Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks - New York City - 2016

Macy's Fourth of July fireworks 2016

Macy's Fourth of July fireworks 2016

This year, Macy's Fourth of July fireworks were launched from the East River. There were several key areas to watch the fireworks in Manhattan, Long Island City and Brooklyn. Some of the optimum positions were along the FDR highway with pedestrian entry points in midtown such as 42nd Street and 34th Street. These entry points were opened at 7pm.

Macy's Fourth of July fireworks 2016

Macy's Fourth of July fireworks 2016

Macy's Fourth of July fireworks 2016

We went onto the FDR drive via the 34th Street entry point. We arrived about an hour before the fireworks started to ensure that we could get onto it in case it was closed off due to overcrowding.  There were police check points before one could get onto the FDR drive.
 

The fireworks were launched from several barges parked in the East River.  We could view these fiery balls of fire bursting in the air releasing beautiful spiral flowers in the summer sky. The fireworks display lasted about half an hour but the memories for many lasted a lifetime. 

Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Lights Show 2015 - New York City

The December weather in New York City has been such a warm delight that a stroll down Fifth Avenue towards the Rockefeller Center is a must. Saks Fifth Avenue's presentation of its holiday lights show on its front building facade is definitely a jewel in the midst of the Rockefeller Center winter wonderland. The show is accompanied by the "Carol of the bells" music and it is presented on a rotation every few minutes. Check out a few seconds of the show in the video above.

Saks Fifth Avenue Lights Show in Rockefeller Center,  New York City

Saks Fifth Avenue Lights Show in Rockefeller Center,  New York City

Saks Fifth Avenue Lights Show in Rockefeller Center,  New York City

This theatrical lights show of a Winter Palace is definitely a winner!

New York Comic Con 2015

New York Comic Con 2015

We attended the 2015 New York Comic Con on its opening day at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Being our first time, we did not plan our itinerary to the finest details but decided to just look around and go with the flow.

The New York subway #7 train had just officially opened its extension to the Hudson Yard stop at 34th & 11th Avenue in early October. We connected with the #7 train and took it to the last stop. Getting off, we followed the crowd towards Javits. We arrived there about 9:30 am and the center was swarmed. The early birds must had been waiting for hours for the doors to open.

New York Comic Con 2015

New York Comic Con 2015

We had already activated our badges (tickets) at home. Once we were on the convention floor, our first picture op was with "Doc" and his DeLorean from the Back to the Future movie. Video game terminals were available nearby for fans of Star Wars. For the first timers like us, the cornucopia of dazzling sights and sound was just overwhelming to the senses.

Iron Man at the New York Comic Con 2015 (L)

Part of the fun entertainment was the close encounter with fans who were dressed in their elaborate and creative costumes with props. The more striking ones were approached frequently and had their pictures taken. To top it all, there was also Iron Man walking on the floor.

New York Comic Con 2015

We attended several panels and free momentos were given away at some of these sessions. Sponsors also offered free t-shirts such as the above.

New York Comic Con 2015

The Game of Throne and Star Wars Rebels were some of the popular panels held at the Empire stage. Natalie Dormer was one of stars on the Game Of Throne panels. She and her fellow thespians had Q/A sessions with the audience. At the Star Wars Rebels panel,  attendees previewed two new episodes.

The convention hours were from 10am till 7pm. By a quarter after seven, the lights were slowly phased out as a signal for everyone to leave the center. On the way out, our badges were scanned again.

Empire State Building

Walking towards the train station, the Empire State Building shone brightly in red and blue in the distance. It was a perfect picture ending to a most entertaining day.

New York Philharmonic summer concert 2015

 

New York Philharmonic summer concert

The New York Philharmonic celebrated its 50th anniversary summer program in June. This program presents free concerts in each borough of New York City. The concerts are held in the parks except for Staten Island which is held indoors.

We attended one of the summer concerts on a beautiful June evening. Music enthusiasts arrived early lugging their chairs and blankets to get their prime viewing spots. The program featured a medley of songs from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story.

The concert lasted about an hour. At its conclusion, fireworks were launched capping a wonderful evening under the stars. 

Fireworks after the New York Philharmonic summer concert

This was a maiden New York Philharmonic concert for us and hopefully we would get to attend more of these summer events in the future. Thank you NY Philharmonic for a wonderful gift! 

Bradley Cooper in The Elephant Man on Broadway

Elephant Man playbill autographed by Bradley Cooper and Alessandro Nivola

The Elephant Man play was revived on Broadway late last year at the Booth theatre. It starred Bradley Cooper in the eponymous role.

We caught the show in December. During the introduction of the Elephant man character, actual photos of Joseph Merrick better known as John were shown to portray his deformities. Bradley Cooper contorted his body and face to convey the deformities rather than wearing prosthetics.

Bradley gave a strong performance well supported by other cast members. Alessandro Nivola portrayed Dr. Federick Treves, the doctor who took took care of Joseph Merrick. Patricia Clarkson played an actress who was a frequent visitor of him.

After the show, Bradly Cooper signed autographs for the large crowd of fans waiting patiently outside the theatre. We were happy to get one too.

Bradley Cooper greeting fans after Elephant Man performance on Broadway

Bradley Cooper greeting fans after Elephant Man performance on Broadway

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

 
Macy's, home of the "Miracle of 34th Street", once again proudly presents its holiday winter wonderland. Its 2014 theme is "Santa’s Journey to the Stars" featuring a boy named Alex, his dog Bella and his adventures with Santa.

From his bedroom, Alex looks through his magic telescope and is soon transported to other celestial bodies.

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

First,  Alex was on Mercury and from there he journeyed to Venus (as shown above), the second planet from the sun. On Venus, there is a toy workshop humming with activities.

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

On Mars (as shown above), the Martians have decorated the Olympus Mons, its highest mountain with ornaments. Mars looks like a candy land.

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

Then Alex moved on to Saturn with its many festive rings.  Jupiter is illuminated by her 67 lunar satellites.

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

On the coldest planets, Uranus and Neptune, ice giants are throwing snowballs at each other.

Macy's Holiday Lights in New York City - 2014

Finally Alex and Santa are  sighted  flying over New York City in a sleigh. The best place to celebrate the holidays is HOME.

Trip to Greece - Acropolis Museum, Athens

Navigating the Athens metro was not difficult at all. As guided from the metro map below, 

source: http://h2s2015athens.org/transportation.html

we traveled from our hotel and then transfered at Syntagma to the red line and then get off at the Akropoli stop.

Archaeological artifacts are on display as you exit the Akropoli metro station. Strolling towards the Acropolis museum, we caught our first glimpse of the Parthenon. The breathtaking sight would do for the time being since we were saving a visit to the Parthenon for another day.

A view of the Acropolis from the street below

First, we took a look at the amazing "new" Acropolis museum. It was built over the remains of an archaelogical site. Admission fee is 5 Euros. On the second floor, there is an outdoor restaurant where one could enjoy a meal with a panoramic view of the Acropolis.

Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece

Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece

The museum presented a short film detailing the history of the Parthenon which had been a temple, mosque and church over the centuries. The marbles that had adorned the Parthenon are displayed in an all airy glass paneled sunlit room overlooking its former home.

 

Acropolis Museum

Acropolis Museum overlooking the Parthenon

Some pieces of the marble are absent. Some of these missing pieces are the ones "purchased" by Lord Elgin and are housed currently in the British Museum. In its place, these missing pieces are substituted by "plaster" replicas as shown here:

Parthenon marbles on the right panel. The left panel is a plaster replica.

We had to resort to using our imaginations to picture how all these elegant marbles had fitted together and adorned the Parthenon in its golden days.

Trip to Greece - Santorini island

Blue domed church in  Oia, Santorini

I was mesmerized by the beauty of the blue domed church when I first laid my eyes on it. I did not know it was on the island of Santorini in Greece at that time. Over the years, I encountered more and more pictures of Santorini island and I just fell in love with the island. I placed it on my wish list of places to visit one day.

Sunset in  Oia, Santorini

We saw this island gem recently with our own eyes. Santorini island did not disappoint. Even though our stay was short, we were able to drink in her beauty and were spellbound by her famous sunsets on both sunny and cloudy Mediterranean days.

Fresh catch from the waters in Santorini island

Archaeological site in Santorini island

We ate of the fruits of her sea, breathed in her pristine air, hiked in her mountains, marveled at her secrets being unearthed in the archaeological sites and delighted in exploring her narrow winding streets amidst the cave houses and shops huddling close to the cliffs. Alas we did not get to dip our toes into her waters.

View along the hike from Oia to Fira in Santorini.

View along the hike from Oia to Fira in Santorini.

Santorini's hospitality was at its shining best. A young man went out of his way to show us the bus terminal in Fira. We were even guided by a canine resident when we hiked from Oia to Fira in Santorini.

Though there are other islands in Greece which we have yet to explore, we would like to return to Santorini again one day.  


Lonely Planet is in agreement too. It has just designated Greece as the top European destination to visit in 2014. Santorini island is a reflection of that crowning glory.

The Girl With A Pearl Earring - Frick Museum in New York City

Girl With The Pearl Earring at the Frick museum

As expected, the special exhibition of the Dutch master painter Johannes Vermeer's "Girl With A Pearl Earring" (circa 1665) has brought forth a hugh crowd to the Frick museum on the Upper East Side of New York City.  

I found out this week that all Telecharge online sales for the timed entry tickets have been sold out. The only way to obtain a timed entry ticket is to purchase it in person at the museum or join the museum membership to avoid the timed entry requirements. 

Fortunately by the time I got to the museum on a weekday evening, I did not have to wait too long to purchase a same day ticket. Vermeer's painting of the girl was definitely the star of the show. The entire Oval room was dedicated to her. Measuring approximately 17 inches by 15 inches, the "Dutch Mona Lisa" was luminous and beautiful. I was glad that the crowd was sparse affording me a longer glance at the painting.

Picture taking was prohibited in the museum. I got myself a poster and posted a snapshot of it above. San Francisco, Atlanta and New York City have been blessed with hosting this painting during the past few months. We wish the lady bon vovage as she leaves New York this month. Her next stop is Bologna, Italy before returning home to the Mauritshuis gallery in the Hague, Netherlands.

One Direction Boy Band at the Madame Tussauds Musuem in New York and more

My intention in visiting the Madame Tussauds museum in New York was to play host to my visitors who expressed interest in visiting the wax museum.

There was a 25% discount online for New York City residents. Alas I did not purchase my tickets online and was not able to get the 25% discount at the ticket desk. Nevertheless, the sales staff offered me $5 discount for each ticket.

The museum presented wax figures from a variety of backgrounds ranging from political, sports, entertainment and so forth.  

The first exhibit hall showcased Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp and Leo DiCaprio.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the Madame Tussauds museum in New York

A Rockette dancer wax figure at the Madame Tussauds museum in New York

Dorothy of Oz and Lucy at the Madame Tussauds museum in New York

Some figures were disappointing and bore no resemblance at all. For instance the Beatles were pretty nondescript. In my opinion, one of the best wax figure was that of the director Steven Spielberg.

Steven Spielberg at Madame Tussauds museum in New York 

The highlight of the current exhibit was the boy band, One Direction, which was the last exhibit. The wax figures were remarkably done with close resemblance to the band members. 

With a teenager in our group, we of course sat down with the One Direction members and had some snapshots taken by the museum staff. It came out very well. You can see how how remarkable the wax figures are of the group below.

One Direction at Madame Tussauds museum in New York

Broadway Let It Be - A celebration of Beatles' music

Broadway Let It Me

We received a discount deal from the Living Social website promoting the Broadway "Let It Be" - a musical tribute to the Beatles. The show is an import from London West End and it is marketed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their music. 

I checked out the show reviews. Most tend to be positive. Since the ticket prices were discounted favorably (starting at $29 for the balcony general admission seats),  we decided to treat ourselves to a Sunday evening show. We went for the mezzanine seats. At the prices we were paying, it beat standing for an hour or so  at the TKTS booth to obtain discount tickets. Other websites that  I have checked were selling the balcony seats at much higher prices.

At purchase time, we did not get the option to select the seats. A voucher was given instead, instructing us to pick up the tickets at the box office on the day of the show. We were pleasantly surprised at the seats assigned. We got centre first row mezzanine. Great view.

For the $29 general admission tickets, the seatings were based on first come first served.

The show was a time passage depicting the Beatles from their humble beginnings at the Cavern club in Liverpool. Four musicians played and sang the Fab Four music on stage. "Paul" here played left handed. It was reviewed  that in other show sessions, the "Paul" musician played right handed.  The show moved along to their US appearances at the Ed Sullivan show. It then recreated their US debut concert at Shea Stadium. 

Broadway Let It Be - The Beatles USA debut concert at Shea Stadium, New York City

Next it progressed to their Sgt Pepper's  Lonely Hearts Club Band phase and then to their final years together. It was just pure music, one Beatles hit after another recreated by very accomplished musicians.

Broadway Let It Be in New York City

Broadway Let It Be in New York City

During "Twist and Shout", the audience were encouraged to stand up, twist and dance along to the song. The atmosphere loosened up a bit after that. "When I am 64" was dedicated to the youngsters in the audience. I have read reviews that pointed out that the rendition of George Harrison's "My Guitar Gently Weep" was one of the highlights of the show. It was indeed.

Broadway Let It Be in New York City

We were able to get autographs and met with the performers after the show. They were very obliging to the fans with photo and autograph requests.  The musician who played Paul posed for a few photos and apologized that he had to catch the train. Imagine that, after performing as Paul McCartney on Broadway, the gentleman took the train like an average Joe!

Thumbs up for the show!