Visiting Ash- June 2013

We spent the weekend visiting Ash, and we had a super busy fun three days of action. Friday we got there a little later than expected because James was not being super cooperative, but thanks to some creative GPS routes we managed to avoid rush-hour-Friday-in-the-summer traffic which is unimaginably bad. We made it to Ash's in record time. Ash made us dinner and then we went to check out the summer concert in her town.

Me and Ash at the outside concert

James dancing and having fun running through the crowds

Saturday morning, Kevin got up for a short hike that was on the other side of the Hudson River as the one he did on Father's Day.  All of us spent the afternoon at the Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery. I went back in November for Girls' Weekend, but since it was the winter it was less crowded so we stayed inside, did a tasting, and listened to some music. The atmosphere in the summer is totally different-- like going to an entirely new place. You can order drinks and food outside or inside, the music is set up outside, and there are people celebrating summer all over the winery. James had fun too, but he got so unbelievably dirty rolling around in the dirt.

Sangria with Ash- yum!

Kevin and James cheers beer and orange juice.

Backlit timer photo, oh well, still cute.

Family photo in front of the vineyard

James and Ash are besties. Not so with Harley, Ash's cat.

In the evening, Ash and I were free for some girls time, and her town has one of the few historical drive-in theaters left in the country. Kevin and I have been to another one in Wellfleet, but I thought it would be fun to check this one out. People actually get out of their cars here, and Ash and I parked backwards so we could open the trunk area of her car. We had the brilliant idea of going to a double-header and picked possibly the two worst (or best depending on your view) comedies possible: This is the End, and The Internship. Sometimes we had to laugh despite ourselves. My favorite line delivered by Jonah Hill playing Jonah Hill, "Something not that chill happened last night."

Warwick Drive-in

Ash and I got in late from the movies, and James had a lot of trouble sleeping that night so Sunday we were all exhausted. But that didn't deter us from our plans to see Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York. James has never had so many tantrums over such a large and beautiful area of land with so many inspiring art works. James must hate nature, freedom, and art. But don't worry, he looks super happy and art-absorbing in the photos.

James heading towards "Mozart's Birthday" by Mark di Suvero

Interacting with art, yo.

Ash, James, and I walking past the circuitous Storm King Wall

Ring it, James.

The first time I visited Storm King I was on an enrichment trip in middle school, maybe in 1993. I loved it. I was still young enough that the whole place felt like an imagination playground. Some of my favorite works there are the same works I first saw that day. I went back in 2005, after Cate and Matt's wedding nearby. This time there were a number of new pieces along with my old favorite ones that stood out. For example, "Three-Legged Buddha," was created in 2007 and installed in Storm King in 2010. The new artworks really change the terrain and the experience of visiting and make me want to visit more often.

"Three-Legged Buddha," by Chinese artist Zhang Huan(partially concealed here)

Kevin, James, and Ash on the observation deck

"Suspended" by Menashe Kadishman

Then we got a little silly...

Me: Copying Sleeping Boy I by Thomas Houseago, 2012

James: I don't sleep! I photo-bomb!

This is how it feels when we don't sleep.

Sitting in Isamu Noguchi's "Momo Taro"

"Pollito" relives his hatching.

Ash, thanks for an awesome visit full great memories! I will remember it for both of us, or you can re-read the blog post sometime... if you remember to do so.