Califoregon Living

While we were at the hotel, we received notice that they were filming a movie on the property, and throughout San Juan.  It is the sequel to “21 Jump Street” (an 80’s TV series that they re-made into a movie, and now a sequel), called “22 Jump Street.”

Apparently, Hollywood uses Puerto Rico quite a bit when they want Latin American culture.  This movie us set in “Mexico”.

When we checked in, this wall did not exist.  It is a part of the set design to cover the casino on the other side.  Ahead of the wall is the skybridge.

We walked old San Juan one more time.  A guy with a pet iguana placed it on us, for a few bucks of course…he was beautiful, and soft, with pastel scales.

We walked to the fort El Morro.  I love historic cemeteries, and there was one right along the fort and water.  As we began to head toward it, we noticed that they had the road blocked off.  When we went to explore a little more, we discovered that they were filming a scene for the movie!

Between the trees and the will is a street.  This scene has a truck drive along the white wall, then you see a man with a brightly colored backpack run down the hill and run down the road.  Another person (could not really tell, but I think it was Channing Tatum), chased after him.  They’d do the scene, then we’d head the production crew talk on their walkie talkies, then do it again.  At the top of the hill, you can see one of the actors waiting to roll.

Time for lunch.  Per the suggestion of the concierge at the hotel, we went to Cafe Puerto Rico.  This is one of those places where David and I will talk about for years to come.  When we first entered the restaurant, it had a small dining room and was packed.  They had us sit on a bench with a few others waiting to be seated.  Within five minutes, they moved us upstairs to their bar, where NO ONE else was, aside from a couple employees having lunch at the bar.  We enjoyed a delicious, quiet meal by ourselves.  It was not until we were almost finished that they added a couple more tables.  ‘A’ feasted on octopus salad.  (He gets it from his mom’s side…)

Mine was a wonderful chicken and eggplant dish.

We joined family back at the pool for the rest of the day.  Helicopters filmed the hotel and coastline non stop for a couple of hours.  You can kind of see the camera in the from of the copter.  It was incredible to watch all the different angles the helicopter was able to make to get the shots they wanted.  There is a very small chance we might even be in the movie.  Who knows?

…got married!

It was a beautiful night to get married! High winds meant a few Plan B’s, but overall, everything turned out amazing! Katy and Lex got married at the Castillo de San Cristobal fort, then the reception was in this amazing banquet hall within walking distance. Appetizer and beverages welcomed us, then a five course dinner. We had surprise entertainment from singer SISQO. He sang four songs, then hung around for pictures after. For a wedding of less than 60 guests, it was a little surreal (in a great way) to have him singing for us. We danced for a while, then headed home in a stretch limo. It was an incredible night! Because it was a evening wedding, my shots aren’t that great. I trust the professional ones will be better.

I love this shot.  It’s the glee of discovering that he did not have to figure out what to order on the ‘menu’.  He got it all!!

Awoke to this beautiful rainbow!

The rest of the family gathered during these days.  My aunt, uncle, cousins, and their friends all arrived at various times.
This is my cousin Katy and Lex’s daughter, ‘M’.  I think she would be my second cousin, the boys 3rd cousin…

David and the boys spent the day by the pool while I went back to old San Juan with my aunt Annie, and my uncle’s sister in law, Debbie.

This is inside a church where Ponce de Leon is buried…

Day 3 was spent releasing in our room.  We had been on the go nonstop for the past week, and all were due for some down time…

While walking along the waterfront of Old San Juan, we were surprised to discover 100s of cats living along the water!  100s!!

When we arrived to San Juan, it was already dark.  The hotel we stayed at is contemporary in design, and ‘R’ said it was the “fanciest hotel he has ever stayed at.”  He loved the red tones that was the main color in the hotel’s overall decor and our rooms.  We spent our first day walking around Old San Juan.

This was the view we awoke to!

One of the pools at our hotel…

…and their beach!

Our hotel, and the lobby fish tank, which includes a shark pup!

Walking around beautiful Old San Juan.  Lunch at Restaurante Raices.  When in Puerto Rico, the main dish to try is Mofongo!  Grilled meat with mashed plantains and chimichurri sauce.  Yum!

Walking through Old San Juan…

…the main gate of old San Juan…

We could not get ant decent shorts, but these are huge iguanas hanging out on rocks!

Our final full day in NYC…took the subway to the Museum of Natural History.  The subway station under the by the museum had some beautiful mosaic work.  Here is a sliver of it…

The lobby…

This place is huge.  You can’t really see it all in one day.

I think this was my favorite exhibit.  It had varieties of all different kinds of life.  ‘R’ is showing his “love” for fungi…

A life size model of a whale…

T-Rex

Waiting for the Planetarium show to begin…

New York hot dog at Central Park for lunch…

Walked to Columbus Circle to meet up with brad, the brother of my good friend, Christie.  We visited for a while before parting ways.  It was such a treat to meet this awesome guy. He’s an actor who plays a waiter in his spare time.  You might catch him in next year’s movie, “Annie”, if his two lines don’t hit the cutting room floor.

Next stop…Never Forget…

A piece of one of the Twin Towers in the foreground.  Construction of the 9/11 Museum mid ground, and the Freedom Tower in the background…

There are two memorial fountains, the North and the South.  Both are located where each of the Twin Towers existed.  Surrounding the fountain are the names of the people whose lives were lost.

The museum is still being built.  They had a small gift shop at the end of the visit.  They were playing this precious video in the store.  Definitely worth watching…John and Joe

Took the subway to Times Square.  Fun and a little overwhelming!  So glad we went at night.

Walked from Times Square to Rockefeller Center.  On the way, we passed Mark McGrath. Pretty impressed with myself that I recognized him. I am sure we passed other celebrities living their life, but with all the activity, and people, it’s hard to notice.

Here is the official New York Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.  Tree lighting was to take place the next day, so we would miss it.  But, what we did get to see was the rehearsal for the televising of the lighting and got to hear Toni Braxton sing a song during the rehearsal.  The police did not let us stand and we had to keep walking, but it was a fun experience…

Cool art deco above one of the doors at ’30 Rock’/NBC

Although ‘A’ did not get to skate below Prometheus, he did get to see him.  He was content with that.

Back on Brooklyn, enjoying the neighborhood Christmas spirit…

Antee Sara treated us to a wonderful dinner in Brooklyn.  As a foodie, I am in awe of all the quality eaters within walking distance in a single neighborhood.  They are all charming and small, maybe 20 tables.  A great place to spend the evening.  I could be very happy eating my way through New York City for the rest of my life.  Dinner at Buttermilk Channel.

Lamb and Romaine Salad with Coffee Pot du Creme for dessert.
 

David and I walked Carroll Gardens a little and picked up breakfast.  First stop was Smith Canteen for coffee and breakfast biscuits, then juice at Bagels by the Park

In a previous post, I told you about what ‘r’s top thing to experience was eating NY pizza.   ‘A’s answer was to skate under Prometheus at Rockefeller Center.  When we started researching this option, we discovered that it was going to be expensive and crowded.  We were all willing to do it, but Antee Sara threw out the other option of skating at Central Park instead.  ‘A’ was excited to just skate and said he’d be happy to skate there instead.  I am so glad we did this instead.  It was an incredibly gorgeous location, was reasonably priced, as although busy, not uncomfortably crowded.  Sara and David sat it out and took pictures while the three of us skated…

After skating, hiking up the rocks of Central Park.  The south skating rink in the background…
Walked through the Upper East Side to Patsy’s Pizza.  Around since 1933, this is where Frank Sinatra would eat whenever he was in town.  ‘R’ is crazy for Ceasar salad and pizza.  He was a happy camper…

Too many gorgeous architectural elements to capture on film…

Back at Central Park.  This is the statue of ‘Balto’, a famous sled dog. We have read a book about him when the kids were younger…

Bubble art in the park…

I love Central Park!  We only covered a small part of it, but I hope to return and spend more time here.  While at Belvedere Castle, we enjoyed watching a group of adults play “ninja”.  This is a game the boys like to play. 
Back at home, this is the view from Sara’s roof…

Dinner at Cubana Cafe.  The best ceviche I have had!

Dessert of italian cookies at Monteleone.  Beautiful pastries and cookies made on site.

A red eye from Sacramento to JFK had us arriving in NYC at 8am.  Even though non of us slept well, we had enough energy to get us through the day.  We stayed at my sis in law’s apartment in Brooklyn.  She lives in a terrific neighborhood called Carroll Gardens.  A bunch of eateries, and little neighborhood markets.  Close to subways, and a great park along the waterfront within walking distance.

We decided to stay in Brooklyn for the day, in case one of us needed to go home to rest.

Breakfast at Cafe Luluc…

We noticed this type of parking lot everywhere.  You leave your keys with the attendant.  They stack the cars for parking…

Walking around Brooklyn…

Went to the New York Transit Museum.  Covers the history of the bus, trolley, subways since the late 1800’s…

Learning about (electrical) conductors..
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One room was dedicated to all the album cover art that contains the NYC subway stations.  They showed the full length video of Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’.  This short movie/long video was directed by Martin Scorcese, produced by Quincy Jones, and co-starred a young Wesley Snipes!  We stayed and watched it.  Homeschool at its finest!

The museum is located in a retired subway station.  Down below where the retired tracks are, they have about twenty old subway cars that date back to the very early 1900’s.  It’s fun to see the ads from the past…

We walked to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, a waterfront park that runs along the Brooklyn shoreline.  We were able to see the Statue of Liberty off in the distance, New Jersey, the Lower Manhattan skyline, and the Brooklyn Bridge…

they have a nice park where the kids got to run around and play for a bit…

The Lower Manhattan skyline.  New Jersey is to the left in the distance…

Looking out at Governor’s Island.  Behind it, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty…

The tallest building in America is this building, the Freedom Tower.  Built after 9/11 and located next to the 9/11 Memorial Memorial fountains, where the Twin Towers were located.  

The Brooklyn Bridge…

Before the trip, we asked the boys what would be the one thing they would want to experience while in NYC.  ‘R’s response was, “eat New York pizza!”  Here is the first of three times for him (in three days 🙂  We went to a well known place called Grimaldi’s.  They have a special permit to have a coal brick oven for their pizza.

Walking off our pizza, and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan…they have a pedestrian/bike bridge above the cars…

“Love locks” located all throughout the bridge…

The Empire State Building..

Taking the subway home…

…a little Wii dancing competition before bed…