not exactly a conventional july 4th

We hope you all had a great Fourth of July! Our plans for the traditional barbecue and fireworks with Cindy's brother changed at the last minute when he had to go on a business trip to Disneyland - it's true, Disneyland.

So, we improvised and love NYC in the summer as it's not so crowded. You can actually get around in a reasonable amount of time and find a parking space! Here are some photos from our hometown sightseeing.


Papaya King Hot Dogs & Juice
Scott grew up with these famous dogs and would sometimes have them for breakfast with his Grandpa!



Green Wall, Pure Yoga
Very cool and totally out of sync with everything else around it.



The Conran Shop
The
Anglepoise lamp was in black velvet! Imagine trying to keep it dust-free? At about $6,000, I'm sure we won't have to deal with that problem anytime soon ;)!


Food Emporium BridgeMarket
Rafael Guastavino was the architect for this building, which is nestled below the 59th Street bridge. It is the most elegant "supermarket" we've ever been to with chocolates at $130 pound! But, they also have things for regular folks, including Zico coconut water, yum.


Fountain in BridgeMarket Public Plaza
Designed by Lynden Miller this tiny garden was incredibly tranquil.



Bloomingdale's
It is a shopper's paradise and has the best frozen yogurt.


Macy's Fireworks, Long Island City
Well, the day was perfect until this part, but we can't really complain. We arrived an hour before the fireworks started, unlike many other people who had been camped out all day. It was actually kind of crazy as it started to rain and we heard the people in the high rise buildings start to cheer.

Apparently, the best viewing was not from the usual spots (ours and several hundred other people), but around the corner and down the block. As you can imagine, everyone high tailed it all at once. We eventually moved and this is my best photo. It was either the ufo streetlight or umbrellas. Better luck next year? Not if we're late and in the wrong spot!

Photo Credit : Cindy

16 comments:

Krissy | Paper Schmaper said...

sounds like a lovely time. I love vacationing in your own city! we do that here sometimes. The fireworks look great- even with the streetlights, but hey, I'm a city girl and that's just the norm :)

Hope you are having a great weekend!

XUE said...

The last 4th of July, we were in NYC....all the way from Tokyo. We showed our kids where we used to live & where we got married (on christmas eve) in Chelsea, at the German Lutheran Church. We watched amazing fireworks from a balcony, overlooking the Hudson - pretty amazing! Happy 4th !

julie king said...

i've only been to nyc in the spring for the ny stationey show 3 different times. loved every minute of it. these photos are so nice and i think you captured the fireworks wonderfully!

Cindy said...

hope you've all had a great weekend! xue, sounds like you had a great time in ny showing your kids your old stomping grounds. i'd love to visit tokyo some day ; it seems awesome.

dee said...

I love this post...so happy to have found your blog! I love NYC roundups. I actually had no idea this wall existed at Pure Yoga...thanks for the tip, it's like an oasis!!

Elizabeth said...

Looks like fun, and great shot of the fireworks! The city by the bay did not cooperate this year! It was socked in and we couldn't see any thing :(

please sir said...

A stay-cation! Looks like you still had a wonderful time - lovely photos.

/// said...

Oh that sounds like a perfect 4th! :)

Jessie Cacciola said...

sounds amazing! I was stuck out in the rain last year when I went, but it was still the best fireworks show.
- Jessie - xo
P.S. just saw Wall-E. Best. movie. EVER. so cute. :)

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

Ah, I haven't been to the Conran Shop in ages. Looks like you had a great day! I love the city most when it's been vacated.

Mrs.French said...

I really need to visit your lovely city so badly...I feel like I am missing out!

Cindy said...

hi lil bee - thank you and it was so cool to find that wall on e. 86th street!

elizabeth - it was interesting to be out in the rain! thank god there was no lightening ;).

please sir - thank you!

erin - not too shabby.

jessie - we can't wait to see Wall-E again and think it might be our fav pixar movie, for now. We saw "Wanted" this weekend and it was so awful - ugh!

cicada - that store is full of eye candy.

mrs. french - come on down, but portland sounds really great to me.

xo, cindy

jennifer said...

yeah, they moved the barges further south down the river this year for some reason! that may have changed your view from LIC. we were actually watching from the burg. lovely pic though!

Unknown said...

OOOh what a treat! I love NYC...even better from an insider's perspective. I will bug you for tips next time I plan a trip. ;)

Lovely photos Cindy. xo~suzanne

Livy said...

Those fireworks look amazing nonetheless!

Cindy said...

jennifer - i think they moved them because it is the 125th anniversary of the brooklyn bridge.

suzanne - please do.

livy - if my photoshop skills were better i'm sure i could remove that light on the left, but i do like the building in the foreground.

thanks you guys!