PHOTO DIARY: SEPTEMBER 2017 | BRIDGES

As I looked back over my photos from September,

it hit me that many of my activities this past month 
took place close to the banks of the Hudson River. 

It was a month of bridge crossings in the literal sense, 

and one metaphorical traverse that I wasn't expecting. 
It was a month of highs.......and the lowest of lows.

 September began with an early birthday celebration.
A friend treated me to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants,   
Pier 701, in Piermont, NY, 
where spectacular views of the Hudson River 
and a killer lobster and mango salad were on the menu.

A few days later, on the other side of the Hudson, I trekked down 42nd Street.......

strolled through Bryant Park.......

and admired the Chrysler Building.

Back home in New Jersey, a waxing gibbus moon begged to be photographed.

Manhattan glistened under the light of the silvery moon  
as we sauntered down the promenade at dusk the next evening.

The George Washington Bridge glowed to the north.......

and midtown sparkled to the south.

Further up the river in northern New Jersey, someone tolerated bath time.......




and was relieved when it was time to dry off.




 Tickets to a Broadway show, The Terms Of My Surrender,
took us back into New York City.




After the matinee, we had any early dinner with friends 
at one of my faves, Osteria al Doge.
We toasted friendship........




and the gang sang Happy Birthday to me!

The soon-to-be demolished old Tappan Zee Bridge, 
brought us across the river to Westchester, 
when Mr. Goo Shoes took me out to celebrate on my actual birthday.

We had dinner and drinks at another restaurant I love -
Half Moon, in Dobbs Ferry, NY. 
Its setting on the banks of the river can't be beat,
especially at sunset, with a side of beer sangria!




The ride home took us over new Tappan Zee Bridge for the first time,
which had just opened to westbound traffic. 
Such magnificent truss work! 
(that's an inside joke between us, Junior Goo Shoes, 
and his Physics and Technology teacher from a couple of years back 😉).

We were in Manhattan again a few days later for an appointment on the Upper West side. 
We dreamed of moving back into the city.

Oh, to live in this building and have one of those ornate terraces.......

Or this one, with its gorgeous window boxes.

Back in New Jersey later that afternoon,
things took a turn for the worse.
 An elderly woman ran a red blinking stop light
as I drove through an intersection.
I saw her coming, and accelerated to try to avoid a collision,
but, I couldn't get out of her way fast enough.
BAM! 
She hit the rear right passenger side, with enough impact 
to deploy my airbags and send my car into a spin.
It doesn't look like much in this picture, 
but there was $15,000 worth of damage to my car.
The door, the wheel, and the rear axle was damaged.
Thank God, no one was hurt.
By the way, she admitted to the police officers that it was her fault.

 A couple of days later, through the Lincoln Tunnel this time, 

 Aunt Goo Shoes and I went to see Hello, Dolly with Bette Midler.

Two Broadway shows in one month was a new personal best for me.

Hello, Dolly is the very essence of Broadway.......so lavish, so spectacular!
After the show, we got to meet the director, Jerry Zaks, 
and the Divine Miss M, herself (unfortunately, no pictures allowed)!
More about that in another post.

We decided to head back to Jersey for dinner.
A slice of the Big Apple was visible in between a couple of riverfront condos.......

We had a terrific dinner at South East Thai Kitchen in Edgewater, NJ.
The pho with grilled chicken was delish.......  

but the scenery stole the show!
Sitting on the restaurant's outdoor patio 
was like having orchestra seats to the island of Manhattan. 

And finally, I crossed a bridge that no child wants to, 
but knows they will have to some day.

Sadly, my dad passed away on September 19 at the age of 91.
He had a host of medical issues over the years,
but we are grateful that with the exception of his last two weeks,
he was well-cared for, fairly independent, mobile, and feeling good. 
A military Honor Guard presented us with this flag
in recognition of my dad's service in World War II. 

I wasn't sure about posting this, 
as I have always kept my blog focused on the lighter side of life, 
and I don't share intensely personal information.
But it didn't seem right to present a photo diary 
that would depict a fun and carefree month,
when the truth is, it was anything but.

Until next time,