Saturday, January 31, 2009

I finally read it:

To Kill a Mockingbird To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was glad to finally read this book since I felt a bit un-read having not read it while so many people make references to it and speak so highly of it - and they do so with good cause. I enjoyed the narrative style of the story as it was told mostly from an eight-year-old perspective with a few insertions of the narrator's older voice. It makes for an intriguing read that subtly allows the reader to grasp meanings that were intended. Harper Lee's skillful story telling and masterful use of the English language make this a must read.


View all my reviews.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Places to be in NYC and DC


I spent the last two weeks visiting my siblings, siblings-in-laws and nephew in Arlington, Virgina; and Queens, New York. While I was there I enjoyed seeing what each place had to offer, which is quite a lot. So, if you ever find yourself in the cities of D.C. and N.Y., here are some things you might enjoy seeing and doing:

D.C. area:
  • visiting the Arlington Cemetary (it's huge! and it's really peaceful)
  • going to some museums (there are TONS of great museums. This time we went to the Freer Gallary of art, but ones that I've enjoyed on previous visits were the Smithsonian, the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the International Spy Museum.)
  • Great Falls Park
  • Going for a stroll/run/bike-ride or whatever you please along the Potomac river. This time of year there are a lot of nice looking geese, but I think the spring would be the ideal time to go with all the cherry blossoms. I've never seen it, but pictures look incredible.
  • Etc., etc., etc.


NYC
  • attend a performance at Carnagie Hall
  • outdoor ice skating, that is, if it's winter. We went to Bryant Park which offers free ice skating if you have your own skates and then $12 rentals if you don't. That was the best deal we could find. Other places charged around$14 to skate on weekends, plus an additional $6 to rent. But, if you happen to have your own skates, it might be worth it to check out the Lasker or Wollman rinks in central park. It's actually only $4 dollars to be admitted to the Lasker rink, but I didn't see what it would have cost to rent.
  • Visit the MoMA and the MET. Both museums are huge! The MoMA is free Friday nights, but very crowded. The MET is a suggested donation.
  • Eat out at a Thai or Indian restaraunt. If you prefer a different kind of food, New York has everything. One night we ate at a place in Queens called Donovan's Pub, which is an Irish pub. They serve some pretty great burgers, and some would say the best in all of Manhattan. We also had some Tomales from a street vendor which were great.
  • take a run on the Brooklyn Bridge.
There's a LOT more to do than that, but those are just some starters.