NY Giants Out of the Playoffs

I have not been here for a while. I come with sad news. With the Giants having clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed, that turned out to be a big break for the Vikings as they to wrappped up a division title on today at the Metrodome. Score 20-19 last quarter touchdown and field goal - the tears rolling down my cheeks.

Holiday in New York

Up Coming Events

Central Park Creche8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.Each December, a creche goes on display at the Grand Army Plaza in Central Park. This…Location: Central Park, ManhattanCategory: Cultural, Free

Christmas Tree and Poinsettia Sales at the Farm9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.Popular varieties and sizes of trees, evergreen wreaths, and poinsettias will be for sale.…Location: Queens Farm Museum, QueensCategory: General Events

New York Botanical Garden: Holiday Train Show10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.This annual family favorite returns with model trains traversing a magical landscape that…Location: Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road Category: General Events, Kids

Union Square Holiday Market 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.‘Tis the beginning of the holiday season, and that means the return of the Holiday Market at…Location: Union Square Park, ManhattanCategory: Free

Columbus Circle Holiday Market10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.It's December and that means the return of the holiday market at Columbus Circle. More than…Location: Central Park, ManhattanCategory: Free

Owl-Prowl10:00 a.m.Winter is the best time to see wild owls in New York City. Don't miss this opportunity! Location: Pelham Bay Park, BronxCategory: Education, Free, Nature

Duck, Duck, Goose10:00 a.m.As the weather gets cold, the birding gets hot. Join the Rangers as we look for ducks and…Location: Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, QueensCategory: Education, Free, Nature

Broadway Billboards at Socrates Sculpture Park10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.Come marvel at these preview sets from Lincoln Center's 2009 November performances,…Location: Socrates Sculpture Park, QueensCategory: The Arts, Cultural, Free

The New York Botanical Garden: Gingerbread Adventures10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.In the hands-on Gingerbread Adventures program at The New York Botanical Garden, children…Location: Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road Category: Education, Kids, Nature

Winter Scavenger Hunt11:00 a.m.Explore the nooks and crannies of Fort Greene while searching for hidden treasure. …Location: Fort Greene Park, BrooklynCategory: Free, Kids, Must See Events

Thursday, December 25, 2008
Fitness Walking Program7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m.Join us for one hour of walking, stretching, strengthening, and body toning using only the…Location: Fort Tryon Park Zone 1, ManhattanCategory: Athletic Events, Free

Central Park Creche8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.Each December, a creche goes on display at the Grand Army Plaza in Central Park. This…Location: Central Park, ManhattanCategory: Cultural, Free

New York Botanical Garden: Holiday Train Show10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.This annual family favorite returns with model trains traversing a magical landscape that…Location: Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road Category: General Events, Kids

Broadway Billboards at Socrates Sculpture Park10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.Come marvel at these preview sets from Lincoln Center's 2009 November performances,…Location: Socrates Sculpture Park, QueensCategory: The Arts, Cultural, Free

The New York Botanical Garden: Gingerbread Adventures10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.In the hands-on Gingerbread Adventures program at The New York Botanical Garden, children…Location: Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road Category: Education, Kids, Nature

Exhibition: A Mid-19th Century Christmas12:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.See how the Tredwell family 'kept' Christmas, 1850's style. The parlors will be…Location: Merchant's House Museum (29 East Fourth Street)Category: Cultural, Education, Tours

Big Apple Circus "Play On!"12:30 p.m.If music be the food of love, “Play On!” So begins the Big Apple Circus’ 31st…Location: Damrosch Park, ManhattanCategory: Accessibility, General Events, Kids

Musical Puppet Show: Peter Pan & Adventures in Never Land12:30 p.m.City Parks Foundation is proud to announce the launch of Peter Pan & Adventures in…Location: Central Park, ManhattanCategory: Cultural, Kids

Big Apple Circus "Play On!"4:30 p.m.If music be the food of love, “Play On!” So begins the Big Apple Circus’ 31st…Location: Damrosch Park, ManhattanCategory: Accessibility, General Events, Kids

Veterans' Day in New York

http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/upcoming_events/events_search.php?c=2008-11-11&id=152002
2008 New York Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

This parade and festival is the largest of its kind in the nation, providing an opportunity for New Yorkers and visitors from across our country to honor those who have fought in America's wars.

Election Night 2008

Brooklyn

Harlem

Time Square

First Family

In a vote of historic proportions yesterday, Senator Barack Obama became President-Elect of the United States of America with a 52% majority in the popular vote, and more than 349 electoral votes. Over two years of campaigning was resolved with a record voter turnout, as the Republican candidate John McCain conceded graciously at 11:20 pm eastern last night.

More Pictures -http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/11/the_next_president_of_the_unit.html

Giants Good for Another Super Bowl

http://www.giants.com/

Giants defeat Cowboys, 35-14 Giants improve to 7-1 and remain undefeated at home by Michael Eisen, Giants.com

POSTGAME NOTES Giants.com's Michael Eisen's Postgame Notes, anecdotes and statistics from the Giants’ 35-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Giants Stadium. The Giants improved to an NFC-best 7-1 overall and 5-0 at home. It is their best midseason record and their longest winning streak in Giants Stadium since 1990, when they were 8-0 and won their first seven home games. - READ MORE POSTGAME

White Castle

Does anyone remember White Castle? There were the tiny hamburgers before the Golden Arch. First fast-food hamburger chain ever. White Castle actually started in the 1920's I found out from their website. I remember being able to get 10 burgers for $1.00 or a "sack full." I tried the frozen burgers from the grocery. Just not the same. If you are going to try the frozen ones, best not to put them in the microwave! It says microwaveable - DON'T!

The website has a timeline. Until I read the history, I never realized the patties had five holes. The holes made the burger cook faster - interesting. I only opened the burger to check for the onions, pickle and ketchup. Never noticed those holds. white Castle was opened 24 hours, a true New York restaurant.

From a Press Release: White Castle was founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. The company owns and operates 400 units in 11 states and is considered to be the first fast food hamburger restaurant. Its unique steam-grilled hamburger is the featured ingredient in the company's third recipe book, "By the Sackful: Recipes from 85 Years of White Castle Craving," now on sale via www.whitecastle.com or in select bookstores.

Ghost Haunting in Brooklyn

Time for ghostly sightings. I lived in some old brownstone and limestone buildings in Brooklyn. No doubt they were built in the 1800's. When I lived there I thought they were built during the French-Indian War. They were not new and shiny like the new highrisers going up. I especially wanted to live in Manhattan. That's where all the tall buildings were.

My family owned the brownstone in Brooklyn back to when my grandfather was a boy. Since we were not the first to live in the house, I just knew some old people had lived and died there. Just couldn't prove it. The paquet floors creaked, and the cellar (not basement) was dark and damp. The only reason to go down there was to put coal in the furnace during the winter. Sometimes to my miss fortune, my grandfather would throw the chairs down into the cellar from the backyard. There was no grass in the back, just a concert yard. My grandmother put her plants out there during the summer. She and grandpa would sit out there on summer evenings. I hang out on the stoop, a much better place. Anyway, when the weather got too cold to sit out, my grandfather would sometimes toss the folding chairs down the cellar stairs, to keep the snow off them in the winter. I had to go down and put them away 'neatly.'

I hated it down there. It was dark, damp and spooky. When the furnace was turned off the draft blew through, making terrible noises. There was just one naked light that lite nothing. The windows were high up, because the cellar was below the street level. They were useless for adding any day light. I tossed those chairs in the corner 'neatly' and got out of there. It seemed funny to me that I had to go down there to help my father shovel coal into the furnace. I was so happy when we got the oil furnace.

Most of the time I was outside. When in the house there was usually someone home. My grandparents lived on the first floor so they didn't have to climb the steps. The second floor was the parlor floor (living room) and our kitchen. The bedrooms were upstairs.

I didn't know it then but Brooklyn was full of cemeteries. I had to go to a funeral at Evergreens Cemetery once. It was noted that there were a lot of supernatural events and ghosts in Brooklyn due to its "cemeterial environment." There were many cemeteries here and in Queens, many established during the 19th century as the original burial grounds in Manhattan became full and closed to new burials. The kids designated at least six houses on the block as haunted, but mine was not one of them.

The New York City Blackout of 1977 was an electricity blackout that affected New York City from July 13-14, 1977. Of course my sister and I were home alone. My grandparents were visiting my aunt. My father was on his way home from out of town. My mother took a job for the summer, and this day she worked late. She and my father were on their way home when they got caught first in delays on the subway; then in the blackout. My sister and I didn't know that. No cell phones at the that time. It was a job trying to find a working phone in the subway.

My sister and I were OK until it got dark. We were outside and knew nothing until the street lights didn't come on and it was dark. See the street lights were our clock. You had to be in the house when the street lights came on. The house was dark too, since the lamp I turned on couldn't work with no electric.

All the kids beat it home, if there mother's did not already call them in. I tried to get before the last fickler of daylight so I could find the flashlights. I had to turn on the gas stove in my grandparent's kitchen on so I could get some light to find grandpa's flashlight. His was the easiest to find since we used it to find the light in the cellar.

We use to hear the floor creaking and people walking up the stairs all the time. There was usually an adult home. Mother always said we were hearing the people next door, or someone in the house moving around. Tonight, we heard all that and more, and there was no one home but two kids. By this time it was too dark out to go to the neighbors. It was the first time I saw stars in the city. First, we saw someone or something in the upstairs hall. That was bad because that's where we were headed. Then we heard the sound of the couple arguing next door. The problem is that there was a nurse on one side and two guys living on the other side and no one ever heard them argue. Next someone was knocking on the door upstairs. When we got up, there was no one anywhere. The block was empty. So my sister an camped out on the second floor steps until we heard the neighbors coming out on their stoops. That's where my mother found us playing with the flashlight. We had to go to the bathroom soooo bad. When we told her about the 'ghostly sounds, we sat on the stoop until my father arrived and found the rest of the flashlights. We all slept in the parlor that night. My sister and I were never left home alone. There was never any explanation given about what we heard.