Good morning, San Francisco!

The end of journaling our special 'holiday', especially crossing the Atlantic on the 101st anniversary of Bill's dad's crossing when he immigrated from Ireland to America.

Good morning, San Francisco!

Jersey Shore - my childhood home

Then we headed to the Jersey Shore to spend the night and a wonderful visit with Jack and Mary Lou - but not before Jack showed us all the damage - and re-construction - from Hurricane Sandy. The people who own our former summer home were in their yard, and stopped to talk with them. Their beautiful new home now on stilts designed with the same foot-print of our home but with a second level and wrap-around decks. I was three years old when our family first went to the Shore for our summers; then charming cottages, now mini-mansions on the valuable waterfront, especially in the rebuilding after Sandy. So many homes, though, are still uninhabited waiting to be torn down and rebuilt.

Lunch in Piermont NY

Rebuilt childhood home - on stilts

Rebuilding after Sandy, early 1950s cottages in center

Brother Jack

On our last day in New York, my brother Jack and sister-in-law Mary Lou picked us up, and went to the Bronx to Woodlawn Cemetery where we visited our family plot, which goes back to the 1860s. Woodlawn is a ‘showcase’ cemetery of New York’s elite (and many that weren’t - like mine!). Jack and I always loved going there as kids; we would play and run around the many mausoleums and monuments; quite an outing at the time. I also had to visit Arabella Huntington’s monument; I talk about her on my Nob Hill tour. 

with Jack

family plot back to the 1860s

with Arabella Huntington

High Line

So many had told us to make sure to walk the High Line, and it did not disappoint. We really weren’t sure what to expect, and it’s certainly a New York gem of a ‘park’ - a beautifully landscaped meandering walkway over an elevated fright rail line on the west side. It felt like an old-fashioned Sunday promenade among the thousands enjoying the day. Also went to Eataly to see what all the hullalaboo was about; it’s like being in Italy heaven - all sorts of food to buy, eat and drink on site, restaurants, cookware, gifts - great ‘stuff’.

at Penn Station & 2 Penn Plaza where Bill worked at IBM

Ellis Island

The day after our Bridge walk, New York really cooled down and got breezy; fall definitely in the air. Took the ferry to Ellis Island. If one can say entry into a feared site of immigrants is beautiful, it was, and the experience of those processed was well displayed in the museum.

New Jersey

We trained to NJ (Westfield) to visit with Bill’s dear, dear cousin Ruth, who is in an assisted living home. Even though frail, Ruth’s beautiful spirit and twinkle was still there, and we reminisced and laughed about so many memories of years ago. We had lunch at Cousin Barbara’s and Chuck’s with Cousin Jimmy, too. What fun to be with them again.

Brooklyn Bridge

Bill has always wanted to walk the Brooklyn Bridge (en-gin-eer that he is), and it was a beautiful warm day for a fantastic walking tour of the Bridge and Brooklyn Heights. We also took another walking tour of the Tenements of the Lower East Side which we enjoyed, especially because we were on Delancey Street (Foundation) which I talk about on my Billionaire’s Row walk. A big day not over yet; we went to the Opera that night, too! What a thrill to be at the Met; fabulous production of Carmen, the singing so exquisite no nodding off that night! 

9/11 Museum

Our primary focus in New York was to visit the 9/11 Museum. The experience of standing by the two pools, touching the names, the tour of the Museum (so impacting but not overdone). The magnitude of the tragedy so real; the feeling of reverence everywhere.

Carnegie Deli

Upon arrival in Manhattan, went straight to the Carnegie Deli; it’s really all about the pickles!

Pastrami for 1? 2? or 10?

It's all about the PICKLES!

Hello New York!

Arose 4:30a for a thrilling entry to New York Harbor under the Varrazzano Bridge and by the Statue of Liberty.

Farewell QM2

Masquerade Ball

Our last formal night (of which there were four), we donned our masks for dancing in the ballroom, the pix here of our Brit dining room table mates. Lots of laughs over cocktails and dinner.

Silva and Peter

Judith and Nigel

QM2 Deck Walking

Most mornings we enjoyed sunrise rounds on the deck, 3 laps 1.1 miles, then coffee on our balcony before breakfast.

What a difference ....

... 24 hours makes! From beautiful, calm sunrise yesterday to (last night's) and this morning's Gale Force 10. Captain's Noon announcement we've changed course northwesterly for a smoother sail and to avoid tropical storm Faye to the south. Will be 17 miles north of Titanic resting spot 5:00p 13 Oct (Noon Pacific time).

Gale Force 10 - 13 Oct

Sunrise - 12 Oct

Longer than three football fields

I have always prided myself in my sense of direction; however, on this ship, I turn the wrong way from any of the four elevator stations in every passageway every time no matter where headed. All passageways longer than 1100 feet!

Stateroom passageway, longer than 3 football fields!

QM2

We can do this!! Absolutely beautiful iconic ocean liner; very smooth sailing, Very lovely, roomy stateroom with balcony and deck chairs, dining room beautiful, food delicious; even playing duplicate bridge. Anything anyone could imagine to keep busy, or not; walking 1.1 mile promenade deck a few times around every morning, again late night.

Kew Gardens

What a lovely day at Kew Gardens. Absolutely beautiful: all trees, shrubs, plants so well tended by major volunteer hours above the 200 gardeners employed. We enjoyed an hour's tram ride about the gardens before we took to our feet strolling for a couple of hours. Alan, our tram driver was a joy to talk with; he loves opera, and loves his retirement volunteerism (at the gardens). That's a familiar theme with us, too!

A V&A Day

It was all Victoria and Albert today: the V&A Museum, and especially enjoyed the (John) Constable: Making of a Master exhibit, a walk to St. James Park where we saw the beautiful Royal Albert Memorial Statue, and across the street the Royal Albert Hall. Looking forward to dinner at the French restaurant Mon Plaisir on Monmouth St at the Seven Dials (streets) charming neighborhood.

Royal Albert Memorial Statue

Royal Albert Hall

We can always find a WATT St

Mon Plaisir

Walking, walking

Oh, the wonders of walking around around London! Especially moving were the over 888K poppies on the Tower grounds in memory of the British lost on the centenary of the outbreak of WWI.

Just some of the over 8888K Poppies at the Tower

Walked over the Tower Bridge

16th c Golden Hind, on which Sir Francis Drake sailed the CA coast

In Greenwich, the 18th c. Cutty Sark, similar to our Balclutha

Telescope at Greenwich

How's this for a telescope, Steve? - The Great Equatorial Telescope in Greenwich.

Greenwich Mean Time

Beautiful river boat ride on the Thames to Greenwich.

Exactly Noon GMT 

A few seconds later 

London Day 2

Just a kick to have breakfast with Los Altos friends Pat and Don also visiting London; afterwards, they off for shopping, we to the Churchill War Rooms, then back to apartment to await cousin Anne, daughter Sharon and granddaughter Beth from Shropshire. Cleared up beautifully after a rain storm for the loveliest afternoon walking through Westminster and St. James Park and dinner on the bank of the Thames. Sharon and Beth returned home late-night train, Anne to stay with us throughout in London.

Anne, Beth(any), Bill, Sharon

Hello London!

Arrived early Friday morning, rested, Bombay Indian restaurant for dinner, enjoyed strolling in Covent Garden before opera Rigoletto at night - so fabulous we never nodded off!

Throngs celebrating Friday night at the Pubs

More celebrants 

New (suspended) Artwork Covent Garden

Intermission at the Opera

National Anthem at the Ballpark simulcast of La Traviata

Attending AT&T Ballpark simulcast of La Traviata with friends Janet and Sam - Great fun!
And, with sons Steve and David (and Gina and Susan), too - Terrific!
AND, with grandchildren Kyla and Cassidy, and Hayden and Hailey - Love!
AND, that they were mesmerized by the music and seeing Pa on the big screen - Priceless!
And, the National Anthem sung by the winner of a contest, San Francisco style - Nearly Priceless!
http://youtu.be/DXQWS7l9PcE

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Dad would have been 102 today! 
Maplewood's (NJ) 'Finest' with Dad in the lead; on a horse, too, in his leisure time.