And so we turn another corner.
Earlier this week, I (finally!) went stargazing on the High Line. I left work at 7 (it was a late start, late end day), and took the subway to Chelsea. I got there around 7:30, davened mincha, and watched the sun go down behind the Hudson River. I had known about this stargazing situation for literally years and always meant to go but as we well know, what can happen at any time often happens at no time. So when I reviewed my loose list of goals for the summer, I was reminded of it, picked a late work day to go into the office, and this finally happened. I was only at the telescopes for a few minutes but it was profound – I saw Venus, shining like the brightest star, and the moon, a glittering luminous orb that looks quite alive when you see it through a telescope! I really was so moved by the experience. The stargazing program runs through October, and I do hope to go again.
Last Shabbos I was at my sister. On Motzoei Shabbos we went to the Ice Cream House because I wanted to check it out. It was quite busy close to midnight. I got a strawberry milkshake there and then we went to Playa Bowls where my sister got an acai bowl. I stayed over on Sunday and went swimming in her pool (possibly my first time in a pool in a few years, eek). I made the no-pot baked ziti with my niece, which was super fast and was fairly good. I don’t spend a lot of time in the Lakewood area, and I always feel a little sad to leave my sister’s house and say good bye to my nieces and nephew. (One thing I loove – my nieces have a section in their closet for princess dresses and my younger niece changed into several dresses and tiaras, with all seriousness, throughout the weekend – too cute! In general my nieces are really girly and I love it.)
This week I went for a regular checkup at the dermatologist and asked about antiaging skincare. (My skincare routine is very basic – basically face wash and moisturizer, with SPF in the morning and occasionally eye cream at night). My derm said that the best thing to do is to continue wearing SPF every day (all year) but that I could add retinol at night. She told me that prescription retinoid is more effective than drug store retinol if one’s skin can tolerate it, so I have ordered Tretinoin.
For my last summer Friday, I am going to my cousin again (same group as two weeks ago — married cousin, my sister, another cousin, and me). My cousin and I are hoping to go to an outlet mall today. So that should be fun!
Have a wonderful, rejuvenating Shabbos!
