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North America, Travel
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March 13, 2009

Sunny Day at Cathedral St. John The Divine

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Today was one of those NYC days where I just felt happy. It was sunny, a bit chilly, but not too much, and full of possibilities.  Well, everyday is full of possibilities, but sunny days just make the list seem more endless.

Not being able to decide what to do or where to go, I settled for taking a stroll by Columbia University. After all, the campus is great to walk through, but the greenmarket was also open and I was wanting to make something special for dinner, requiring fresh ingredients.

The boys were eager to head out and play. The day was windy but that just got the boys more excited to be out, who almost immediately started asking to go to the park.

We passed through the greenmarket fairly quickly. It is quite small and not as impressive as the Union Square Market, but it doesn’t fail to have all the basic essential ingredients needed for a quick dinner. My only regret was to have passed up the apple pie and sweets table since I later thought an apple pie would’ve made a great dessert.

We quickly started heading West, down 110th St., towards the ever changing Morningside Heights area. But before that, we made a detour towards St. John The Divine Cathedral. I have fond memories of the cathedral. Next to it is an after school program is where my oldest (then 5) used to spend his after school hours, as well as a few of his summer hours, while I was at work.

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We often participated in the family activities offered at the cathedral and though I don’t have any religious inclinations, I do love the architecture found in these old buildings. I enjoy wandering in and just sitting and admiring the grandeur of it all.

I prepared my boys by letting them know they were going to see “where the angels lived” and that they must be very quiet when inside. I had hoped that the boys would not act up. I knew I was taking a chance, but I went in anyway.

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Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Once you enter the cathedral it just demands respect. It took seven years to fully repair the North wing and the great organ after a huge fire, but the results are truly breathtaking.

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We were able to walk around, look at everything as the boys quietly whispered, “Mama, what’s that?” “Mama, what’s in there?” “Mama, was that an angel talking?”

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After exiting the cathedral the boys were silent for an extra five minutes or so, before again remembering their initial request to go to the park. And there, on 110th and Central Park West, just entering Central Park, is a fun playground where it seems the main focus is to encourage kids to climb, spin, and climb some more. We were there for a little more than 2 hours with me joining in on the spinning and climbing with my boys.

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We arrived home just as my eldest arrived from his after school band class. I unpacked the deliciously sweet fruits I purchased at the market and passed them out to the boys as snacks while I prepared dinner and tried to keep them from dozing off.

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Inspired by all the fresh vegetables I purchased at the market, I put together a quick concoction for roast chicken from shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers and thyme, marinated in Masala wine with a side of my Dominican black beans and rice. Yum!  The possibilities turned out to be pretty good indeed.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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1 Comment
  • Jenn
    March 12, 2009

    I love that church. My mom works at the Jewish Theological Seminary on 122nd and Broadway, I've been to see her several times and have always loved walking around that area.

    Oh, and that dinner looks DELISH!

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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