The Statue of Liberty waves good-bye as we head east...

We awoke our last morning to find NYC…

 covered in five to six inches of snow 

yielding an eerie calm as we finally talked a taxi driver 

into driving us through mounds of snow to Brooklyn.

Ren Man, for years, has wanted to travel by boat to Europe, 

so we will journey the long way ‘home’ to the UK…

After some initial confusion caused by the weather, 

our boarding was painless and the upgrade fairy came to visit

 as we were directed to our spacious abode for the next seven days.

For the next few days 

we will attempt to give you a peak into the nooks and crannies of the Queen Mary 2 

as we make our way across the Atlantic Ocean

 dealing with jet lag the sensible way.

Meanwhile…

we'll miss you.

“The snow began to fall again, drifting against the windows, politely begging entrance and then falling with disappointment to the ground” ― Jamie McGuire, Beautiful Disaster

While traversing around NYC,

deep philosophical statements kept popping up.

My favorite was on the subway...

courtesy of Cole Haan.

A statement currently being tested at this moment 

as our twelfth straight day of snow continues to cramp my style.

I have plenty of projects I could be working on 

but a major case of stir craziness is doing a number on any productivity.

Warm rays of sun are headed our way.

I just know it.

Which leads me to the next contemplative statement I bumped into providing a perfect end to the depressing discussion about the weather.

Happy Weekend!

"New york city...new york city...new york city. Que pasa, new york? Que pasa, new york? ..." ~ John Lennon

NYC has its own personality.

I have pondered about this for a while now.

Well, it turns out I am not the only one ponderin about the personalities of cities.

While my descriptors are based on the feeling I get while walking around...

these intellectuals pondered a bit more scientifically.

There is even a quiz to help you decide which city fits your personality.

It seems I should be living in Boston.

Anywho...

NYC has quite the ego...

a healthy self-esteem.

So healthy in fact, it has no qualms about being totally random.

For me, it's this eclectic mix of people that has produced 

a hodge podge of unlimited choices...

beyond the amazing museums and theatre.

There are always new restaurants to rate.  

Eataly, suggested by a friend here in Aberdeen, 

reminds me of the food markets in some of my favorite cities in Europe.

Every nook and cranny was packed with some folks enjoying happy hour, others grabbing a quick bite to eat, while still others were picking out fresh produce or freshly made pasta to take home to prepare.

Meanwhile, we made a beeline to the rooftop bar...

where a few toasts were made.

 They let a little snow keep them from opening the roof, 

so this is definitely a place to return 

when the stars are the only thing above your head.

Other first time visits were...

for milk and cookies...

and refills at the original New York apothecary...

Kiehl's.

We also met up with family for a long lingering lunch at The Fat Radish, 

where I refrained from photos.

I was too busy enjoying the good conversation 

and excellent food in this Convent Garden jewel.

Check out their collaborative space for special events.

While on a search for Stumptown coffee, we stumbled across what will be our next lodging choice when staying in Manhattan. 

Hopefully, we are hip enough for the uber cool Ace Hotel in Midtown.

NYC earns its big ego and is a great example 

of what you can accomplish with a healthy self-esteem.

You find yourself constantly asking...

Que pasa New York?

Happy Thursday.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Lunchtime

Realizing this week's theme is a midday meal...

my submission does not completely fulfill the assignment:

however, it does include food.

Raw food to be exact.

The most amazing raw food I have ever experienced...

 at the organic, raw, and vegan gem of a restaurant...

Pure Food and Wine.

'The foodie' and I enjoyed the tasting menu of multiple courses, with nothing heated above 118 degrees to preserve its natural benefits.

My favorite is a toss up between the pear ravioli...

with thinly sliced pear forming the 'noodles'...

and the sweet corn and cashew tamales.

Two recipes I wish I had in my private arsenal.

Creativity and talent in the kitchen were working overtime as every bite burst with flavors full of...

exceeding my expectations.

Repeat customers were seated throughout the restaurant, with many others popping in for the healthiest take-out on the planet.

What a nice resource for the neighborhood.

Hey, wait a minute...

our daughter is a trained chef...

in the plant based culinary field.

Although,

 she is not exactly in the neighborhood...

and raw food does not freeze well.

Maybe she could make a mental note and practice preparing the pear ravioli for our next visit.

Just a thought.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

"ABC, Easy as one, two, three. Or simple as Do, re, mi. ABC. One, two, three..." ~ Jackson 5

While 'the foodie' and I did spend some time right outside our door in Brooklyn,

we also hung out with some friends and enjoyed...

Manhattan style.

It was my first time to walk through the doors...

and enter the world of ABC Carpet & Home, a... 

extraordinaire.

It's moments like this...

meandering through magical stores...

 looking up and down...

and all around...

where there is a line to pay for purchases,

 that make you question the claims of a recession.

 Clearly, the customers of ABC missed the memo declaring a struggling economy.

Restaurants are filled, shops are buzzing with customers and the streets are crowded with tourists and locals alike swinging multiple bags of goodies which painfully reminded me of my unfortunate situation...

 one small suitcase already bulging with my old rags.

Of course,

my stomach always has room...

bulging discussion aside...

and we spent much of our time lingering over amazing food.

 Adjoining the ABC Home Store is one such place...

ABC Kitchen,

where beauty is on your plate just long enough to please the eye before tweaking your palate.

Looking back, I realized that the only photo to record my experience is the lovely lighting (bottom right) hanging over our table.

In fact,

it appears that I have quite the... 

going on.

The food at ABC was inspiring.

The Ginger Margarita set the stage for the dishes that followed.

 Since the menu is seasonal, I will refrain from descriptions causing you to fall into a fit of uncontrollable salivation at the thought of the BEST fried chicken I have ever tasted north of the Mason-Dixon line and maybe, just maybe... south of the line too.

The side dishes danced perfectly alongside the chicken.

To say you could spend multiple hours at this one location is as simple as ABC.

Shopping and food.

What more do you need?

Okay, who else is hearing the Jackson 5 singing in their brain right now?

Happy Tuesday.

'It's like a roadtrip, but with sketchbooks." ~ The Sketchbook Project

After our quick afternoon jaunt to the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn...

it became clear that more time is needed to do that neighborhood justice.

The Sketchbook Project was one of the phenoms on my 'Brooklyn To-Do' list...

mainly because I wanted to understand the whole process I have heard so much about.

Housed in the Brooklyn Art Library,

individuals submit their previously purchased sketchbooks...

the official sketchbook project sketchbook

26,000 and counting...

for anyone to 'check out' and read.

The sketchbooks have a barcode so when they return filled by the 'author', the staff can easily scan it into their collection making it available for anyone to check out...

some can even be viewed online.

If you set up notification alerts you will know when someone has checked out your sketchbook for viewing.

We looked at a few recently submitted sketchbooks and I was pleased to see written words as well.

All are unique and many are pretty amazing.

Currently, if you are in Austin for the SXSW, there is a Sketchbook Project mobile tour trailer filled with a small selection of the sketchbooks with many more cities on the tour line-up.

Their website provides some ways to enjoy The Sketchbook Project online as well.

Currently, you can tweet a photo 

and tag into the Free Project Wednesday party.

Crowd sourced and interactive are not just buzz words for these creatives.

They have built up quite a community.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.