Only in New York Moments.....

I had read in a travel guide some suggestions for "Great New York City Experiences".  After our stay, I feel  that I might offer a few different ones.....

Abby Just Before Sunset

• Experience the city through the eyes of a 4 year old..... The sunset over New Jersey from the 70th Street Pier on the West Side was beautiful.... but, it was made even better by watching our granddaughter Abby just relax and run around the pier area....

• Watch wedding photos being taken under the Brooklyn Bridge while listening to Chamber Music being played on a Barge on the East River.....The Bargemusic Concert was amazing by itself... but then to be able to see out the window to this scene.... just made it even more spectacular....

• Participate in a mass and listen to professional quality singers (cantors) in an exquisite church....

Playground in Chinatown - Part of Big Onion Walking Tour of Lower East Side

Roller Skating Flag Waver in Columbus Day Parade

• Take a walking tour or attend a parade to learn about a different culture.....I have commented on other posts about our favorite... Big Onion Walking Tours.... great locations and well-informed guides.....
• Attend an event that typically only New Yorkers might... not just the tourists.... 92nd Street Y provided us with this experience.  There are venues all over the city that have guest lecturers, chefs or musicians.  I also attended a very small dixieland concert at the library at  Lincoln Center that fit the bill for this category... there were Moms with strollers,  retired folks and homeless people all enjoying the music.
• Attend a sporting event at a big arena..... we watched a Yankee game and the experience of arriving and leaving on a subway FULL of fans was amazing. .... One fan, helped on by significant quantities of beer, was leading cheers in the subway on the way back to the apartment. I also enjoyed the Barbra Streisand Concert at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn.... not a sporting event, technically, but climbing to the "nosebleed" seats and commiserating with the others who were doing the same does qualify as an aerobic activity in a huge sports venue!

• Spend time in one of the many parks (Central, Washington Square, Union Square) on the weekend. They are beautiful during the week, but they come alive with performance artists on Saturdays and Sundays.  The pianist in Washington Square Park, the balloon guy and the harpist in Central Park were definitely my  favorites.....
• Interact with "real" New Yorkers.... you will find them friendly and full of information they are happy to share..... I mentioned a few of these folks in an earlier post, but also worthy of mention are:
• The Doorman of our apartment building who went with me to the basement laundry room to teach me how to operate the machinery...
• The young lady who volunteered to take our photo in the subway....
• The chef at the Polish restaurant in Greenpoint with whom I talked while waiting to use the restroom.... so thrilled we enjoyed his meal....
• The bus driver driving me crosstown early on the Sunday we left in advance of Hurricane Sandy's arrival who was very happy to give me tips on the shortest route back across town....
• The security guard at the Asia Society Museum who was so honest about his opinions of the VERY modern art on display.... his quote was "think of Tim Burton creations, but not quite as good...."
• The tram operator on the Roosevelt Island subway connection who chatted with us during the ride....  interesting stories about the people who had been trapped on it, FDR relatives who have visited the new monument, and crazy folks trying to move the contents of their apartments by using the tram....