Tropical Luxury at the Caribe Hilton, Puerto Rico

Photo by myself at the Caribe Hilton hotel, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As you can see, it’s beautiful here – brightly sunny with a gentle sea breeze.

Mark and I are staying at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, a sprawling hotel complex by the water. There are restaurants, a spa, an outdoor hammock forest, a swimming lagoon and several outdoor pools. A casino is located just a 15-minute walk away.

Mark and I are usually intrepid travelers and prefer smaller hotels, off the beaten path. However, I don’t have many complaints about the obvious luxury of this place. It's not bad!

Staying here is like being on a cruise ship on land. There are free activities offered every day, from yoga classes to bingo to feeding giant koi in a pond. It's a great place for families.


A grove of hammocks provide a restful spot to read a book.

Large swans and other waterfowl live in a central garden. There are reefs with colorful fish just offshore, visible from a small dock. At night, the outdoor gardens and pools are lit with festive lights.

The only disappointment so far has been a couple extremely overpriced meals we've had outside the hotel, which fell short in terms of food and service. (Mark even had food poisoning). We have been spoiled by New York, where you can eat very well for a reasonable price.

Coming up tomorrow, photos from our trip into Old San Juan.


Work on your tan next to several swimming pools.

Related posts: Signs of Hope, Now on Sale, in Midtown and Signs of the Times.

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Hope for Better Times, in the East Village

Photo by myself, somewhere in the East Village.

The above sign was done by James De La Vega, a New York street artist, who has left quotes all over the city for the last 10 years. He lives in East Harlem but works in the East Village.

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Buenos dias from Puerto Rico!! Mark and I are staying in San Juan, near the water and casinos. It is beautiful and sunny here, with palm trees and the sparkling ocean. I hope to post some photos tomorrow.

It’s my first gambling with real money, and I’m down a whopping $100. Throwing away my hard-earned cash is no fun, so I’m not sure there’s any more blackjack for me in the future.

What is fun is watching Mark, an experienced gambler. He won some, then lost some, then won some more, playing blackjack and craps. He’s up $75 after a couple hours. The scene of dice rolling, card throwing and crowds is dizzying.

Cameras aren’t allowed in the casinos, but I hope to post some photos of San Juan in the next couple of days. We are so lucky to live in the 21st century, where you can go from chilly New York to palm trees in a matter of hours.

Related posts: Signs of Hope, Now on Sale, in Midtown and Signs of the Times.

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All Decked out Below the Empire State

Photo by myself on 34th Street and 7th Avenue, in Midtown.

Sorry for a cliche view of New York, but I just could not resist myself. Monday night, the decorations were up and the sidewalks were packed with people.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a New York tradition. The parade starts on the Upper West Side and winds south, ending at the Macy's store. All sorts of floats, balloons and bands are involved. A huge insignia was painted on the street and bright lights were being tested for the television cameras.

The sky was cloudy, reflecting a halo of light around the building.

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Well folks, Mark and I are headed to Puerto Rico, Thursday. We'll be back very late Monday night. Of course, the blog will continue with a new photo, every day.

I hope everyone who is celebrating Thanksgiving is sharing the day with their families. Don't eat too much!

Related posts: Skating Under the Empire State, Working it Out and Different Vistas.

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Performance Eats, on the Upper West Side

Photo by myself on the Upper West Side, around 73rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue (10th Avenue).

Salumeria Rosi is a relatively new restaurant on the Upper West Side. A well-appointed prep counter resembled performance art. In the window are boxes of cooked sausage from Modena and slow-roasted pork loin. (Sorry for the reflection, there were bright lights located across the street).

Designed to look like a traditional salami shop found on any street corner in Italy, Salumeria serves up tasty items like pork belly, nearly 20 aged salamis and a complete cheese menu. How can you not eat meats without cheese?

The family-based business originated in Parma, Italy, before setting up shop in Manhattan. The restaurant cures many of its own meats, and imports the rest from overseas.

Judging from what looked like a full house on Tuesday night, the food must be very good. For a survey of menus and history, click here.

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Directing Traffic, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself in Midtown.

During the Veteran's Day Parade earlier this month, a policewoman directed traffic.

I couldn't find a statistic for female officers in the NYPD. My guess is that it is quite low. I rarely see women in uniform.

New Yorkers have a much better relationship with the police these days. A few might check passengers' bags outside subway stations, but generally, New York's finest maintain a low key image.

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I've been attacked by spammers recently posting about escorts and viagra.

Please know that I check for spam every day. So don't even try it.

Related posts: Policing the Subway, Midtown, On the Job and Police Line, Do Not Cross.

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On the Trails, in Prospect Park

Photo by myself in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

A photo from the country?

Not at all. There are horse trails in Prospect Park, Brooklyn as well as Central Park, in Manhattan.

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It's hard for me to believe that it's Thanksgiving week already. Where has the time gone?

Mark and I will be going to Puerto Rico with his family. It's his mum's 70th birthday celebration (I hope she doesn't mind my saying that!). His brother, lovely wife and two gorgeous kids will be going, too.

Thanksgiving is only celebrated in America and Canada. As you probably know, it's the most popular time to travel in the States.

Is anyone else hitting the road?

Related posts: Riding High, Heigh Ho and The Carousel, Bryant Park.

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On the West Side Highway

Photo by myself of Riverside Park, from the West Side Highway.

Riverside Park runs along the west edge of Manhattan and overlooks the Hudson River. The park spans more than 100 blocks, from around 120th Street to Battery Park City. It's perfect for runners and cyclists.

Across the Hudson lies New Jersey. The tall buildings are in Jersey City, a major hub. Jersey City is relatively convenient to Manhattan via bus or train.

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No, no, don't worry, this is not another post about exercise and geometry. Mark and I drove down the West Side Highway the other day at the right time. It was beautiful.

Whoever named the West Side Highway, meant it. The multi-laned high speed road on the west side whips around curves and exits every so often. You can get out at 42nd Street and 79th Street, but pay attention! The exits zip by.

On the east side, there's the FDR, or Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive. Both roads are not for the cowardly. You compete with aggressive taxis and veteran New Yorkers like Mark, who do not take kindly to newcomers. However, if you want to get up or down the island in a snap, it's a great way to go.

Related posts: Sunset Views, Subway Sunsets - On the Ride Home and City Portraits - Shelter Island.

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Brunching on St. Mark's Place

Photo by myself in the East Village, around St. Mark's Place and Avenue A.

A line of hungry people waited outside Cafe Mogador for brunch. Brunch here is a lengthy social occasion, and often involves mimosas and much planning.

Do these people look like they could be on tv or what? They are so photogenic. I will have to take photos of non-photogenic people in New York next time, just to prove they exist.

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Many New Yorkers are thinner than the national average because we tend to walk so much. Most, except the very privileged or the very lazy, walk to the subway morning, noon and night. Many also belong to gyms, though whether we go is another thing.

Lately I've been going to the gym every day. I feel fantastic. As a reward, I allow myself to gloat about it, (mostly to coworkers, who cannot do anything but put up with me).

I happen to be 5'-3 1/2" on a good day. Five pounds on me is the difference between being a square and being a rectangle. The gym routine is helping, slowly.

I highly recommend the gym for one's health and sanity. Be a rectangle, folks!

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The View atop the Whitestone Bridge

Photo by myself from the Whitestone Bridge.

The Whitestone Bridge is a huge suspension bridge that crosses the East River, connecting Queens with the Bronx. Sounds complicated, but the bridge is basically located northeast of Manhattan.

The first tower on the left with the spire is the Empire State Building.

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On the Ice, in Midtown

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, around 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue.

We're having fluctuating temperatures that at times reach the mid-sixties. Even so, the ice skating rink is in place behind the main branch of the New York Public Library.

There's nothing like skating around outside, surrounded by buildings looming above.

Related posts: Braving the Chill in Bryant Park, Night View, at the Carousel and One Really Big Fountain.

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The Getty Villa, in Malibu, California

Photo by myself at the Getty Villa, in Malibu, California.

This stunning museum re-opened in 2006 after extensive renovations. The Boston architectural firm Machado Silvetti added modern courtyards and connecting elements to the existing villa.

Admission is free. You only have to pay for parking. Click here for more information.

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I finally found time to go through my photos from California.

Most of the photos show the Getty Villa, a magnificent, colorful museum off the Pacific Coast Highway, in Malibu. The historic villa was built over many years and completed in the 1970s. Modeled after an actual Pompeian building, the villa houses John Paul Getty's collections of antiquities.











The courtyards and gardens were lovely. So were the rooms filled with bronze sculptures, glass bowls and stone relics. There was even a mummy! Such a building with winding exterior spaces could only be built in a temperate climate like LA or the Mediterranean.

If you haven't been there, the outdoor light in California is incredible, with a quality of its own. It is golden and casts dramatic shadows. New York has a little of the same effect late in the afternoon, but only for a short time.


A modern courtyard connected stairways to the elevator and entrance.

Related posts: California Dreamin', Tell Me About the Rabbits and More Notes from the Left Coast.

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Holiday Cheer, Already in Bryant Park

Photo by myself in Bryant Park, around 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue.

I toured around Bryant Park, Monday. The tents are up, selling holiday gift items. Pictured above, Christmas decorations showing New York taxi cabs piled with gifts, and Christmas trees sporting the 'I *Heart* New York' slogan.

Vendors were selling jewelry, scarves, pretzels, chocolate, childrens' clothes...everything but the kitchen sink. There weren't tons of people shopping, but it's early yet.

The booths are a great place to purchase little quirky somethings. The real trick is deciding what to get, since the selection is overwhelming. Similar booths can be found in Union Square, Madison Square Park and Grand Central Station.




Above, some of the booths in Bryant Park. The white building in the background is the main branch of the New York Public Library.

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Fighting the Crowds, in Midtown

Photo by myself in Midtown, around 34th Street and 6th Avenue.

Above, a rather tame crosswalk in Midtown. Usually, crosswalks are a blur of people traveling in either direction.

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Ah, I'm back in New York. My flight arrived at 10pm Sunday and I'm back to work tomorrow morning, battling crowds like the one pictured above.

California was as gorgeous as ever. I have to say that my parents' house freaked me out, as usual.

Yes, I've become so accustomed to living with people squashed above, below and to the side of me. Being in a free-standing house (at night, with no noise outside) frightens the dickens out of me.

Mark's fascination with ghost shows on tv might be partly to blame for my paranoia. He is addicted to Ghost Adventures, that show where three guys visit haunted places.

Anyhow, I am just glad to be home, tucked alongside my 8 million New York neighbors.

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Dusk, at 72nd Street Station

Photo by myself around 72nd Street and Broadway, on the Upper West Side.

Around dusk, the sky lit up in a deep shade of blue. Meanwhile, the street lamps cast deep shadows on the subway station, which is studded with bolts.

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In an effort to outsmart Mother Nature, I'm trying to keep with New York time, while in LA. I can safely say I could never be an airline pilot. How do they go from one time zone to the next, without walking into walls?

I visited the Getty Villa with my parents on Saturday and cannot wait to post photos next week. The Museum is situated in a restored villa in the Malibu hills, near the Pacific Ocean. There is a modern part too, and many outdoor gardens. It is absolutely drop-dead beautiful.

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Ninja Assasins, in the East Village

Photo by myself, somewhere in the East Village.

There is graffiti just about everywhere in New York. However destructive, it really is an urban form of expression.

So are posters and paste-ups. They're often applied in multiples, just for graphic impact. One little poster wouldn't stand a chance on the street. You can't miss twenty-five, each one screaming at you.

Personally I like posters and graffiti. They help create a dynamic, ever-changing street experience. Nothing is too pristine in this town. If you're going to leave it or park it on the street, be prepared.

Related posts: Abandoned Lot, East Village, Art, for Public's Sake and Who's Playing, the East Village.

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The Truth in Advertising, in the East Village

Photo by myself in the East Village.

Sadly, the message of the paste-up graffiti is somewhat true.

It's been increasingly more difficult for the lower and middle classes to call New York City "home". You'll find few starving artists here, since it's an expensive place to live.

The artists I know have a day job and pursue their passions in their free time. I've read so many stories about writers and artists in the past, who moved to New York with $50 in their pockets and managed to make it. No longer.

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I'll be posting for the next few days from Los Angeles, where it's sunny and in the 60s. Mark and Rupert are staying home in Brooklyn, where it's rainy and cold. No fun.

My parents live in a remote area, where they only have *gulp* dial-up, also known as a "modem", a lesser known 'technology' from the 20th century. You'd think from the speed or lack thereof that it involves string and tin cans. Geez.

It's nuts to think we all used to use modems. Are we all spoiled now or is it just me?

Related posts: Pasted Up in the Meatpacking District, Abandoned Lot, East Village and Art for the Masses.

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The Veteran's Day Parade, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself on Fifth Avenue, in Midtown. World War II Veterans rode down Fifth Avenue to the applause of spectators.

The Veteran's Day Parade took place up Fifth Avenue, Wednesday.

It was an incredible treat to see Veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, among others. Many respectful spectators paid tribute along the parade route.

I'd never seen the Veteran's Day Parade in person before and I was surprised by how moving it is. This is a parade with real depth and meaning. It's not just some fluffy entertainment. Regardless of one's politics, the parade was worth seeing.


There were so many flags. Flags and banners were carried by service people, and flags adorned building facades.




Several school bands walked by in full costume. I'm sure the hats helped with the slight chill in the air.


A giant flag nearly as wide as a city street was walked up Fifth Avenue.

I only had a short time to spend at the parade, since it was my lunch hour. I will surely spend much more time there next year.

I'm off to Los Angeles for the weekend folks, but I'll be posting here daily!

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Movie in the Making, in Alphabet City

Photo by myself around East 7th Street and Avenue A, at the edge of Alphabet City.

Shown above are some aspiring students, filming across the way from the farmer's market, located outside the rehabilitated park that was once littered with drug dealers.

The sun was streaming down the street. They had chosen a nice spot.

Related posts: St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, Ready to Rumble, in Brooklyn and Lost in Translation.

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Hailing a Cab, Outside the Hudson Hotel

Photo by myself outside the Hudson Hotel, around 58th Street and 9th Avenue.

There was a little bit of a scene outside the Hudson Hotel, which was designed by Philippe Starck.

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Not much to report from this front. The Yankees won their 27th World Series last week. I watched part of the last game, and it was inevitable that the Yanks would win. I hope another team wins next year and the year after that!

Work is picking up, with clients demanding that things be done yesterday. One project is rushing to wrap up before Christmas. It's a small renovation out in Connecticut, where the pace is a bit slower than it is in the city. The race to the finish will be similar to driving a jalopy on the freeway. Oy vey!

I visited the project last week, meeting with the cabinetmakers and contractor. Funnily enough, they asked whether a New Yorker could ever live in the country. 'Would you be able to handle it out here?' they asked, and chuckled to themselves.

Related posts: A View from New York and the Plaza Hotel, On How the Streets are Numbered in this City and Going for the Gold.

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Tompkins Square Park, in Alphabet City

Photo by myself in Tompkins Square Park, in Alphabet City.

It was a gorgeous day Sunday, which resembled summer. Just about everybody was out walking around, eating on the sidewalk and enjoying themselves.

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Mark, Rupert and I spent the afternoon walking around Alphabet City and Tompkins Square Park. Mark lived there years ago, and he was shocked by how the neighborhood has changed.

Many of his old stomping grounds have disappeared. Mark had once cautioned me about Alphabet City before one of my walking tours. 'Watch out around 5th and (Avenue) B,' he'd said.

But there's nothing to worry about. The area is completely and utterly gentrified now. People have brunch. And not just brunch, but prix fixe brunch. There are cheese shops, now. I mean, come on, people!



It's hard to believe that Tompkins Square Park was once riddled with drug dealers and squatters, not so long ago. Now a crowded Farmer's Market is there on weekends. Bushels of local produce, cheeses and cider were on display.

Alphabet City is so named because it spans from Avenue A through Avenue D. It lies just east of the East Village.

Related posts: City Portraits - East Village, Really Living Real Life and Cuppa Joe to Go.

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