I found the picture. It's Cyclone, not collossus. Check Kayla and Susanna's face. Cherryl was on the ground holding Van. GK is holding his video camera.

Graduations

Well, there are just a ton of things to cover. The last three weeks have been very busy for us. I changed jobs and will be working from  home now, but during the interim between jobs we went to New York for GKs graduation and did as much as we could pack into the few days there.

At the Burbank airport getting ready for our red-eye flight. We didn't want to waste any days, even if it meant being exhausted on the first day, everyone looked so happy to begin with.

On the subway going to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

Before we got to the bridge GK and Susanna wanted to take us to the most famous pizza place in New York; Grimaldi's under the bridge. This place was unreal. There was a line-up in the middle of the day, and we were told that no matter what time you go there, you have to wait in line. It had #1 Zaggat ratings posted in the window going back for years. When we finally got in we found out why. The pizza is genuine Italian, not the stuff you get from Domino's or Pizza Hut.

Checking out the menu.

Van's pretty much happy to be anywhere.

The pizzas are cooked in a real coal-fired brick oven. This guy was opening the oven about every 60 seconds and shifting all the pizzas around. After I took a couple of pictures he turned to me and said, "no pictures" and meant it! Didn't matter, by that time I had all I needed.

This guy was making each pizza by hand using real tomatoes and SLICED mozzarella cheese. That's it in the bin in front of him. The guy just to his left was pounding out and spinning all the pizza doughs as the orders came through, then would throw them to him for finishing. 

Here's the finished pizza. You can see how different it looks, but you can't begin to imagine how much better it tasted.

I took this panorama shot of Lower Manhattan from the base of the bridge. That's the Manhattan bridge at the far right edge. I hope you can click on this and zoom in.

Standing under the east end of the bridge. I recommend reading "The Great Bridge", an account of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullogh. It's a fascinating true story and the engineering, effort, intrigue and sacrifice that went into the construction is well worth reading the tome-size book.

We walked across the bridge to Manhattan

We went to Little Italy and knocked around for a while. We were all pretty tired, but it was worth the trip.

 

The next day we met GK, Susanna and Van at Coney Island, which was fairly close to where we were staying. It's kind of sad because most of the attractions have been torn down (they're going to be putting in new, more modern ones soon) so the ones left are pretty old and worn out, but they are there because they are the more famous ones too. We got a real Nathan's hot dog, the origin of all hot dogs.

We rode the Wonder Wheel ferris wheel. You can kind of see that the inner cars are on a track that lets them roll in to the center as the wheel takes them up, then out to the edge when coming down.

I don't know, I just found something really humorous about this shot. Maybe it's that Susanna looks intrigued about a headless woman, or maybe it's the irony of a woman with a good head on her shoulders looking at the signs about a woman without one.

The famous deep fried anything booth. We got some deep fried Oreos, but frankly they sucked.

The Freak Show was open. We didn't have enough time to go in, or money for that matter. The barker was saying that the lady sword swallower, Heather Holiday, third ad from the left, was a 19-year old "practicing Mormon from Salt Lake City".

Van really did like riding the Carousel. We also went on the Colossus, the big wooden roller coaster. It didn't look so hot from the ground for people who live near Six Flags Magic Mountain, the worlds largest collection of thrill rides in the U.S., but it was a great ride. We couldn't have the cameras out, but we bought a picture they took of us loosing our composure going down the first drop. If I can find it I'll scan it and put in in another blog later. 

Taking a carriage ride around Central Park.

Oh yeah, Kyle and Kayla were there too. 

In the F.A.O. Schwartz toy store. The Harry Potter characters were made of Lego's

The toy soldier was all candy. Bubba started to attack it and we had to pull him off before security got there.

We always stop at Carnegie's Deli. They seat you family style, so you never know who you'll be sitting with. The last two times we had some real adventures with the people we sat with, or the waitress, but this time they brought an obviously wealthy older couple in and sat them down at our table. They looked at us without saying anything, then said something to the waiter and got up and walked out. We just cracked up. Their loss.

What's New York without a visit to Times Square at night. All the people in the bleachers are waiting for unsold Broadway tickets to become available.

 

We went to Prospect Park near GK and Susanna's place for dinner. We stopped at a genuine NY deli that we ate from once before. They have the  best and most unusual foods. 

I hope you can enlarge this. Prospect Park is really a piece of paradise in a super crowded city. I like some aspects of it better than Central Park. It's less crowded and more park-like to me.

Kayla took this shot of Van. I love the expression on his face.

At Rockerfeller Center.

And the main reason for going: GK got his Master's Degree in Publishing from NYU. We are so proud of his work here. (I forgot to turn on the red-eye mode, so Kayla and Kyle both look a little possesed).

Susanna's parents, Giles and Ann, and her sister Elizabeth and her husband Grady came too.

After the graduation Susannas Aunt and Uncle who live in Manhatten (see their Thanksgiving blog) took us all to Tandori, an Indian Restaraunt. I've never had Indian before and it was very unusual and very good. Kyle had a marinated goat meat, which sounds - unusual -, but was actually very good. It was very gracious of them to treat us all, especially since we've never met them before.

This is GK's Dean.

Right after we got back, Adam, Kyle and I went to Utah to get Adam's things, car and motorcycle. I got to see and hold Keira for the first time. She's even cuter than her pictures show.

See?

Matix kind of likes his little sister.

Packed and ready to go back.

This week Jeremy graduated from Cal State Nothridge (CSUN, Syd's Alma Mater) with his bachlor's degree in Management. We're equally proud of his achievement, graduating while working full time and raising a family.

 

Did I mention we're very proud of him. And look at all these beautiful women he's surrounded by.

Kristy's family was all there too. I thought I had at least one picture of them with him, but I can't locate them.

Afterwards we went to Benihanas in Encino to celebrate. We had to take up two tables there were so many of us. 

They brought Jeremy a pineapple to celebrate his graduation.

Our Amazing (Great) (Grand) Mom

I hope all you Mother's out there had a wonderful Mother's Day.  I had Mom over for lunch and then we took an hour beach walk.  Some time ago I made a post about a guy who puts up interesting kites most Sunday's in Santa Monica.  I hadn't been down there on a Sunday afternoon in awhile and his collection has obviously grown.  That's Mom standing next to his butterfly pole.

All my siblings can testify that if Mom is on a beach and there's kelp anywhere nearby, she is compelled to stomp on every kelp pod she sees.  (what are those called?  pods? bulb?  John Ashley can you anwer that?)  Anyhow, she's like a crow drawn to a shiny object... must....smash....pod... (only said at a much faster rate, it is mom after all).

I watched her jumping around, smashing the pods (envision Lucille Ball smashing grapes) and how when a wave came in that she didn't see she'd run up the beach so her shoes wouldn't get wet.  I marveled not only at her child-like joy as smashing these things but also at her agility and movement.  

We then decided to drive up into the Santa Monica mountains to a fire road that has views of the city.   Our plan was to walk to the first bend, about 1/4 mile up to enjoy the panoramic view of the Pacific and Los Angeles.  Mom decided she wanted to continue up to the site where I had my biking accident- 1 mile more up.  I was a bit concerned but decided just to pay attention to how she looked and her breathing.  No problem there!  She again turned into a big kid having to stop and torment every stink bug we passed and kick rocks long the path (no one below- whey!).  Again I marveled at our Mighty Mouse's physical ability and just plain joy at being outdoors.

Trust me, observing movement is what I do for a living and Mom is SO BEYOND most of her cohorts, it's amazing.  Of course this does NOT mean that I approve of her doing crazy things like climbing up a ladder and onto her roof while wearing a post-surgical boot immobilizer - Mom, are you reading?- but then I'm so impressed and take great hope that perhaps when I'm her age I can be as agile and joyful.  Yes, true she can be a wee bit cranky occasionally (heeheehee) and we rarely see eye-to-eye politically, but I hope to be her when I grow up.  My genetic inheritance gives me great comfort as it should all of you.

Don't Try This At Home Kids...

I love reading all of your blogs.  You're generation has a much more personable style of writing and posting.  I think (correct that, I know- it's well documented) that your generation is much more comfortable with putting your life and thoughts out there.  My posts are very Dragnet in style:  just the facts Ma'am, just the facts.  B-O-R-I-N-G!!!  So I had to do something to spice it up and to show you just what a juvenile delinquent your old auntie can still be.

My friend Brad from my BYU Hawaii and Provo days lives in San Diego. (Yes, Jenni, this is my friend who attended your baby blessing; he still inquires as to how you are doing).  He's a travelogue in and of himself.  A naturally adventuresome and somewhat fearless person be it in the jungles of Viet Nam, sailing on a Russian Icebreaker to Antarctica, plane hitchhiking or in an urban settings (he once snuck his way into a SNL post-party where the Rolling Stones were attending).  At BYU he came within a hair of convincing me to jump a freight train with him just because you could.  Yes, he's done all that and more. I think you get his flavor by now. 

Anyhow, as a young adult Brad worked on trains to indulge his passion for them and travel.  He called last week and since surf was down wanted to know if I could meet him in downtown LA for lunch.  He surfs nearly daily and given lunch with me or a good day surfing... well you know who'd win, so suffice it to say, the surf was poor.  He wanted to meet at Cole's French dip on 6th St. at Main.  Cole's is over 100 years old and is on the ground level of what used to be the original train depot for Los Angeles.  Even though Union Station was the terminal when Brad worked, I guess he and his co-workers would frequent Cole's.  Brad was looking for a day of nostalgia.  

We agreed to meet Friday.  That morning I heard on the radio that many streets would be

closed downtown for May Day Immigrant Rights marches.  I called Comrade Brad and warned him that I might be late getting into downtown.  He decided to arrive early so he could break a few window panes before they were all gone.  But I digress.

So Brad arrived early and scoped out downtown.  He did early reconnaissance and came up with a plan.  I, as the lemming, just followed along.

So,  here's a picture of City Hall.  Notice on the very top of the conned roof is a little projection?

Now, see where my head is?

Same spots, different views.    52 going on 15.

City Hall was restored a few years ago to it's original glory which includes a beacon that shoots out the top of the roof.  I'll spare the "getting there" details - because if I told you, I'd have to kill you- but here's a picture of my final climb in the skeleton of City Hall's roof as I ascend the beacon and one of Brad right behind me.  The crow's nest of sorts was really only big enough for one person but we decided to squeeze both of us in for a kodak moment.

Here's a view from the crow's nest.  That's Disney Concert Hall in the center of the shot.

Brad is a bad influence on me.