June 2026, New York – Episode 3

On October 30, 2026October 29, 2026 By LToddIn New York, New York City, Travel1 Comment

June 2026, New York City, Episode 3

On day five of our trip to New York City, we boarded a Circle Line Harbor Cruise. The narrated two-and-a-half-hour cruise circled Manhattan Island and passed under 20 bridges. Along the way, a guide provided historical context to different sites on the shorelines we passed.

Circle Line Harbor Cruise

In Jersey City, New Jersey, the fifty-foot diameter Colgate Clock, built in 1924, stood at the top of the Colgate-Palmolive headquarters building until 1985. It was relocated to its present home before the building was demolished.

The Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, also known as the Communipaw Terminal, is part of Liberty State Park.

Communipaw Terminal at Liberty State Park

The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, although still open for tours, was under renovation and some exhibits were closed, so we didn’t go there. Another item to add to the list for when we visit again.

Visitors lined the base of the Statue of Liberty. For an immersive experience, take a round-trip ferry to visit both the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. Offered by Statue City Cruises, it also includes audio-tours.

The mural on the ferry below caught my attention. Ann Valdez is the creator of the mural titled Spring Migration, and presented by the Trust of Governors Island under the Governors Island Arts program. The Harbor Charger Hybrid Ferry services Governors Island which is closed to vehicles. So why is there a semi-truck on it? Apparently delivery vehicles are allowed.

The white structure on the right of the photo below is the Governors Island Ventilation Building for the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel (AKA Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel). It serves as a ventilation and exhaust shaft for the twin-tube underwater tunnel beneath the East River.

In Brooklyn, a redevelopment project repurposed the former Domino Sugar factory into a Class A office building. I don’t know what the building looked like before, but I like the looks of it now.

It’s hard to escape the Empire State Building. It kept peeking out at me while taking photos from different locations.

Empire State Building pops up at various angles

East River Generating Station (East River Power Plant) in Manhattan

Waterside Plaza is a residential and business complex along the East River in the Kips Bay of Manhattan.

The two copper-clad towers that bend toward each other and linked by a three-story skybridge were built between 2014 and 2017.

The Copper, formerly known as American Copper Buildings,
or 626 First Avenue

Tudor City Place is a historic skyscraper complex built in late 1920s and developed by Fred F. French. Red brick and terracotta detailing depict stone gargoyles and mythical beasts. Coats of arms are carved near the entrances and upper levels.

I opted to include a detail of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge rather than its span across the East River.

Another site we missed was Roosevelt Island. Visitors can access the island on the Sky Tram.

Historic railroad swing bridge Spuyten Duyvil Bridge carries Amtrak trains on the Empire Connection.

I liked how the city skyline fit under this bridge.

On our way back to the hotel, we spotted kids playing in the water spouts during a hot afternoon.

USS Intrepid (CV-11) aircraft carrier is docked at Pier 86 on the Hudson River. The ship houses the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. We didn’t relish standing in line in the heat, so we skipped it.

This was the only street where the seedier side of living in Manhattan was apparent. Most of the streets where we walked were free of debris of any kind.

Elevators for cars are a clever way to increase parking revenue in Manhattan.

Central Park

With one more day before we hopped on the plane for home, Jon relaxed at the hotel while I trekked across Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Although I passed areas we had already seen in the park, I encountered a few new spots as well. The canopies of the trees provided enough shade for multiple groups of families and friends to stake out their section for a delightful picnic on a Saturday afternoon.

I can’t remember seeing croquet portrayed in a movie set in Central Park, so I had to stop and watch the players striking their balls through hoops. With everyone dressed in white, I assumed the players must adhere to a dress code.

The ever-present skyline loomed beyond the tree line, and those who hadn’t staked out a spot in the shade braved the sun shining down on them.

The Bethesda Fountain with the Angel of Waters sculpture was dry. The fountain and sculpture join other icons used in movies. Emma Stebbins designed the sculpture in 1873. It celebrated the Croton Aqueduct, which fed the fountain and supplied fresh water to the city. Central Park Conservancy (CPC) turned the fountain off pending restoration that began in September 2026.

A week after our visit, the Model Sailboat and Paddleboat Basin closed for restoration to rebuild mechanical systems and to replace aging vegetation and native shrubs and trees. The CPC estimates $37 million to complete the restoration scheduled to begin in August 2026 with a completion in late spring or early summer in 2028. I’ll have these photos to compare to the renovation results.

Rent a model sailboat to sail around the pond.

The eleven-foot-high Alice in Wonderland bronze statue by Jose de Creeft, stands nearby. George Delacorte commissioned the Margarita Delacorte Memorial, which was created in 1959 and dedicated to his wife.

I thought I went back in time when I approached these picnickers dressed in early to mid-1900s attire. Was it a period tableau? The sleeve tattoos on one woman and the child with a Mickey Mouse T-shirt yanked me back to 2026.

Dressing up in early to mid-1900s attire for a picnic.

Activities abound in Central Park. Ride a bike, a pedicab, or take a horse carriage ride, walk, jog, lawn bowl, croquet, take a tour. There’s even a section of the street that’s blocked off for roller skaters. Rent a boat, fly a kite, sail a model sailboat, watch a film festival and in the winter lace up a pair of skates and twirl and glide on the ice. And after all that, take a break and relax in a designated Quiet Zone.

With so much to do and see, what are you waiting for?

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Across from the Met is the Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, a division of the French Embassy in the US, one of ten such offices throughout the United States.

Thirsty, hot, and famished after my walk, I rushed through the museum to get to the American Wing Café for sustenance in the Charles Englehard Court of the American Wing. It was bright with natural light shining through the raised glass ceiling overhead and a water feature with benches where weary visitors can sit and rest.

Charles Englehard Court of the American Wing

Visitors take a rest on the water feature benches.

The Second Branch Bank of the US (later the US Assay Office). Built between 1822 and 1824, the Greek Revival marble façade once stood on Wall Street. The museum saved the building from demolition and reconstructed it inside the museum in 1924.

Vanderbilt Mantelpiece ca. 1881-83, created by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in New York. The sculptures on each side represent Love and Peace.

After my meal and documenting the art in the court, it was time to explore the Egyptian exhibit and the American Wing.

Sphinx of Hatshepsut from Egyptian pink granite from the 18th Dynasty dated between 1473-1458 BCE

Temple of Dendur from the Roman period before 10 CE

Frank Lloyd Wright used his Prairie School architectural design for the Francis W. Little House in Minneapolis between 1912 and 1914. Saving the living room from destruction, the museum purchased it and placed it in storage in early 1970. Once restored, the exhibit opened to the public in 1982.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Francis W. Little House

I would like to find such a place to sit, write, and gaze out the window toward a garden filled with flowers. Curling up on a sofa with a throw blanket and listening to rain outside wouldn’t be a bad day either.

The following photos are a sample of the exhibits on display in the American Wing.

Charles Sumner Green, and Henry Mather Green designed this table
for the Blacker House in Pasadena, California, in 1907-09

Decorative 1910-20 chest designed and created by Marie Zimmermann, a metalsmith.

Tall clock, Buffalo, New York 1900-1904 by Furniture designer Charles Rohlfs

Lighthouse Clock from Simon Willard, or his workshop in Roxbury, Massachusetts around 1825-30

Early 19th century American Empire style living room

Pair of knife boxes Baltimore 1815-25. I’ve never seen anything like these before.

Anglo-Indian carved 19th century (circa 1840s) handcarved ivory chess set made in India

A period drawing room from the Craig House Built 1810-1811 for Henry Craig, a Baltimore merchant and ship builder. American Federal/Neoclassical period interior.

The stained glass exhibit contained an especially colorful display of Tiffany pieces. Below are but two of the many.

Marble sculpture by Antonio Canova (1757-1822) titled Perseus with the Head of Medusa.

The barrel vault ceiling of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Gallery brings in natural light to the Greek and Roman art display.

Had I taken more time to see the whole museum, I’m sure instead of three blog posts on New York there’d be four or five. We have to thank Sting and his musical, The Last Ship for enticing us to visit New York. We had a wonderful time, and I’m ready to do it all over again. Until then, these posts will serve as a reminder that we didn’t see it all, and urge us to return.

Up Next: We plan to share a few jaunts we took earlier in the year in future posts.

June 2026 New York City – Episode 2

On October 10, 2026October 29, 2026 By LToddIn New York City, Travel4 Comments

Welcome to our second post of our visit to Manhattan Island in New York City during June 2026. To see the first post, go to https://thetravelingtodds.com/2026/09/28/june-2026-new-york-city/. On our fourth day, we walked south to Times Square and took another skyscraper elevator up the Empire State Building.

We had seen Times Square presented in movies and television shows. In person was a completely different experience. Here is but a sampling of what we saw.

The Ed Sullivan Theater featuring 'The Late Show' marquee, with Angelo's Pizza in the foreground and bike-sharing station in the street. — The Ed Sullivan Theater closed after the final episode of Late Night With Steven Colbert on May 21, 2026.

The Ed Sullivan Show was must-watch TV on Sunday nights when I was a kid. I still remember sitting in front of our 21″ color television on February 9, 1964, watching the Beatles perform “I Saw Her Standing There” and “I want to Hold Your Hand.” I became a Beatles fan that night, and I’m still one today.

A street view of a city block featuring storefronts for 'Arabian Oud', a bakery and desserts shop, and 'Olive Garden'. Two individuals are walking in front, and various signs advertise services and products. — Somewhere here was an Olive Garden. Perhaps upstairs?

I liked the pedestrian and park-like atmosphere on Broadway between 42nd and 47th Streets. Visitors will find the plazas with benches a comfortable place to relax and watch humanity stream by. I enjoyed watching someone filming a dance troupe in action. Their concentration so focused on their performance, they appeared oblivious to people around them.

Group of five dancers performing in an urban street setting, with two women in colorful outfits and three men, one wearing an orange hat, surrounded by shops and greenery. — Action

A group of performers in colorful outfits dancing in the street, with Times Square billboards in the background. — Down

A group of dancers performing in a busy New York City street, wearing colorful outfits and showcasing energetic moves in Times Square. — Up. And That’s a Wrap.

I was overwhelmed by all of the electronic billboards. I do my best to avoid advertisements under normal circumstances, but I found it impossible to do so in Times Square. Their size, colors, and flashing messages all vied for my attention. Where was I supposed to look?

A busy street scene in Times Square featuring large, colorful advertisement billboards and crowds of people. — The gigantic screens dwarf the businesses below.

A large digital billboard in Times Square advertising the movie 'Office Romance', featuring actors Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, with the release date of June 5 and the tagline 'It's Going Down'.

A large digital billboard in Times Square promoting the movie Toy Story 5, featuring colorful graphics and characters from the film, along with details about its release date of June 19.

Our goal was to reach 1 Times Square (1475 Broadway). The building is where the New Year’s Ball drops every year at midnight to ring in the new year. We crept closer and closer.

A bustling street view of Times Square in New York City, featuring large digital advertisements, retail stores, and red umbrellas at outdoor seating areas. The sky is overcast, and people are walking along the street.

In the photo below, Mario and King Kong wanted me to take a picture with them. I passed. Apparently, the city does not require permits to don a costume, perform, take photos, and encourage tourists to open their wallets.

A person dressed as a Mario character stands next to a performer in a gorilla costume, both in a busy urban area with pedestrians in the background. — Mario and King Kong hoping to earn a day’s pay.

View of Times Square in New York City, featuring tall skyscrapers with bright digital billboards and a mostly empty street, under a cloudy sky. — We came, we saw, and were glad for the lack of crowds.

Good Morning America filmed in the building below until they moved to a new location in 2025. I found the facade odd. It looked like a vehicle of some sort from a dystopian movie. In August 2026, the building was part of a multi-property purchase by YS Developers and Rabsky Group. I wonder what it will become.

View of a modern building at 1500 Broadway in Times Square, featuring a large Starbucks advertisement and people walking on the street. — Don’t worry. It’s safe to stand in the middle of the street.

A futuristic autonomous vehicle displayed in Times Square, surrounded by digital billboards and a stanchion barrier. — Einride Autonomous Vehicle on display. We haven’t seen any of these on the roads. Yet.

Large digital billboard in Times Square featuring a Lay's advertisement promoting their sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026. — What did this ad cost? If companies weren’t compelled to spend so much on advertising, perhaps they could lower their prices.

The exterior of the New York Public Library featuring grand columns, banners celebrating its 250th anniversary, and visitors on the steps. — A lack of time prevented us from wandering around the library. Imagine all the treasures the library holds in its collections.

Our next stop was the Empire State Building. Seen throughout the years in films and on the tele, what will it feel like when we get to the top?

A colorful display featuring Elmo, a red character, and Cookie Monster, a blue character, sitting beside two bronze statues of construction workers in front of a backdrop of a construction site. — Elmo and Cookie Monster take a break with the welders.

A woman stands confidently in a stylish outfit with a sparkly jacket and yellow pants, framed by decorative white garlands. In the background, the Empire State Building is prominently displayed. — Oprah Winfrey, along with other cast members, visited the Empire state Building in December 2023 to celebrate the premiere of “The Color Purple”

A model of the Empire State Building on display in front of a historic photograph of New York City, with a date inscription of May 1931. — In the Observatory Experience Museum the NYC skyscape stands behind the architectural model of the Empire State Building.

A digital display featuring the Empire State Building with branding logos including JCDDecaux, Workday, Booking Holdings, and others against a sunset skyline backdrop. — I wonder what Workday and JCDecaux pay for their office suites.

Exhibit featuring posters showcasing famous depictions of the Empire State Building, including movie posters and comic art, with the title 'WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BUILDING' displayed prominently. — A few of the movies which featured the Empire State Building

An interior space featuring large gorilla hands emerging from the floor, with a background of windows displaying images of a gorilla's face and planes flying in a stormy sky. — King Kong is in the building.

Spectacular is but one word to describe the views from the observation deck. Although basically the same as from Top of the Rock, the different perspective included or excluded objects within my camera’s view finder.

A panoramic view of a bustling city skyline, showcasing a mix of modern skyscrapers and architectural landmarks with a river and distant skyline in the background. — East river on the left. Hudson river on the right. Freedom Tower (One World Trade Center) on the right with its spire rises 1,776 feet above the horizon. It is the tallest building in North America and Western Hemisphere. We’ll definitely visit the building and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum during our next NYC visit.

Aerial view of a densely populated urban area with various skyscrapers, including modern glass buildings and historic structures, overlooking a river in the background. — The gold topped building is the 40-story New York Life Building. Completed in 1928.

Aerial view of two modern high-rise buildings with a river in the background, surrounded by other urban structures. — One High Line is composed of the two twisty-looking buildings consisting of luxury condominiums located in West Chelsea.

Aerial view of a cityscape featuring a mix of brick and modern buildings, with visible rooftops, greenery, and urban infrastructure.

Water tanks on top of buildings? Although they look like relics from the 19th century, they still function today, providing water to the building’s residents. On average, they stand 10-12 feet high and store from 5,000 to 10,000 gallons of water.

Aerial view of a rooftop terrace featuring blue umbrellas and lounge chairs, surrounded by buildings in an urban setting.

The tanks are made of cedar or California redwood and, if maintained on a regular basis, have a life of 20 to 25 years. Wood is the preferred product to use for the tanks because it keeps water cool during the summer, prevents it from freezing in the winter, and it’s easier to maintain.

Aerial view of a city skyline featuring various buildings along a river, with a boat traveling on the water and greenery along the waterfront.

In the photo below, the highest sky deck in the Western Hemisphere extends from the tallest building with a triangular roof.

Aerial view of modern skyscrapers in a city skyline with a river in the background. — The sky deck also has a triangular shape and is located at the 100th and 101st floors

Aerial view of a prominent art deco skyscraper surrounded by lush greenery, with modern buildings in the background. — American Radiator Building built in 1924 and added to in 1937 is home to the Bryant Park Hotel.

The iconic Chrysler Building towering above the New York City skyline, featuring its distinctive Art Deco spire and intricate architectural details, with a view of the East River and surrounding buildings in the background. — The Chrysler Building is another example of the Art Deco style of architecture. The steel-framed brick structure at 1,046-feet tall is the tallest of it’s kind in the world. Like the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building has appeared in many movies, TV shows, and video a games.

To close out this post on New York City, here are a few photos taken as we made our way back to the hotel.

Facade of Reichenbach Hall, featuring large windows and decorative elements, with wooden signage and outdoor seating. — Had we been hungry, we would have popped in at Reichenbach Hall for a plate of Swedish Meatballs with Spatzle and Gravy and chased it down with a glass of hefeweizen. It’s on the list for our next trip to the city.

Street view featuring a sign for 'Laura Psychic' on W 37th St, surrounded by storefronts and buildings. — Step right up to learn your future.

A decorative architectural feature adorned with an emblem and surrounded by pigeons perched on and around it, set against a building facade with windows above. — I couldn’t confirm what this represented, but thought it interesting. The pigeons sure enjoy it.

A man stands outside a deli named 'Hello Deli,' which features a large green sign with menu items listed. The shop appears closed with barred windows. — Sadly, we missed saying “Hello” to Rupert Jee at David Letterman’s favorite deli. Jee closed up shop in April 2023 after 31 years in business.

We’re not quite done with our New York adventure. Next up are more cityscape photos. This time from the perspective of a harbor cruise around Manhattan Island, and my solo trek across Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Safe Travels

June 2026, New York City – Episode 1

On September 28, 2026October 29, 2026 By LToddIn New York, Photography, States, Travel7 Comments

Hooray! We’re finally back online.

In December 2025, our last post, I wrote we’d be on hiatus. I never thought it would be nine months later. But here we are in September 2026. The year 2025 was one health issue after another for Jon, which curtailed our travel plans for a year and a half. Finally, in June 2026, a window opened up between all the procedures, doctor appointments, labs, and PT appointments. Where did we decide to go?

New York City. Specifically, Lincoln Center on Manhattan Island. What inspired us to fly across the country? Sting, the rock star, and former lead singer and bassist of the rock band Police. He wrote and composed “The Last Ship,” an autobiographical musical, which we saw in April 2020, a few weeks before the pandemic shut down San Francisco Bay Area. We were eager to see it again in a larger venue like the Metropolitan Opera House.

We boarded a plane on June 7, 2026, for a six-day adventure of exploring and eating our way through the island.

The view from our room at the Empire Hotel was of Dante Park, a triangular-shaped park, with trees providing plenty of shade. Across from our room and on the base-side of the triangle, rental bikes filled every slot in the morning, and by late afternoon only empty slots remained. It might have been fun to ride a bike had traffic not been so heavy. Instead we hoofed it most everywhere we went.

Monument to honor Dante Alighieri created in 1921 by Ettore Ximenes. The Empire Hotel stands in the background.

Tourists and residents walk past the “Time Sculpture” at Lincoln Center created by Philip Johnson

The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District maintains the park and provides benches and small tables and chairs. During breaks between our sightseeing, my favorite pastime was watching the activity in the park from our hotel room window. Pedestrians rushed by to reach their destination. People gathered to chat, play cards, chess, or board games. Other people ate their lunch, read, or watched humanity stream by.

With Lincoln Center across the street, we didn’t worry about walking long distances between the Metropolitan Opera House and our home base. We also found the location within walking distance or a short metro ride to Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, Times Square, and other sights. Having Central Park only a few blocks away was also a bonus.

We immensely enjoyed The Last Ship for its music, storyline, and scenery. The opening scene with Sting and Shaggy singing while standing on a girder and descending from the ceiling over the stage took my breath away as did the launch of the ship at the end. We were so glad we made the trip.

We made good use of our time while in Manhattan by making a grand attempt to see all the sights. Although we didn’t see it all, we crossed off several on our list.

Surrounded by first-rate restaurants assured us we’d not go hungry. In fact, I cannot think of one meal we had that was a disappointment.

Rosa Mexicano offers breakfast and dinner.

Italian dishes at Cafe Fiorello serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch

The Smith Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

PJ Clarke’s Lincoln Square serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Read the history of the restaurant and the 1868 building on their website.

Café Aroma supplied us with a quick breakfast and cups of coffee.

The Flame Diner reminded us of the diners of the 1950s and 60s. They’re even open 24 hours.

Our first foray into the wild took us on the NYC subway. We thought it similar to the BART system in San Francisco, except cleaner and more comfortable, even when we had to grab a pole.

A glimpse of the old and new through the entrance of Castle Clinton National Monument.

Near the South Ferry/Whitehall Street Station, we searched for the Castle Clinton National Monument. After a few wrong turns, a maintenance person pointed us in the right direction.

Our timing didn’t match up with the tour times, but we were able to look at some of the exhibits inside the compound and the surrounding area and the rest of our visit included gawking at the surrounding high rises.

Luis Sanguino (1934-2026) created this sculpture in Battery Park near Castle Clinton. Castle Clinton processed immigrants arriving in New York from 1855 to 1890.

The historic Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal.

Across the Hudson River, the tall building on the left is the Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City.

The Staten Island Ferry is free to ride. Taxpayers fund the costs of operating the ferry through city taxes. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is behind the ferry. The ferry and the island is on our list of things to do during a future visit.

I had big plans for our second day, mapping out our walking path to visit six different must-see tourist sights. After several misdirections and backtracks and only seeing three sights, we stopped for lunch. Sitting in the air-conditioned deli eating our sandwiches, we decided three sights would be enough for one day. We hopped on the metro and went back to the hotel.

We started day three with a walk through Central Park and a ride on the carousel. I can’t pass on an opportunity to ride a trusty steed up and down and round and round. Jon even joined in the fun. Then we walked around Fifth Avenue, rode the elevator to Top of the Rock’s 70th floor observation deck for a 360-degree city skyline view toward the East River and Hudson River.

We arrived early and had to wait for the carousel to open.

Mighty large trees made me wonder how long they’d been there.

I prefer the Art Deco style of architecture over the squared off buildings.

Exterior is done, interior still under construction.

While enjoying nature in the park, the skyscrapers remind nature lovers that the city abounds

Which is your favorite, Art Deco or the shiny glass and steel of modern architecture?

Granite boulders are part of the Manhattan schist found running down the center of the island.

*USS Maine* National Monument at Merchant’s Gate on Columbus Circle. The sculpture was dedicated in May 30, 1913, to the men killed aboard the *USS Maine* battleship when it exploded while docked in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898.

The risky business of window maintenance pays on average around $42,000 per year. A person with specialized skills and more danger, could bring in $60,000 to $100,000.

The white structure is an urban umbrella that protects pedestrians and sidewalks from mishaps above during maintenace and repairs. They’re even lighted at night.

The 21 pear trees growing on the living terraces make for a unique architectural element to this building.

Our driver pointed out this building when we came into the city from the airport. Not a building, though. It’s a facade to shield the renovation and expansion going on behind the scenes of the Louis Vuitton’s flagship store.

Rockefeller Center was our main attraction for the day. How we missed it the first time, I don’t know. I even stopped to take a photo and then we kept walking. More backtracking.

The bronze *Atlas* statue was installed in 1937 and is the largest statue in Rockefeller Center.

The gold sculpture *Prometheus* created by Paul Manship in 1934 is a prominent fixture at the lower plaza of Rockefeller Center.

Radio City Music Hall building with Art Deco medallions created in 1932 by Hildreth Meiere and Oscar B. Bach. The medallions symbolize the performing arts of Dance, Drama, and Song.

The waiting area for the elevators to the Top of the Rock

Mid-photo caught a glimpse of Queens, East Channel Roosevelt Island, and West Channel

The black building on the left is the JP Morgan Chase building. Was it inspired by shiny black flip phones, or the Jacob’s Ladder toys I remember from my childhood days.

The H&M Building (formerly the Conde Nast Building). Should the spires be counted in the height of the building? From street to roof it measures 809 feet. The antenna adds an additional 309 feet. Nine feet more than the length of a football field.

One of 21 bridges connected to Manhattan Island

Central Park really is Manhattan’s playground

Here’s a place we’ll have to visit on our next trip, St. Patrick’s Cathedral dedicated in 1879.

I tried to fit our entire New York City’s Manhattan Island visit in one post. After deleting photos and making cuts here and there, I gave up. So stay tuned. We’ll be back with more in our next post.

Safe Travels.

Point Arena Lighthouse Plus Horse Racing

On December 11, 2025December 10, 2025 By LToddIn California, Photography, Travel1 Comment

Point Arena Lighthouse

On our way home from Fort Bragg on October 3, 2024, we stopped at the Point Arena Lighthouse, one of about 40 still standing along the 800 miles of the California coastline. Not all of them allow visitors. Our timing didn’t align with the tour, so we wandered around outside and inside the gift shop and museum.

The first-order Fresnel lens wasn’t something anyone walking into the store and museum could miss. The imposing seven-foot diameter lens with nine eyes drew me in for a closer look, and I forgot all about the clothing, jewelry, books, and other items sold in the store.

Constructed in 1870, the first Point Arena Lighthouse included a large keepers’ residence. Additional housing nearby accommodated four lightkeepers and their families. The brick-and-mortar structure did not fare well during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, even though the epicenter was 145 miles away.

Once condemned and torn down, the replacement lighthouse, standing 115 feet tall, began operations on September 1, 1908. To withstand an earthquake, the builder used steel reinforcement rods encased in concrete to build the new structure.

The lightkeepers had to adhere to a strict schedule to keep the first-order Fresnel lens in operation. The keepers had to hand crank a 160-pound weight up the center shaft every 75 minutes. The kerosene lamp needed refueling every four hours, and the wicks required regular trimming.

Naked Lady Lily (*Amaryllis belladonna),* poisonous to humans and pets

The keepers’ workload lessened when electricity arrived and replaced the lamp. I wonder how many keepers lost their jobs after the installation of the 1,000-watt electric lamp, powered by a 1/8 horsepower electric motor. As new products became available, so did more changes at the lighthouse. In 1977, a beacon replaced the electric lamp and the lens, and in 2015, an LED array replaced the beacon.

For a unique place to stay, reserve a cottage or studio at the lighthouse. All the refurbished keepers’ housing is available for reservations. The accommodations range from a one bedroom one bath for two people, up to a three bedroom two bath that accommodates up to six.

What I liked best about this lighthouse was the preservation that went into making it what it is today. It didn’t seem to have gone through decades of neglect as much as other lighthouses we have visited. Point Arena Lighthouse Keepers, Inc. has done a wonderful job of explaining the lighthouse’s history. Of special interest to me was how the early keepers kept the light on for the ships passing by at night.

We had wanted to stop at the Point Reyes Ligthouse too, but ran out of time. We’ll catch that one on a future trip. Another adventure awaited us at home.

Horse Racing at the Alameda County Fairgrounds

A few weeks later, we were off to the races. The Alameda County Fairgrounds is home to one of the first 1-mile horse racing tracks in the United States. Augustin Bernal is credited with building the racetrack many years before the founding of the current operators, the Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association.

Here are a few facts:

Originally built in 1858
Hosted horse racing for the Golden Gate Fair in 1902
The inaugural Pleasanton Fair and Races commenced in 1904
In 1912, the modern-day Alameda County Fair began, but the venture was not financially successful. This was due to competition from San Francisco’s 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition, and World War I
California legalized pari-mutuel wagering in 1933
Businessmen provided funds to repair the fairgrounds and revive the fair
The Alameda County Agricultural Fair Association was founded in 1939, and the fair returned
The horses arrived in 1941 during the fair for 9 days and continued through 2024

At the time, we had no idea that our day at the races would become a cherished memory. We watched the post parade as the trainers led the horses and their jockeys to the starting gate. It gave us a chance to see which horses we wanted to bet on. Then the announcer called, “And they’re off.”

I loved the sound of pounding hooves on the track as they raced by, and I loved the cheers of the people in the stands, and the announcements of which horses were ahead. My excitement increased with each race, even though the horses I bet on never placed.

Kevin was the lucky guy in our group for the day. Beginner’s luck or expert at picking winners? Who’s to know? As we walked out of the stands and back to our car, we looked forward to attending the promised future races and getting together for one or more of the races in 2025.

Bailey and Kevin show off Kevin’s winnings

It was a sad day when the Alameda County Fairgrounds announced the cancellation of horse racing at the fairgrounds on March 25, 2025, along with the closing of the stabling facilities. The future of horse racing in Pleasanton had ended.

Two main events led to the closure. First, the California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF) stopped issuing wagering licenses to fairs for live races. The second was the cost of upgrading the wastewater treatment system at the fairgrounds.

Jon enjoys a beverage while watching the race

Stable guards, maintenance workers, groomers, and other racetrack employees lost their jobs. Many of the workers lived in RVs on the property, and they had to scramble to find new stables for their horses and places to live.

Mt. Diablo in the background and the 9-hole golf course in the center of the track.

I wondered how the annual Alameda County Fair, held in late June and early July, and all the other county fairs would fare without the horse racing events. Based on attendance numbers during 2025 compared to 2024, the Alameda County fair enjoyed an increase of 13%. Of course, weather plays a big part in attendance, and 2025 experienced milder weather than in 2024. New programs and activities introduced to replace the horseracing event can also account for some of the increase.

Although the Tri-Valley area may no longer be known for horse racing, it still has a lot to offer. Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, and San Ramon offer small hometown amenities for families. Farmers’ markets, parades, outdoor concerts, restaurants offering cuisine from around the world, shopping, history museums, galleries, the Bankhead and Firehouse theaters, parks, trails, hiking, golfing, medical care, and plenty more.

After all our travels so far over the past few years, Jon and I have yet to find a place we would rather live. With or without horse racing, we’re here to stay for now.

Up Next: Unfortunately, 2025 did not see us on the road much. We’re hoping to travel during the second quarter of 2026, if all goes well. Over the next few posts, we’ll share the rest of our 2024 adventures and the few we slipped in during 2025. Then we’ll be on hiatus for a few months.

See you then.

Safe Travels

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