crossing the brooklyn bridge.

On the Brooklyn Bridge

      Life has been hectic around here and I thought I’d give you a quick update on what Jason and I have been up to in New York. I’ve been busy completing my student teaching for in a 4th grade classroom at Bronxville Elementary. The circumstances of actually getting my student teaching assignment were quite difficult and I thought that I might have to wait for the winter semester to completely finish school. I was very blessed to have the support of my church get me in contact with the right people that made it happen this semester. I absolutely adore these children and it makes me more excited for the prospect of having my own classroom someday. 

      Likewise, Jason has also been busy with his coursework at NYU. He takes the train to Grand Central Station and a 20-minute subway to the Woolworth Building, in downtown New York City, twice a week. He’s already made friends with some of his classmates and he’s taking advantage of all that NYU has to offer: getting involved as much as he can and applying for internships through the government for this coming summer. He’s excited to come home and share with me all the new things he’s learning in  international relations, but so much of it is way over my head. We’re just starting to get the hang of our new schedules and luckily, we have still been doing fun things on the weekends. 

Just starting our walk

       Last week, we went to Brooklyn for our first time. Instead of taking the subway there (once we were at Grand Central), Jason and I thought it would be fun to walk the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan. The bridge is about a 20-minute walk that is crowded by tourists, vendors, runners, and bikes. The views from the bridge are incredible and they’re constantly evolving with every step. The views include: the skyline with the Freedom Tower that is under construction, a squinting view of the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan Bridge, a distant view of the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building, and of piers and parks below at Brooklyn Park and DUMBO (down under the Brooklyn Bridge overpass)

Incredible views

      After our walk, we immediately went down Old Fulton Street to get some food at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. There was a line of at least a hundred people out the door, but we took it as a good sign that their pizza was really good. An hour and a half later we were seated and the pizza tasted delicious. Grimaldi’s pizza is only found in Brooklyn because it uses a coal-fired brick oven, which is illegal in Manhattan. What made their pizza distinct was the crust, the mix of basil and tomato sauce, and the goat cheese. This pizza was worth the wait and we will definitely be back.

I can still taste the magnificence

      After lunch, we strolled on the pier and took in the views of the skyline and the East River. It was a beautiful day and Jason and I at least saw 10 different brides and grooms taking pictures. It still seems so surreal that we live in New York and we’re just a train ride away from the city. We were use to looking for adventure in a small town in Idaho, but here, adventure finds us and there’s no limit to the places to visit or experiences to be had.

No big deal, we walked across the BB

new city, new friends.

The Dennys

     One of the great blessings of coming to New York has been making friends with the Dennys. They've been great friends and have been able to show us things we would've never thought of doing.A couple of weeks ago, Ryan got VIP wristbands from his work for Good Morning America (GMA) for one of the summer concerts in Central Park featuring none other than The Backstreet Boys. We had to wake up at four in the morning so we could find a parking spot and get a good spot for the concert. I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy the concert. Growing up, I was more of an Nsync fan. I had to ask Jason multiple times what each of their names was and sadly Jason knew every first and last name.

Waiting for the show to start (notice it's still dark out)

The boys with the GMA crew

     When “the boys” came on stage, I felt like a teenager again. I started picking out which guys I thought were cute and of course, I sang along to all of the songs. They sang some of their classics: “I Want it That Way”, “Larger than Life”, and of course, “Backstreet’s Back”. The four of us had so much fun jumping around and getting our faces in the camera so we could be on T.V.

I loved their dance moves haha

We had a little too much fun

     The following weekend, Ryan hooked us up again with tickets and we went to Rye’s Playland – sounds creepy, huh? It was actually really fun. This amusement park was basically like a carnival/fair that never leaves. We played games, won prizes, and ate unlimited food. Unfortunately, the rides were shut down due to the storms. These storms also caused the amusement park to close four hours early.

     Before leaving, we took a look at the boardwalk where the scene with Zoltar from “Big” was filmed. Jason and I love that movie and it was definitely surreal to see the spot where Tom Hanks wished to be a teenager again. It’s also funny that the Zoltar machine has since been replaced by a Pepsi vending machine.

     Jason and I are so grateful to have such good friends already and we are excited to plan other adventures with them.

Ryan showed Jason his mad DJ skills

a taste of new york.

    This week Jase and I took our first trip into New York City and we ended up taking part in a “Food War.” It wasn’t an official one where you check a box on a piece of paper saying which place served better food. It was more of a personal survey you did so you knew which place to return to and recommend to friends. What kind of food, you ask? The best kind: cupcakes. 

      We took a train from Tuckahoe Station to Grand Central that lasted about 40 minutes. Grand Central reminded me of the wonder and awe Harry Potter had when he arrived at King’s Cross Station in London to ride on the Hogwart’s Express. Obviously it wasn’t as fabulous and we didn’t ride that kind of train, but it was still pretty neat. People were hustling to catch their train and others were sharing a drink or reading a newspaper at one of the many eateries – none of which I had ever heard of. One of the food places was our first stop: Magnolia Bakery.

      Every day at Magnolia, they have their usual vanilla and chocolate cupcakes decorated with their beautiful icing that I have only imagined eating in magazines. I was happy to see they had the cupcake I was hoping for: Hummingbird; banana, pineapple flavored cake, with cream cheese icing and pecan sprinkles. I was also happy Jason went with the Red Velvet because that was my second choice. I wanted to eat them right then and there, but we still had another stop to make. 

      We had to take a subway to near the next bakery that was close to Central Park. This place was a little more difficult to find, but it was in yet another well-known building: The Plaza Hotel. Billy’s Bakery was just as cute as Magnolia: cakes and pastries all lined up for display that reached all eyes to ooh and ahh over. Jason immediately saw the cupcake he knew I’d go for: Banana Nutella and he went for the Yellow Daisy with chocolate frosting. We felt really awkward going up to the counter while trying to hide our Magnolia bag and we were happy to find a table to finally enjoy our cupcakes.

      We started with Magnolia’s. I thought they had an unfair disadvantage because those poor cakes were carried through the hot subway stations. Perhaps nothing can make those cupcakes taste bad because I about died and went to heaven with that first bite. I think I tasted more banana in that Hummingbird than anything else, but it was the best banana I had ever tasted and the icing? Probably the only icing I could’ve licked off and enjoyed (I typically wipe off some of the usual sugar overload of frosting). Jason’s equally enjoyed his Red Velvet. Both cupcakes from Magnolia were incredibly moist and soft. They were the perfect size of cupcake without feeling sick afterward. They were definitely worth the 3 dollars and 50 cents spent on each. 

      Next was Billy’s. With the first bite of our cupcakes, we already had our decision made. Magnolia’s won, and by a landslide. I honestly thought Billy’s would have more to it, but the only thing it had more of was weight. I have never held such a heavy piece of cake in my hand. I tasted the banana in my Banana Nutella, but it wasn’t as good as the previous banana and where was the Nutella? Jason and I both agreed that the icing was too thick and too rich, while the cake was a little dry. I couldn’t even finish that 4 dollar cupcake. Our final  verdict: go to Magnolia Bakery makes the meanest cupcake in NYC.

      To work off our cupcakes, we took a stroll within Central Park. We stopped by the Maine Monument at the main gateway to the park. We sat as we watched people pass and a man making giant bubbles with soap, a large bucket, and string. 

      We hopped on a short subway ride from Columbus Circle to the middle of Central Park where we found Turtle Pond. We walked up to a small overlook into the pond and peered into the water that was covered in little green, what seemed like, miniature lily pads. Every couple of seconds, you would see, not one, but several turtle heads popping up to the surface. I have never seen so many turtles before. It was so cool! Before making it back to Grand Central, Jason and I stopped for a hotdog and enjoyed the scenery of the park. 

Can you see their little noggins poking out?

      Back at the station, we spent some time searching for some of the secrets we learned about in the New York book I got Jason for his birthday. Somehow I spotted one right away without even looking for it. I found the envelope-sized dark spot on the ceiling of Vanderbilt Hall (the one decorated with the Roman zodiacs) that was left from the original ceiling of the station. The other secret we found (we weren’t the only ones) was in a particular part of the station where the arches of the pass were made so that two people standing at the opposing corners can whisper into them and hear the other person speaking from the other side. I was actually pretty amazed at how well it worked. Apparently these “whispering galleries” are found all over the world. 

It's the small dark spot at the bottom left where the blue and marble meet.

Jason got a little closer to the wall than he had to.

      Our trip to the city was simple, but a lot of fun. I really enjoyed finding secrets that not everyone knows about and indulging in some NYC food.

rhode island anniversary.

      Well, we’ve already started to take advantage of our new location on the East Coast. We made a 3 hour drive to Newport, Rhode Island to celebrate our 1 year anniversary! We stayed at Rhea’s Inn & Restaurant: a bed & breakfast type place that had a great balance of affordability and king sized bed and gigantic hot tub comfort. Since I had never stayed at a B&B I was nervous of what to expect, but it ended up being a great experience. 
       We changed into our bathing suits and headed to Easton’s Beach. This was Jason’s first time going to the Atlantic Ocean. I’ve told him several times that the Atlantic Ocean is warmer than the Pacific, but of course he didn’t believe me until he felt it for himself. We found out later that the water was 73 degrees that day. I loved this beach. As you should know by now, I am not a fan of the water, especially water that can tackle me or has creatures that are bigger than me. Nevertheless, I was so excited to be at the beach that I jumped right in and swam further out than I ever have before. The only bad thing about the water was there was a bunch of red seaweed floating around, but the further you went out into the ocean, the less seaweed there was in the water. After swimming, we walked the length of the beach and had our pick of seashells. Jason pointed out the crab shells that had once been sideways walking crabs whose insides were eaten by seagulls.

       After showering off back at our place and getting a little dressed up, Jason and I headed to downtown Newport to have a fancy dinner at The Mooring: Seafood & Bar. I’m not usually a seafood kind of person, but apparently I was ready for anything that day. While we waited for our table, we walked around Newport and I quickly fell in love with the city. I loved all the cute shops, nautical things, and walking along the boat docks. 

      Back at The Mooring, Jason ordered a lobster for his first time, and I went with something I knew I’d like: salmon. We enjoyed the ambiance of the candlelit restaurant and watched the sun set behind the boats and into the water. Jason wasn’t exactly sure how to crack or eat his lobster. We were both laughing hard when he got advice from our lovely waitress on how to get the stupid lobster open. I was not laughing when I tried a piece of it. Jason warned me about the rubbery texture, after I had started chewing. All that mattered was that Jason liked it and that my salmon was awesome. 

       For dessert we walked to Kilwins: a chocolate and ice cream store that I literally smelled a couple of streets away (something I inherited from my mom) from our restaurant. There were so many choices, but I could not resist the way that caramel apple with nuts was staring at me. Jason went with chocolate covered marshmallows. 

       The next day, after we were sure it was done raining, Jason and I took the 3.5 mile cliff walk from Easton Beach to Bailey Beach. Had I known it was going to be such a long walk, I probably would have started complaining before we got there, but not knowing only made me complain during the walk. Luckily the breeze from the ocean made the heat bearable; however, we still managed to sweat a lot. Along the walk, we obviously had a fabulous view of the ocean and we also had incredible views of gigantic mansions from their couple acre backyards that I envied a bit. 

      A little ways into our walk, we came to a spot where you could walk down some stairs and get closer to the ocean. Jason, being the little kid that he is, decided to walk down the stairs onto the rocks and get a closer look at the tide pools. He made a small leap from one rock to another, but slipped on some algae and came oh-so-close to falling into the water. As Jason explained to me later: “One foot slipped, then the other foot slipped, then my butt started to slip and I put my hands out to catch something, but they slipped. I thought I was going into the water. It was the longest slip of my life.” That’s what this smarty-pants gets for wearing flip-flops. He also got to wear algae on his shirt and shorts for the rest of the day.

Just before the leap. . .

Bummer

      When we finally made it to the end of the walk (about 2 hours later), we realized we hadn’t figured out how we were going to get back to our car. We certainly were not about to go back the way we came, especially since the last part of the walk was mostly climbing rocks. After walking on the other side of the mansions, a pedi-cab wheeled by (essentially a cab pulled by a bicycle) and asked if we needed a lift. We hopped on and relaxed our feet while feeling extremely heavy while this skinny guy with dreadlocks pulled us up the steep hills and back to our car. Don’t worry, we tipped him well. By the time we got back to our car, we were extremely tired and decided to make the drive home. We both had so much fun and we really look forward to returning to Rhode Island some day in the future.

cowles family road trip.

      This is a video Jason made of our road trip from Idaho to New York. Jason wanted to be able to document everything that we experienced, so we took turns filming various scenes across the United States. I admit that we would have drove to our new home in Tuckahoe, NY more quickly if it wasn't for all the impulsive stops and pictures, but it wouldn't have been as much fun either. I hope you enjoy!

greetings from michigan.

On our way to New York, Jason and I had a fun road trip through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. It took us only 2 days and nearly 2,000 miles to reach White, Lake Michigan to visit my friends and family and pack up the rest of our belongings in a moving truck and head out for New York. We stayed in Michigan for a total of nine days, but each day Jason and I kept busy by exploring Michigan or clearing out my room.

Our first activity in Michigan involved leaving it. We drove with Mom and Dad to Marine City, Michigan and took a short ferry ride to Sombra, Ontario. It was a perfect way to spend a beautiful, sunny day crossing over the St. Claire River to Canada. I admit there wasn’t a lot to do in such a small city except browse in the small stores for postcards and watch several fishermen by the pier pull out gigantic fish. To finish our short trip, we ate lunch at The Aft Cabin and hopped back on the ferry and headed home. Even though we didn’t do a lot, it was fun to use our passports and spend time with my family.

I also had such a great time in Michigan catching up with friends. We went to Fenton Lake where Jamie’s boyfriend has a lake house. Jason and Buddy rode around the lake on a Jet Ski, while Jamie and I chatted on the pontoon. Later we anchored the boat and swam around in the lake and I was made fun of because I floated around in my life jacket. Before going back to the shore, Jason went knee boarding. The four of us then went to Uncle Ray’s Dairyland for ice cream and played Euchre.

Tuesday night, I went to dinner with Jamie and Nicole at Bravo! It was so fun to be together again. After dinner, and yes, more ice cream, the three of us watched women’s gymnastics at the Olympics – you have to expect that from three former cheerleaders! I absolutely loved seeing my besties again.

Our last event was driving to Holland, Michigan. Jason and I wanted to go somewhere new and close to White Lake, but we ended up driving two and a half hour drive, which is considered close for us. We went to Windmill Island where we went inside a 6-story windmill that was originally from the Netherlands. I’m not going to lie, but I don’t think I ever realized that windmills had a purpose other than for decoration. This one in particular was (and still is) for grinding grain into flour. We received a very informative tour of the windmill and the deck had a gorgeous view of the Macatawa River. There weren’t any tulips like I expected because apparently they bloomed and died early this year.

We then drove to Holland State Park where we walked on the beach of Lake Michigan. Jason was surprised at how much it looked like a beach in California except that there were no waves – or sharks for that matter. We walked up the jetty and marveled at a big red light house and the sailboats coming and going. It was a really beautiful moment to share with Jason.

A couple days later on the 3^rd of August, we packed up our furniture and belongings in a moving truck and said goodbye to my mother and caravanned to Tuckahoe, New York. My dad came with us to drive the moving truck and help us move into our new home. (There will be a post later about our road trip)