Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

New York Philharmonic II

Tonight, I enjoyed another musical highlight during my time here in New York.



Again, I made my way to the Lincoln Center, Avery Fisher Hall. As an interesting service, the New York Philharmonic had sent both a curtesy email message as well as a phone call to let me know how to best get there considering ongoing weekend construction at the 66 Street subway station. Christoph von Dohnanyi, conductor, seemed to create a strong pull as the 14,525th concert was completely sold out:

Christoph von Dohnanyi, Conductor
Nikolaj Znaider, Violin

Harrison Birtwistle - Night's Black Bird (2004)

Sibelius - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 47 (1902-04; 1905)

Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 (1804-08)


The concert ...

New York Keeps Caring

Thousands have been active again this Sunday for a good cause as they participated in the Alzheimer's Association's 2007 Memory Walk that took place in Manhattan, the other boroughs and across "the nation". I did not, this time, but enjoyed our late summer day with some biking in the park, under the sun and the blue sky, just by myself.

Who knows how long this beautiful late summer weather will last. It is amazing and almost a bit scary considering its past mid-October. But it is - no question asked - with no doubt better then the wet-cold late fall weather you guys have back home ;-)

In recognition of the 2007 Memory Walk, the Empire State Building blazed purple and white this weekend - as sight I don't want to deprive you of. Enjoy (while this view lasts...)














On my way home I'll stopped by Tisserie Bakery Pastry Catering at the north-west end of Union Square to pick up an oversized Luxemburgerli whose American name I was unable to understand from the shop guy who spoke better Spanish than English and a lovely dulce de leche frozen cappuccino. Tisserie's pastries are insanely yummy and the success of this Caracas, Venezuela originated bakery is unquestioned (at least considering the lines in the shop).

New York Cares Day

Fall seems to be not only the perfect timing for bike rides favoring a good cause but also the time of community and volunteer work. During another beautiful Saturday when sunshine combined with nicely fresh, almost too warm temperatures, New York Cares set out to support pressing community needs with hordes of volunteers on the 16th New York Cares Day. My company mobilized close to 100 volunteers. Together, we convened at Washington Irving High School (for some background see here) close to Union Square. The school is educational home to over 2,500 students in an surprising, 11-story building constructed in 1902 with an elegant wood-paneled entrance hall with a huge fireplace and classic wall paintings.

Our tasks: We added three wall paintings, cleaned out a couple of library archives, and re-coated the fence that surrounds the whole building. I was part of one of the outdoor teams. and we enjoyed the nice weather as we scrubbed off the rusty areas and repainted in classic black.

Views

This Saturday, the lovely weather and friends in town lured me to finally go through the trouble and the lines and go up the Empire State Building. We had a nice view and great visibility of beyond 25 miles. We agreed that the Chrysler Building still is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. This 1930 Art Deco masterpiece by architect William Van Alen is considered a 'classic beauty' and - not for nothing - was recently named the city's #1 Architecture sight by TONY (Time Out New York Oct 11-17, 2007). It measures 1,048 feet (= 319 m) including its 27 m high shiny rooftop, a "stainless steel spire representing a series of overlapping hubcaps". The roof's amazing and distinctive illumination at night are simple neon lights attached to the window frames. Initially build for the Chrysler Company with the founder's appartment located on the 67th floor, the building today houses simple offices that do not show any indication of the Art Deco style we admire at its exterior, the lobby, and the elevators. The building is not accessible to the public with the exception of its lobby.
It held the title of world's tallest building for only a few months before the Empire State Building surpassed it.

In it's background, we'll see the black Trump World building which in the same TONY ranking was names #5 Blight with the comment that "those who live inside this ginormous black slab of metal and glass are the lucky ones - they don't have to loo at it. The ominous structure, which brahsly violates the ruling against constructions taller than the nearby U.N. Secretariat building, thrusts into the skyline like a flipped bird."

Southward, we enjoy the sight of the Flatiron building (also: Fuller building), another New York landmark (ranked #4 in TONY). "At 20 stories, this triangular wonder was the city's first skyscaper upon its completion in 1902 (!)."

And further south, the financial district becomes blurred in the haze of the afternoon...

To finish the day of views, we had dinner at the Rainbow Room on Rockefeller Plaza's 65th floor. From our table at the window we had another great perspective onto the city ("priceless panoramic views"). While the food was excellent ("quality Venetian cuisine") - maybe with the exception of the unspectacular Vanilla Meringue desert that suffert from lack of vanilla - the service did not live up to the expectations promised by ZAGAT: "smooth formal service". Overall, we however agree that it is "a monumental splurge (and) everyone should go at least once". We did - and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening with my great company.

Fall Foilage II

We stayed a couple of extra days in the Adirondacks and made a trip up to Lake Placid. The weather remained an unstable friend. But walking under the colorful tree leaves multiplied the sun leaving one with a much "lighter" impression, much like walking under a sun screen.

A short hike around Heart Lake and up nearby Mount Jo along the Indian Pass Trail was well worth the effort considering the views into the foilage and over towards the Lake Placid ski jumps.

Mirror Lake at Lake Placid sure lived up to its name showing some amazing early morning pictures.

Fall Foliage I

The visit of two friends in the city, Columbus day long weekend, what other excuse did we need for a trip up north, by invitation of a common friend who owns a cottage close to the Adirondack National Park and not far from the Canadian border. First half of October - perfect time to peak the famous foliage. The weather did not fully cooperate. While Saturday was grey and rainy, Sunday spoiled us with wonderful sunshine, mild temperatures, and a mostly blue sky! We spend the day on Tupper Lake chilling out in the sun and having some fun.

Empire State Building

It's by now more than clear that this building represents New York in its special way - at least for me. The sight of it amazes me, over and over. In the morning, during the day, against the blue sky or the clouds, in the twilight or at night - for that matter. Yesterday, New York offered yet another, a new view - Empire by night with the moon right next to it. Enjoy

Season Opening

Today, a much longed season in New York has opened for me. Fall arrives and the big concert and opera houses open their doors again. Opportunity to indulge in fantastic musical, theatrical, or combined events. A pleasures of its own. An unparalleled enjoyment.

The New York Philharmonic under music director Lorin Maazel starts off the season not only with a new (and for the first time) Global Sponsor Credit Suisse which makes we feel very homey but also with a special event "The Tchaikovsky Experience: A Philharmonic Festival" (Sep 26 - Oct 16).

In the impressive Avery Fisher Hall, I was part of the New York Philharmonic's impressive 14,509th concert and enjoyed it to the full:

Lorin Maazel, Conductor
Simon Trpceski, Piano

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 (1874-75, rev. 1889)
Manfred Symphony after Byron, Op. 58 (1885)

Gedenken und Impressionen

Vor sechs Jahren geschah das Unfassbare. Ich erinnere noch heute den Moment, als ich von der Tragoedie, die sich in New York abspielte, vernahm; wo ich mich befand; womit ich beschaeftigt war. Sechs Jahre sind vergangen. Noch ist Ground Zero eine Baugrube, doch nach langem Hin und Her scheinen sich endlich die Dinge in Bewegung zu setzen, aus diesem Wundmal ein neues Wahrzeichen entwachsen zu lassen.

Bereits ist die erste Haelfte unserer Urlaubstage im Tessin vorbei. Wir haben bei herrlichem Wetter das Relaxen im Garten und die Naehe zum See genossen, haben eine steile Wanderung (insgesamt 1’400 Hoehenmeter) zum Monte Generoso unter die Wanderschuhe genommen, die uns mit phantastischer Aussicht bei herrlicher Weitsicht in alle Himmelsrichtungen belohnte. So wunderbar kann der Spaetsommer in der Schweiz sein. Und auf unseren Pfaden durch die Waelder, auf den Auen, und ueber Stock und Stein, ah ja, da faellt mir ein, was mir im Asphaltdschungel New Yorks ab und an fehlt... - Impressionen vom Tessin, enjoy:

Impressionen vom Tessin II

B-DAY

Heute ist ein wichtiger Tag. Naja, wenigstens für mich... oder vielleicht uns.

Den feiern wir gebührend. Nach getaner Arbeit und waehrend meine Kollegen in den USA noch maechtig schufften, goennen wir uns als Hoehepunkt das Menu Surprise im Restaurant Gundeldingerhof. "Seit der Übernahme des Gundeldingerhofs durch Dominic und Astrid Lambelet 1993 erlebte die ehemalige Quartierbeiz einen fulminanten Aufschwung und konnte sich erfolgreich unter den besten Adressen Basels etablieren. Der Gundeldingerhof besticht durch den sympathischen BistroStil, hervorragendes Essen und charmanten Service." Was der Gundeldingerhof auf seiner Website beschreibt, koennen wir nur bestaetigen.

Wir starten mit gegrillten Wildfang-Crevetten auf Melonensalat mit einem Honig-Curry Dressing. In der Folge verwöhnen uns Thunfisch-Ravioli an schwarzer Sepiasauce mit gruenen Erbsen. Als Hauptgang schliesslich geniessen wir Hirsch-Entrecote an einer Pfeffersauce mit Gemuesebouquet und Ofenkartoffeln. Ein wahrer Gaumenzauber. Im Vergleich etwas enttaeuschend praesentiert sich das Creme fraiche Panna Cotta mit frischen Beeren, das uns nach etwas ueberlanger Wartezeit vom jederzeit ueberaus freundlichen, kompetenten, und zuvorkommenden Personal als Dessert gereicht wird.

Wir haben es trotzdem sehr genossen. Und ganz nebenbei eine kulinarisch-gastronomische Entdeckung in meiner Heimatstadt gemacht. Uns wurde es empfohlen. Und ich koenntes nur waermstens weiterempfehlen - mit oder ohne B-DAY - wenn da nicht eine weitere Entdeckung waere: Auf Ende September 2007 hoeren die Lambelets auf, verabschieden sich vom Gundeldingerhof und uebergeben das Lokal an einen neuen Betreiber. Nun waeren die Lambelets vermutlich nicht die Lambelets und in den letzten fast 14 Jahren so erfolgreich gewesen, wenn sie jetzt das Ruder in die falschen Haende gaeben. Und so besteht Hoffnung meinerseits, dass der Gundelihof so bleibt wie ich ihn eben erst kennengelernt habe. Den Test allerdings, den werd ich allerdings erst dann wieder machen koennen, wenn ich wieder zuhause bin. Naja, ich freu mich drauf. Und wenn einer von Euch mir zuvorkommt und den neuen Gerant auf Herz und Nierli pruefen sollte, wuerde ich mich ueber die neueste Einschaetzung hier sehr freuen... Euch allen: En Guete!

Au revoir New York

I am very excited! I will be leaving the city - not quite yet for good. But for a little while. Europe - I'm coming! I will spend the next three weeks back home, see friends and family, touch base with everything, and enjoy myself. Well, almost. I still will be working, except for the 2nd week of September that I will spend in the Tessin! - Oh yeah!

This is not a good bye, this is just an au revoir. The Empire State Building is waving at me as I ride out of town towards the airport. As much as I love New York. It feels good to take some time off.

See you soon...

Ride(s) in Manhattan

In an attempt to still get some sensible "bike-time" I rode around Manhattan. Not quite the domain of a mountain bike - but then again, there's plenty of those SUVs running on Manhattan's street as well not really using any of the capabilities of some of their ancestors. As I passed by George Washington bridge on Hudson I managed to take the following snaps.

Also, on that trip, I past by a far relative of one of my other toys. Unfortunately, this Volvo 122S is in a rather pitiful condition and obviously used vs. groomed. Still funny to see an "Alter Schwede" in the streets of Manhattan. In fact, this is the second of its kind that I saw.

Breakfast at Pastis

This morning, I met a friend from grad school for breakfast at Pastis in the meatpacking district (http://www.pastisny.com/home.html). I can highly recommend their pancakes - great taste and perfect texture - just the way I like them.

Fog on Long Island

Of course, I wanted to take the bike out for a spin. Unfortunately, humidity was almost unbearable. I headed out to Long Island. But traffic was almost as bad as the weather. When I finally got past the airports and then further out it was almost foggy! Well, below an impression of what I'm talking about - view over a creak towards some impressive Hampton homes near Water Mill, NY.

Haze back in Manhattan as well - at least it does for nice pictures. My favorite Empire State Building in the evening haze.

Another Childhood Dream

It's been always a dream of mine to once own a Cannondale bike - their impressive thick aluminum tube frames, their distinctive lefty fork, and their "handmade in USA". A new mountain bike would need to be a good allrounder, offering great XC and true mountain capability as well as a full suspension. The Rush frame offers all that and more. I went for the SRAM X-9/ Shimano LX derailleur combo; the crank is a FSA Afterburner and the breaks are Avid Juicy 7. The XL frame with an extended Cannondale HeadShok Si headset fits perfectly and is a blast to ride. The Vredestein Team Replica color combination was maybe not my first choice but sure grew on me. It looks particularly slick with the supplementary CrossMax SLR wheels. Soon on a trail near you...

Veggies and Sculptures

Fabulous weather made this weekend a very nice experience! It cooled down a quite a bit which made the city much more bearable. With the sun was out it made for a very nice combination. Perfect, at least for me, to take a stroll over The Union Square Greenmarket, a huge farmers market in the middle of Manhattan, where I got myself some tasty veggies, fruit, and some fresh goat cheese. And as it seems so, I am in perfect company there, given that most New York chefs supposedly hang out there (see Kitchen report 2007, in: TimeOut New York, Issue 620). My veggies made for a lovely and healthy ratatouille - delicious, and maybe a reminder that there is still time to catch one of the few remaining screenings of this most recent Pixar oeuvres of Parisian rat Rémy and its dream to become a famous French chef. Well, while this movie is about to run out here, it seems that Europe is still waiting for its release in fall.

Something else is about to run out: Richard Serra's Sculpture: Forty Years exhibition at the MoMA is about to close (September 10). An exhibition not to miss, given that Californian Serra left one of his sculptures called Intersection on a major public place (Theaterplatz) of my hometown after it was shown during the 1992 exhibition "Transform". It's twin ("Intersection II") can currently be found in MoMA's "Sculpture Garden".

The steel sculpture Intersection represents not only an important example of Serra's work in the 1990's. It also made it on the cover page of the exhibition leaflet. According to MoMA, "the sculptural object is almost entirely supplanted by the experience of traveling through spaces created by enormous plates of steel. (...) Serra tilted four identical conical sections in opposite directions (...). The result is three distinct, contiguous spaces within a single sculpture. Despite the weight of the weatherproof steel used for this work, the sculpture presents a certain buoyancy - the four plates evoke the hull of a ship. the size of the plates (i.e. 3.6 meters high in the case of Intersection) was carefully determined; they are just low enough to allow for the sky or ceiling above to remain visible, and high enough to make a significant impact on the viewer." --- Well, keep this in mind when you - unimpressed - pass by Intersection on Theaterplatz next time and have your dog do wee-wee alongside one of those weatherproof steel giants! And even if you don't, enjoy my impressions of Intersection II as currently shown at MoMA...

Some more...

Steam, seconds...

Meanwhile, we know what happened that day. It seems it was "just" old infrastructure. No terrorism. People got hurt, the fear about what happened is still there. But life goes on very quickly in this city that never sleeps.

I have been back to the office by now recovering not only my wallet but also my laptop. Friday night, I was eventually able to snug in and was escorted to the office floor to fetch my personal belongings. After having been turned away so many times.

Still many streets are blocked and traffic jamed around that part of midtown. The "frozen zone" 'melts' by the day. My memories will not. Luckily, nothing happened to me. And - considering time and location - we all must be greatful that not much more people got hurt.

This has been an experience that will clearly leave its stamp on 'my year in Manhattan'. I could have easily done without. Having been part of it, will only make it stronger.

To soothe the spirit - some other clouds over Manhattan...

Steam

A date I will not forgot soon: July 18, 2007. I was just talking to our IT folks focusing on some problems with my laptop when we hear a rumble and shortly thereafter see a smoke cloud moving into our view and hear debris flying into the windows - on the 18th floor! What was going on? We let everything go and immediately run to the staircase. There is already people in there, making their way downstairs. The crowd is moving, slowly, too slowly for me, quite frankly. I start to really feel concerned. This is not the moment, not here nor now. I hear people crying. Finally, we reach the first floor and I run as so many others out and away. Sirenes everywhere, continuous flow of police cars, detective cars, ambulances, detective cars, fire fighters, detective cars, detective cars, detective cars. I'm headed south on Park Ave and run a couple blocks. I stop in between, look back. There is fear and there is curiosity. A crazy curiosity. What on earth happened? The smoke continues to wave skyhigh behind Park 101. I stop. As do many. Shall I stay or shall I get the heck out of here? I take out my phone. Who can I call? It's past 6 pm. Back home in Europe, everybody is sleeping. I call a friend in the DC area. Finally, I get a connection. "Hey, something is going on in Manhattan. I don't know what. Have you heard anything? Could you check and let me know?" , I decide to stay. As more detective cars and police pull towards 40th street, I even start walking back a bit. Suddenly I see single individuals covered in dust head to toe. 40th street is already blocked and I'm stopped. I finally meet fellow coworkers. Talking helps. Rumors start spreading, stories are being told. The shock seems to slowly fade. Whatever happened, it seems we were lucky. The buildings seem to stand, and while smoke continues to vapor, a curious calmness bonds everybody on the street.
As I'm standing there and waiting, stunned from what I just experienced and still am, I realize that I have nothing but my keys with me. My wallet with cash, cards, IDs is sitting at my desk. Wow, I hope to get back up there, picking up my wallet and laptop that is still sitting up there running still tonight. As I continue to wait my hopes to gain access to these belongings fade. By now, the whole area is shut down, policemen are blocking the access and I finally make my way home - with 20 bucks borrowed from a colleague from work.

Some updates can be found here: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/buildings-evacuated-after-midtown-explosion/

Off we go...

Summer is long here, the temperatures are high and humidity has settled in the city. Time to leave for a break. Goal: Two weeks of relaxation in the nature; Location: New England. Date: June 29 - July 14.



We started in Boston where we got the chance to catch up with wonderful friends we have not seen in so long. We spend time exploring the town and celebrated a rainy 4th of July with BBQ, hot dogs, and a good beer.

Our road trip brought us to Cape Cod (where we enjoyed the nature shore), Newport RI (what an Ocean Drive), Portland ME, Acadia National Park, White Mountains, and The Berkshire before we headed back to Boston where we both had to take our planes in separate directions. We enjoyed the nature and the outdoors, we enjoyed the hikes in the mountains, we enjoyed the view over the sea, we enjoyed our nights in the tent and in some beautiful, charming B&Bs. And above all, we enjoyed spending time together and relaxing from the day-to-day. We ended our trip by attending one of Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer concerts on the Tanglewood lawn on a Friday 13 and enjoyed not only seeing so many spectators picnicking in style but even more importantly Daniel Mueller-Schott's virtuous Cello playing during Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1. You get the picture, we truly enjoyed it and time past way too quickly.

Impressions from Boston

Impressions from New England Nature