New York City - Eat. Play. Eat.

If you have two days to visit New York City, what would you do?

Well, my two days? are all about eat, play, and eat...



Day 1. 

0900: (Just woke up from the lovely bed.....)What? It's alreadly 9am?!!!!  I got to be hurry up.

1020: Ah~ What a great breakfast. Now I have energy to begin my first day in New York  City :)

1045: OMG! So many people in the line! I better get the ferry ticket first.....

1100: $13 for a round trip to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island? What a great deal~

1110: The line is so long.....

1150: Still in the line :(

1220: Still.....

1240: Finally.

A beautiful day for taking a ferry trip to the Island of Liberty.



Picture took from the ferry.



Statue of Liberty.

1330: Wow~ I can't believe I am now standing in front of the Statue of liberty.....
1340: I hope my memory card still got enough space, I got so many pictures to take.

1400: I'm so hungry. Ah~ maybe a cup of coffee and some hot soup will be great.

1530: What a great trip~ Love it~

1535: It's time to get something to eat. What should I eat.....Ah! There's an Au Bon Pain there!
1610: $29 value of Metro card for unlimited ride on subway and buses; or a single trip for $2.50. Which should I pick?

1655: Subway is so convenient and fast, I guess I still have time to visit Museum of Natural History in Central park.

1710: Oh~ the museum will closed at 5:45pm. But the good news is, I am free to visit the museum from now till 5:45pm.

Please circle out the 1 similiar part in this picture :))

If you love dinosaur, level 4 will be a must-see section.

The collection of this mesuem is wonderful.
Address: 79th Street, Central Park West, New York 10024

1750: Museum of Natural History just next to the Central Park. Too bad it's getting dark, and cold at night.....Or I could have take some picture in the park.

1800: Let's go to Chinatown. I bet there's ton of delicious food there! Yummy~

1810: If I took the subway-Green Line 6, I could straight ahead to Canal Street Station, which is the station to Chinatown and Litte Italy.

1820: The subway is so crowded. Guess it's the peak time.
1850: Oh! There's so crowded in Chinatown! That "Noodle Village" looks great. Let's try!

1900: Can I have pan fried chive dumplings, noodle soup with handmade fishball, fish porrige, steamed crabmeat dumplings and spicy calamari. Please?

2000: Ah~ What a wonderful day with a great dinner. Now I should order some dessert to go :)

2040: The night of Chinatown is so beautiful. I can't believe I am now in USA, it seems more likely in Hong Kong.
2050: Ah.....follow to Mott Street from Chinatown, take about 5 minutes walk to north is Little Italy. I can smell the coffee now! Too bad I couldn't fill in anything more~ Maybe next time.

2130: Am I just been China and Italy? It seems like I was. Ho HO HO :))

2140: It's time to get back to hotel, I am kind of tired.
2145: Take the subway, of cause. Bye! Chinatown. Bye! Little Italy.

2320: zzzZZZZZzzzzZZZzzz.


 Day 2.

0850: AhhhHHHh.....Good Morning New York City.
0930: I really like this hotel, It serves great breakfast. And its location is very convenient. About 1 minute walk to subway station, 1 minute walk to Museum American Indian and 5 minutes walk to Wall Street Bull. Got to come back to this Double Tree Hotel in Stone Street, NYC next time.

0940: This is Charging Bull huh?! Amazing to see so many tourists waiting to get their picture taken with the bull.

The famous angry bronze bull of the financial markets.

Stockbrokers rub it for luck in a very private place.
Address: Broadway, New York.

1010: OK, next stop is 9/11 Memorial. If I take subway from Bowling Green Station, I can stop at Fulton Street Station, which is just two stops.

1025: There is a historical church, St.Paul's Chapel next to Fulton Street Station. I still have time to visit this church.

Bell of Hope
Address: St.Paul's Chapel 74 Trinity Place New York 10006

1040: St.Paul's Chapel opens in 1766. It now knows as "the little chapel that stood" because it survived a second brush with destruction on Sep 11,2001, when the WTC buildings collapsed just across the street. And there was no damage to the church.
It's amazing!

1100: It's coffee time! Ah~ There is a Starbucks over there!

1130: Oh! There so many people in 9/11 Memorial Preview Site! Luckly I've reserved my visitor pass online yesterday.


New WTC in construction.
Reconstruction will near completion around 2014 at which time all four sides of the Memorial will be accessible to the public.

The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks
are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools.

Admission is free, but timed pass is required for entry into the 9/11 Memorial.
You can reserve a specific date and time passes online at: 911memorial.org

Address: Albany Street & Greenwich Street New York 10006

1300: Let's buy a souvenir from the 9/11 visitor center. Ah~The bookmark looks great! It could be a memorable gift for friend.

1320: Now.....I can take the subway back to Canal Street Station for lunch and..... take the subway to Times Square. OK, I have to take the note first: From Canal Station to Times Sq. Station >> remember to change the green line to yellow line in 14 St.Union Station. Great!



Can you point out where Elmo is?

1520: After a nice afternoon tea in Times Square. It's time to visit Metropolitan Museum of Art now! Let me see the map: Walk to the 42 St. A-C-E Subway Station and stop at 86 St. B-C Station. And cross the central park to the east.....and the Museum will on the right. OK! Let's do this!

1550: This is my first time to Central Park. Got to take some pictures!

Guggenheim Museum. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Address: 1071 5th Avenue (at 89th Street) West Central Park New York.

Skylight design of the interior of Guggenheim Museum

A View of Central Park



Jackie Onassis Reservoir, Central Park.




1600: $25 for the admission fee, which included same-day admission to The Cloisters museum and gardens. I don't think I have enough time to The cloisters museum and gardens, but I am sure that I can do the Metropolitan Museum.

1730: There's so many collection of Impressionism! Oh! I love Impressionism! And I do see the painting from Monet and Van Gogh! How wonderful~

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Address: 5th Avenue at 82nd Street New York.



Entrance of the Museum.



One of the interior view of the Museum.

One of my favorite painting by Claude Monet.
Title: Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun)

Garden at Sainte-Adresse
Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)

Can you tell which one is Vincent Van Gogh's Wheat Field with Cypresses?

Can you tell which one is Vincent Van Gogh's La Berceuse?



Rouen Cathedral: The Portal (Sunlight), 1894
Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926)


1745: Ah! That's it for my two days in NYC. Of cause, got to get my dinner before I leave NYC! How can I miss dinner?!!

1930: Bye bye! See your again, my big Apple~ Chao!



Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is also known by the commom name of "burn plant" or "healing plant". They are commonly grown in kitchen gardens to help with minor burns, minor cuts, scrapes, insect bites and other skin problems. Aleos are easy to care, they need lots of sun, warmth and minimal amount of watering. They have bright green stalks that grow up 1 foot long and up to 2 inches thick and usually have creamy stripes or dots along the leaves.

Soil: Well drained, sandy potting mixture.

**I mixed mine with 1/2 of potting soil, the other 1/2fill with sand, peat moss and perlite.

Light: Aloe doew best in light or dappled shade on the porch or on the windowsill in the kitchen. Aloe is even reliable in dry shade. They require bright light for the winter months, in either a sunny window or under fluorescent light. Outside for the summer months, few hours direct sun light in the morning, and place them under the shade in the afternoon will make them happy. If dark brown or orange spot shown on the leave is a sign of sunburn, they mignt need to have some shade for protection.

**Aloe is especially sensitive to sunlight and if transitioned outsidetoo soon, it will easilly burn.

Water: Do not over-water your plant. Give it a good watering every couple of weeks. Let the soil dry out completely before watering again. Water thoroughly about once a week during summer; once a month in winter, or when the stalks looks shriveled.

Temperature: These plants are not cold hardy, they need to be kept indoors int he winter.

 

** Aloe Vera plants can be toxic if ingested by small animals. If you have pet, be cautious and aware of plant placement.



Project #012. Abstract Jewelry Tree Stand

Things You’ll Need:

Steel Wire: 12 gauge x 72", 16 gauge x 36"
Bend-nose Pliers, Round-nose Pliers, Wire Cutter, Gloves, Tape Measure or Ruler.
        
**The wire I used in this project was wrapped with a layer of green plastic, I bought it at Ace Hardware shop. You may use other type of wire, just be sure to choose those material which bendable and strong enough to hold your lovely accessories.

Instructions:

1. Cut 16 gauge wire into 24" x 1 piece(for overall strengthening use);  8" x 1 piece(for strengthening the leaves)  and 4" x 1 piece(for strengthening the root)

2. Cut 12 gauge wire into 12" x 6 pieces.

3. Use 24" wire to tie the rod firmly.

 

4.

5. Use 4" wire to give the roots extra strength.

6. Use round-nose pliers to bend the roots as tree stand. Make sure their are stable. At least 2" wide for the tree stand, you are free to adjust the wide if needed.



7. Use same technique as making the roots to bend the leaves. You may create any shape that you want to especially to your accessories. Remember to use the 8" wire to strengthen those leaves, so they can hold your precious well.

8. Now you have your jewelry tree stand done :) CHEER~

Succulent Plant 101

If you like a plant that has an interesting shape or great color. And... No time to fuss over prissy plants. Congratulation! Just like me, Succulent Plant may be the best choice for you. Here are a few of the plants I'm growing in the Missouri US and tips on how to grow and care for succulent plants.

What is a Succulent Plant?

Succulent (Latin: succos = juice, sap) plants from more than 60 families and 300 genera have evolved special water-storage tissues in thickened or swollen leaves, stems or roots as an adaptation to arid environments. They are native to places like South Africa, South America and the arid Southwest. By making the most of scarce available moisture, succulents can survive in habitats that are far too dry for most other plants.

Succulents are equipped to store water in their leafs and stalks so that they can survive long periods of drought. They love heat and sun, need very little water and always look green and lovely. Small succulent plants are nice for container gardens indoors, on the patio or as ground cover.

Soil:

The preferred soil for succulents is light and fast draining. Succulents potting soil can be found in some home and gardening retailers like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Or you can simply just create your own special mixture for your plants.

There are some basic characteristics that a potting mix for succulents should possess: The most important thing is that the soil should drain very well. The best way to achieve this is by adding horticultural-grade sand and grit/pearlite/porous gravel or lava fines to the compost component of the soil (Do not use the potting soil with added fertilizer as it can be too 'rich' for succulents.) Many believe that a good starting ratio for the mix's components are 1/3 compost, 1/3 horticultural-grade sand, and 1/3 grit. But there are no hard and fast rules for potting mixes, so you'll need to experiment with ratios. The above ratio of components represents a good starting point.

Watering and Fertilizing:

Most cactus and succulents have an active period about 1/3 of the year. During this active period watering can be frequent and fertilizer applied. The most active time for most cacti is during the spring and early parts of summer. As this period passes, it is best to reduce the frequency of watering as winter approaches. They require very little water during the cold months.

Watering: During growing period, succulents should be watered at least once a week. Allow soil to dry between thorough watering. Do not mist spray plants as this practice encourages shallow roots and weak plants. When the weather cools and day-length shortens, plants enter a rest period. During that time, increase the interval between watering, and let the potting mixture dry out between watering.

**About water…Tap water contains high concentrations of dissolved minerals. Such minerals can build up in the plant's 'soil' over time, causing harm. Rain water is preferable to tap water, if you can manage to collect and store it. Some people added a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for lowering the pH of the water (Acetic acid is in low conc. in vinegar) and increase soil acidity. Just remember, you do need to significantly water down the vinegar, because vinegar used straight or in too high of a concentration will kill plants very quickly.

Fertilizing: During the growing season, a balanced fertilizer, which has been diluted to 1/4 strength, can be added to the water for each watering. (A balanced fertilizer is one that has roughly equal proportions of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. A 10-10-10 fertilizer diluted to 1/4 strength is ideal.) Do not fertilize your plants during dormancy.

**Tips for homemade fertilizing…

I use egg sheels, used coffee grounds or rice water

as my “secret recipe” for watering my succulents and indoor plants once a month. It’s organic and natural, my plants seem happy with it :)

Light:

Most succulents like bright light, but not all can tolerate intense, direct sunlight.
They are already accustomed to a warm, dry environment, but they do need bright light. Indoors, most succulent plants can take sun near a window, or bright light. As a general rule of thumb, if there is enough sunlight for you to read, there is probably enough sun to make your plant happy. For best result, 5 hours of direct morning sun daily, or place it at southern window. Avoid direct sun from midday sun.If new growth on your plant is pale green and elongated, it needs more light. If the side of your plant facing the light source is yellow, tan, red or indented, it is getting too much light.

Succulents do not like stagnant air. Provide good air circulation for your plants.