« August 2007 | Main | October 2007 »
September 29, 2007
New Bike Lane
How unbelievably cool is this? On 9th Avenue, the city has put in a new bike lane. See the van on the far left? It's moving south (fast). See the SUV to the right of the van? It's parked. See the white painted diagonal lines? That's where the city will plant greenery. See the empty lane on the far right next to the sidewalk? That's the new bike lane!
More bikes!
Less cars!
Posted by dave at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2007
This is the One
We went down to the Mystic/ Stonington area in Connecticut last weekend. Phase 2 of our sailboat shopping. It was a long journey to see two boats, and after seeing the first one, my heart was sinking. We had seen plenty of boats, but nothing had yet said "this is it!".
Until we saw the Saga 43. Wow!
We are pondering our options and trying to make a decision on what to do. We have actually talked about making an offer. Stay tuned.
Posted by dave at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)
Lions & Tigers & No Internet, Oh My!
Egads.
We have had a string of bad luck with our internet. We started with Verizon. It crapped out. We switched to Time Warner Cable. It crapped out. We switched back to Verizon. It crapped out again. Back to Time Warner.
Then Alentus, our website hosting service, crapped out. They deleted three days' worth of email. I haven't a clue who's out there cursing me for not responding to a message.
Then, last Thursday, just after I hooked up my new iPhone, Time Warner crapped out. Almost a week later, and it's back up and running.
I can live without cable TV. I can live without a home telephone. But don't take my internet away, baby!
Posted by dave at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2007
Could this be the one?
We had an absolutely wonderful time in Newport at the boat show this weekend. We caught up with Toby and his squeeze to look at a couple of Alden 44's up in Portsmouth (in the driving rain). We saw lots of new boats. We were most impressed with the Outbound 46 and the Najad 44. But we're not looking to buy a new boat this time.
Late in the day on Saturday we stumbled on the boat in the photo above. It's charming. A bit of a slug, but adorable. A little shorter and heavier than we might like, but with brand new electronic equipment. The sails are looking a little fringed, so they likely need replacing. But the owner bought another boat and wants to get rid of this one.
We'll see. There are a few we want to see in Connecticut this coming weekend. We're in no hurry, and frankly, as fall wears on, people get deparate to sell because they don't want to pay to haul it out of the water and store it for the winter.
We'll see.
Posted by dave at 03:55 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2007
Sounds of New York
I was on the phone today with Canada Revenue Agency. (If you must know, they LOST a bank draft I sent them in April. For $28,000!)
The woman on the phone asked what kind of car I drove? I said, I live in Manhattan, I don't have a car. She asked what the noise was in the background.
I said "it's New York".
I think she was in Shawinigan or Sudbury or someplace like that. Where it's quiet, even if the windows are open.
Posted by dave at 07:06 PM | Comments (0)
Margaret Garner
Photo Credit: New York Times
Last night, we attended the opening night of the New York City Opera's new season, which started with a new production Margaret Garner. This is one powerful story. The libretto was written by Toni Morrison, based on her 1987 book "Beloved".
Margaret Garner was a slave in Kentucky in the mid-1800s. The plantation owner sends her husband away, and moves her into his home to work. He accosts her.
Her husband escapes his new "employer" and returns to move Margaret and their two children to a safer place in free Ohio. The plantation owner discovers their whereabouts and arrives to take them back, then hangs her husband.
Rather than have her children return to a life of slavery, she kills them.
She is tried for stealing the plantation owner's property - her children. The trial hangs on the question of whether she should be tried for theft, or murder. She is sentenced to hang, nonetheless. At the urging of his daughter, the plantation owner gains clemency from the court to have Margaret released to his custody. She kicks the trap on the gallows open and hangs herself.
It's a happy story.
It wouldn't be opera if it was a happy story.
By far the very best that I have seen New York City Opera do yet. If you can see it, you should.
Posted by dave at 06:58 PM | Comments (0)
September 11, 2007
Board
Well. The board meeting was interesting. The main purpose was to elect officers.
Would anyone like to nominate someone for the position of President?
E proposes me. A seconds.
Would anyone like to nominate someone for the position of Vice President?
I propose E. A seconds.
Would anyone like to nominate someone for the position of Treasurer?
E proposes A. I second.
Would anyone like to nominate someone for the position of Secretary?
I propose E. A seconds.
Getting the picture? A, E and I have 3 of 5 seats on the board. So we stuffed the developer, who retained a seat on the board by default, with nothing.
A, E and I had discussed the whole thing the night before, on a conference call that did not include the developer. All is fair in love and war.
Posted by dave at 06:40 PM | Comments (0)
September 07, 2007
Election Results
The results of our condo association board election were announced this afternoon, and I'm slightly shocked to report that I have been successful in being elected.
ElAd Properties still controls about 30% of the units, and retains a seat on the board. Their representative is evasive, non-communicative, notoriously cheap, and difficult to get along with. This, combined with the fact that not a single resident has a single good thing to say about the developer, should make for interesting board meetings. The first is Tuesday.
Posted by dave at 05:04 PM | Comments (0)
September 06, 2007
AGM
Tonight was the first Annual General Meeting of our Condo Association. I decided to run for the board. 12 people showed up for the meeting. We had a quorum (?). The results will be out tomorrow.
Posted by dave at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
September 04, 2007
Soleus
The soleus muscle in my right calf has been feeling better lately. It didn't bother me at all while cycling yesterday. And a week off running, and some extra yoga, seems to have done the trick.
This morning, I laced up my shoes, and off I went, determined to take it slow. The first block went really well, not so much as a twinge in my leg. I waited at 7th Avenue for the light, and started again. By the time I got to 8th Avenue, the pain was travelling like a lightening bolt up and down my calf. Damn.
More yoga.
NO RUNNING!
Posted by dave at 03:46 PM | Comments (0)
September 03, 2007
SoBe, Staten Island
Chis slept luxuriously this morning as I worked diligently on the New York Times crossword (Monday is the easy one, and they get progressively more difficult as the week gets on). I cleaned the kitchen, checked email, studied the weather (and Hurrican Felix), made fruit smoothies, and readied us for our day's cycling journey.
We left around 12 noon, headed first to the storage locker to get Chis' bike (mine now has a permanent parking spot next to the red leather chair in our living room), then pedaled down the Hudson River Trail to the Staten Island Ferry at Battery Park.
We climbed aboard the ferry, arrived on Staten Island, climbed on our bikes and looked longingly at the cycling route map. Hmm. If you've ever been to Staten Island, there's nothing that looks bike friendly when you get off the ferry.
We did our best, followed some bits of road and chopped up gravel paths, until we finally stumbled on Fort Wadsworth. Ah yes, this is the place where the New York City Marathon starts. It did not bring back memories, not pangs of willingness to do it a fourth time.
We carried on, and found South Beach. Who knew that Staten Island had miles of sandy beaches? With a bike path right along side? Awesome.
We stopped for lunch along the beach, watched the kites, and kept biking south toward Great Kills Park. We finally decided to head back, and by the time we reached the ferry, we had been cycling 4 hours. No wonder my keister was sore.
Back to Manhattan, we cycled back up the river and dropped Chis' bike at the storage locker, and limped home. All in all, an outstanding day of fresh air, sunshine and leg-stretching. We'll definitely do it again!
Posted by dave at 07:59 PM | Comments (0)
September 02, 2007
Platina 2?
Hmmmm. We're off to the Newport Boat Show September 14-16. Why, you might ask? Hmmmmmm. It seems that our recent ventures into Long Island Sound, and racing on the Hudson have infected us with the sailing bug. Not that we were ever immune. I mean, when it's in your blood, you're done for.
Platina was an offshore sailboat, frustrating in light winds. While safety and stability are core criteria for both of us, I think maybe a little lighter craft may be the order of the day. Not a racer, but something a little more nimble. Maybe this?
Posted by dave at 06:47 PM | Comments (0)
September 01, 2007
Blue Yankee
Took my freekin' breath away. That's all I can say. We were invited out on Serena 3 to watch the finish of the big boats in the Vineyard Race. Wow! Blue Yankee, who set a new course record, went screaming past us a lightning speed. Truly, a sight to behold. Click here for the final race results.
Posted by dave at 06:43 PM | Comments (0)