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Saturday was a great day! In the morning, I was invited by my wonderful visiting teacher to brunch at her apartment. Sadly, all of the other v-teachees were unable to attend, but that just meant more crepes with Nutella for yours truly. But seriously we had a great time. Best VT visit ever!
In the afternoon, we went up to Manhattan to see the Canstruction exhibit at the World Financial Center. I'd never been to this particular part of Downtown, but I'm glad we went. To get there, you walk right by the World Trade Center site, which is always sobering. Then you come to three gigantic square buildings with pyramid-shaped roofs. This is the Financial Center. In the middle is the Winter Garden, a huge open area with amphitheater steps leading down to palm trees and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the docks on the Hudson. It was something else. The can sculptures were made to benefit some food drive thing and we accordingly dropped our two cans of tuna into the bins.
My favorite dessert!
Elizabeth liked this one. Do you love how big Adam's hair is? Don't worry, we cut it later that night.
Views from outside:
Adam took this one.
Looking towards New Jersey
There's something about city lights at night that just make me feel happy. After we got home, we had dinner, put Elizabeth down for the night, then cuddled up and watched Pixar's "Up" for the first time and absolutely loved it. All in all, a great weekend!
I haven't ever posted about a book I'd read. (Have I?) But I enjoyed reading this series so much, I can't help but spread the good news. The Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace chronicle the growing-up years (from 5 yrs old to young married life) of Betsy Ray, a girl from a small town in Minnesota in the early 1900's. I first heard of these books not long after I made one of my first friends here in Brooklyn, but didn't take her advice to read them until Adam brought home these brand-spanking new editions from work. The books start when Betsy is very young and are written to be read by/to a 5 year old. So reading the first one was enjoyable, but not particularly thrilling. But each novel goes up in reading level as Betsy gets older. And by the time Betsy started high school, I was hooked. All the inner-workings of the teenage girl mind are delightfully detailed with humor and empathy. Who will take Betsy to the dance? How will she get that Joe to take notice of her? It's so much fun! And just as addictive as any ol' teen vampire love novel, but without the squeamish stuff. And Betsy won't even consider letting a boy get "mushy" with her (by holding her hand.) It's so refreshing. But it's not old fashioned or stuffy.
Lovelace based these books on her own life experiences and that, I think, makes all the difference with these books. You get to know the characters so well. All the details about life in the time period really transport you there. I found myself looking up all the old songs they sing so I could hear the melodies in my mind as I read the lyrics. And we're talking OLD, like "By the Light of The Silvery Moon" old. (Which is also a wonderful movie, BTW. "Marjorie's old petticoat!!") And because it's autobiographical, there are photographs of all the people she based the characters on at the end of the books. Plus, the illustrations by Vera Neville are beautiful. Are you convinced yet? Maybe if Adam can find more copies, I'll do a giveaway. But until then, go to the library and CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS! But you don't have to take my word for it.
And this:
Both favorites.
This face:
My favorite dessert!
Elizabeth liked this one. Do you love how big Adam's hair is? Don't worry, we cut it later that night.
Adam took this one.
Looking towards New Jersey
There's something about city lights at night that just make me feel happy. After we got home, we had dinner, put Elizabeth down for the night, then cuddled up and watched Pixar's "Up" for the first time and absolutely loved it. All in all, a great weekend!
