Best of 2019

Sharon's Best Novels

(1) The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

(2) Three Women by Lisa Taddeo

(3) Girl, Interrupted  by Susanna Kaysen

(4) Educated by Tara Westover

(5) Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Sharon's Best Nonfiction

#hiphoped: The Compilation on Hip-Hop Education: Volume 1 edited by Dr. Christopher M. Emdin - Alexi got Sharon this book as a birthday present and she is now leading a book club that includes this text at Math for America

David's Books

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Beyond the Shadow of Night by Ray Kingfisher

Deceptive Cadence by Katheryn Guare

Novel Read by Both Sharon and Alexi - Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth

Our Favorite At Home Movies

(1) Scenes from a Marriage
(2) Marriage Story

(3) Call Me By Your Name

(4) Intimacy

(5) Life Itself 

(6) Free Solo

(7) The Favourite
(8) The Forgiven

(9) American Pastoral

(10) Shoplifters (万引き家族)

(11) RBG

(12) Girl, Interrupted

Best NYC Subway Train Story - Sharon was reading "Before Night Falls" and the guy next to her engaged her in conversation since he was one of the set designers on that movie(!)

Best NYC Film Festival - Tribeca Film Festival 

Best New Year Activity 

Our family went to MoMATH, the National Museum of Mathematics, on New Year's Day and became members.  Our favorite exhibits at MoMATH are the Square-Wheeled Trike, Hoop Curves, Motionscape and Structure Studio

Best Movie in a Theater for Grownups

BlacKkKlansman by Spike Lee

Best Movie in a Theater for Kids

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory @ United Palace

Best Documentary Seen Together in a Theatre 

A Kid from Coney Island (Biopic about Stephon Marbury) @ Tribeca Film Festival

Best Documentary Seen Solo  

The Dominican Dream (Biopic about Felipe Lopez) @ Tribeca Film Festival

Best Family Movie Seen at Home - Miracle

Favorite People/Places/Publications to follow on Twitter

1. Chalkbeat NY - @ChalkbeatNY
2. Dalai Lama - @DalaiLama
3. DOE - @DOECorruption

Best Art Exhibits/Museums/Gallery Shows/Participatory Design

(1) Color Factory @ Spring Street in SoHo

(2) Disappearing Acts by Bruce Nauman @ MOMA PS1

(3) The Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya @ New York Hall of Science
(4) Gaea by Gaia Grossi, Moire 3 by Frank Michielli, and Wavehenge by Damon Hamm and Jeff Sundheim, members of the Art Students League of New York, all part of Model to Monument (M2M) in Riverside Park (UPTOWN!)
(5) Andy Warhol - From A to B and Back Again @ Whitney
(6) Parapivot by Alicja Kwade @ Rooftop Garden of Met Museum
(7) Tilted Head by Mark Manders @ Central Park
(8) Whitney Biennial @ Whitney (pretty boring and unimpressive compared to 2017 Biennial, though still some standouts)

Best Broadway - What the Constitution Means To Me

Best Shakespeare: Coriolanus @ Delacorte Theatre

Best Museum for Kids - MoMath

Best Museum for Adults - MOMA PS1

Best Outdoor Movie - Aladdin @ DRIVE-IN MOVIE Theater in Oneonta, New York

Coolest NYC Experience - Governor's Island

Best Yoga  - Mind Body Soul Yoga in the Heights with the fabulous teacher June

Best Cycling Events

NYC Century - David, Alexi and Mateo biked in the FINAL NYC CENTURY EVER.  David pulled Mateo in the red trailer and Alexi biked solo on his Green Specialized road bike.  Sharon volunteered at the Central Park Finish Line, granting cyclists their free T-shirts and commemorative medals.

Best Concert/Live Musical Events 

(1) Don Diablo at Barcelona Beach Festival

(2) Don Diablo @ Avant Gardner in Brooklyn (Sharon was in the FRONT ROW and he EMBRACED her HAND at the end of the 3+ hour show)

Best Family Concert 

Blue Man Group

Best Family Member in Concert

David playing oboe in "Bach in the Subway" with a small ensemble at 59th Street Subway Station to commemorate Bach's 334th Birthday

Best TV Series

1. Goliath (featuring the *PHENOMENAL* Billy Bob Thorton)
2. Man in the High Castle (final season)

Best Math Event - Sharon getting her Math for America Master Fellowship automatically renewed, becoming a Master Teacher II Fellow in New York City and New York State!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best Sporting Event - Mateo's first time going with Alexi to see a NYCFC Soccer Game (in the pouring rain!) at Yankee Stadium

Best Kids Travel Destination - Economy Candy & Black Tap Milkshakes

Best Travel Destinations

(1) Athens, Greece

(2) San Felui de Guixols, Spain
(3) Williamsburg, Virginia

Best Halloween Event - Trick or Treating in Dumont

Best Vegan Restaurant - Candle 79 (RIP)

Best Pick-Your-Own Fruit: Apple Dave's Orchard

Best Neighborhood Festivals: Spring Egg Hunt and Harvest Festival

Best Holiday Event: Peter and the Wolf (Works & Process) @ Guggenheim Museum

Best View of NYC: High Line

Top 5 Reasons to Love New York City

(1) CHANGE - We began this decade a family of three and ended it a family of four.  David worked in Brooklyn and Sharon in the Bronx but now both work in Manhattan.  Alexi and Mateo used to walk to school in our neighborhood of Washington Heights and now both go to screened schools out of district.  Our apartment building was half empty and now there are amenities like a gym and new neighbors constantly moving in.  Sharon was the cultural butterfly who worked hard and played harder, and now David goes out on the town, taking Mateo to concerts while Sharon stays with Alexi at home.   

(2) MUSIC -  NYC is one of the musical capitals of the WORLD.  Mateo goes to school right next door to Julliard and Lincoln Center.  Piano music fills our home early every morning and every evening, and oboe or recorder music waffles through our rooms late at night.  Sharon got to hear her favorite DJ, Don Diablo, not just once though TWICE this year: in Barcelona and Brooklyn.  

(3) SCHOOLS - Sharon is in her sixth year teaching at New Heights Academy Charter School, serving the Latina/Latino students of Washington Heights and the Bronx.  She is implementing Reality Pedagogy and #HipHopEd in ALL her classes this year, in which street and classroom cultures blend, while the students and Sharon co-construct the classroom space.  Alexi is in his first year at the Institute for Collaborative Education, the best citywide progressive 6-12  public school in New York City.  Mateo is at Special Music School, the top public music school in New York City, studying piano with Miss Irina.

(4) PEOPLE -  The families we have met at both Special Music School and the Institute for Collaborative Education have all been so supportive and pushed us to be our best selves.

(5) MUSEUMS - We love taking advantage of all the cultural treasures that exist in NYC.  This year we visited the Museum of Mathematics (A LOT since we became members), Transit Museum, Children's Museum of Manhattan, New York Hall of Science, Metropolitan Museum of Art, MOMA PS1, and the Whitney.

Fall Foliage Philly Camping Trip 2019

This year we went fall foliage camping over Veteran's Day Weekend.  It was absolutely our COLDEST camping trip yet.	We had to keep our hats and sweaters on while sleeping at night in our tent, and luckily David bought some Hot Hands to keep our hands and feet toasty during the night.
Our first stop on our day of touring Philadelphia was Independence Hall.	Independence Hall is steeped in so much history - it is where both the Declaration of Independence AND the US Constitution were debated and adopted.
Our park ranger and tour guide showed us a copy of the Declaration of Independence that was signed right here, in this room.  The chair in the back is where George Washington sat and presided over the debates.	Mateo and Alexi pictured in "the room where it happened" (according to Hamilton).
Surprisingly, even though David grew up in NYC and Sharon has lived in NYC since college, this was our first time *ever* visiting the Liberty Bell.	We always try to expose Mateo and Alexi to some American history during our family camping trips.
Famished after a morning of touring historical sites, we headed to The Tasty for lunch.  Their vegan menu was *perfect* for us vegetarians.	Why do foodies head to Philadelphia?  For Philly cheesesteaks of course!  At The Tasty we had VEGAN Philly cheesesteaks with waffle fries.
Sharon also jumped on the VEGAN Philly cheesesteak bandwagon.	Mateo decided to sample some good ol' American VEGAN pancakes.
The highlight for Alexi and Mateo of our day in Philadelphia was our visit to the Please Touch Museum.	Due to many visits to the Brooklyn Children's Museum throughout their childhoods, Alexi and Mateo LOVE indoor water exploration areas.
Alexi has gotten SOOO TALL...he is now taller than a DEER!	Mateo, too, is growing, and is now taller than a BLACK BEAR!
Fun at the Please Touch Museum with Mateo pretending to be a race car driver and Alexi pretending to be his mechanic.	Alexi is really into finance and money, so he was overjoyed to be featured on the $50 bill!
Whenever we go on day or overnight trips as a family, we always seek out carousels.	There is a carousel at the Please Touch Museum, and Mateo and Alexi both got to ride on...PIGS!
Any trip to Philadelphia is not complete unless you visit the Rocky statue...	And also run up the infamous "Rocky Steps", to reenact that iconic scene from the "Rocky" movie.
This was both Alexi and Mateo's first time seeing and hearing about Rocky Balboa (guess future family movie nights will have to include all the "Rocky" movies).	Mateo, Rocky and Alexi are ALL ready for Christmas.
S'mores are our FAVORITE camping dessert!	Whenever Alexi smells a campfire, wherever we are, he always says, "Smells like s'mores!"
Greetings from the top of the Rocky Steps...this family TOTALLY ROCKS!	You know you want to go to Philly...take a day trip there and have lots of fun with your family like we did.

Spain 2019

Summer 2019 in Spain is HERE!  Alexi and Mateo are ready for sun, surf and SOCCER!	We spend our summer vacation every summer in San Feliu de Guixols, which this year is the Sardana Capital.
For the first time this year, Alexi and Mateo attended SOCCER CAMP in Spain.  They spent mornings at the Girona Futbol camp for two weeks.	One of the BEST part of the soccer camp was meeting Girona football club pro-players, getting a picture taken with them and having your jersey autographed by a futbol superstar.
This was the first year Mateo went most weekdays with David to the San Feliu Music School to practice piano.	Mateo, like David, has taken up the recorder as his second instrument.
We still found the time to spend some mornings at San Pol beach, playing in the sand and swimming in the Mediterranean.	Mateo and Alexi really enjoy making moats together at San Pol.
Alexi is a total water rat...he enjoyed using snorkeling goggles to find treasures underwater.	Mateo tries out the snorkeling goggles at San Pol.
Can you tell that David simply loves being at Cap Ducal in Spain???!!!	Pasta and salad is the boyz FAVORITE comida in Spain!
Afternoon pool time with Mami is SO MUCH FUN!	And playing in the pool with Papi is THE BEST!!!
Mateo launches a cannonball...this is the first year Mateo was allowed in the big pool with Alexi and no parent in the pool.	Alexi and Mateo truly are best friends, who LOVE playing together in the pool.
Alexi and Mateo leave their mark by autographing the cork board in the rec room at Cap Ducal.	Mateo and Alexi continued to enjoy playing futbolin in the rec room after afternoons swimming in the pools.
Evenings were of course spent playing soccer...Mateo playing forward and Alexi playing goalie.	Dani is Alexi's age, and they LOVE playing soccer together during summer evenings at Cap Ducal.
Over the past year Sharon has become a HUGE Don Diablo and EDM (electronic dance music fan), so she was PSYCHED to learn Don Diablo would be performing at the Barcelona Beach Festival while we were in Spain.	The Barcelona Beach Festival began in the late afternoon and went all the way until sunrise the next morning.
Sharon and David LOVE going to concerts together to hear LIVE MUSIC!	Yup...we were the oldest people at the Barcelona Beach Festival fo sho.
The Barcelona Beach Festival had an incredible line-up, though Sharon was here for one and only DJ: DON DIABLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	The man, the myth, the legend (and Sharon's music bf): DON DIABLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharon is totally young at heart and ready to PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	ALL LOVE for EDM, Barcelona Beach Festival attendees and people across the globe.
Our annual tradition each summer in Spain is to walk La Ronda together as a family (Alexi is almost as tall as Sharon)!	Any answer at the door to nowhere???????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
David every year gives Sharon the best present of all....a summer vacation in Spain!!!!!	Mateo and Alexi pose for a picture on the picturesque Ronda.
A brief pause at the fountain during our walk around La Ronda to cool off.	Our annual family photo at the gazebo on La Ronda.
Every Sunday we go into town early in the morning.  First stop: La Rambla.	Alexi is old enough and speaks such beautiful Spanish that he now does the shopping for fruits and veggies in the Sunday market.
Sunday morning breakfast on La Rambla ROCKS!!!!!	Chocolate milk with breakfast is THE BEST!
Every year our kids set up a lemonade stand poolside at Cap Ducal.  Alexi started the tradition when Mateo was a baby, and now Mateo helps out.  Here he is squeezing the lemons to make the homemade lemonade.	Alexi works on the homemade lemonade by dissolving the sugar in the water on the stove.
Alexi created this homemade sign advertising homemade lemonade for sale poolside.	Delicious homemade lemonade for sale!!!!!
Alexi gets his FIRST customer at his lemonade stand!	The word has gotten out....delicious lemonade here...lots more customers at Alexi and Mateo's lemonade stand.
Every year Alexi and Mateo look forward to going out into the Mediterranean in a PADDLE BOAT!	Our family LOVES riding the paddleboats in SPAIN!
David, our fearless captain, powers the starboard side.	Alexi loves pedaling the paddle boat - he is once again on the port side.
Alexi is ready to slide down the slide on the paddle boat into the Mediterranean.	Mateo is a little scared to go down the twisty slide...Sharon stands at the ready.
For the first time this year our family discovered the vegetarian restaurant Celler de Triton.	Celler de Triton is a vegetarian restaurant located right in the heart of San Feliu de Guixols.
The owner of this restaurant gave these cool hats to Mateo and Alexi.	Patatas bravas are Alexi and Mateo's FAVORITE FOOD in Spain, so of course we ordered some as apps.
Quinoa has never looked so beautiful or delicious...	An absolutely stunning salad presented at Celler de Triton.
Postre in town means one thing to Alexi and Mateo...CHURROS.	It was REALLY cool to watch the churros being made at Jofre.
Alexi and Mateo are very excited to eat these chocolate dipped churros.	Yes, these chocolate covered churros are as delicious to eat as they look(!)
"Never stand when you can sit, and never sit when you can lay down." - sage advice for travelers	David dabbing while waiting for the San Feliu de Guixols trolley.
Ever since they were infants, Alexi and Mateo have taken a ride each summer on the Ramonet trolley.	Here's looking at you Papi...
This summer we went to the other end of Playa San Pol one morning for the kids to explore.	Alexi and Mateo love playing together in the Mediterranean.
Alexi is ready to get BURIED in the SAND(!)	Alexi is TOTALLY BURIED...except for his head sticking out(!)
Mateo is ready to get in on this get-buried-in-the-sand action.	Alexi COMPLETELY buried Mateo in the sand...except for his cute head sticking out wearing Mami's sunglasses.
Alexi and Mateo cool off at the beach with lemon granizados.	Mateo and Alexi board the trolley and are ready for the scenic ride of the Mediterranean.
One of Sharon's FAVORITE places in Spain is Las Rocas...	Sharon also likes spending time in town, posed here at La Rambla.
Alexi and Mateo are incredibly close as brothers and love each other so much.	Mateo LOVES being in Spain, especially with his most favorite possession, his blankie.
Alexi and Mateo dressed up as twins...LaCosta Brava....get it??????!!!!!!!!!	Unfortunately our friends Ferreras closed up their bakery, so our Sunday morning breakfast came from another bakery this year.
David and Sharon happily pose on La Rambla with their matching t-shirts from the Barcelona Beach Festival.	Check out that amazing line-up of EDM DJs Sharon and David got to experience at the Barcelona Beach Festival.
While Mateo and Alexi were at soccer camp, Sharon and David had time to go on hikes together.	Check out this incredible arial view.
David and Sharon hiked to La Roca Pedralta.	Pedralta is truly a spiritual wonder to behold.
San Pol held their watermelon eating contest again this year...with a NEW CONTESTANT!!!	Mateo is SUPER competitive...and he is totally ready to WIN!!!
Mateo and Sharon tremendously enjoyed the San Pol Foam Festival...Sharon remembered her bikini this time(!)	Sharon LOVES chai lattes, so she was very happy that David discovered a cafe in town that has her favorite beverage.
Every year our family loves taking a day trip into Girona to go to our FAV vegan restaurant - B*12.	David enjoys his annual fritz-kola at B*12.
Mateo and Alexi have been vegetarian their entire lives; they love eating out at vegan restaurants.	David and Sharon show off their delicious vegan entrees at B*12.
Family pool time is the absolute GREATEST!!!	Los hermanos have so much fun in la piscina.
Mateo loved being in the big pool, wearing goggles and swimming laps (just like Mami!)	Mateo and Alexi had LOTS of fun in the big pool together this summer.
Sharon loves art, so every summer she goes to CarmenThyssen to see their current exhibits.	This beautiful painting, part of the "De Sorolla a Picasso i Valdes" exhibit, caught Sharon's eye.
Ever since Mateo was born, we spend at least one day on a beautiful beach called La Conca.	Ice cream at the beach may be the reason why Mateo and Alexi LOVE going there!
This family LOVES spending our summer vacation at the Mediterranean.	Mateo really enjoys boat rides and cannot WAIT to be able to pedal the paddle boat one day.
During one of our last nights in San Feliu, we always go dressed up into town for a family dinner.	These incredible cuties are such amazing human beings...we are so very blessed.
David and Alexi cannot WAIT to dig into this Cibu pizza - since pizza is their FAVORITE FOOD!	Mateo and Sharon pose in front of this pizza and pasta - Mateo and Alexi's favorite foods.
Mateo and Alexi pose in front of the King of Spain from Gigantes and Cabezudos.	All hail the queen...Mateo and Alexi pose in front of the Queen of Spain.
Ice cream cones with smurf ice cream are the perfect end to this night on the town.	Mateo was able to continue playing piano throughout this summer despite lack of air conditioning.
Mateo woke up in Spain on his half birthday...he was super excited.	Surprise half birthday present for Mateo and gift for Alexi...a visit to Camp Nou and tickets to the "Be Messi for a Day" Soccer Experience.
Messi is Mateo and Alexi's FAVORITE soccer player...they were so excited to "be like Messi".	In these tents Mateo and Alexi got to engage in different fun soccer challenges.
Our family was SOOOO EXCITED to be actually at field level in Camp Nou where FC Barcelona plays.	Being on the field at Camp Nou is a DREAM COME TRUE for these FC Barcelona fans!
These FC Barcelona fans had a PHENOMENAL summer vacation in Spain.	Alexi and Mateo cannot WAIT to return to Spain next summer for more soccer, surf, sun and FUN!