Aug 30 2013

美国网球公开赛 US Open 2013

两周长美国网球公开赛 每年由八月最后一个星期一在纽约开始。(今年是八月二十六 到 九月八号)在正赛前一个星期从星期二到星期五是轮资格赛。上午11点开始到打完为止。今年张帅和段莹莹都是从这里开始的。张帅在第二轮被淘汰,段莹莹连赢三场,和郑洁,李娜,彭帅进到正选赛。
四天的轮资格赛 (星期六是儿童日有很多活动,网球娱乐,音乐会等等需要票)和星期天选手练球日都是免费的。种子选手也都利用这星期来练球。(我们上星期三下午去时正好赶上费德勒在练。虽然只是练习但是我们坐的很近,离网球场只是一步之遥,同样看得津津有味。)轮资格赛期间观众不多但是所有的服务都开始营业了,轻松暇意。正赛有偶像但是人多,熙熙攘攘。各有千秋。我们这些网球迷每年都从轮资格赛开始,过三星期网球过量的日子。我的女儿没上大学时,我们会一起去。在二年有点人去楼空的感觉。孩子大了总是要离开。只要她快乐 我们就安心,天下的父母心都是一样的。

8/22: Zhang Shuai

8/22/2013: 张帅

美网所在地南边紧邻1964年的纽约世界博览会,东边与纽约的唐人街法拉盛近在咫尺,中国选手会有很多粉丝,宾至如归。张帅的第二场赛的对手是美国的 Coco Vandeweghe,但是给张帅喊加油的声音强壮过给 Coco 的,可惜我们几乎划破纽约夜空的 "加油"没有帮到张帅。

法拉盛有很多餐馆,小吃。酒店都很普通。高星级酒店多在纽约的曼哈顿。从曼哈顿来美网很方便。可以乘坐紫色7 号线地铁,从宾州车站 (Penn Station) 火车, 或者打黄色的计程车,黑色的出租车,自己开车。条条大路通罗马。美网在地铁轨和火车轨的南边,纽约的大都会棒球队在北边。有几年我们两边赶场,忙的不亦乐乎。好处? 只需要付一次停车费。一笑。


Aug 26 2013

Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation

IMG_1326We stayed at Washington Court Hotel (525 New Jersey Ave NW), a block south to the Liaison Capitol Hill An Affinia Hotel.

My husband is a night owl who stays up till wee hours on weekends. When we travel, he likes to explore the new city after we called it quit. Last weekend was sending kids back to school week. After a long dinner at Montmartre we went back to our hotel. He washed up and set out. At the end of the block, corner of Massachusetts and New Jersey Avenues (near the Union Station) he came upon a modest status. He lighted up a cigar and inspected the inscription on the base with amusement:

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Victims of Communism Memorial

??
Does every cause or group want to stake their claim on the soil, of the capital of the free world? I bet. President George W. Bush was summoned to the dedication of the status in 2007, which was also the twentieth anniversary of downing the Berlin Wall. The four founders of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation are well connected individuals. The status is modeled after the Goddess of Democracy in Tiananmen Square during the student protests of in 1989. Among the critics, Russia and China had strongest words. My mom died during the Cultural Revolution in Beijing in 1968, however I do not have any rhetorical to offer. Russia and China are all far better off now than in 1987 and 1989 respectively, because the changes came mainly within. The characters of capitalism and communism are increasing blurry nowadays. The two systems could co-exist peacefully.

The status stands is quite and dignified, dwarfed by the street lining trees and buildings. I won’t be surprised to see people sitting around to relax during lunch hours on a week day. That morning, there was a lone homeless woman, keeping company of her worldly possessions neatly packed.

我的老公是个夜猫子,每个周末他都喜欢熬到三更半夜。当我们旅行的时候,精力旺盛的他每每打烊之后,还会兴致勃勃的去探索新的城市。上周末是送孩子回学校星期。在国会山的蒙马特 (Montmartre )餐馆漫长的晚餐后,回到酒店已经十点多了。他洗了个澡就又出去了。 华盛顿院酒店 (Washington Court Hotel) 在新泽西州大道,出去向北是麻省大道和 G 街西北角 交界。那里有个简单的塑像。他点燃了一支雪茄,然后仔细地考察了题词:

共产主义受难者纪念碑


各个团体是否都喜欢在 最自由国家的首都的土壤上落脚, 哪怕只是一个街角? 四个共产主义受害者纪念基金会创办人的政治资本雄厚,在2007年落成典礼时,当任的美国总统小布希都被传唤到。那年也是柏林墙倒下(拆掉这堵墙, Tear down this wall)二十周年纪念。塑像是根据 1989 天安门广场学运时的民主女神像蓝本。典礼后,俄罗斯和中国的批评最强。我妈妈是在文革期间在北京去世,但是我没有什么强烈的感觉,更没有任何漂亮的修辞。今天的俄罗斯和中国都比1987年和1989年好得多, 因为变化主要是内来的。资本主义和共产主义的体制越来越模糊不清。

我看到塑像的时候是早上。晨光下的塑像安静端庄,与街道衬里树木和建筑物相形见绌。因为是周末,只有一个无家可归的女人坐在那里,孤独的陪伴她的秽垢但是整齐的家当。


Aug 23 2013

Home cooking

Fish (bought) etc.
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Aug 23 2013

Washington Court Hotel

525 New Jersey Ave NW.  It’s next to Liaison Hotel. A statue.

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