Top of the Rock

Last weekend, I took SE to Top of The Rock to for her birthday. Though I have been on the observatory deck of the Empire State Building before, Top of the Rock was something else. 

I mean, if you are on top of the Empire State, it's hard to... well, see the Empire State as a part of the concrete jungle that is New York City! Top of the Rock is unique in that it gives you the fullscape view of upper and lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Upstate NY, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, Palisades, Northern Jersey, and a lot more.

After Top of the Rock, the evening was made better by stuffing ourselves with decadent desserts at Max Brenner and then lazing around at the Newport Waterfront, gazing at the same NYC skyline which we saw top-down a few hours earlier. Somehow, that day, I realized that it (literally) took a whole another level to appreciate a city that's been a part of my life for the last decade.

Some memories-in-snaps from the day -

Empire State Building and Midtown/Downtown Manhattan

Uptown Manhattan and Central Park

My Favorite Thing About Spring!

Spring (besides allergies) brings with it something I enjoy watching. Luckily, I have a beautiful backyard, with a huuuuuge Dogwood right outside my bedroom window. And watching the tiny white flowers bloom is my favorite part of the Spring season. It's a complete transformation - from barebones of brown branches in the Winter to tiny buds that sprout the prettiest white flowers in the Spring. Then comes the best part - when the tiny flowers fall off the tree and form a plush white carpet on the lush green grass - ah, it's the most beautiful sight ever!

Sometimes, the most picturesque of sights is right in front of you.

Beautiful Backyard - Take 2!

So, after raving about how I'm loving the Fall colors - here's some snaps of my backyard -