Tips from Tourists

You may remember I wrote HERE about New Yorkers' pet peeves with tourists. Well, now the tourists hit back.

Jen Carlson of Gothamist graciously went out on the street and interviewed some Manhattan visitors to see what they had to say about this rare city species. Selection below:

• Don't walk so fast!
• Don't roll your eyes when I pronounce Houston Street like Houston Texas
• At least make eye contact while clinking glasses
• Stop talking about how you live in the greatest city in the world. We get it
• Don't say I'm stupid for calling the subways by colors
• Don't cycle so fast in the bike lane on Brooklyn Bridge while I am trying to look at the skyline
• Tell me where to buy counterfeit purses!

image: phonked

I Heart Lanvin

Thank you Alber Elbaz for having some fun with fashion! It makes me love you even more. And BTW, your fall collection is to die for xx

To see full screen, click HERE.

Walking Dunes

Fall came quickly last week. With a small shift in the wind, the temperature plummeted to 10 degrees.

So too do the sands of the 'Walking Dunes' shift. Located beside Napeague Bay in Amagansett,  they have "walked" for thousands of years with the help of the powerful northwest wind. Some years they shift by 3 miles apparently. As a result, phantom woods are uncovered and other more recent trees and shrubs become newly covered for their long sandy slumber.

It's the perfect place for a fall walk. Some of the Dunes are 50 feet high, the view over the bay is idyllic and you pass through forests of scrub oak, patches of beach plums (no fruit yet unfortunately) and cranberry bogs. It's beautiful and serene, with only the sound of the wind and, if you listen closely, the slow march of the sand.

Starry, Starry Night

The stars are the jewel of the night and perchance surpass anything which day has to show.

- Henry David Thoreau

Did you know that according to the US Parks Association, by 2020, only 10% of the American continent will be able to view the night sky because of all the city lights? New York of course lost this ability years ago. So it is only fitting that this light pollution issue is illuminated (pun intended) in this city through a very snazzy installation called "Reflecting the Stars".  The Windmill Factory, a collective of artists, designers, architects, performers and producers have mounted 201 solar powered LED lights on the old wooden remnants of Pier 49 in the Hudson River, in an effort to bring back stargazing to the city. Viewers can push buttons from the shore to light up different constellations on the water that you should be able to see above the city. Rather wonderful concept, don't you agree?

In Remembrance of 9/11/2001

Image: love documentaries

Traveling

going home today to see the fam and smell the gum leaves!