Best of 2010

Here is a compilation of our favorites this year:

Novels

(1) The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt
(2) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
(3) The Road by Cormac McCarthy
(4) Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
(5) The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

Best Nonfiction/Autobiographies

(1) Flying Scotsman by Graeme Obree
(2) Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe
(3) The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
(4) Manchild in the Promised Land by Claude Brown
(5) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Our Favorite Movie Rentals

(1) No Impact Man and Food, Inc. (tied)
(2) The Blind Side
(3) Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
(4) The Pianist
(5) The Hurt Locker
(6) Pi
(7) Paths of Glory
(8) Rosemary's Baby
(9) Run Lola Run
(10) Seven Samurai

Best Trilogy

(1) On the Run
(2) An Amazing Couple
(3) After the Life

Best Art Exhibits/Gallery Shows/Public Art

(1) Georgia O'Keefe at the Whitney
(2) Omer Fast at Postmasters and the Whitney
(3) Scattered Light by Jim Campbell at Madison Square Park
(4) No Longer Empty/The Sixth Borough on Governor's Island
(5) Sukkah City in Union Square
(6) Lego Brick Sculpture of Nathan Sawaya at Agora
(7) Alexander Calder at Gagosian
(8) Agnes Denes at Leslie Tonkonow Gallery
(9) The Artist is Present by Marina Abramovic @ MOMA
(10) Size Does Matter by Shaquille O'Neil @ FLAG Art Gallery

Best Sound Installation

(1) A Bell for Every Minute by Stephen Vitiello at the High Line

Best Broadway Shows

(1) In the Heights
(2) FELA!

Best TV Series EVER

(1) The Wire (we do not have HBO, so we were a little late to the party and watched it on DVD)

Best Travel Destinations

(1) Iceland
(2) Spain
(3) Toronto

Best Vegetarian/Veggie-Friendly Restaurants

(1) Organic Grill
(2) Counter
(3) Bliss
(4) Foodswings
(5) Vatan

Best Vegan Cafes

(1) Jivamuktea Cafe (Union Square)
(2) Little Bird Bakery and Cafe (East Village)
(3) Birdbath (East Village)
(4) Peacefood Cafe (Upper West Side)

Best Live (Raw Food) Restaurants

(1) Caravan of Dreams
(2) Bonobo's

Best Concerts

(1) They Might Be Giants (a show for all ages) at the Beacon Theater
(2) Yo Yo Ma at Carnegie Hall

Best Shakespeare

(1) Shakespeare in the Park @ Central Park - The Merchant of Venice with the amazing Al Pacino

Best View of NYC: Chelsea and Hudson River from the High Line


Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City

(1) Cycling - Greenway, New York City Century and North Fork Century
(2) FREE stuff - Shakespeare, outdoor concerts, movie passes, outdoor movies, music, ice cream
(3) Art Galleries/Museums/Public Art
(4) Williamsburg Restaurants - Pies n Thighs, Egg, Bliss, Tai Thai, Wild Ginger, Chai Home Kitchen
(5) Parks - Central Park, Bryant Park, Jacob Javits Park, Fort Tryon Park and Dolphin Park

Toronto

Our fall foliage trip this year took us to Toronto, Canada.


Our first stop in Toronto was the CN Tower. Sharon sat on the glass floor - you realize just how high up you are when you see the tiny city below.



The view of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario from the CN Tower.



On our first day in Toronto, we took a Toronto Hippo Tour on the "bus that floats".



Here are some pictures of us in the Hippo bus in Lake Ontario.



Two vistas: fall foliage and Lake Ontario in the late afternoon sun.



On our second day in Toronto we visited Niagara Falls. Here are the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls, as seen from the Canadian side.


Before and after family photos at Niagara Falls - we got really wet on the Maid of the Mist boat ride and Journey Behind the Falls!


Pictured here - Rainbow Bridge, connecting Canada to the USA, and the American Falls and Maiden Falls in the late afternoon sun.


The two boyz hanging out by Horseshoe Falls, and Sharon posing with the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls in the background.



A trip to Niagara Falls would not be complete without a rainbow...and TIMBITS!



Vegan Sunday Brunch at Fresh - blueberry pancakes, tofu scramble and vegan sausages.


We spent our last day in Toronto at AGO - and got to see impressive architecture by Frank Gehry, Western and indigenous Canadian art and modern art by female artists.



You can take the boy out of NYC, but you cannot take NYC out of the boy.

Spain 2010

The view from the balcony upon our arrival in Spain, and sunrise on July 4th.


Alexi's favorite thing to do in Spain was play in the pool - he loves the water.


David does water yoga... while Alexi rides a bike wearing Papi's shades.

Pictures from our walk around La Ronda with David wearing Alexi

Sharon photographed on the balcony. Alexi and Anna shopping at Mercadona.


Fan cheering Spain to victory in the World Cup.


Alexi enjoying the kiddie rides at the Fiesta Mayor.


Pictures from our day trip to Cadaqués, the home of Salvador Dalí.


Alexi enjoys Cadaqués outside Casa Anita, a favorite Dalí restaurant, and at a playground (wearing his awesome hat from Auntie Jen).


Dalí's home in Cadaqués, which we toured, as well as the view from the roof.


Two pics from Girona: a VEGAN restaurant called B12, and our walk along The Wall.


We biked 25 miles along a rail trail from Girona back to San Feliu (Alexi loves being on a bike).


We biked through lots of farmland, seeing cornfields and haystacks (ode to Monet).


Two stops along the rail trail: at a goat farm, and at an outdoor cafe for lunch - best bread ever!


After battling heat and a headwind for most of the ride, we arrive back in San Feliu.


On our night out in town, we stopped by to visit el puerto.


We spent many days at la playa, and Alexi really enjoyed playing in the Mediterranean.


David, Alexi and our good friend Jordi Pallerès at a seaside restaurant, where Alexi enjoyed some fine dining.


Two Spanish sunsets, as seen from our balcony.


Alexi loves phones, so he called Auntie Jen while waiting in the Barcelona airport.


Las Rocas, where Sharon went swimming on our last day. Adiós España, we'll see you next summer!