Catching Up

So, it has been a while since I've posted here. So much has happened since April! In my next couple of posts, I'll try to update you on what's going on. More old photos will come soon.

NASDAQ Closing Bell Ceremony

At the end of Ragan's Social Media Summit, all the participants attended the NASDAQ closing ceremony. CEO Mark Ragan rang the bell while we all cheered and waved to TV cameras.

The ceremony includes taking photos at the podium in the studio before the bell rings. Right before 4 p.m., the person ringing the bell gives a quick speech. All of cheer and wave as the bell rings. After it's over, we were all taken outside to see our photo on the giant screens in Times Square and take another photo.

Phoenix, Jerome and Sedona

Last month, I took a few days and headed to Arizona to visit Tony. I was excited to see him and to leave the cold weather in New York City.

On St. Patrick's Day, the thermometer hit about 98 degrees and we headed to bask in the sunshine and drink some green beer at a spring training baseball game. I had no idea how big spring training or St. Patrick's Day is in Arizona. The stadium was packed with fans dressed in green and their team's colors. I had only been to one baseball game (a Mets game years ago with Barry and my colleagues at Teachers College) before this, so it was an especially interesting experience for me.

The next day, we got into the car and drove to Jerome and Sedona. I was very excited to see Sedona because I've heard great things about it. Jerome, an old copper mining town, was on the way. It was a cool place with a ton of history. We stopped at the Jerome museum first and heard the story of the town from an older man, who works for the museum. He told the story of the town with passion and enthusiasm. After he finished, we toured the old mansion and the grounds and took some photos. It was fascinating.

From there, we headed to Sedona and I wasn't prepared for how beautiful it would be. Pictures don't do it a justice. We saw all the various rocks, except for Snoopy because we couldn't find it!! One of my favorite spots was the Cathedral rock, which is supposed to be on top of a vortex. It was a peaceful spot that overlooked many of the other rocks. Inside the tiny church, we lit some candles and looked around at the few decorations on the walls. The view is really the centerpiece of the chapel. Outside, we took some photos with the gorgeous background.

After that, we looked at the other rocks and took some more photos. Right before sunset, we headed to the best vantage point to see it. Lots of other people where there waiting for the famous sunset to happen. The colors are amazing. It was really spectacular.

Getting hungry, we went to the Barking Frog for dinner. The restaurant had great ambiance and delicious food. I ordered some delicious ribs that fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. Feeling full and sleepy, we drove back to Phoenix.

On Saturday, we had brunch and then visited Scottsdale. Brunch was at Chelsea's Kitchen and it was delicious. I had a fantastic egg white omelet with all kinds of fancy mushrooms and spinach. Yum. Not only was it delicious, but the garden was lovely, too. It was set under a tree with flowers crawling around. We even spotted a humming bird right behind us.

After brunch, we strolled around town where we saw an exhibit of Dr. Seuss illustrations and other artwork. When we needed a break from walking, we stopped at a little bar with an outdoor section and enjoyed a beer. A canal flows near the bar. We took a walk along the canal and crossed the new bridge that opened recently.

Tony Visits NYC in February

It has been a while since I've been able to write here. Things have been really busy all around. I still haven't added old photos as promised, but I will do it as soon as I can. In the meantime, I'll post a few things about what's been going on with me in NYC these past few months.

In February, Tony came back to NYC for a long weekend to visit and we had so much fun. It was a short trip, but we managed to cover quite a bit of ground. We had a couple of brunches, both in NYC and in Williamsburg; toured the brooklyn brewery; went up to the Columbia U. campus and saw one of my favorite places, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The photo above is outside of the cathedral.

More Old Family Photos On The Way

I've neglected to post the old family photos that I mentioned a few months back. Life (and mostly work) got in the way of my plans to scan them, so they are still tucked away in their albums undigitized. I'll get to it as soon as I can and begin posting them. I think the first ones I will post will be from an autograph book that grandpa Stan gave me right before he died when I was 12. They are all photos of him as a young man. I know you'll enjoy them!

Amy's Birthday and Mom's Retirement Celebration in NJ

We celebrated Amy's 26th birthday and mom's retirement at the Mt. Tabor Tavern in NJ. The ambiance was cozy and rustic complete with a giant fireplace and the food was excellent. I went with the steak after debating duck breast and pork wrapped in prosciutto. Everyone else had fish. After dinner we went home and had the famous Gaston Avenue Bakery's hazelnut cake. Sigh.

Dinner and Sock Party at Bill and Terry's

Bill and Terry hosted a hors d'oeuvres party at their apartment recently. Everyone was required to wear their best socks. In this photo, Rosa and Jeffrey have a chat while Larry hopes they drop some food. We found out when we got there that the socks were a ploy to get us to take off our snowy boots at the door. It worked and it was fun!