The Cloisters

Part of New York City's metropolitan museum of art the cloisters museum in my opinion is the most unique. Its located on a hill top in Fort tyron park which is in the most northern part of Manhattan. The cloisters consist of a main museum building, a small chapel and surrounding artifacts from five French medieval cloisters (Saint- Guilhem-le-desert, Saint-Michel-de-cuxa, Trie-en-Bigorre, Bonnefont-en-Comminges, and Froville). The museum has the appearance of a medieval castle and the scenery will make you fell like you stepped out of a time machine. The area around the museum is also a favorite place for sightseeing. There are beautiful gardens modeled after horticultural information from the place and era of it's medieval origin. It also has a great overlooking view of the Hudson river. The cloisters museum is known for it's famous tapestries like "Bury Cross" and it's must while known and priceless "The Hunt of the Unicorn". The museum also keep many medieval manuscripts and illuminated books like Jean Pucelle's book of hours for Jeanne d'Evreux and Limbourg brothers' Les Belles Heures du Duc de Berry. As far as NYC tourist attraction this is a two in one deal. With the cloisters museum it self and the beautiful surrounding scenery it's a definite add to your NYC tour list.

Ellis Island

One of the most well known historical places not only in NYC but in the whole of the united states is Ellis island. Located in New York harbor right at the mouth of the Hudson river it offers a beautiful panoramic view of the statue of liberty, jersey city N.J. and NYC's main land. The island was named after Welsh immigrant Samuel Ellis who was the owner during the late 18th century. During that time Ellis ran a tavern on the island catering to local fisherman and sailors. During the late 19th to the early 20th century Ellis island had became the main immigration port for immigrants from abroad coming into America. In more than a 40 year period it has processed over 12 million immigrants which means many Americans have relative that have come through its doors. It was the start of new lives for a range of ethnicities. As with many historical sites in the united states that had huge impacts on this country's it was designated as an landmark and national monument (on October 15, 1966). Today Ellis island is one of new York city's favorite and most frequently visited tourist attraction. The circle line (a touring ferry) and other ferries have daily trips that visits the island, where you can enjoy the marvelous outside view and the beautiful well upkept building which is know the museum. The ferries that visit the island also make a stop at the statue of liberty as well, which is a two in one deal. So if you ever travel to NYC be sure to add this one to your tour list.

Radio City Music Hall

One of my favorite sites and also a place that's synonymous to New York City is Radio City Music Hall. Since it's opening during the Christmas holiday of 1932 it has attracted people from all over the world to see it's many event's and concerts. Located in midtown Manhattan on sixth Ave between 50th and 51st street it is part of the Rockefeller center complx. It also shares its glory with other sites famous for the area like NBC's rainbow room, FOX studio, and the Rockefeller ice skating rink. I find the best time to visit this site is during the Christmas holiday, when you can see the rockettes perform there Radio City Christmas Spectacular. There's also other marvelous on ice escapade shows and event around that season. Radio City music hall is also a regular venue for many award shows like the Emmy award, Tony awards, Grammy awards, and even MTV Video Music Awards. With its beautiful art-deco design its a major historical piece in the puzzle of the Rockefeller center area. So definitely add these one to your winter season NYC tour list. Its also a perfect place for kids, It'll leave a long lasting memorable impression on the mind.

American Museum of Natural History

The Museum of Natural History is one of those attractions in new York city that's not only enjoyable, but educational. Making it a great place to also bring children. Located in the upper west side of Manhattan on 79st, it sits directly across from central park. The museum building, which has been at this location since it was completed in 1877, is designed in a neo-Romanesque form . The museum of natural history is well known for it's exhibits like the full-scaled blue whale ( the largest living animal ) that hangs from the ceiling of the Milstein Family hall of ocean life, it's famous fossil collection, the planetarium and so many others. My personal favorite exhibit is "The Hall of the Age of Man" know called "The Hall of Human Biology". This exhibit has the most in dept history of human evolution in the world. It has a collection of anatomically correct models of are ancestor's and other early primates. Two of the models thats well known are the 1.7 million year old Peking man plus the better known and famous Lucy skeleton. A fact that you might find interesting is the father of are 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt Sr. is one of the museums founders. So if you visit this New York City tour site, you'll definitely want to have a camera.

Upstate Finally Getting Snow

Well, with the snowplows finally roaring about me, I can announce that Upstate New York finally has snow. Our November was downright balmy, very unusual! But it rained like CRAZY. :-p

Anyway, we have snow. I am thrilled, but some crazy people are babbling on about missing summer weather! What?! lol Hey. I know how much you guys must miss all the fun resorts in Myrtle Beach where you play golf all day and sink your toes into the sand and sip pina coladas on the the boardwalks and lobby of the lush Myrtle Beach hotel ... but shoveling snow can be JUST as FUN!!!



YIPPEEE!!!

:|

Erm, well, maybe a good deal on http://avistaresort.com and a few rounds of golf on the balmy Atlantic coast resort does sound like a good idea. :D

Seriously, what do you think? Would you rather stay in the snowy areas for the winter? Or escape to more temperate areas year-round? I'm pretty happy traveling-- I like to see new places-- but I do like winter. So I might go half and half.

Best Time to Publish Posts.. hmmmm...

I read on ProBlogger.net that the best time to publish posts is right around 9am, EST. Most readers seemed to "like" blog posts during that time. However, the best time to tweet your 9am blog post is later in the afternoon-- that's when twitheads seems to RT your blog post for others to see.

Interesting.

I usually publish my blogs in the mornings, about noon. However, I do know that many of my readers read my posts about 10 to 11 am. I don't think I will change my habits concerning this (as I would have to change my lifestyle, too). But I like statistics like this. Interesting. When do you read blog posts? When do you write them?

I have been a writing fiend lately. I'm actually overwhelmed these days! I had a lull over the summer, so that I almost despaired about my blogging career, but then WHAMMO I have been getting consistent work for a few months. It's great because I was able to get a cell phone, and I'm able to pay off the loans I took for the kitchen renovation. I also hope to take the family on a vacation next summer. Lord knows, they deserve it. We have been working non-stop for a long time.

The kids want to see Virginia. I do, too, but I also want to see the ocean. I see the specials at http://www.horizonmyrtlebeach.com, and it makes me drool. The Myrtle Beach hotel is on the coast-- oh! so lovely! I could spend weeks and weeks galavanting the Myrtle Beach best hotels, walking the golf courses and seeing the historic sites. *sigh*

Of course, it's all just a dream right now. Right now, I must write more posts. I continue to save, little at a time. :D Here's hoping we get our dream vacation....

November Drive... Christmas Drive....

What a difference a week or two makes.

One week we had drenching rains and milder temperatures, the next we had near zero temperatures and snow, tons and tons of snow! I have been looking back on the photos I took of our drive to Paris Green in Sauquoit, NY, and marvel at the difference.





Everyone is blogging about Christmas right now, chatting about the trees or the latest, grooviest football gift to get or whatever. We don't do Christmas. Not because I'm Jewish or Muslim... just because the holiday is too commercialized, and because I'm not fond of Catholic holidays in general (Christmas was created not to celebrate Jesus' birth, which was in the spring, but to create a syncretistic church where pagans and saturnalia worshipers could feel comfortable). We make Thanksgiving Day our biggest holiday. We don't go gaga over gifts, either.

Christmas is so over-rated. Oh, for some it is a marvelous time to get together with family and friends, that's great. But the hype-- oh, the hype. Maybe some people like it, but as I get older the very LAST thing I want to do on any vacation is go bananas trying to wrap gifts, decorate, clean the house, make scads of meals, and clean up after party guests. I like things more low-key, now.

Although sometimes I kinda wish we would celebrate the holiday... I saw a SWEET SWEET Toshiba laptop at the store! Would make a great gift for me, LOL! ;)

Anyway, the snow makes things much livelier, more cozy around here. I'm going to use the Christmas break for cleaning the house and unpacking more stuff. We never really moved everything back in after the kitchen renovation, and we still have a lot of unorganized shelves and boxes to sort through... and I do plan to take things a little easy, too. :D How about you?