Friday, July 17, 2009

Enjoying a week in New York City


By John Olesky
Paula and I enjoyed a 1,109.7-mile week-long journey to fascinating New York City, hitting a lot of sights familiar to others, and maybe a few not so familiar:

1. Took free rides on the Staten Island and Governor’s Island ferries.

2. Went inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

3. Sat on lawn chairs on Broadway (David Letterman has fun with this one on his show). New York City’s version of Cuyahoga Falls’ Front Street.
4. Relaxed in Central Park sunshine with thousands of other people.
5. Strolled the Coney Island boardwalk where I had my usual Nathan’s hot dog. Larry King made Nathan’s famous in the early days of his radio show, long before he donned suspenders for CNN’s TV cameras.

6. Got splendid views of the New York skyline from Governor’s Island and the Brooklyn Esplanade. 7. Had dinner at former West Virginia University and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Amos Zereoue’s Manhattan restaurant, called Zereoue, on 37th Street. We toasted “To the Mountaineers!” since WVU is our alma mater.
8. Found excellent Polish food at Theresa’s in Brooklyn, which reminded me of dining at Babushka’s Kitchen in Northfield.

9. Attended a concert in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park with Columbian and Venezuelan bands. I couldn’t understand a word they sang, but enjoyed the music and the female fans’ reactions (which mostly involved their behinds vibrating).

10. Went inside Trump Tower and its copper world.

11. Visited the United Nations headquarters.

12. Drove to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with its scenic vista on the Hudson River.

13. Got tremendous views of the Statue of Liberty every day. What we didn’t do was have a planned lunch with former BJ newsroom folks Kathy Goforth and Charles Buffum because work found Buff. Maybe next time. Next up: A week in Michigan with my friend since first grade at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School in Monongah, West Virginia.

To see photos of the trip, click on the headline.

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