Best of 2025

 Top 10 Dessert Recipes (all taken from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen)

10. Apple Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

9. Russian Coffeecake

8. Chocolate Pudding

7. Amaretto Cheesecake

6. Peach Puddingcake

5. Cherry-Berry Pie

4. Fresh Strawberry Mousse

3. Ricotta - Cherry Mousse

2. Cashew Shortbread

1. Spicy Gingerbread

Sharon's Best Novels {she read all paper books this year obtained and many memoirs}

(1) The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters by Elisabeth Robinson

(2) Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert

(3) It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs by Mary Louise Kelly

(4) Your Second Life Begins When You Realize You Only Have One by Raphaelle Giordano

(5) Five Banners: Inside the Duke Basketball Dynasty by John Feinstein 

(6) The Education of Eva Moskowitz: A Memoir

(7) Power Your Happy: Work Hard, Play Nice & Build Your Dream Life by Lisa Sugar

(8) Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

(9) Teacher By Teacher: The People Who Change Our Lives by John B. King Jr. 

(10) More Than Words by Mia Sheridan

David's Best Novels

(1) Three Body Problem Series by Cixin Liu

(2) Silo Series by Hugh Howey

(3) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel

(4) The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable

Books Read and Discussed Together by Sharon and Alexi  - A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Top 5 Public Art Exhibits in NYC 

5. Moon Finder by Malin Abrahamsson and Hourglass by Patricia Espinosa in Riverside Park {presented by Art Students League}

4. Improvisations in the Park by Larry Bell in Madison Square Park

3. Standing But Not Operating (Metronome) Sculpture by Sydney Shen in Riverside Park {presented by Art Students League}

2. Dear New York (Photography Exhibit) @ Grand Central Terminal

1. Morningside Lights TIMEFRAME 1965 {Sharon created the "Ariel by Sylvia Plath" lantern that was part of the procession to Columbia University}

Our Favorite At Home Grown-Up Movies

(1) Anora
(2) Rebecca

(3) Find Me Falling

(4) Eat Pray Love

(5) September 5

(6) Conclave

(7) The Pelican Brief

(8) Emilia Perez

(9) Highest 2 Lowest

(10) The Woman in Cabin 10

Our Favorite At Home Family Movies

(1) Flow

(2) Hoosiers

(3) My Cousin Vinnie

(4) A Christmas Story

(5) Rudolph's Shiny New Year

(6) A Charlie Brown Christmas 

(7) Happy New Year Charlie Brown

(8) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

(9) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

(10) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Best Concert - BAM For Real: this daring performance explored the ways our culture undermines women, laying bare the sexism that strikes at mind and soul

Best Family Member Performance - David performing Amy Beach's "Gaelic" Symphony with the Jackson Heights Orchestra

Best International Performance - Mateo performs with his Prague chamber group at Cathedral (first time performing piano in a group instead of solo!)

Best Movie Sharon and David Saw In a Movie Theater - Say Anything (with special guest appearance by John Cusack!) at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn

Best Tribeca Film Festival Movies - Billy Joel: And So It Goes documentary {Piano Man Biopic is PHENOMENAL!}

Best Film Festival in NYC - Film Works Alfresco @ The Hudson, presented by Inwood Art Works

Best Movie Seen Outdoors - Purple Rain with the ICONIC Prince @ Film Works Alfresco

Best Movie Sharon+ Mateo Saw At Home - Billy Joel documentary

Best Family Holiday Movie Seen @ Home - A Christmas Story

Best New Year's Day Activity - Little Spain for tortilla, patatas bravas and horchata and exploring the Vessel

Best Birthday Party - Sleepover with MJ's friends consisting of make-your-own-pizza for dinner, soccer birthday cupcakes and chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast 

Best Yoga & Mindfulness  - Down Dog Yoga & Meditation {Sharon meditated daily and did yoga on average once a week}

Best Galas -Kaufman Music Center (honoring Mr. Sean Hartley) and Fort Tryon Park (celebrating its 90th Anniversary)

Best Travel Destinations 

* Arenal, Costa Rica

* Monteverde, Costa Rica

* Catalunya, Spain

* Vienna

* Jersey Shore

* Lake Fairfax Park Campground, Maryland

* Heckscher State Park, Long Island

Best International Family Adventures - Ziplining in Costa Rica

Best Camping - tent camping at Lake Fairfax Park in Virginia and beachfront cottage glamping for fall foliage camping in Heckscher State Park (again)

Best Halloween Event - Trick-or-Treating in Dumont

Best New York Vegan Restaurant - The Witches Brew (on Long Island)

Best International Vegan Restaurant - B*12 in Girona, Spain 

Best Pick-Your-Own Fruit - Apples @ Mead Orchards in the Hudson Valley

Best Sporting Event - Alexi's Brooklyn Tech Varsity Boys Soccer Team winning the PSAL Championship for the 1st time in school history

Best Holiday Event - Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo

Best View of NYC - Central Park West on Inflation Eve

Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City at the End of 2025:

5. Citibike

4. Youth Soccer

3. Iconic Structures like the Vessel and Parks like Fort Tryon

2. Vegetarian Dining Scene

1. Columbia Presbyterian Surgeons and Nurses (who healed our Alexi!)