Sunday, August 29, 2010
Close Encounter with a Snapping Turtle
I had seen real, live snapping turtles before, in zoos or shelters, but not in the middle of a lonely country road. As snappers go, he wasn't even that big, but he was still an awesome sight. Here he is, just as I saw him from the car, happily basking in the late afternoon sun smack in the center of the road in Greene County, New York (which is in the Catskill Mountains).
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Enameling with Catherine Crowe
Since this was my sixth time attending Catskills Irish Arts Week (CIAW), I decided to try my hand at one of the Celtic art classes: enameling. The class was taught by Catherine Crowe, who made the enamel crown on my new flute. I took a pretty consistent set of pictures during the work on my first piece. These pictures offer a glimpse at the process, starting with the copper strips above which will become earrings.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Catskills Bound
The title of this post is a throwback to a similar one written last year as I prepared to go to Ireland. As a matter of fact, at this time last year I was already in Miltown Malbay, having the time of my life at Willie Clancy Week. I've been reliving many fond memories and wishing I had gone back this year. Life (and finances) dictated otherwise, so this year I'm returning to the humble hamlet of East Durham, NY, for the Catskills Irish Arts Week (CIAW) - which is, after all, the best the US has to offer when it comes to traditional Irish music festivals. I leave on July 11th and, truth be told, I'm getting pretty excited about it!
Friday, June 18, 2010
A few rays of hope...
We've all been sickened by all the continuing horrors of the BP oil spill and its perverse effects on the environment. Dead sea turtles floating in pools of oil or washed up limp and lifeless on the oily beaches. Gulls and pelicans doused with oil. The heartbreaking images seem unending.
Still, a few people are trying to do what they can. On June 4 the New York Times carried a story about the rehab work with the brown pelicans of Fort Jackson, Louisiana. Once very common in that area, the brown pelican was nearly wiped out in the 1960's by the effects of DDT pesticides. Since then it has made an amazing comeback, and last year the brown pelican was taken off the endangered species list. Now its existence is threatened again. Rescue workers are trying to prevent that. They have been capturing the birds, as many as possible, some so heavily coated with oil that they cannot stand. They are fed and hydrated and cleaned up, and as of June 4th all of the rescued birds had survived. Please click the link here and read the story for more details.
On June 16 CNN ran video report on the rescue of a nest of 105 Loggerhead turtle eggs laid on Orange Beach, Alabama. The hatchlings would be in danger from the oil as well as from the cleanup efforts. Again, a few people did what they could. They moved and protected the nest, and when the eggs hatch, they will be moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where the water is still clean. Please click here and watch the short video.
I know the efforts of these few good people are only a drop in the proverbial bucket. The number of birds that can be cleaned will be only a small percentage of those that will die. The turtle that laid the eggs has already returned to the oily sea, and one wonders about her fate. And hey, the reason turtles lay so many eggs is that the survival rate of hatching is low even in good times. (Very small turtles are quickly gobbled up by other sea creatures and probably brown pelicans too!) Still, we cling to these few rays of hope that endangered species will survive and that the environment will not be ruined forever.
Still, a few people are trying to do what they can. On June 4 the New York Times carried a story about the rehab work with the brown pelicans of Fort Jackson, Louisiana. Once very common in that area, the brown pelican was nearly wiped out in the 1960's by the effects of DDT pesticides. Since then it has made an amazing comeback, and last year the brown pelican was taken off the endangered species list. Now its existence is threatened again. Rescue workers are trying to prevent that. They have been capturing the birds, as many as possible, some so heavily coated with oil that they cannot stand. They are fed and hydrated and cleaned up, and as of June 4th all of the rescued birds had survived. Please click the link here and read the story for more details.
On June 16 CNN ran video report on the rescue of a nest of 105 Loggerhead turtle eggs laid on Orange Beach, Alabama. The hatchlings would be in danger from the oil as well as from the cleanup efforts. Again, a few people did what they could. They moved and protected the nest, and when the eggs hatch, they will be moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where the water is still clean. Please click here and watch the short video.
I know the efforts of these few good people are only a drop in the proverbial bucket. The number of birds that can be cleaned will be only a small percentage of those that will die. The turtle that laid the eggs has already returned to the oily sea, and one wonders about her fate. And hey, the reason turtles lay so many eggs is that the survival rate of hatching is low even in good times. (Very small turtles are quickly gobbled up by other sea creatures and probably brown pelicans too!) Still, we cling to these few rays of hope that endangered species will survive and that the environment will not be ruined forever.
© 2010, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour Suggestions
(updated June 14, 2012)
The time it takes to see the Statue of Liberty can range from an hour to a whole day. I've divided up the options into various sightseeing scenarios. Times Square is the point of departure.
Scenario ONE - visit to Liberty Island and possibly Ellis Island as well: 4-7 hours total from Times Square and back.
Important note: The inside of the Statue of Liberty will be closed for renovation until approximately November 2012. You cannot climb up the Statue or visit the museum in the lobby. You may take the boat out to Liberty Island for close-up views of the Statue and incredible views of the Manhattan skyline. You will enjoy the lovely park around the Statue on Liberty Island. But that won't take too long. Therefore, your visit to Liberty Island would probably be less than an hour, making the total time for this trip more like 4 hours, depending on how long you spend in the museum at Ellis Island.
From Times Square, take the Downtown #1 subway to the South Ferry stop. (takes about 30 min) This lets you off on the WEST side of Battery Park. Walk into the park and follow the signs to Castle Clinton National Monument.
Statue of Liberty ferries depart from Battery Park and go first to Liberty Island and then to Ellis Island before returning to Battery Park. Tickets can be purchased online, a MUST during peak tourist seasons. (See the link in the next paragraph.) The ticket you purchase entitles you to visit both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. There is no cost for the museums on those islands, but I think there is an additional fee to go to the top of the Statue of Liberty. Audio headsets for self-guided tours cost extra also.
Going out the the Statue, looking around, and returning is normally about a 3-hour venture. (Allow only an hour between November 2011-November 2012 while renovations have closed the inside of the Statue to visitors.) Here's the website with info about the Statue of Liberty National Monument, including online ticket purchase. Be sure to note the bit about climbing stairs. Also, please understand that I consider the time estimates on the Statue of Liberty National Monument website to be grossly underestimated. My estimates here are based on actual visits and on the assumption that you READ as you peruse the museums!
There is another little island out in the New York Harbor called Ellis Island. In the early days when people were coming to the United States in droves, they were sent first to Ellis Island where government officials "processed" them before letting them into the country. Often they were detained for quite a long time. Ellis Island was eventually closed down and lay dormant out there in the harbor for 30 years. In 1990 a museum was established, and the island came alive again with fascinating immigrant stories. Some Americans are able to see histories and items belonging to family members. The exhibit is really timeless, though, as people emigrate from one place to another today for all sorts of reasons, and many of their struggles are the same. The Ellis Island museum is both a particular history as well as an account of a more universal experience. If this sort of thing interests you, I highly recommend going on to Ellis Island as well.
Scenario TWO - view of the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry: 2 hours total, from Times Square and back.
If you're pressed for time and all you want is a really nice view of the Statue of Liberty, take the Staten Island Ferry from the tip of Manhattan over to Staten Island, then turn around and come back. The Staten Island Ferry is free and the views of the Statue as well as the Manhattan skyline are terrific!
From Times Square, take the Downtown N, R, or W subway to the Whitehall Street stop. (takes about 30 min.) Walk to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. You'll see it when you come up from the subway.
The Staten Island Ferry website has not only the ferry schedules but cool info about the boats and their history.
photo by William Warby
(permission for use under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic licence)
The time it takes to see the Statue of Liberty can range from an hour to a whole day. I've divided up the options into various sightseeing scenarios. Times Square is the point of departure.
Scenario ONE - visit to Liberty Island and possibly Ellis Island as well: 4-7 hours total from Times Square and back.
Important note: The inside of the Statue of Liberty will be closed for renovation until approximately November 2012. You cannot climb up the Statue or visit the museum in the lobby. You may take the boat out to Liberty Island for close-up views of the Statue and incredible views of the Manhattan skyline. You will enjoy the lovely park around the Statue on Liberty Island. But that won't take too long. Therefore, your visit to Liberty Island would probably be less than an hour, making the total time for this trip more like 4 hours, depending on how long you spend in the museum at Ellis Island.
From Times Square, take the Downtown #1 subway to the South Ferry stop. (takes about 30 min) This lets you off on the WEST side of Battery Park. Walk into the park and follow the signs to Castle Clinton National Monument.
Statue of Liberty ferries depart from Battery Park and go first to Liberty Island and then to Ellis Island before returning to Battery Park. Tickets can be purchased online, a MUST during peak tourist seasons. (See the link in the next paragraph.) The ticket you purchase entitles you to visit both Liberty Island and Ellis Island. There is no cost for the museums on those islands, but I think there is an additional fee to go to the top of the Statue of Liberty. Audio headsets for self-guided tours cost extra also.
Going out the the Statue, looking around, and returning is normally about a 3-hour venture. (Allow only an hour between November 2011-November 2012 while renovations have closed the inside of the Statue to visitors.) Here's the website with info about the Statue of Liberty National Monument, including online ticket purchase. Be sure to note the bit about climbing stairs. Also, please understand that I consider the time estimates on the Statue of Liberty National Monument website to be grossly underestimated. My estimates here are based on actual visits and on the assumption that you READ as you peruse the museums!
There is another little island out in the New York Harbor called Ellis Island. In the early days when people were coming to the United States in droves, they were sent first to Ellis Island where government officials "processed" them before letting them into the country. Often they were detained for quite a long time. Ellis Island was eventually closed down and lay dormant out there in the harbor for 30 years. In 1990 a museum was established, and the island came alive again with fascinating immigrant stories. Some Americans are able to see histories and items belonging to family members. The exhibit is really timeless, though, as people emigrate from one place to another today for all sorts of reasons, and many of their struggles are the same. The Ellis Island museum is both a particular history as well as an account of a more universal experience. If this sort of thing interests you, I highly recommend going on to Ellis Island as well.
photo by Ken Thomas
(public domain photo, no permission required)
If you're pressed for time and all you want is a really nice view of the Statue of Liberty, take the Staten Island Ferry from the tip of Manhattan over to Staten Island, then turn around and come back. The Staten Island Ferry is free and the views of the Statue as well as the Manhattan skyline are terrific!
From Times Square, take the Downtown N, R, or W subway to the Whitehall Street stop. (takes about 30 min.) Walk to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. You'll see it when you come up from the subway.
The Staten Island Ferry website has not only the ferry schedules but cool info about the boats and their history.
Scenario THREE - view of the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry, combined with other sightseeing in the nearby Financial District. All the places noted below are in walking distance of each other. Depending on how many stops you make, the time can vary from 2 hours to an entire day.
If you're starting at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, you see these things in this order. First the ferry ride to see the Statue as described in Scenario Two, then:
If you spend the whole day on Scenario One at Liberty & Ellis Islands, but still want to see the places listed in Scenario Three, you can return the next day and do just the Financial District attractions.
These are some of my favorite sites in New York. Hope you enjoy them too!
If you're starting at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, you see these things in this order. First the ferry ride to see the Statue as described in Scenario Two, then:
- First stop is the Fraunces Tavern, located on Pearl Street very near the Staten Island Ferry. It is a small building with a museum containing many interesting Revolutionary War relics, also a comfortable pub and an upscale restaurant. George Washington said goodbye to his officers here at the end of the Revolutionary War.
- Walk north on Water Street, turn right at Fulton Street and roam through the South Street Seaport. The Seaport contains a maritime museum as well as many shops and restaurants.
- Walk south to Wall Street. Strolling west on Wall Street, you will see the famous view always shown on TV news programs.
- At Wall and Broad Streets you will see Federal Hall where our first president, George Washington, took his oath of office.
- At Wall and Broad Streets, facing west and looking to your left down Broad Street, you will see the New York Stock Exchange.
- On the far west end of Wall Street is Trinity Church (at Wall Street and Broadway) - a beautiful historic church with a cemetery next door. Go inside, look around, have a seat, rest your feet and meditate.
- Walking North on Broadway just a few blocks will bring you to St. Paul Chapel at Broadway and Fulton Street. St. Paul's is another historic church in an entirely different architectural style from Trinity. St. Paul's contains many memoirs of the World Trade Center disaster, as this was church was a base station all through the recovery efforts. (On the website, look for Ground Zero Ministry)
- In back of St. Paul Chapel is the World Trade Center site. The construction of new buildings on the site is still in progress, but memorial is now open. I haven't been there yet, but friends tell me it is beautiful and very well done.
- Behind the World Trade Center site is The World Financial Center. Go inside and enjoy a cup of coffee in the huge atrium - maybe a concert too if you're lucky!
- As you exit the Atrium towards the river, you'll see a beautiful yacht marina on the Hudson River.
- Walk south through Battery Park City, a new apartment and business complex with lovely walkways and parks and a GREAT view of the Hudson River. Looking south, you can see the Statue of Liberty in the distance!
If you spend the whole day on Scenario One at Liberty & Ellis Islands, but still want to see the places listed in Scenario Three, you can return the next day and do just the Financial District attractions.
These are some of my favorite sites in New York. Hope you enjoy them too!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Cemetery Dance
Cemetery Dance, the New York Times bestseller by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, is an interesting and often absorbing murder mystery was set in Manhattan. It is always fun to read about various Manhattan landmarks since that's where I live. Zombies commit murders, and exotic West Indian voodoo references are plentiful. The book held my attention throughout most of its 566 pages, but in the end it let me down.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Congratulating Mike Rafferty
I want to add my congratulations to Mike Rafferty for being named a 2010 recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship. This award is the highest honor the United States awards to traditional musicians. I'm very pleased to see Mike recognized in this way. He surely does deserve it - for the students he's taught, the recordings he's made, and for being such a presence in the Irish music scene in both North America and in Ireland.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Mourning Pete's-A-Place
Pizza box from Pete'sOn May 12th a terrible fire occurred in our neighborhood, completely destroying the Stuyvesant Convenience Store and Pete's-A-Place. Local television station NY1 provided coverage (click here to view the short video). Accounts of the fire also appeared in the NY Daily News, the Gothamist, and the Village Voice. Neighborhood blogger Ed Grieve posted loads of pictures. The best details about the cause of the fire came from the NY Post: a welding accident at Pete's ignited some cooking grease during the installation of a fire safety device. Ironic, isn't it?
We shall miss the Stuyvesant Convenience Store. It was open 24 hours a day. If you were catching an early flight, you could get a cup of coffee at 4 AM to sip in the cab on the way to the airport. If you were coming home late, you could pick up milk, orange juice, and cat food to ensure a smooth start to the next day. The Stuyvesant Convenience Store was the only place I could reliably find the correct battery for my now-outdated digital camera (which I may now have to replace). Day or night, the guys at the cash registers would often joke with us. "Where you been? I didn't see you for a while..." when you were there just yesterday. Or, ringing up the bill, they might say something like "That will be $100" to erase a preoccupied look from your face. We will surely miss the Stuyvesant Convenience Store. There are similar stores in the neighborhood, it's true, but in addition to the fact that they're all a little farther away, they don't know us.
The bigger impact, though, will result from the loss of Pete's-A-Place. When my husband and I moved into Stuyvesant Town in 1976, Pete's was already well established. We ordered carry-out pizza pretty regularly, as did everyone else in this end of Stuy Town. After our son was born, Pete's took on a different meaning. You could take a group of kids in there for pizza, and the owners and staff never complained about noise or mess. The arrival of Italian ices at Pete's marked the true beginning of summer. How our children would beam with pride when they were finally old enough to approach the counter, dollar in hand, and order their own "icie." It was a neighborhood rite of passage! For adults, pizza from Pete's became a point of reference -- the crust was thinner than Pete's (read: too thin), the sauce was spicier than Pete's (too spicy), there wasn't as much cheese as Pete's, etc. You could order off-menu too. If they had the ingredients, they would make whatever you asked for and price it fairly. My husband's standard order was spaghetti with mushroom sauce and one meatball. Along with an assortment of Italian dishes and pizza, they also served Jamaican meat patties with coco-bread, a favorite with my son. And let's not forget the buffalo chicken wings! Even though I've been a vegetarian now for about 2 years, I would occasionally "cheat" by having just one of Pete's chicken wings when someone else in the family ordered them. Pete's delivered food to our apartment at least twice a week -- because there was sufficient variety on the menu, because we enjoyed the food, because it was convenient, and because the guys at Pete's were like old friends. We have no idea what we will eat next week!
Losing Pete's will change character of the neighborhood. More personally, it will change our lifestyle, and I venture to say we're not the only family in this predicament. I have no idea how to contact any of the owners or employees at Pete's. I can only hope that somehow they will find this blog, because I'd like to say thank you. From our family and on behalf of the whole neighborhood, thank you for helping define this neighborhood. Thank you for making life easier. To the delivery guys, thanks for trekking through snow and rain with our dinner. To those behind the counter, thanks for enduring hordes of young children and for providing teens a safe haven. Thanks for converting cups of change into paper dollars for the homeless people in our neighborhood. Thanks for your kindness and patience with handicapped patrons. Over the years I've consistently witnessed all these things. We're all glad no one was hurt in the fire, and we hope Pete's owners can rebuild and come back from this tragic event.
© 2010, Linda Mason Hood
Truffles, Turtles & Tunes Copyright Statement
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