In & Out

 

Wow, wow, it was a stunning result---The U.S. men edge France in 400 x 100 freestyle relay, just moments ago!!!

 

The US team members were Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak (He is 32 years old, the oldest man on the U.S. swimming team).

 

 

 Photo by NYTimes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The torch relay, the ceremony rehearsal, the traffic restriction, the aftershocks, the explosion, the mask issue, the anger and the happiness.

 

No matter what challenges, it will still be an unprecedented feast of the new century!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The beach, the girl and the sunset...

 

 

The sunshine, the wave and the guys...

 

 

Photos by Paula, EX and PG

 

 

 

Have been to Danny Meyer's "11 Medison Park" and "The Modern", but it's the first time to meet him. For doing a friend's favor, I went to Danny's very first restaurant and also the one of the best cafe in New York, "Union Square Cafe", to have an interesting conversation with him in the beautiful summer afternoon.

 

His fascinating journey with love of food and art and the excellent written of his stories in Italy and France have made me no surprise why his book has been on the best seller list of New York Times for over a year since it has been publishined last year.  It's also amazing me how they have been well merged with the palace of the modern art when you see the three spaces in MoMa museum which they had letted Danny worked on.

 

It's a great combination as a personal memoir and business book.

 

 

(I sneaked out from my work, but did something very interesting at the afternoon)

Photo by Paula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was extremely hot, 97 f (My mom told me later that the very same day was the first day of the "Three-Futian" in China). We took a ferry to the "Governor Island", just want to avoid the metropolitan noisy.

 

It was a right time when we were landing on the small island, 12:30pm. My body was like a piece of steak on the middle of barbecue rack, but it didn't seem to bother me much, we were still very "active"---walking, biking, watching the jazz concert and lying on the grass.  In the end of the day, we "swimed" back to the big island---Manhattan. (almost missed the last ferry).  

 

The island is a historical spot, here is a story about the history. The Dutch settlers in the 1620s took over from the Amercian Indian people and established maritime enterprises. The British noted the New York harbor's strategic potential and, by 1674, secured it for the Crown. In 1776 Gen. George Washointon's colonial army made a valiant attempt to fend off the British siege of New York.

 

 

 

 

Photos by Paula

 

 

 

 

The caricature?

 

Don't worry, the politics is a game, let's play!

 

What do you think?

 

There are differences,

 

all depend on which group you are belonging to.

 

Oh, don't worry...That is not a big deal!

 

 

 

(I really like this cartoon. It's a typical "joke" from New Yorker magazine)

 

 

 

 

 

I want to celebrate, want to have a drink at the midnight!

 

Xiao got his first job after the tough interviews, through a strong competetion.

 

MDa had a new baby, it's the first one, a boy (I actually wished there will be a girl ).

 

They are the love in my life. I want to have a glass of wine, PG!

 

 

 

 

I have heard some news about my friends from the early morning to the evening today.

 

Hu came to the US for a vacation and a writing plan, and living in the house near a lake and a mountain.

 

Miao left his work with a great achievement after 15 years to take a new challenge.

 

Jiang seems to find a story he like.

 

Xue finally has the schedule to move back China for playing an important role she used to do.

 

Life is un-predicable, but it is good for living in this way, at least sometimes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is the National Day holiday. People, people were happy to travel, going to beachs, joining barbecues, watching fireworks, all things were beautiful, beautiful to enjoy.

 

We didn't go those directions, we went to an island, visited an old park. There once was a sailor nursing home after World War II. A group of majestic continental constructions still stand there, but empty, quiet and overlooking the ocean, the Atlantic!

 

Another but more important reason to be the island was visiting a Chinese garden, an authentic Suzhou Garden. Walked around, the every single corner we had been amazed. At 10 years ago, the garden was built using the unique bricks from China by a team of Chinese craftsmen. There are not only the elegant bridges and water streams, but also are trees---apricots, peachs and persimmons. I had smelled the fresh, the flavors from my childhood.

 

That was really fantastic!!!

 

 

 

After work, met YY in Rockfeller Center. She is a "young girl" and top surgeon?!

 

Her step-mother was my doctor many years ago and is my friend for years.

 

I am a person in-between?!  

 

It has been a very interesting story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She is back to the "normal" life as a senator of New York. We love her as always!

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

 

I met my classmate GY at Metropolitan Museum the past Saturday.

 

At 6:00pm, near 300 Chinese tourists from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou were gethering together in Met's Chinese-Garden for a welcome ceremony from NYC goverment. The weather was good, the people were "hot". 

 

It was a beautiful glass-hall, you could see the sunny blue sky.

 

As a senior officer of the Travel Administration in BJ, GY gave a short and elegant speach. She had a similar hair style like many years ago, and the voice was still soft, but with power.  

 

We then went to the Egypt hall to see the evening central park. I asked her that just two of us.

 

Sometimes, is life really that incredible?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fox News, MET, Frick Collection, Meatpacking District, Chelsea Market...

 

What I was doing? It had driven me crazy!

 

 

 

 

It was 10 years ago in Washington DC, he was 70.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was shocked and saddened when PG told me the news tonight in the car! 

 

The one of the most admirable journalists in the US, Tim Russert, had collapsed on job at the afternoon of Friday after suffering a heart attack (coronary artery disease---"Guan Xin Bing"). He was only 58. 

 

The moderator and analyst of "Meet the Press", Tim Russert was considered an essential proving ground in the career of any national politician. He was a man of tremendous honor and integrity with a great love of politics and a deep commitment to the country.

 

As a newsman, he was best known for his consuming passion for politics, and tenacity (tough) and fair. His dignity, integrity and respect are not just that the manner in which people treasure and respect the essential personal relationships are also the real mark of character in his professional life. That is one of the reasons he has been remembered by both his friends and his rivals at the work.  

 

As a human being, he understood the value of the life. He was a hard worker, and being very disciplined and accountable.

 

As a father, he was a remarkable family man, and one of the best 100 fathers in the US. His book about three generations has touched so many people by bring the cherishable American values which people have hold so dearly.  However, he left, as a great father, at the Father's Day weekend!

 

Tim Russert had left a big and beautiful life for the world, which we will always share with...

 

Timothy John "Tim" Russert, Jr. (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008) was an American television journalist and lawyer, best known for appearing for sixteen years as the moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was NBC News' Washington Bureau Chief, senior VP of NBC News, and also hosted the self-titled CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview program Tim Russert. He was a frequent correspondent and guest on NBC's The Today Show and Hardball, and is noted for his coverage of presidential elections from 2000 until his death and for his presentation of the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey on the NBC Nightly News during U.S. presidential election, 2008. Russert collapsed in NBC's Washington, D.C. studios on Friday June 13, 2008 while taping voiceovers for Meet the Press, and was pronounced dead a short time later at Sibley Memorial Hospital.^[1]

 

 

 

 

 

It is not because of the gender, age, race, religion, or other surface characteristic, it is because she was the best candidate to lead the country crossing the hurdle in this special period of time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making a history?!

 

 

 

It was a final showdown?

 

 

Photos by NYTs

 

 

 

 

 

 

I remember that it was a similar night in the early summer......From Mu Xu Di to the Square.......

 

Today, there are different policemen, different mothers and different lost children, but I look forward to seeing a different leadership.

 

 

 

Photo by NYTs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 蒋眼中的地震和我们心中的四川。