Taking a break we went to Staten Island yesterday (about a 50 minute drive): visited the Chinese Scholar Garden with its impressive rockery resembling mountains that inspired ancient monks, eight pavilions, a waterfall, Koi-
filled, pond, Chinese calligraphy, soaring
roof peaks; walked through the botanical garden; ate dinner in a restaurant on the bank of the Arthur Kill, a heavily traveled shipping lane watching tugboats, tankers, and a lone cormorant; went to a show at a regional theater–all and all a very different but
stimulating experience, plus we had fun!
