Monday, May 27, 2013

Graduating from Yankee Stadium

NYU's 181st Commencement was held on May 22nd at Yankee Stadium.  Gobs of  purple gowns and their guests crowded around home plate to hear Student Speaker Chelsea Garbell, Honorary Degree recipient David Boyes, and President John Sexton.  And, I was right in the middle of it! 

After riding the 4 Train, my friends and I collected our College of Arts and Sciences cowbells and officially became NYU Alum.  Here's a few photos from the ceremony! 
Right after we piled out of the train, us four RAs snapped this picture real quick!     
Sassi and Phil are my two favorite grads.  We just need to photoshop Baby Sooz in here. 
Loving the CAS merch.  
The NYU seal covered home plate, but I thought it was a  nice addition to leave the Yankees emblem.  
Talk about your sea of purple.
No wonder every commuter treads the one day a year we all cram onto the train and pile into the stadium. 
The absolutely wonderful Tribbles!  I'm so glad they made their way to Manhattan for my graduation! 
Momma donning my purple NYU commencement head gear.
After paying $250,000 I'd say we deserved a complimentary hat.  
Right in front of Gate 6 Daddy and I snapped a photo too.  
Mandatory glamour shot, and notice how I meticulously balanced the hat.
 I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  they've not made with curly hair in mind!    
In all the hustle and bustle I can't believe I found my Sophomore Year roommate in the crowd.  Gotta love Jen Barbosa! 


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Graduation Take One

Sassi and I always sit together, so why would our
college graduation ceremony be any different? 
In just a few hours I'll be taking the 4 train to Yankee Stadium for the All University Commencement.  But, yesterday was all about Radio City.  The College of Arts and Sciences had its baccalaureate ceremony there, and of course my entourage of Momma, Daddy, Mrs. Amy, and Baby Jared were there to watch we walk across the stage.  You see, my little brother graduated from high school only hours before, so they took the earliest flight to NYC.  Talk about love, they were running on less than an hours sleep to be there for my special day!  

Here's a few photos from yesterday!  Of course, more's to come...


Three graduation ceremonies in three days...Now that's one proud Momma! 
And here's one with Daddy
After spending countless hours working on their 6th floor, I had to take a picture at 30. 
It's not the most flattering of photos, but I wanted to show of my NYU Alumni glasses
The Empire State Building was purple to celebrate NYU's graduation.
I'm still waiting until after Yankee Stadium  to walk underneath the arch though. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

So Here I Am Being A Sports Anchor...


Be warned, the next week of posts will be filled with lots of last.  As my days in New York are coming to an end that means my days of interning are winding down as well.  Here's hoping one of the many stations I've applied to will like what they see and offer me a job!  But for now, it's all about beefing up my reporter reel with Only-In-The-City citings.  So, when my supervisor asked if I'd want to put my knowledge to the test with an anchoring opportunity of course I accepted!

Here's  the final project, so if you've got a few minutes check it out!






Monday, May 13, 2013

So, I Went To The Zoo

In just a little over a week I'll be graduating at Yankee stadium and packing up my apartment for a move down South.  People keep asking me if I'm going to miss the City, and while I've definitely loved living here, I ready for the next phase in my life.  Of course, with my remaining days it's time to check off the last few items on my NYC Bucket List.

I'm just like a kid.  I love the Zoo! 
Yesterday was all about Central Park.  I've walked through the park more times than I can count, but before Mothers Day its zoo was a total mystery.  So, I woke up extra early and hit the ground running.  I figured if I couldn't spend the day with my Momma, the next best thing would be to spend it with Mothers from the Animal Kingdom.  

Talk about a precious place!  It's just the right size if you're looking to see some exotic animals but don't want to dedicate the whole day to the zoo.  No giraffes or panda bears are around, but they do have an awesome penguin palace and three friendly sea lions!
Talk about your talented Sea Lions!  

Getting up close and personal with the snow leopards. 
Polly want a cracker? 

The Tropic Zone is where you'll find the slimy snakes, along with lemurs and flying birds.  Definitely, enter this exhibit at your own risk.  Birds (like Toucans and Parrots) roam free, and the guide said they often drop surprises on unsuspecting guest below.

The best part of the zoo though is that you're in Central Park.  After looking at the snow leopards and listening to the famous Delacorte Music Clock, be sure to explore all its noteworthy stops.
Alice and her cast of storybook friends are the perfect jungle gym  for miniature Manhattanites. 
Feeling romanic?  Rent a paddle boat and row your loved one around the pond. 
If for no other reason, you should visit the park to sneak pictures of people's extra special day.
Literally, I ran into three couples donning wedding wear.
To plan you own trip to the zoo, click here for more information.  And, check out this interactive map of Central Park to see all it has to offer.



Friday, May 10, 2013

Newsies


A sucker for all things journalism, I've wanted to see "Newsies" since it made its Broadway debut last April.  Finally, this week I was finally able to see the show dedicated to newspapers and the people who hawk them!

When the curtains raise at the Nederlander Theater the year's 1899, and the scene's a grimy Lower Manhattan.  Fiesty lads of the urban jungle are making their living pushing papes (to borrow their lingo) when The World's owner decides to increase paper boy prices.  Fed up with  demands from the powerful press lords, the gang of street kids start the New York newsboy strike.

To be sure, Newsies is one of Broadway's best.  Not only does it feature dazzling dancing, marvelous music and cool cloth caps, but the boys.  Oh gosh, there's so many cute boys, and they're all so talent.

If you like song and dance numbers, definitely check out this one from Disney.

And that's the real news.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Weird News: Shiny Dog Bowl Starts House Fire

For decades dogs have been taking the wrap for missing homework, but one Northern California couple  can blame their pooch for starting a house fire.

Owners Terry and Shay Weisbrich say a  sunbeam reflected off their dogs shiny water bowl," igniting their wooden Bennet Valley home on Wednesday afternoon, reported The Press Democrat of Santa Ross.

The couple's usually quiet canine alerted them to the blaze, continuously barking until his owners appeared.

Although authorities were able to get the flames under control before any irreparable damage was done, the fire did leave a hole in the home's siding.

Firefighter Rene Torres originally suspected faulty wiring.  Once on the scene, he removed bits of siding around the charred area.  After discovering it was not the fire's starting point, he then eyed the metal dog dish. 

Torres returned the bowl to its original position, and a reflected beam of light hit right the home's charred area.

"It was uncanny.  There was a dot of concentrated light rig tin that exact area," explained Torres.

The couple were grateful their home was only slightly burned. But as firefighters were leaving, Terry Weisberch phoned the bowl's manufacturers, calling it "something they need to warn consumers about."

The couple's flat-coated retriever, Toby, is now lapping water from his replacement bowl.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Dead Horse Bay

For my last photojournalism assignment I wanted to do something a bit different from your typical New York City landscape shoot.  After lots of researching, I came across Dead Horse Bay.  Thousands upon thousands of bottles, both broken and intact, litter the landmark just north of Brooklyn.  Because the beach is usually empty, I thought the eerie, post-doomsday scene would be the perfecting setting for an unique shoot.  After taking more than 800 pictures, I've narrowed it down to my favorite ten.
Just north of Brooklyn, Dead Horse Bay sits at the western edge of a marshland once dotted by more than two dozen glue factories.  In addition to remnants of dead horses, the beach is littered with a plethora of vintage garbage, like bottles, household nicknacks, decaying boats, and (reportedly) old hand guns. 
New York is the most populous city in the United States.  Its five boroughs are home to more than eight million people, so finding a quiet, isolated location can be quite a challenge.  However, Dead Horse Bay is an untapped destination, where treasure from yesteryear is up for the taking. 
With two decaying boats to chose from and not a soul in sight, Ryan  Weldon couldn't resist reenacting an "I'm the King of the World" moment. 
Around the turn of the twentieth century, Dead Horse Bay began to be used as a landfill.  Filled with trash by the 1930s, the  garbage heap was capped, only to have it burst in the 1950s with trash spewing onto the beach.  Today, tiny shells and sand have found their home in miniature perfume bottles. 
Instead of searching for sand dollars or conch shells, Dead Horse Bay visitors can pick up every color under the rainbow bottles, both broken and intact.
Although human visitors may be limited, that doesn't stop sea life from washing ashore.
While exploring one rainy afternoon, I came across two beached stingrays. 
As the tide goes down, more treasures are revealed.  My favorite finds up for grabs are Made In New York Coca Cola containers  and
up to your ankles, purple Kings Beverage bottles.  When planning your own trip, definitely don't forget to wear your wellies! 
From the 1850s until the 1930s, the carcasses of dead horses and other animals from New York City streets were used to manufacture glue, fertilizer and other products at the landmark.  But, as the car industry grew, horse and buggies--thus horse carcasses--became scarce.  By the 1920s, there was only one rendering plant left.  Even to this day, metal from the factories intermingle with broken glass, littering the beach of Dead Horse Bay. 
Who needs IKEA when you've got Dead Horse Bay?  Ryan was so excited when he found this cup.
Unfortunately, it's handle wasn't attached, but he says it'll make the perfect bowl.  
This place is all sorts of amazing!  But, don't come here with a picnic blanket and open-toed shoes.  Instead, show up with a sense of adventure and an appreciation for history.  Although there's lots to see regardless of the time of day, I'd suggest visiting when the tide is low.
And, don't forget to bring a thick bag or box to hold all your take-home goodies.
Want to plan your own trip?  To get to Dead Horse Bay take either the 2 or 5 train to the end of the line at Flatbush Avenue/Brooklyn Avenue.  Then, you need to catch the Q35 bus going towards Rockaway--its pickup spot is right in front of the Target.  Ask the bus driver to let you off at the last stop before you cross the Marine Parkway Bridge.  You'll see a path to the bay directly in front of you.  

Happy hunting!