Bride on the Side

The photo looks a bit like an optical illusion. We are seeing the bride sideways walking on what should be the wall. An interesting viewpoint.

The last day of February is a cold one! It felt like an awfully snow filled month. Apparently the 29 inches of snow we received in NYC in February is 4 inches more than we usually receive all winter.

Morning temperature: 10 degrees
Morning steps: 6910

Cupcake Hypnosis

Cupcake hypnosis at Empire Cake (8th Avenue)

This post has nothing to do with Empire Cake. I've never had a cake or cupcake from them and I was able to resist the cupcake hypnosis! I never got onboard the cupcake express. For awhile there were new cupcake shops popping up everywhere.

I like cake...I'm a sweets-aholic but cake isn't my most favorite dessert. I went through a no frosting phase when I was a kid. My mom would ask me what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday and I would choose chocolate with no frosting. She would tell me we had to have frosting because other people might want it. Then I would petulantly say or at least think "Then why are you asking me if I can't have what I want?!?" My second choice was white cake with chocolate frosting.

I think a lot of store bought cakes are all about the frosting with flavorless cakes. Sometimes the dessert tastes sweet but with no other discernible flavor. I still like the cake better than the frosting and I still leave a pile of frosting on my plate.

Morning temperature: 20 degrees
Morning steps: 6247

Russian Tea Room

Try this at home. Decorate a round light fixture with rows of red Christmas ornaments!

I had an adventure today to the Russian Tea Room. It's Restaurant Week in NYC which means some restaurants offer a special price. People can try out the fancy restaurants at a more affordable price than usual. Sometimes they have special menus and sometimes they offer their entire menu at the special price.

Luckily for me a friend had an expiring gift card and a reservation and I got to go along. What's more special than free?

The Russian Tea Room was founded in 1927 by some members of the Russian Imperial Ballet. Lots of well known people dine here (or so they say). Dustin Hoffman was filmed in a booth in "Tootsie". Madonna briefly worked in the coat check room. (By the way the coat check person takes your coat before you are seated and hangs it for you on a lower floor. When you are finished dining you can hand your coat check ticket to the hostess and she will call to have your coat brought upstairs.)

I like a place with history.

Steps: 13,000

Gray Day

Not the best photo of the Empire State Building on a gray morning but I like the details. There's the top of Moran's in an early 1800's building, the gothic tower from the seminary, a water tower and the Chrysler Building just peeking in the background.

Morning temperature: 24 degrees
Morning steps: 6268

The Whole World

The Whole World looks a little shabby

The Olympics are over!

I was "forced" to see some of the activity. I still feel very bad for the people who lose. Two hundred thirty American athletes and 28 medals...well, there are more medal winners if you count the individual team members but then there are also people who won more than one. What the heck it's an honor just to be nominated!

I managed to hear some pretty boring to awful reporting and commentating. Must people talk non-stop?

The Olympics are crazy on so many levels.

Now bring on the Primetime!

Morning temperature: 35 degrees (felt like 33)
Morning steps: 6313

Mystery

Sculpture in the Park

Ivan Navarro's This Land is Your Land (neon not visible in this photo