Davis D. Janowski

We had our last---and very enjoyable---meal in Prague here prior to returning to the States. Fun atmosphere, pleasant staff and good service. The pizzas a few of us had were wonderful (I especially enjoyed my Napoli) as was the pasta and starters (the baratta was exceptional). Italian-loving Americans will feel right at home.

I've come here many times. I often stand along the eastern base of the fence and close my eyes for a moment. Opening them you can easily be transported to a hilly heath in Ireland. Despite my surname, much of my genetic makeup is Irish, though they came over before the famine. While at least one reviewer seems to have missed the entire wall of quotes and statistics along the monument's sides, they are nonetheless there as are audio recordings of readings and poems as you enter the hallway entrance. It is a beautiful site no matter the time of year.

Spied it from my kayak (see it at the beginning of the accompanying video) last weekend and did not know what to make of it. I have not been atop The Hills since 2019, before the pandemic and did not recall this. Fascinating, once you know how it was made and have that trigger what you think...until reading the description I thought it the ugliest garden storage shed ever created.

One of several places I've regularly launched my folding sea kayaks here in NYC over the years. It is also a stop on my kayak-or paddle-board-based Midtown History Tours out of Manhattan Kayak Company. The John Jay Harvey fireboat, now retired but still functional as both a fireboat and tour boat helped put out the fire on the SS Normandie in 1940. There are several other things of historical interest to see as well, including the light ship Frying Pan, built in 1929, and the floating railroad barge. The series of photos with the red kayak on a care and puppy are from way back in 2003. Rest in peace my beloved Nixie.

The exteriors of these homes appear to have not changed at all since my last photo visit in 2009 (when my accompanying photos were taken).