Spain 2012

We vacationed once again this summer on the beautiful Costa Brava in Spain.

This year marked Alexi's 4th time, Sharon's 10th time & David's 32nd(!) time in San Feliu de Guixols, Spain.

Alexi went in the pool every single day.  He loves jumping in the water, putting his face underwater, swimming tummy and backstroke and playing with his German, French and Spanish friends in the pool.  We also had a great time going to the beach - David and Alexi loved building moats together.

We very much enjoyed daily the Spanish tradition of la siesta: la comida (shared family meal in the middle of the day) and naps (for all of us!) afterwards.

Sharon and David took a day trip to Barcelona to celebrate (a little bit early!) our 10 year Wedding Anniversary.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch at a vegetarian restaurant called Teresa i Carles and walking along the incomparable Rambla.

Next we toured the Palau Guell by Gaudi.  Absolutely amazing architecture and interior design, and signature mosaic roof design.

 







We ended our day in Barcelona on bikes.  We rented bikes and rode around the city, hailing back to the first time we rode bikes together in Berlin through the Brandenburg Gate on our European backpacking trip.

Alexi still loves driving the cars and trucks at the Festa Mayor in San Pol. And this year he had a blast riding bumper cars with David (this would NOT be allowed at theme parks in the USA!).

We enjoyed our annual walk around the beautiful Ronda, with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean.

Alexi had fun climbing the steps and attempting to open the door to nowhere (he kept trying with papi's key!), and reading on the Ronda.

Alexi enjoyed spending time with our very good German friends Nina and Sven and their daughter Ana.

For the first time this year, we took Alexi out on a paddle boat (barco de patines).  While mami and papi paddled with our feet, Alexi steered the boat.  He loved going down the slide in the boat into the Mediterranean!

David and Alexi went into town often, and Sharon joined them on trips to El Mercado and for our annual pizza dinner at Pizzeria Cibu.  This year El Mercado had one organic produce stand, which we shopped at frequently.










We had a wonderful vacation in San Feliu de Guixols.  Alexi says his favorite parts of summer are Spain, the beach, the pool and pastries!  We are truly blessed that Alexi gets to spend time in the place where David spent every summer of his childhood, creating his own special memories.

Best of 2011

Here is a compilation of our favorites from 2011:

Sharon's Novels (in no particular order; all incredibly great)

(1) Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
(2) Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
(3) To the Lighthouse by Virginia Wolf
(4) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
(5) Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Best Nonfiction (Sharon and David):

Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aaron Rolston

Our Favorite Movie Rentals

(1) Lillies of the Field
(2) 127 Hours
(3) Quest for Fire
(4) As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me
(5) Last Train Home
(6) The Fountain
(7) Inside Job
(8) Hillary and Jackie
(9) The Bank Job
(10) The Battle of Algiers
(11) Restrepo
(12) Cinderella Man

Best Spontaneous Subway Jam AND Best Concert of the Year:

Moon Hooch on the L platform at Union Square

Best Art Exhibits/Gallery Shows/Performance Art/Public Art

(1) Roof Piece on the High Line
(2) The Luminous Interval at Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
(3) Olek Crochet Room @ Christopher Henry Gallery
(4) Abstract Expressionist New York @ MOMA
(5) Kara E. Walker @ Sikkema Jenkins and Company
(6) Miru Kim @ DOOSAN (The Pig That Therefore I Am)
(7) The Mexican Suitcase and Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best @ International Center of Photography
(8) Jim Campbell @ Hosfelt Gallery
(9) Willem de Kooning @ MOMA
(10) Diana Shpungin @ Stephan Stoyanov
(11) Women in the Heights: Perspectives @ NoMAA
(12) Do Ho Suh @ Lehmann Maupin
(13) Carsten Holler: Experience @ New Museum
(14) NurtureArt Benefit (Monica's photograph from On Cloud Nine included)
(15) Tight Spot by David Byrne (under the High Line)
(16) Echo by Jaume Plensa in Madison Square Park

Best Opera: Carmen @ the Met

Best Broadway Show: Billy Elliott

Best Ballet: NYCBallet's "The Nutcracker"

Best TV Series: The Sopranos (currently watching the final season on DVD)

Best Sports Event: Yankee Game at the NEW Yankee Stadium (victory in extra innings)

Best Travel Destinations

(1) San Feliu
(2) Bilbao
(3) Martha's Vineyard

Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurants

(1) Peacefood Cafe
(2) Wild Ginger
(3) Tai Thai
(4) V Spot
(5) Counter (RIP)

Best Vegan Bakery: Body and Soul (@ the Union Square Greenmarket)

Best Ice Cream: ChikaLicious

Best Vegan Ice Cream: Lula's Sweet Apothecary

Best Shakespeare: King Lear and Romeo and Juliet Performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in an exact replica Globe Theater in the Park Avenue Armory

Best View of NYC: Car Free Park Avenue during Summer Streets Cycling Event in August


Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City

(1) Annual Fun Events: NYD Polar Bear Swim @ Coney Island, Coogan's Salsa, Blues and Shamrocks Run, Scotland 10K Run, Inflation Eve, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
(2) Washington Heights Community: Little Seed CSA, Harvest Festival, Easter Egg Scramble, Muffin Madness, Shearing of the Heather
(3) Art Galleries/Museums/Public Art
(4) Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants, Cafes, Ice Cream Parlors, Greenmarket Vendors, etc.
(5) Cycling - biking Alexi to school, bike commuting and fun rides along the Palisades, 9W, Central Park and Hudson River Greenway

Martha's Vineyard

Our fall foliage trip this year took us to Martha's Vineyard. We were very excited to visit the location where President Obama vacations with his family.


In order to reach Martha's Vineyard, we had to take a ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven. We had absolutely beautiful weather for this trip, and Alexi loved riding the ferry.


We stayed at the only campground on Martha's Vineyard, and it was our second time ever camping with Alexi. David poses with our new family tent, and we brought our folding bikes, Alexi's trailer and balance bike to do lots of bike riding on our trip.


One of our greatest discoveries on Martha's Vineyard was a place called Back Door Donuts. The line forms in the early evening at the 'back' of a bakery for some out-of-this-world donuts. David and Alexi enjoyed these donuts for breakfast our first morning in Martha's Vineyard.


We spent the entire weekend on our bikes. On Saturday we biked around the island to three lighthouses, and on Sunday we biked around the state forest loop. That's Alexi in the bike trailer.


We biked to both the West Chop and East Chop Lighthouses.



After a morning of bike riding, we headed to Flying Horses, on the National Register of Historic Places. It is America's Oldest Carousel, and since infancy Alexi has always loved riding carousels.


They look identical, though they are two different lighthouses. The first, with Alexi posed in front, is the East Chop Lighthouse, and the second is the Edgartown Lighthouse (with Alexi and Sharon taking in the view from the top).


The bluest Sound and sky - it was unseasonably warm Columbus Day Weekend. Alexi and Sharon posed in front of Gay Head Lighthouse and then gazed to the sea.



The beautiful white Gay Head Cliffs, a registered natural landmark. Alexi enters the foreground with the cliff and Gay Head Lighthouse in the background.



We had a very early ferry to catch back to the mainland, so we stopped off at the Black Dog when they opened for breakfast on our last day in Martha's Vineyard. What a fabulous fall foliage trip - we may return next year!