A couple weeks ago, we braved the rain to check out the brand new High Line. The tracks, 30 feet above street level, were built in the 1930s to carry freight up and down the west side of Manhattan. Service stopped in 1980, and a few years later, property owners and residents along the High Line debated the demolition of the tracks - one group wanted to destroy it, while the other wanted to reopen it for service. In 1999, Friends of the High Line was established and proposed creating a public space along the structure, and the organization has spent much of the past 10 years gaining support and raising funds for the project. Finally, in June 2009, the first section was opened to the public. It is beautifully designed and landscaped and is a lovely tribute to the history of the High Line. Come to NYC and check it out!

Cool lounge chairs on old train wheels

Me and Bret

Dwight and Lexi

Zigzagging walkway and bleacher seating to view the action on 10th Ave.

Rain, rain, go away…

Tracks leading into the building across the street

View to the Hudson River

Cool and interesting junk on someone’s roof space

This year’s annual trip to SD was a little earlier than usual, due to Alma and Lenny’s wedding. Luckily the rest of my UCSD friends were around and eager to join me at what has become a convenient (and yummy) place to gather - Casa Guadalajara in Old Town. The food’s good, the margaritas are strong, and there’s lots of noise to drown out our group’s little ones. After lunch, we made the surprising discovery that my long-time friends Dale and Shawn not only live a few condos away from each other in Irvine, but they’d met last year in a park where they take their kids to play, and only now realized they had me in common! My world just gets smaller and smaller!

Jeannine and Alex (almost 1-1/2 yrs old)

Me with my SoCal buddies, Alex and Ethan (Dale &Ken’s 3-yr-old)

Me, Dale and Ethan (in need of a nap)

Ethan and his new BFF, Shawn (before discovering they were neighbors)

Me with TJ

Alex and TJ

Sleepy baby Avery (7-weeks-old) with cool mini Chuck Taylors

All the parents left their kids with us. Just kidding.

Ethan is refining his big brother skills with Alex. These two were best buds by the end of lunch!

And I’m practicing my baby feeding skills to prep for my visit
with my nephew Corin next month!

Shawn, Ethan, me, and my favorite salsa partner, Jerry

Me with Jeannine and Alex

Next year Ethan will be too big for me to pick up!

As always, I had a wonderful time in San Diego, and I can’t wait to go back next year. Friends, you are always welcome to visit me in NY as well!

One of my best girls, roommate in three homes in San Diego and one in Albany (near Berkeley), and friend for life, married an amazing man this past weekend, and I was lucky enough to witness the event. I was thrilled to tears when she and Lenny called me the night they were engaged, and I was honored to fly to San Diego for their big day! It was a special little reunion for me as well - I hadn’t seen most of the bride’s family in more than 10 years. The bride and groom successfully planned an elegant, intimate wedding in just two months. How’s that for a perfect partnership! Congrats to Lenny and Alma Balistreri, I wish you a future filled with love and happiness!

Lenny and his Groomsmen

Mother of the Bride

Pretty Flower Girl

Alma’s nephews, Jelani and Kanoa, were the Ring Bearers

Youngest sister, Angie

Middle sister, Aileen

Alma and her dad

Mr. and Mrs. Lenny B!!

Cake

Loot

Dancing babies

Candy Bar (clever wedding favors)

No sampling please

Dale (my other dear college roomate!) and me

Local radio celebs, Kristi and Jagger, were our table mates at the reception.

Right after we took this pic, the three of us teared up at Dale’s reminder of our goodbyes at the end of our freshman year. Girls are silly!

Me, Dale and Ken (married for 15 years!)

Santhy, me, Angie, Aileen and Dale

First dance

Father-Daughter dance

Dollar Dance

Dale and Lenny

Mrs. Carpio dancing with her new son-in-law

Roomies!

A good start to the good life together!

Alma tossing the bouquet

Lenny sereneding his new wife with the lovely song “Bueno Sera.” All the girls in the room fell in love with Lenny!

Garter time!

The toss

Sisters

What’s a wedding reception without a little karoke?

Lenny and the beautiful flower girl

Alma’s nephew, Jelani, led the little boys in a few songs too.

Antoine and Angie

My annual trip to San Diego came a little early this year, right in the middle of June. That meant overcast skies, with a hint of sun. No worries, I was not about to let a little grey ruin my day. On Saturday morning, I headed down to Balboa Park, an old favorite of mine, and went for a nice long run. I still had a few hours before I needed to get ready for Alma’s big day, so I wandered around the park, touring two sites I’d never explored before - the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Botanical Building. Balboa Park is also home to many museums, as well as the world famous San Diego Zoo.

Spreckels Organ Pavilion

The kanji reads “San Kei En,” meaning “Three Scene Garden” -
water, pastoral and mountain.

Shi shi odoshi - the sound as it hits the rock scares evil spirits away.

Oribe doro (stone lantern) lights the path of the garden.

Ikebana (flower arranging)

Koi Pond

Ceremonial Gate

Light of Friendship

Bonsai Display

Lily pond and Botanical Building

Lily pads with flowers

Inside the Botanical Building

San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Museum of Man

Alcazar Garden

I’m lucky to have some of the most fun friends a girl could ask for. I’m also lucky to be a part of two groups of girls who love to eat out and try different restaurants. Nearly three years ago, Megan started Restaurant Club. We meet (usually) on the second Wednesday of every month - we rotate who chooses the restaurant and makes the reservation and organizes who’s coming, and usually there are about 5 who can make it. This month, Michelle chose Il Bastardo in Chelsea, and we welcomed a guest, Aidan, Julie’s 1-1/2 month old son. July is Bay’s month, so I’m excited to see what new hot spot she chooses!

A video chat with Corin is an excellent way to end a lovely weekend. At 5 weeks, my little cherub of a nephew is sporting chipmunk cheeks and a double chin and weighs in at a hefty 12 lbs.

Statue of Liberty through a telescope along lower Hudson River Park.