A top-flight birthday celebration

To celebrate Dan's milestone birthday this year, he and Julie hosted a gathering of family and friends at the Empire State Building.

The group spent an hour or so taking in the sights from the Observatory on the 86th floor, in brisk but clear weather with good visibility. Then they returned to earth for an early dinner at the Heartland Brewery restaurant in the building's base.

Here are just a couple of Dan's photos from the observatory and snapshots of the gathering.



The location had a special meaning to Dan.

"Once on my birthday - and it may have been exactly 50 years ago - Nana took me on a birthday outing to Manhattan.

"The Empire State Building was the second of what she might have planned as several stops that day, but once I got a look at the city spread out below me, I was so fascinated that I didn't want to leave.

"I was completely absorbed in watching the buses and cabs moving through the streets, looking like a scale model in motion. Nana was so indulgent that day, I think we must have spent three hours on the observatory."

Vivien and CJ are engaged!

August file photo

There's big news about one of New York's most fabulous couples.

The Birch Street Web can report exclusively that Vivien and CJ are now engaged!

Celebrating with Kathy, Genevieve and John

"We are both soo happy," Vivien tells us. "We got engaged in the hammock outside our house in Noyac, and then had dinner at the American Hotel. I was so surprised!"



Both have recently made career moves, as well. CJ is now a district manager for real estate firm Related Management, overseeing four apartment properties in Manhattan. And Vivien will soon be starting a new job as a catering coordinator at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

We walk to end Alzheimer's

Our family was well represented at this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's, at New York's Riverside Park on Sunday.


Team leader Shanna reports that our team raised some $1,200 for this year's walk. And contributions can still be made toward our team's tally by visiting its web page.


Over six years, our team has now raised more than $5,000 to support the Alzheimer's Association's programs of support for patients and families and for research into combating the disease.


We fielded eight walkers this year - and as always, we walked to win!

This year's team: Dan, Kathy, Brien, Kathy, Kevin, Genevieve, Shanna, Rick

Band tries out the field for Super Bowl XLVIII

Far more entertaining than watching the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday was watching the USSBA Yamaha Cup marching band competition at MetLife Stadium on Saturday! Andy was on the field with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood band.

Closer view of Andy, center

The band will return to the stadium for its final competition of the year on Nov. 9. When the Super Bowl is played on the same field in February, the students can watch and say, "Been there!"