MUSAP ~ Martha's United States of America Photos: New York ~ Long Island and New York City

MUSAP on the beach at Elizabeth Morton National Wildlife Refuge

I stayed near home all summer and in September I started planning new adventures. First trip was to Long Island and then New York City. I started by spending the night in CT so I could catch an early ferry in the morning. Went to Mohegan Sun while I was there and won big on a penny slot machine!

winner! at Mohegan Sun

I stayed with Phil and Jenny on Long Island. Phil has finished his latest house flip and is living in it until they get a buyer. It’s in a great location in Mattituck and he did a great job with the design and all the little touches.

the dock at Phil's

I was on Long Island the weekend my grand-nephew turned one so I went to his first birthday party. Naturally I had a great time with my camera while I was there. It was nice to spend some time with family, including Sarah’s relatives that I met at their BVI wedding a few years ago.

birthday cake

CLICK HERE to see some pix of my stay on Long Island.

chickadee

Phil and Jenny both had to work the next day so I was on my own to explore. I went to the Elizabeth Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor. It’s got nice wooded trails and you also can get to a beach to walk there.

beach side of Elizabeth Morton National Wildlife Refuge

People have been hand feeding birds at this refuge for years. It’s discouraged for many reasons, but people still do it so the birds are quite tame and easy to photograph.

downy woodpecker

CLICK HERE for my flickr album of pix from the Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge

New York City

After Long Island I drove to New York City where there was walking, walking, walking on my schedule every day! Sean Quinn was my gracious and patient tour guide for NYC. I’m usually fine travelling and exploring on my own, but for some reason NYC intimidated me. It’s so big and there are so many possibilities.

Sean and me

Sean and Tony let me park my car in their driveway in Astoria so I wouldn’t have to deal with driving in the city and paying to park in the city! Sean got me easily from Astoria to my Yotel near Times Square. It’s a modern hotel near Times Square in Manhattan and it’s rooms are designed like cabins on a cruise ship. It was an interesting place and I had a great view out my window.

Yotel cabin

After I checked in to Yotel Sean and I walked up to Central Park. Tony’s office is in The Arsenal building across from the Central Park Zoo so we went there. He has a great view from his office window. We all went out to supper at a local diner. Then Sean and Tony walked me back to Yotel pointing out NY landmarks along the way.

Sean and Tony

The next morning Sean met me in Times Square. What a crazy place - sensory overload with sounds, people, traffic, neon lights. I managed to find my way there from the Yotel - the streets and directions were already getting easier to figure out.

Times Square

We walked back to Central Park and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We saw someone blowing huge bubbles. We stopped at the Bethesda Fountain. I enjoyed seeing the greenery, people watching, and hearing the street musicians.

Bethesda Fountain - Sean with MUSAP on his shoulder

Next we visited the Central Park Zoo. It’s a cute little zoo and I enjoyed taking pix in the aviary. I think Sean may have been permanently traumatized when we were on the upper level and he saw another visitor get pooped on from above! We had lunch in the café at the zoo.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

Sean got me safely to Lincoln Center. Then he left to run an errand and I went to say hello to Andy at Lululemon. Andy is another UNH theater alum. Good memories of seeing him perform in aerial dance showcases at UNH.

Andy G and me

After a quick walk around Lincoln Center so I could see the Metropolitan Opera House and Juilliard School we headed to the subway to go to the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked about ⅔ of the bridge and enjoyed looking back at the city. Seeing One World Trade Center on September 10th was significant.

World Trade from Brooklyn Bridge

After Brooklyn Bridge we walked some more! Sean showed me Foley Square, where Law & Order sometimes films scenes and then we went through Bryant Park. At some point we went through Grand Central Station, but I never quite figured out the subway, so I’m not sure where we were headed at that point! After 21,000 steps Sean got me safely back to the Yotel.

Bryant Park

After resting for a little while it was time to head out again because I had tickets to see Pippin with Phil & Jenny. They were both working in the city that day so it worked out to meet for dinner and a show. Jenny and I both love musicals! Pippin was a great show - love all the circus numbers.

Jenny and Phil with MUSAP

After the show Phil and Jenny walked me back to the Yotel. When they left I heard a rumbling noise and when I looked out my window there were hundreds of motorcycles going by - it was 11:30 at night. Phil and Jenny saw and heard them from the street level - loud. Never found out what was going on, I suspect it was a ride honoring 9/11.

motorcycles in the night

Sean agreed to spend more time with me the next day, he was such a good sport to be my guide. We took the subway to go and see the High Line. The High Line is a park trail about a mile and a half long that was developed on an old, unused railroad spur.

High Line birches

It was another beautiful day and the High Line is a great walking place in the city. There are wonderful plantings, parts of the old rails, pieces of art, benches, water features, and tiered bleacher seating.

High Line

I never did figure out the subway because Sean was always with me when I needed to use it. I followed him through the underground maze, got on whatever car he told me to get on, and got off whenever he said we were where we needed to be.