A Day in "The City." The last time we toured the city was before 9/11 so on December 29th the Lind Clan decided to do some sightseeing. Approaching the Midtown Tunnel from Queens' Howie said to the kids, "Watch and you will see the Empire State Building." After coming out from under the East River, which is not really a river but an estuary, Amelia kept saying, "Where's the Vampire State Building?"

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Parking is expensive in the City. Early bird specials are $28 for the day but if you come later it can be $8 an hour and you have to walk up a long underground tunnel. You walk a lot in the City but the kids got tired so we cabbed to Lincoln Center and saw "The Young Black Stallion" at IMAX.

We asked a woman, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall and she said, "Practise, practise." So we walked South to Columbus Circle and Carnegie Hall.

The walk brought back memories:

In 1993 we were in New York for June's 59th birthday and Howie surprised us by picking us up in a white limo from Long Island. He then took us to The Russian Tea Room which is next to Carnegie Hall. It is closed now. When we got out of the limo a guy asked us for any change. Arnie put his hand in his pocket and dropped whatever small change he had into the styrofoam cup. The guy looked in the cup, saw it was Canadian money and dumped the cup into the gutter. Now you have to realize that when we were in Regina our game while walking was to find money. We usually found it at the rate of a penny a kilometer so the small change in the gutter represented about 65 kilometers of walking and searching. Arnie stared at it in the gutter and bent over and picked it all up. The bum couldn't believe it. We then went in and had a great dinner. Arnie had Beef Stroganoff of course. If you remember the movie Tootsie, the interview for 'her' first job took place there and we sat at the table where the camera was.

When we had finished, the bum had left for better pickings and the limo pulled up and took us to see Miss Saigon. After the show (it had a real heliocopter in it), we strolled out of the theatre, the crowd parted as our limo pulled up, wondering if we were rock stars or at least friends of Donald Trump. The magic evening was not over. The limo took us to Rockefeller Center to see the "Tree" and the ice skating. Then we went for drinks at the Rainbow Room. Did you see Sleepless In Seattle or if you are as old as we are you will remember An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr? Well again we sat in the booth overlooking the table where Meg Ryan met to give the ring back to Ross Malinger before gazing at the Empire State Building with its Valentine heart lit up. The only thing missing was that they weren't playing Celine Dion's When I Fall in Love or A Wink and a Smile. The whole evening was magic.

Continuing our tour of Mid-Town Manhattan, we walked to the biggest crowd we have ever seen at a store. There are two American Girl Place stores in the world, one in Chicago and this one. People were flying in from Japan to buy one of their fabulous (and very expensive) dolls. The crowds were lined up for blocks. After you buy your doll you can make appointments at the hair salon and the restaurant for the two of you. After a long time Mia and Alicia got in and bought a doll and extra outfits. The "Tin Man" was twisting balloons.

Finally they came out with the doll, a beautiful one named "Kit" in the style of 1934. We then had to take her out to supper.

Finally, the last set of pictures: New Year's Eve at the Louis XVI in Patchogue on Long Island. Good thing Arnie wasn't the designated driver.

We arrive at La Guardia Airport on December 18, 2004.

We celebrate Chanukah 2003, December 19 to 26.

Chess, Hockey and Static Electricity.

Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Captain James Kirk, and Spock.

Christmas Morning 2004.

Big Boxing Day Party at the Lind's home.

Street Hockey -- Canadian genes eh!

Created: December 29, 2003 Revised: January 10, 2004