

Day 87, Jan. 8 - you never forget your first time

Finally, I feel the shake rattle 'n roll of California - my first earthquake!

I was working late, waiting for a screening & suddenly I realize that I'm swaying. I push my chair away from the desk, wondering if it's something about the equipment. Then I wonder if there's late night construction work going on in the building. Then, I realize that the room is actually swaying. (No comments from the peanut gallery, please.) I was thinking "is this what I think it is?" and then I hear voices in the hallway saying "Did you feel that too?"

It was a bit underwhelming, but, at the same time, entirely satisfying as I don't think I'd want the kind that is overwhelming.

I also found it funny that I, the one non-Californian, knew what was the correct protocal in this type of potential disaster.

And, for those that asked - the cats seemed no worse for wear, although I would have loved to see them at the moment of impact.

Also, initial reports said that it was a 5.0 quake, but the late news said it was 4.5 with severe aftershocks. People in the office say that is no big deal, especially since the epicenter was in "The Valley of the Inland Empire." (aka San Bernadino - and a little bit away from where I'm located.)

Still, I can now check something else off my "California To-Do List."

Day 73, Dec. 25 - god jul

The video was "inspired" by listening to the Dalai Lama's "The Art of Happiness" as well as attending a Kabbalah lecture recently.

Day 64, Dec. 16 - dream police

House of Blues, Sunset Boulevard.






Whoever said you can never go back again was WRONG.

And Mr. Seger was right.

Day 57, Dec. 9 - will blog for xanax

Of course the natural thing to be thinking about as the end of the year approaches is....baseball. And, as any Cubs fan knows, that means stress in general but now my husband is rumored to be in the center of a trade.

So, Mr. Hendry please take note of the following:

Notice that he has swung.

Notice that the ball is not in the catcher's mitt.

Why, because he HIT it. Something the Cubs need.

Find another way to get Peavey.

Please.

(and a belated thanks to Nikki for the photo!...see, it did go to good use)

Day 55, Dec. 7 - part deux

Okay....three earthquakes today around LA.

Or so I am told.

Oh, and the Bears won!

Day 55, Dec. 7 - Whole lotta shakin

Since I've been here there have, apparently, been two earthquakes. The most recent was a 5.1 aftershock of an earthquake that happened 9 years ago. I felt neither. But I did hear the sonic boom as Endeavor reentered the atmosphere. I figure I'm winning (so far).

Another good thing about LA is that the football games start at 10am, so I can watch them with coffee & the paper. Not your average experience, but it also doesn't take up the entire day.

Go Bears!

It's forecast to be 70 today.