We arrived in NJ late Friday night tired and hungry after being diverted to Baltimore due to a lack of fuel (!), but Kate's Halmoni and Halabugi greeted us with big smiles and a homemade Korean dinner, and all was well again. While Kate ran around the apartment, we caught the tail end of the impressive opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Halabugi, who usually goes to bed very early, remained in his chair way past his bedtime, glued to the set. We realized what he was waiting for when the South Korean team appeared. After watching them march around for a few minutes, he got up and went to bed.
The next day, we drove into Manhattan to meet Halmoni at The Art Students League where she studies drawing.
Halmoni took us to lunch in Koreatown and Kate gobbled up a ginormous amount of
bibimbap from a trough-sized bowl. Afterwards, Halmoni
headed back to school and Chris, Kate, and I went to meet our friend, Kirk, and ride the 100-year old carousel in Central Park.
I decided not to hop on because I wanted to take pictures. A wise decision, as it turned out. The carousel whipped around so fast, it took Chris and Kate by surprise. Chris said the speed plus the lights and the crazy-loud organ music made it feel like a 1970's horror film. No wonder a man gave us his extra ticket when we were walking up.
A shot of Kate on the horse (just barely). She's on the right.
Here is a video of the Centrifuge. See if you can find Kate and Chris, I obviously couldn't. (hint: watch for a pair of green sneakers and short white socks).
Kate, post-ride, stunned and gouging Batman's eyes out. She must've been really out of it because she specifically asked for the Batman blow-up doll. We said, "Really? Batman? The Dark Knight? Are you sure?" We didn't even know she knew who he was. But she was adamant.
Then a few minutes later she asked, "Could I have Dora instead?" And Batman went back on the rack.
Our old friend, Kirk finally found us (after asking four different people how to get to the carousel -- apparently, no one knew). He had been eager to meet Kate ever since she was born, so it was long overdue. It was great to see him. Chris and I met Kirk at the Council on Foreign Relations over 14 years ago. Chris was the advertising manager of
Foreign Affairs magazine and Kirk was one of the editors. Now Kirk is the foreign news editor of
The New York Times. He helps shape all the international stories we see on the front page. Not too shabby.
After a quick stroll out of the park, Kate and I left to meet Halmoni and drive back to NJ. Chris stayed in Manhattan to hang out with Kirk and catch up. Later, Kate kept asking me why Appa was with Kirk, and when I finally said, "they're on a playdate," that seemed to satisfy her, and she stopped asking. At midnight, when Chris came back, Kate woke up and asked, "Appa, did you and Kirk play with blocks tonight?"
Back in NJ, Kate took Halabugi and Dora to the park and had a good time, despite a low-grade fever.
Things got interesting when an Alpha Girl came by and asked if she could play with Dora. Kate said yes, but I don't know if she was very happy about it.
Then Alpha Girl wanted me to take a photo of her and Dora. And Kate said, "And me and Dolly!" and inched towards her. After Alpha Girl asked to borrow my camera (er, no), and then took Dolly and hurried off, it was time to tell her to get lost. "She's a little bossy," Kate said.
A short video of Kate singing "Happy Birthday" in Korean.
After a few days in the city, it was time to head to Pop-Pop and Grammy's house down the Shore. Like Chris' cartoon says, people from New Jersey don't go to the beach, they go to "the Shore." By the time this photo was taken, we had effectively removed the word "beach" from Kate's vocabulary. We took the train so Kate could experience riding the rails for the first time. Someone must have scored a touchdown on the tracks. There's no other way to explain Chris' arms.
Kate, the ham. Not sure where she gets it.
Pop-Pop, checking out the construction going on across the street. "Boy, they're working hard to build that house!" Kate observed.
Kate and Pop-Pop goofing around on the hammock.
The first thing Kate wanted to do when we got there was see the beach. I guess we hadn't really removed the word from her brain. Apparently it is perfectly acceptable to refer to the actual sand/ocean as "the beach" in this context. When referring to the house, the town, or the act of going to the house or town, however, it is "the Shore."
Pop-Pop and Chris in their Jersey Shore T-shirts. Pop-Pop's is courtesy of Chris and The New Yorker. Looking at this photo, I realized how much Chris resembles his Dad, especially around the nose/mouth area.
And then I realized where Kate gets her nose/mouth area.
I wanted to get a shot of Pop-Pop wearing Chris' cartoon with the actual shoreline he drew in it behind him. Unfortunately, I only had a longish lens, so Chris took the shot the next day...
Chris grew up on this beach. He said this image is burned in his mind's eye.
Kate always loves a good gazebo.
Kate was very excited to sit in Pop-Pop's "fancy" red car.
Kate was disappointed she couldn't take a ride in the fancy red car (MG's aren't carseat-able).
Grammy sliced up some "Jersey" tomatoes and tossed them with olive oil, salt/pepper, oregano and garlic. I used to laugh at Chris when he'd brag about the Jersey tomato. Oh, I'd laugh, and then I'd laugh some more. This, coming from a man who was rabidly anti-tomato (except when in sauce or ketchup form). But he was right. I ate so many tomatoes while we were there that I felt like Violet "you're turning violet, Violet!" Beauregarde, only the tomato version. Kate, who takes after her Dad in the tomato department, even tried one, and exclaimed, "I like it!" before refusing to take another bite.
Kate read in the hammock as the sun set. It was so relaxing being at the Shore. Kate never slept better, and neither did we. 
