Planning to Be Away.....

John and I are dividing up the tasks......

Asking Jef to keep the lawn from looking as if we are away....

 Trying to remember to put a hold on the newspapers so they don't end up looking like this.....

 Hoping the Post Office will remember to HOLD our mail until our return, as requested.....

Last, but not least... check my podcast library.   Last time we thoroughly enjoyed listening to the Bowery Boys podcasts about the history of many of the places we visited.  Need to see if they have some on the Brooklyn area......

Greenpoint - The Neighborhood

Here are some previews of what we might see around the neighborhood..... these were not taken by me, but I sure hope the neighborhood looks similar to this one!  Actually looks a LOT like the Upper West Side where we stayed last time......

Meredith, my former student, tells me we are close to the G subway line.... I've been reading the New York Times online and that line is currently NOT working at all as they undergo some tunnel repairs leftover from Hurricane Sandy.... sure hope they finish in time!!

If you read the first blog (www.virginia2nyc.blogspot.com) you may remember that we went to Greenpoint so that John could have an authentic Polish meal..... We will be looking for that restaurant again, as it was DELICIOUS!!

A Vintage Postcard

Broadway Planning

In advance of our trip I have been subscribing to several "Broadway Discount" websites.... studying the options, one came up this week for "Lady Day" with Audra Mc Donald.  Tickets have gotten to be so expensive that any discount really helps...... Grace and Carol, college friends, are planning a visit while we are there, so I bought the tickets for this show..... On our last stay in NYC we were chased out a few days early  by Hurricane Sandy.  Grace and Carol were slated to visit on the very Sunday that we ended up leaving the city......   John and I are both looking forward to seeing them in September.

Planning for the Return

We've had so many things on our "to do" list in the NYC area that we are planning for a return.  Spurred on by a family wedding in early September, we have made plans to be there from September 2nd through the 19th.... not quite 3 weeks, but we should be able to do most items on our list.  First up... finding a place..... We decided we would like to try Brooklyn this time.  We enjoyed our visit to the Greenpoint section when we were there a few years ago, so we began our search there.  My former student, Meredith lives there, so again we were lucky enough to have someone who could visit the place before we committed.  She gave it the okay, so arrangements are made.....

If it looks as good as these photos... we will be VERY happy!