Staten Island time

Jeff with the new World Trade Center behind.
Lovely building 1776 feet tall. Just opened 11/3

We have had an improbable and delightful linking of islands in these last few weeks. It began on Long Island where we stayed with our friend Karen Allen and her lovely dog Lily. Fall colors at their best and we enjoyed time cooking, laughing, sailing and a quick trip into the City to see our friend Alessandra Levy (daughter of the fabulous Geri Levy) perform with her group.

From there it was a short drive to Staten Island. We wanted to visit NYC without paying more for parking then for our room. Staten Island was a perfect solution. With the free 25 minute ferry to the lower end of Manhattan only a half mile from our fire house apartment, hosted by Suzanne and Anthony, it was an easy jaunt into the city. The new bike share program was our friend and the incredible indian summer days provided a great four days of island experience on Manhattan. Our remarkable and talented nephew Byron lives in Harlem so we got to see him a few times. We walked the Brooklyn Bridge, rode the park, saw Motown and got a vip pass to the Empire State Building thanks to Byron. And MoMA. Oh my. No place like NYC.

The view up the Hudson from the Empire State Building

After Manhattan, we jumped on the NJ turnpike and headed for the eastern shore of Maryland, there Tilghman Island. Waterman, crab cakes, ducks, dogs, deer and the big skies around the Chesapeake River replaced the concrete and crowds of NYC.
we visited more with Karen, at her house on

With a quick two day drive to inland to Atlanta, we visited our sister in law LuAnne and left our car and warm clothes with her and caught a plane to the island of Bonaire. Flipflops, dive shops, fish and gin clear water for the next 30 days.

Karen's Simplicity Cottage on Harris Creek, Choptank

Standing on the dock of the bay.

Lily, the wonder dog.