Spain 2023

This summer we once again spent in Spain.	Alexi and Sharon spent almost the entire month of July in Spain, while Mateo and David spent two of the weeks in Prague.
This is the gorgeous view of Playa San Pol that normally greets us when we arrive in Spain...	...and this, Las Rocas, is where Sharon and David renewed their wedding vows a year after marriage.
For the first week we stayed in a neighbor's apartment at cap Ducal, and saw La Puerta in daylight...	...and here is the gorgeous view of La Puerta illuminated at night.
Mateo and Alexi were once again super excited to participate in Campus Girona.	Camppus Girona is the soccer camp run by Girona FC, and David was thrilled it was back in Platja d'Aro.
Super cool street art depicting Spain's love of soccer.	And here is awesome graffiti with words to live by.
Sharon arrived in Spain about a week after David, Alexi and Mateo, due to having to be at school.	David and Sharon went shopping the very day of her arrival, to take advantage of having the car.
Mateo practices piano daily at the San Feliu Music School in one of their practice rooms.	This summer for the first time ever Sharon got to attend one of Mateo's practice sessions.
Mateo was working on several pieces assigned by his piano teacher Miss Irina.	And here is Mateo standing by some cool art at the Music School.
David and Mateo went to Prague for Mateo's music camp, and Sharon and Alexi moved back into our apartment at Cap Ducal with this incredible view of sunrises.	First thing Sharon did once David and Mateo were in Prague was head to the beach.  Sharon spent all her childhood summer's at the beach, so la playa truly is Sharon's second home.
Mateo got to perform with his SMS friend Yosef at several concerts in Prague, including one at a nursing home.	Yosef and Mateo doing their annual soaring in the air picture coming back from the Prague Music Festival.
Sharon loves going for walks along the beach...	...and seeing humanity's interaction with the sand.
Sharon and Alexi spent many mornings and afternoons together at the beach when David+Mateo were away...	...soaking in the rays, swimming in the Mediterranean, and having picnics in San Pol together.
A family tradition is to head to La Rambla Sunday mornings for a pastry breakfast.	Alexi enjoys going into the patisserie, speaking Spanish, paying in Euros, and trying different pastries.
We once again spent the fourth of July in Spain, and celebrated with this culinary confection.	Sharon shows off her patriotic American spirit with red, white and blue nail polish.
Sharon and Alexi spent mornings and afternoons together in town on La Rambla....	...and also at home with Alexi destroying Sharon in Spanish Monopoly.
Alexi did a week of extra Campus Girona soccer camp while Mateo was in Prague.	Alexi went by himself each morning by riding Uncle Daniel's mountain bike.
While Alexi was at camp, Sharon was attending the virtual AP PreCalculus APSI on Zoom.	Crissie Ricketts led this APSI, and Sharon is so excited to teach a new course- AP PreCalculus(!)
During breaks from Zoom APSI Institute, Sharon headed to the pool to swim laps...	...while Alexi headed to a different place to play pool.
We always bake in Spain, and Alexi and Sharon made sugar cookies on Sugar Cookies Day.	Mateo is a huge fan of the freshly baked bread we buy in Spain every morning.
The San Feliu de Guixols trolley is still in full effect, and we take a ride in it to the beach every summer.	Alexi and I show our exuberance at riding the trolley from the beach to our apartment in Spain.
Sharon returned to her yoga practice in Spain....	...doing yoga early in the morning on the balcony.
Cat sightings are pretty rare in our region of Spain...	....though Alexi and Sharon always enjoy seeing them.
This is Sharon's absolutely favorite flower in Spain.	The name is unknown, though the smell is heavenly.
With Sharon's PAEMST application and rewrite involving so many late nights this year, she was so happy to get to go away & relax on summer vacay.	This picture is a calm, early morning moment at the beach where Sharon would walk down to do yoga twice a week, to destress and live in the moment.
Mateo and David returned to Spain bearing gifts...	...Barcelona team jerseys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This rainbow bench was a new addition to La Rambla, and became the favored seat for our family.	Mint Vichy Catalan was an amazing discover, spurned by the kids though LOVED by Sharon and David.
Mateo and Alexi enjoying some pool time together.	Mateo holding a lovely lettuce from the market.
We made our annual summer outing to play mini-golf in Platja d'Aro.	Alexi channels his inner grandpa by checking for the direction of the wind before putting in his ball.
The mini-golf course in Platja d'Aro is known for its impossible holes, like this one, straight uphill.	Mateo measures out the distance from his ball to the hole to make a par two with his shot.
Mateo and Alexi love to throw a ball around in the water, whether it is in the Mediterranean...	...or in the big pool at Cap Ducal.  It represents endless hours of fun.
Sharon enjoying some early morning yoga on the balcony.	The kids absolutely loved playing pool together in the rec room.
Navy blue was Sharon's fashion color of choice this year.	David dug out this vintage T-shirt from Aunt Kay from when Alexi and Mateo were little.
Sharon is a novice ping pong player...	...beaten handily by these ping pong masters.
Annual highlights of our summer vacation in Spain each year include a classical guitar concert performed by Giulia Ballare and Pauline Gauthey...	...as well as a day trip to the beach at Castell, which is a beautiful spot we discovered after speaking with our Spanish friend Gloria, which has a pink house(!)
David had the brilliant idea this year of taking a family day trip to Montserrat, where he had been as a young boy.	Montserrat is translated to be "serrated knife", which is exactly what the mountains look like.
This elevation profile shows how high we climbed up on a hot day to reach the monastery & cathedral at Montserrat.	The way we convinced Alexi &Mateo to do the morning hike was a promise of a zipper train ride down.
The residents in town tried to convince us otherwise, though this family was determined to hike up Montserrat during a very hot summer day.	We did choose to do the easy, more gradual hike, up Montserrat, as opposed to the steeper though shorter climb.
Mateo posing by some amazing scenery on the way up Montserrat.	Our family shows that we are at the halfway point up the mountain.
Sharon was excited to do this hike, since it was her half birthday.	She poses under a rock overhang, dwarfed by Mother Nature.
Mateo and Alexi pause for a much needed water break.	Our family poses at the top of Montserrat...we successfully hiked to the top!
The Cathedral at Montserrat is absolutely stunning.	And at the alter you can peak at something special.
The Black Madonna and Child is famous all over Spain, with pilgrims coming from all over the world to visit this very holy statue.	The Black Madonna and Child is covered in bulletproof glass, though their is a small opening where you can kiss the orb held by Mary.
Outside the cathedral is a place to light candles.	We lit a few candles for our cats and ourselves.
Beautiful artwork adorns the walls of the cathedral, ranging from the birth of Jesus the Christ...	...to this super realistic pieta showing the deceased Jesus in the arms of his mother Mary.
The zipper train transports tourists and religious pilgrims up and down Montserrat.	This zipper train is such a marvel of modern engineering.
As promised to the kids, we took the zipper train down the mountain.  It was celebrating its 20th anniversary.	David and kids point to Montserrat, the amazing mountain that made for an incredible hike&pilgrimage.
Next we drove to Lleida and visited Seu Vella, the old cathedral there on the top of the hill.	We barely made it in town before the cathedral closed.  Here we are in one of the spacious cloisters.
Teresa Carles is one of the oldest and most famous vegetarian restaurants in Spain-this is the original.	Whenever we go to a vegetarian restaurant abroad, we have to try the local veggie burger...this was delish!
Mateo samples a vegan "chicken" nugget.	Vegetarian nachos are definitely a family fave.
Teresa Carles makes a vegan paella which is yummy.	We discovered that fried eggs translated as scrambled.
Seu Vella illuminated at night.  When we visited here before dinner, we had no idea this is where the concert we would be attending that night was being held.	A student in Miss Irina's studio, Philina Zhang, performed in a competition piano recital in Lleida, and she was PHENOMENAL.
Mateo posing with Philina and her sister Nickita at the end of the concert (we gave the flowers).	Nickita joined Philina to perform an encore at the end of the recital to a packed audience.
Every summer we go for a paddle boat ride.	This year Mateo got to paddle(!)
Mateo also enjoyed being a back seat driver.	Alexi enjoyed going down the slide into the sea.
As a family we did our annual walk around La Ronda.	La Ronda is one of Sharon's fav places in Spain.
Alexi and Mateo walked ahead and went into this cool gazebo built high above the cliffs.	Mateo poses in front of the door to nowhere, which is one of our favorite stops along La Ronda.
Mateo framed by a frame.	David framed by a tree.
Who's the movie star behind the foster grants?!?!?	Our annual family portrait taken in the gazebo.
The San Pol bathhouses are iconic, a view of a bygone era.	Of course one is never too old to make a moat in the sand.
Castell is a beautiful beach we discovered several years ago...	...its claim to fame is the pink house high above the Mediterranean.
Sharon poses in her favorite beach hat at Castell....	...while Alexi and Mateo pose in their fab pink.
Mateo and Sharon also show off their matching pink.	And it seems some pink monsters replaced MJ&AJ!
Sharon got to ride with both kids on the trolley.	Mateo and Alexi enjoyed an activity from childhood.
Mateo enjoys snorkeling in the Mediterranean with Sharon.	David loves cooking truita in the place of its origin each summer.
Alexi really enjoys our Sunday mornings in town, eating pastries and then shopping in el mercado.	Sharon loves becoming a beach bum in the summer and spending nearly every day at the beach in pigtails.
This summer we bought a bocce ball set, and enjoyed playing together as a family.	We all were basically at the same skill level, so we had different winners each round.
Towards the end of trip, we spend a night in town and go out to dinner.	Dressed in our fine summer threads, David and Sharon pose for a picture.
Catalan pride is strong in San Feliu de Guixols, where we spend our summers.	Since COVID times, we enjoy eating outdoors now at our favorite San Feliu de Guixols restaurant, Cibu.
We were soooooo excited that Cibu added a vegetarian section to their menu, including this scrumptious fake meat appetizer.	Cibu also offers their very own veggie burger, which definitely holds its own against NYC veggie burgers.
Alexi stuck with his usual pizza from Cibu.	And Mateo stuck with his usual pasta at Cibu.
The sunrises we witness from our apartment are exquisite.	As are the amazing sunsets we can observe each evening.
Who's the movie star behind the Foster Grants in those Santa PJs?!?!?!?	Mateo has been wearing his Santa PJs all year long, making true the saying, "Keep Christmas with you all through the year."
Cool colors for the botchee ball set we purchased.	Lovely sunset as seen from our balcony.
Our final day in Spain for this summer vacation began with sunrise over the Mediterranean...	...and ended with this beautiful view of Playa de San Pol on our final evening in Spain.
The sunrises seen from our balcony are awe-inspiring.	The sunsets as seen from our balcony are incredible.
After a whirlwind 6 months of teaching and speaking engagements due to her PAEMST finalist status, Sharon was so happy to have time off and go on vacation.	Spending time outdoors, walking to town, yoga on the beach, swimming and snorkeling in the Mediterranean and spending time with family were the best part of Sharon's vacay.
Vanilla sky	Illuminated moon
Final morning in Spain...an amazing trip as always.	Mateo and Alexi are already looking forward to returning to Spain next summer.
We feel so incredibly blessed to spend weeks of our summer in Spain.	And this is absolutely, always and everywhere, true.

Best of 2022

Top 10 Dessert Person Recipes (all taken from Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz)

10. Minty Lime Bars

9. St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake

8. Malted "Forever" Brownies

7. Rhubarb Cake

6. Almond Butter Banana Bread

5. Rice Pudding Cake with Mango Caramel

4. Confetti Cake

3. Plumb Galette with Polenta and Pistachios 

2. Salty Nut Tart with Rosemary

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Sharon's Best Novels (Sharon read female and male authors of Black, Irish, Asian, German, Hispanic and Native American Heritage this year)

(1) A Ballad of Love and Glory by Reyna Grande

(2) The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan

(3) We the Animals by Justin Torres

(4) After Midnight by Irmgard Keun

(5) The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Sharon's Best Nonfiction
(1) Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success by Dr. Christopher Emdin
(2) Did I Say That Out Loud? Midlife Indignities and How to Survive Them by Kristin van Ogtrop

(3) Pause, Rest, Be: Stillness Practices for Courage in Times of Change by Octavia F. Raheem

David's Best Novels

(1) Base Notes by Lara Elena Donnolly

(2) The Man Burned By Winter by Pete Zachariah

Books Read Aloud by Our Entire Family - Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by Jack Thorne

Book Read Aloud by David to Mateo - The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Best Public Art Exhibits (in NYC and Spain)

Sharon went to see these solo this year:

January - Brier Patch by Hugh Hayden in Madison Square Park 

February - Bloom by Habitat Worskhop in Time Square

March - The Pool by Jen Lewin in Industry City, Brooklyn

April - The Poem by Raul Cordero in memory of Reinaldo Arenas in Times Square

May - Fifth Avenue Blooms by Alexandre Benjamin Navel and presented by Van Cleef and Arpels & Fifth Avenue Association

June - Empower Flower by Rubem Robierb in Randall's Island 

July - Sense Fi (Endless) by Carles Torrent Pages in Parc dels Estanys en Platja d'Aro in Spain

August - Street Murals by Loraine Motti on the Coulee Verte (Parisian High Line) and Changing Spaces (Interactive Water Sculpture) by Jeppe Hein @ Rockefeller Center

September - little AMAL WALKS (Central Park, Central Park West, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn St. Anne's Warehouse, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Walk Along the Brooklyn Bridge, and in our very own neighborhood of Washington Heights outside United Palace Theater)

October - High Line Art (including Women & Children, You know who I am and Windy)

November - Ancestor by Bharti Kher presented by the Public Art Fund in Central Park

December - Lights Up Giant Red Striated Apple with Bench Inside and Cutout Green Christmas Tree with Bells Inside and a Score to Play "Jingle Bells" @ Lincoln Center

Best Public Art Seen All Year - little AMAL WALKS was the unifying art event of the season, bringing so many New Yorkers together, and the experience of walking with a giant puppet down Central Park West and over the Brooklyn Bridge was ELECTRIFYING and LIFE CHANGING

Our Favorite At Home Grown-Up Movies

(1) The Sound of Metal
(2) Arctic

(3) Riders of Justice

(4) Yesterday

(5) Valley of Love

(6) Under the Sand

(7) Dunkirk
(8) Mr. Jones

(9) The Photographer of Mauthausen

(10) Undefeated

(11) The Crucible (Daniel Day Lewis version)

(12) New Year's Eve

(13) My Octopus Teacher

(14) Show Me Love

(15) Crazy Rich Asians

(16) Omar

(17) Manhattan Romance

Best Movie Seen In a Movie Theater - Top Gun Maverick (Rumination on aging and relevance combined with Tom Cruise back on the big screen made this a PHENOMENAL movie experience)

Best Movie Sharon Saw At Home Solo - Reversing Roe (absolutely predicted and showed the 40+ year campaign the led to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade)

Best Family Movie - Shrek 

Best New Year Activity - Dave & Buster's in Times Square (our first time EVER THERE!)

Best NYC Film Festival - NYC International Children's Film Festival (Sharon took Alexi and Mateo back in-person to see Kid's Cup, a movie about an international soccer competition for kids)

Favorite People/Places/Publications to follow on Twitter

1. School Personnel Lost to Covid - @LosttoCovid

2. DOE - @DOECorruption

3. Elon Musk - @elonmusk

Best Birthday Party - Snow tubing during an early morning snowfall @ Campgaw Mountain in New Jersey to celebrate Mateo turning 9(!)

Best NY Museum for Families - Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium 

Best Parisian Museum for Families - The Louvre

Best Yoga  - Sharon Yoga Teacher June's Yoga On Demand, Emilie Brockman's MfA Yoga and Roque's MfA Yoga (all done by Sharon at home in the comfort and safety of her living room)

Best Family Cycling  - I Pedal NYC (second annual ride for us; this year we pedaled with friends Ellie and Kepfram)

Best Sharon+Alexi+Mateo Event - Ice Skating on Governor's Island during 60 degree day when ice was melting during Midwinter Recess(!)

Best Indoor Theatre Performance Seen By Our Family - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway

Best Outdoor Theatre Performance Seen By Our Family - As You Like It Shakespeare in Central Park (modern retelling so perfect for Alexi and Mateo's first time attending Shakespeare in the Park)

Most Unusual Theatre Performance Seen By Our Family - A Passion According to Matthew (performed by a Jewish theatre company) at Norte Dame Church

Best Broadway - Almost Famous & A Christmas Carol (in which the phenomenal actor Jefferson Mays played all the characters in this Christmas classic)

Best Family Member Performance - Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britton (David performed alto recorder in this opera and Sharon, Alex and Mateo were in the audience) AND Concertino in A Minor by Polunin (Mateo performed this 4 hand piano piece at his school grade level concert with his piano teacher Miss Irina)

Best TV Series - Better Call Saul

Best Travel Destinations 

* Catalunya, Spain

* Paris, France

* Jersey Shore

* Virginia Beach, Virginia

* Deer Hyde Park, New York

* Heckscher State Park, Long Island

Best Camping - beachfront cottage for fall foliage camping in Heckscher State Park (again)

Best Halloween Event - Trick or Treating in Dumont

Best Vegetarian Restaurant - Veggie Heaven in New Jersey

Best Outdoor Dining - Queens Night Market (we finally made it there!)

Best Pick-Your-Own Fruit - Alstede Farm (strawberries, apples, pears, and peaches)

Best Sporting Event - NYCFC Campeones Cup

Best Holiday Event - Manhattan Christmas Shopping and seeing the Rockefeller Tree (finally back) 

Best Christmas Surprise - Christmas Caroling in Gramercy Park on Christmas Eve (it was a freezing cold night, and this is the only night all year that Gramercy Park is open to the pubic)

Best View of NYC - High up in an airplane on our first international flight since July 2019

Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City at the End of 2022

(1) THE HEIGHTS - #LifeUptownWayBetterThanLifeDowntown

(2) CYCLING - #CitibikeisLIFE

(3) SCHOOLS - #OurKidsGoToBestSchoolsinNYC

(4) RESTAURANTS - #AmazingFoodAwaits

(5) PUBLIC ART - #OutdoorArtSeenSoloIsAJoyousandLifeAffirmingExperience

Long Island Fall Foliage Camping V2.0

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We were so blessed to once again this year be able to go fall foliage camping in Long Island.	We arrived at twilight&stayed once again in the same beautiful beachfront cabin in Hecksher State Park.
Sharon, David and Mateo all had a case of food poisoning, so we will feeling a little under the weather.	Mateo dressed festively in his Halloween pajamas, despite his upset belly.
Sharon, David and Mateo arrrived on Friday night...	....while Alexi arrived the following Saturday evening.
Mateo and I tremendously enjoy early morning beach walks together looking for shells.	Early morning beach walks in October call for sweats, sweaters and even a scarf for Sharon(!)
As the sun rose in the sky it got warmer, so Mateo and I stripped down to our short sleeve shirts (Mateo's is from whale watching in New Hampshire).	The beach and water are definitely Sharon's happy place and one of her favorite places to be, during any season of the year.
We were in Long Island for Mateo's Manhattan Soccer Club Columbus Day Weekend Soccer Tournament.	de la Nuez is ready to give his all on the field as part of PSG, MSC's premiere team.
Mateo's PSG club gave their all against the other team.	Mateo played his best despite his food poisoning.
The secret as always to a beach campfire with high winds is Purrell hand sanitizer (learned last year).	David created a roaring fire for the kids to roast their marshmallows for s'mores.
Between matches on Sunday we stopped by some indoor batting cages.	Alexi and Mateo both used to play baseball on baseball teams, before focusing on soccer exclusively.
We always enjoy playing mini-golf as a family on our fall foliage camping trip.	It was cool how this mini golf course had many ponds between holes that have gorgeous multi-color fish!
Pizza is one of Alexi and Mateo's favorite foods.	So pizza for lunch is a definite winner.
In the evening we headed to a pumpkin patch.	We selected pumpkins and future jack-o-lanterns.
An incredible sunset greeted us on our ride back to our beachfront cabin...	...and check out the amazing orange-red moon viewed from the beach over the water.
Back at the campsite it was time for some s'mores for the kiddos....	...and time for some moonlight outdoor beach yoga for Sharon.
Our favorite vegetarian restaurant on Long Island is Witches Brew. Sharon&Mateo ordered the same meal.	We had a late night dinner at Witches Brew since that is the soonest time we could get a reservation for four.
This was the view greeting us the beginning of Indigenous People/Italian American Heritage Day.	This lovely sunrise beckoned Sharon to the beach to greet the new day with positivity and possibility.
Beyond beautiful sunrise-the clouds are parting and diagonally framing the sun as it rises.	Now that he is a teenager Alexi sleeps in (with the amigs) & enjoys having his own room while camping.
The next morning Mateo and Sharon felt better, so they went for a quick dip.	This is not the coldest water Sharon has been in.  That would be the Atlantic for the Polar Bear Swim Jan 1st.
Happy Early Halloween from Long Island!	Happy Autumn from the de la Collins family!

Best of 2021

Family Adventures (from Mommy Poppin's 100 Things to do in NYC with Kids Before They Grow Up List):

January - 239 Play and Juice Bar on City Island & Skyline Drive-In Toy Story 4 Movie
February - Staten Island Greenbelt Hike

March - New York Chinese Scholar's Garden in Snug Harbor Cultural Center

April - Pier 2 Roller Rink in Brooklyn Bridge Park

May - Totally Kid Carousel at Riverbank State Park

June - Central Park Lake Rowboat & Brooklyn Cyclones Baseball Game

July - Rockaway Beach, NYC Ferry & The Beast Speedboat

August - Washington Square Park Fountain, Little Island, & The Wizard of Oz outdoor movie in Fort Tryon Park

September - Giant Piano in FAO Schwartz in Rockefeller Center

October - Blessing of the Animals (Cookie & Cocoa!) at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine

November - Horse Riding at Bronx Equestrian Center

December - Skyscraper Museum

 

Sharon's Best Novels (Sharon only read female writers this year)

(1) Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

(2) Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman

(3) A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline

(4) Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

(5) Becoming Jane Eyre by Sheila Kohler

(6) Severance by Ling Ma

(7) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Sharon's Best Nonfiction

Just Liet Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom by Kristin van Ogtrop

David's Book - Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Books Read Aloud by Our Entire Family - Half Magic by Edward Eager, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by Jack Thorne

Book Read Aloud by David to Mateo - The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Books & Stories Read Aloud by Sharon with Mateo - A Warrior's Daughter by Zitkala-Sa

Best Family Art Exhibits & Public Art

Sharon shared her love of art with Alexi and Mateo by taking them to see different art exhibits and/or public art every month:

January - Luminocity on Randall's Island

February - Celestial by ARTECHOUSE @ Chelsea Market

March - Talking Heads by Viktor Vicsek, C/C by Angela Chong (both in the Financial District) & El Dorado - The New Forty Niners by Cecile Chong @ Snug Harbor

April - King Nyani Love the Last Project by Gillie and Marc Schattner in Bella Abzug Park in Hudson Yards

May - Doors for Doris by Sam Moyer @ Public Art Fund in Central Park

June - Ghost Forest by Maya Lin @ Madison Square Park

July - Trumpeter Swans Mosaic by Juan Carlos Pinto and John Sear, sponsored by the Audobon Mural Project, @ 163rd and Broadway

August - Church and The May Room by Shantell Martin on Governor's Island and Upstream/Downstream Augmented Reality in Re-Growth in Riverside Park

September - Kusama: Cosmic Nature at the New York Botanical Gardens

October - As Long As The Sun Lasts by Alex Da Corte @ Met Museum Rooftop Garden & Metropolitan Museum of Art Highlights Tour

November - A Fountain for Survivors by Pamela Council in Times Square & Tomb Effigy of Margaret Corbin by Zaq Landsberg in Fort Tryon Park

December - The Fifth Season Holiday Sculpture Trail along Fifth Avenue

Best Public Art Seen by Sharon - Re:Growth, A Celebration of Art, Riverside Park, and the New York Spirit in Riverside Park

Our Favorite At Home Grown-Up Movies

(1) Another Round
(2) Better Days

(3) Collective

(4) Phantom Thread

(5) Here Alone

(6) In the Name of My Daughter

(7) Nomadland
(8) Sarajevo

(9) Tenet

(10) The Piano Teacher

(11) Last Christmas

(12) The 12th Man

(13) Despite the Falling Snow

(14) Promising Young Woman

(15) Vivre Sa Vie

(16) Judas and the Black Messiah

Our Favorite At Home Family Movies

(1) Harry Potter (Mateo read all the books so we re-watched ALL the movies)

(2) Vivo

(3) Monsters Inc. and Monsters University

(4) Bend It Like Beckham

(5) Oliver!

(6) Jumanji, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level

Best New Year Activity - LuminoCity on Randall's Island

Best Baking 

Sharon, Alexi & Mateo baked a different type of cookie every month from recipes in the Cookies for Santa cookbook:

January - Peanut Butter Chews

February - Chocolate Peppermint Pinwheels

March - Goodnight Danish Drops

April - Oatmeal Cookies

May - Choco-Chip Bars

June - Peppermint Pinwheels

July - Iced Chocolate Cookies

August - Chocolate Butterscotch Pinwheels

September - 7 Up Cookies

October - Dream Bars

November - Applesauce Cookies

December - Santa Claus Cutouts

Best NYC Film Festival - NYC International Children's Film Festival (virtual edition watched at home this year)

Favorite People/Places/Publications to follow on Twitter

1. MORE-UFT - @MOREcaucusUFT

2. DOE - @DOECorruption

3. PRESS NYC - @safeschoolsny

Best Birthday Party - Mini Golf @ Pier 25 in March (outdoor birthday party in the winter due to COVID-19) 

Best Museum for Families - Skyscraper Museum

Best Family Event - Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (outdoor edition)

Best Yoga  - Hatha Yoga and Soundbath with Anthony (RIP Bread and Yoga)

Best Family Cycling  - I Pedal NYC (first family bike buy Glen ride!)

Best NYC Park - Fort Tryon Park

Best Concert/Live Musical Events - Handel's Messiah at Riverside Church

Best Family Member Performance -  Mateo performing Bach & Beethoven (masked) on the piano in Merkin Hall

Best TV Series - Versailles

Best Travel Destinations 

* Surry, Maine

* Somersworth, New Hampshire

* Raleigh, North Carolina

* Richmond, Virginia

* The Hamptons, Long Island

Best Camping - beachfront cottage for fall foliage camping in Heckscher State Park

Best Halloween Event - Trick or Treating in Dumont

Best Vegetarian Restaurant - Bodai Vegetarian Restaurant in Brooklyn

Best Restaurant - White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine

Best Pick-Your-Own Fruit - The Orchards of Conklin (apples)

Best Holiday Event - Manhattan Christmas Shopping and seeing the Rockefeller Tree (finally back) 

Best Christmas Surprise - All of us being home together for the week of Christmas due to both Alexi and Mateo's classrooms being closed due to COVID-19

Best View of NYC - Uptown Manhattan on our monthly family bikerides

Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City at the End of 2021

(1) POLITICS - We are getting a new mayor

(2) PUBLIC HEALTH - It is easy to get a PCR or Rapid COVID-19 Test in any neighborhood in the 5 boroughs

(3) SOCIAL LIFE -  SantaCon brought Omicron

(4) CYCLING - Plethora of Citibikes downtown mean you are SOL to get a Citibike uptown

(5) EDUCATION - In person schools have now returned to virtual Zoom classes due to rising COVID-19 positivity rates