Arrived in New York and I think I might die of hypothermia. The shock of 35 degrees, and a wind chill of negative 6 degrees put my system into shock. I don’t think I packed to well, the clothes I have won’t cut it here, I’m just going to have to do some shopping! What a shame.

My first day in New York was visiting the downtown area of Manhattan and then took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, with my nice, new duvet coat, I was well prepared for any cold weather. But, still, I stayed inside the ferry and only popped out once to take a photo of the Statue, then quickly retreated back inside where it’s nice and warm. After that tour, I took a walk to the Financial District and visited Ground Zero. Currently, there’s tons of construction happening and I could make out what will be the beginnings of the new Freedom Tower. I was braving the cold fairly well, so I made it to St. Paul’s, which was across the road and home to all the rescue workers in the following days of the attack of 9-11.

The next day, I visited the Museum of Modern Art and there was an exhibition from the work of Tim Burton, which I was thoroughly pleased with, after all, he is one of my favorite directors, plus he always likes to use Johnny Depp, an added plus. I spent the whole day there, then later joined up with a friend who was staying at a much nicer US hotel in New York than me, it was right next to Central Park. We went out for dinner and to catch up on all that we’ve both been doing since last we saw each other. We both couldn’t believe that we’d be in New York City at the same time. She’s here for a job interview with the apparel industry. I hope she get’s it, then I’d have a reason to visit New York more often.

We spent the entire evening talking and talking. We had so much to tell each other. I said goodbye to her around 2am and headed back to my little hotel. But, before we parted, we made arrangements to meet-up at the park and go ice-skating, oh and she told me, she’d bring me something warmer to where!

It’s Too Cold in New York is a post from: Sub-ject

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Central Park in New York City is not only a beautiful green zone in an otherwise concrete and brick universe it also has much to offer in the realm of art and culture. There are numerous performances that take place in the park every year and some of them attract some of the biggest names on Broadway and in Hollywood. In addition there are plenty of music and dance performances and if that’s not enough it’s located across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This makes a visit to both places extremely accessible in one afternoon in the city. There are plenty of cool hotels and restaurants near the park to provide tourists with top accommodations and excellent dining opportunities.

One of the interesting attractions located in Central Park is the Belvedere Castle. When one first sets eyes on this amazing fortress it is almost like walking back through time. It can feel almost as though you are stepping directly into a fairy tale where one can look for Willow the Wisp in the evening hours and King Arthur’s knights during the day. The combination Romanesque and Gothic architecture sounds somewhat out of place in one of the most contemporary cultural centers of the world, though it is amazing striking and appropriate after adjusting one’s perspective you can experience it’s grandeur.

The castle was originally built as simply, if that can be used in any description of it, a shell with window openings and a door. It housed the New York Meteorological Society, however this was taken over in 1912 by the United States Weather Bureau. Currently, the park receives its weather outlooks from an Automated Surface Observing System, which is located just south of the castle. It has been featured on Sesame Street, as the home of Count von Count and was also a location used for the filming of The Bostonians, a Merchant Ivory film. A tour of this great Central Park landmark captures the imagination and excitement of adults and children alike and is just one of the reasons the park is such an excellent source of family activities and entertainment.

Belvedere Castle in New Yorks Central Park is a post from: Sub-ject

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It must have been more than thirty years now, when I first started thinking about the stars in any significant way.  When I was growing up, outside of Milwaukee, there were those occasionally precious clear nights when I could sit outside with my dad while he smoked his pipe, and listen to him tell stories.  He wasn’t always a very talkative sort, being born in a practical time to Depression-era parents who conserved everything, even speech.  But when he was in the mood, you couldn’t stop him, and I loved hearing him tell stories.  Sometimes he would talk about the stars.

It only occurs to me now, sitting in my own backyard, when I force myself to relax by taking advantage of the hot tub the kind folks at choosehottubsdirect.com helped me select, that the stars today are the same ones from my childhood.  Maybe it seems like an obvious observation, but it seems significant to me somehow.  There are so many things that have changed over the years.  The way my generation thinks about money and objects is very different from how my grandparents thought, and we look at the world differently now.

Maybe we know more now, or maybe we know about some things more than we used to, but I tend to think there’s a lot of forgotten knowledge.  Maybe it does have to do with the simpler pleasures, like enjoying the moment of looking at the stars.  But the older I get, the more I understand that my father’s economy with words was never an indication of his inner life, which  I understand now was very large and complex.  His dreams and aspirations were complicated puzzles, and he knew about the stars.  He knew their names, and he always took the time to teach me their names, and only recently I came across some correspondence about how he and his father used to spend evenings staring at the stars, talking about names of things that were older than anything they could have imagined on their own.

Hot Tub Star Gazing is a post from: Sub-ject

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I am amazed at the number of people that have been getting their own hot tubs lately. Several co workers have been boasting about their new hot tubs and how much they are enjoying it. Friends and neighbors too have been getting hot tubs installed. I suppose with the market where it is, this is a good investment and in the relative sense less expensive than a vacation and lasts longer than a week or two abroad.

There is an amazing selection of tubs out there in the market place. My neighbor installed a stationary lap pool that also doubles as a  hot tub and spa. Other people I have talked to have installed everything from a small one person tub on a patio to a giant 10 person hot tub in the back yard.

One thing all these people seem to say in common is how relaxing it is to soak in their hot tubs at the end of a long hard day of work. They say they are experiencing relief from head aches and neck tension, soothing of sore muscles from over exertion and a better nights sleep after feeling a deep sense of relaxation from hot tubing before bed time.

Certainly sounds as if this is for me! The more I head about the tubs and how much my friends, relatives and co workers are enjoying them the more I am feeling like I need to get one for myself!

Now the planing, where in the back yard to place the tub, how large a tub do I want and how to landscape it into the existing back yard environment. I enjoy this type of thing so that will not be a problem to get through. Just need to find the time and energy in the same place to get started on the research.

Everyone is getting Hot Tubs is a post from: Sub-ject

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There is something special about a home with a hot tub.  It suggests that the residents have decided to commit themselves to enjoying the good life, placing pleasure high on their list of priorities.  There is a refuge here, a place to go to unwind after the end of a long and stressful day.  The healing effects of water in portable hot tubs can help to restore equilibrium, improve circulation, and certainly help with mood.  Soaking in a hot tub does wonderful things to a busy mind, and the time spent in the elemental waters helps to reconnect to the essential part of living.  Stress melts away and the tired muscles begin to relax, and sleep is deeper when you spend part of your day in warm water.

There are other benefits as well.  On the social side, they might be plainly obvious, but you might want to prepare for the string of distant acquaintances who suddenly want to reconnect, after they hear you have a spa in your back yard!  Your possibilities for entertaining suddenly open up, and it’s always nice to receive an invitation to a party that takes place in a spa.  Even kid’s parties can be centered around your portable hot tub, and it’s a wonderfully easy way to make an already-special occasion into a memorable event.  For girls, when they’re at that age when make-up and hairstyles are suddenly extremely interesting, this is a splendid time to host a party in the hot tub.

There are hosts of wonderful ideas on how to set up make-over stations in your home, and the kids will love experimenting with their new looks, and changing each other’s appearances.  It’s that elemental appeal of dressing up, as well as mirroring the behaviors that they wish to emulate.  The birthday girl, already the center of the event, could be the one who gets the special treatment, complete with a new hairstyle and body glitter.  Include occasional diversions to the hot tub for special skin treatments, and the party will kick into high gear!  There are also excellent ideas for birthday parties in the hot tub where the sheer pleasure of playing together in the water enters the picture.  The sky’s really the limit for these, and your imagination, with your new portable hot tub, are a stellar combination.

Parties in Portable Hot Tubs is a post from: Sub-ject

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