direction

Again, playing to the word theme ... today's word is 
direction 
And its a funny story  
At least it is to me  
When Kate came into the city this past Saturday she drove up from Maryland 
we planned on her parking near my apartment.  
She was going to stay with her son overnight downtown 
so 
I was going to drive her there
 and
 then 
on Sunday morning, 
I'd pick her up.  
  
Parking in my 'hood is usually easy 
but 
Saturday morning there wasn't a open space anywhere  
she did finally find a spot on Riverside Drive 
and
 asked two passersby if it was legal, 
both said 
yes.  
Of course as soon as she walked up my street a spot opened 
and 
was snapped up by an SUV that had been waiting
no biggie
she was parked

Later we discovered it wasn't legal at all
 and 
she'd gotten a parking ticket!  

So much for saving on overpriced indoor parking downtown. 

We decided not to think about it 
to just go on and enjoy what was looking to be a perfect day 

The Carousel was closed but there was still a lot to see
(click on any photo and it embiggens)
like the Dairy where there is now a gift shop 
and 
the new tenants are much smaller

Those needle like things 
are to keep pigeons 
from nesting there 
and 
dropping bird poop all over
however 
these house finches are a lot smaller
and smarter 
but no less 
poopy

There are a lot more photos of our day in park 
I'll be sharing them here and over at my photo blog
and you can see some at Kate's blog
but 
the theme today is direction, 
remember?

After a lovely day out, a yummy dinner ordered in and two super movies watched
we decided it was time for me to drive Ms Kate
It was an easy trip, across town and then downtown
it took maybe 25 minutes
After she got out, I turned right heading toward Third Avenue
What I didnt realize is Third goes two-ways down there 
and 
I made a bad call turning 
left
I soon realized I was heading in the wrong direction
making a spur of the moment decision 
I turned 
left 
again 
beginning to look for a cross street that would take me 
west
I somehow found my way to Sullivan Street.
I know it leads to Sixth Avenue
but 
of course I was going in the wrong direction!
Soon I was really feeling stupid
when
 I remembered that my iPhone has a compass!
A compass!
DUH
At the next stop light I opened the Compass
 South East?
Totally the wrong direction
DUH
Looking around I spied a sign 
WESTSIDE HIGHWAY
Yes!!
Turning right I headed to what I knew would take me home.
at the Westside Highway 
I saw a sign
Manhattan Bridge
Uh Oh
That's not the direction I want so I turned 
LEFT
in a few minutes I realized 
once 
again 
was 
LOST
 this time it was easy to figure out how to reverse this mess
I needed to hang a left at the first intersection
Of course it had a sign reading
NO LEFT TURN
a mere technicality 
after all I wasnt actually making a 
turn
I was going to make a 
U-y
 then to be sure I took out the compass again
YES!

I was laughing to myself, what a dingdong I am
I've lived here my entire life and needed a compass to get home!

Speaking of direction
only one of you hazarded a guess as to what/where this was
its in Belvedere Castle and its the very very very narrow stairway to the top
that's a mirror angled so you can see if the way is clear 
only one person at a time can fit the 
narrow width of the turret the stairs are in.
those paper stars?
I've no idea why they are there but they sure made me want to take a photo

more photos soon, more chatter too!


Disclaimer: the compass photos are a re-enactment, I didnt have time or forethought to take a screen shot while being lost