A Paper Love Affair - What Does This Have to do With New York?

One of my favorite things to do is to read. As a child growing up in Yuma, AZ, playing outside in the summertime was not something you chose to do. Other than what was necessary, you stayed inside. My companions were books. I remember my mother taking me to the Yuma City Library and I would go to the Children's Department, in the basement, and check out 10-12 books per week to take home. I also loved it when we would have the book fairs. My teachers would give me an order form with colored pictures of all the books they had to offer.

I would check all the books I wanted before I got home to give to my mother. 

My mother loved me - she loved to read too and let me order every book I wanted (I think!). 

When my children entered school, and they brought home their Scholastic Book order forms, I checked all the boxes of the books I wanted my children to have. They fell in love with books too. Of course I had to read the books that we ordered - just to make sure they were appropriate. 

Because I have five daughters, we had every Babysitter Club book series, and the Goosebumps series became a favorite of my son. We had lots of paperback books at our home and never enough shelf space to hold them. 

We had hardback books too, and they were loved and well-worn as well.

So - while in NYC, five of us from our office went to attend a conference put on 

by Odyssey Networks, down in the SoHo district of NYC

(SoHo means South of Houston Street). 

The conference or "conversation" that we had there was enlightening, the luncheon was great, and the SoHo district has a long history of architecture (another love affair of mine),

great restaurants and shopping. But this post is about books.

The conference was held at the Scholastic Store - a book store! Children's books. 

The books I love and grew up with. A must see if you take children to NYC. 

For any book, the cover or illustration is what draws you into the book. 

They had the artwork from the covers of several children's books. 

One of the more recent books I have purchased is No, David! by David Shannon. 

Just looking at this illustration - can you tell what will happen?

Here are a few other framed book illustrations - do you recognize them?

Then there are displays of books and the accessories that they create for kids.
Touch it - you want to buy it! Marketing is an art form.

Leesa shows off Captain Underpants - her favorite! 

Fairs and Towers

People watching is what I like best about NYC. But sometimes it is hard to do this because everyone is moving so fast. 
One afternoon after church there was a street fair going on. I had to eat, so I decided to walk around and see what delectable foods they had to try. This was fun because people weren't in a hurry, they had slowed down to just enjoy the sights and smells of the street vendors. There still was an energy about the fair, the noise of NYC had not lessened, but people were just enjoying themselves with no hurry to be anywhere.
The vendors were many. The fair was about three blocks long, with various foods to eat, "I Love NYC" t-shirts, scarves, plants, jewelry, women's accessories, sunglasses, African art and baskets - it was all there.

And then there are the Towers. I found three. There possibly could have been more. There was one on Columbus Circle, another across from the UN and the third was on the west side, across from the Hudson River. The Heliport was near the third tower, it was pretty busy the day I walked by. They didn't seem very busy. Occasionally there were some cars parked in front where chauffeurs were opening doors as people hurried into the Towers. Maybe I should have walked in one to see if they are as grand as I had heard. Maybe the people I would have seen in the Towers would have changed my perspective of people in NYC. Possibly it could have been the best people watching episode I could ever want! But I didn't because there are just too many people in NYC that are interesting all by themselves.

A Lost Mom on Mother's Day Weekend

I know, it is a few months past being Mother's Day - but I need to share what happened the weekend of May 6 - 8.

Though I already shared about going to the MoMA, Modern Museum of Art, I wanted to share this  video when I was up on the 6th floor. Funny that my grandson, Jaren, would ask me two days later about how tall were the buildings. From this high vantage point it was quite the sight, from the MoMA's gardens to the tops of the skyscrapers. I wish there was someway to see how magnificent these buildings really are.

Pictures from the ground up and some cool looking buildings that I did not capture in my video.

Earlier that day I had spent all morning getting invitations printed for the UN Ambassadors Picnic that I was working on. I came back to the office to find a box filled with some beautiful flowers from my children. I thought how thoughtful of them to send them to the office - now I could enjoy them each day at work.

I told Von what the kids had done and he sounded a little put out and asked about the flowers he had sent, which should have been delivered on Thursday! So Saturday morning I did a little investigation and found them safe and sound in the mail room - waiting for me to pick them up!

It was wonderful to have flowers welcoming me in the morning, greeting me at work and loving me at night. I am so blessed.

However, on Saturday morning, I was looking forward to sleeping in. Not so! At 7 am, I got a call from my BYU Intern friends asking if I wanted to see Catch Me If You Can musical. They wanted me to meet them at the ticket office. Unfortunately I wasn't ready till 9 am to head on down to Times Square. They called me to say they would pick a ticket up for me. The little stinks! I lost two hours of beauty sleep - thank you! I did go that night and had a great time. I am always mesmerized by the scenery and how it all works. In my third career, I am going to be a scenery and set designer!

Sunday was church and lunch with my cousin Julia. I was so glad she invited me over that day - to be with family. She has lived in NYC since retiring from teaching college, theater literature in Nebraska. What a delightful woman she is! Though we grew up in different households and never really associated with each other - I know we are related because we have this desire and wonder about people, life and learning. It was fun to visit her in her home, to hear stories about her life and the treasures that are displayed in her home. Julia was so good to me while in NYC. Though we only got to spend a little time together - she fed me generously with food, conversation and a continued love of family. Thank you, Julia, for your kindness and hospitality and making this lost "mom" on mother's day feel loved.

Sax on the Streets

Many years ago, during high school, I fell in love with the jazz band. Especially the saxophone. I love the deep tones of this instrument. It stirs something within me. So, when I first heard someone playing the sax on the street of NYC, it stopped me in my tracks. I had to listen. It got better after that, because I heard them playing in all sorts of places in NYC. They were in Times Square, random street corners, in the trains, at the entrances to the train stations, and the best - in the train (subway) stations, underground where the acoustics were terrific. In fact, many nights you would find 2-4 piece bands playing down in the stations - just one of the many sounds of New York. 

And then you have the singers that come on the trains.

At each stop they go to the next car, with their cups or bags of gold, collecting money for the talent they are sharing.

Here is one 2-piece band playing Amazing Grace.

Thank you New York for bringing me the joy of music.