Random Notes for the End of August

Busy doing touristy things....on Tuesday we hit the National Museum of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan. Free admission, interesting exhibits. We all had a grand old time.

Yesterday we went to the New York City Fire Museum. It's also a small museum with small exhibits, but it is totally worthwhile. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for kids. They have a slew of antique fire apparatus, equipment and uniforms.

Plus a nice retrospective on the history of fire-fighting through the ages. There is also a very moving tribute to 9/11, which was especially gut-wrenching so close to the 5-year anniversary of that horrific day.

Most moving were the photos and mourning bunting at the entrance, in rememberance of two of "New York City's bravest" who perished over this past weekend in a fire in the Bronx. The story is here.

Lt. Howard J. Carpluk Jr. (left), 43, was a 20-year veteran who was filling in for the day from another engine company in the Bronx. Michael C. Reilly (right), 25, a marine who had served in Iraq and a rookie firefighter who started in July, died the day before.

From there we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As always, the favorite tends to be the Temple of Dendur exhibit

Melanie and Shayna enjoyed the Expressionists, playing the "Manet versus Monet" guessing game.

Shayna loved the water lillies.

Jolee's favorite exhibit was the musical instruments.



I enjoyed the Pollock:



Note to the Museum: hang your Calder mobile a little higher. It's too tempting for children to jump and almost touch.