FAVORITE THINGS - MAY 2026
Things that made me happy!
May was a full one. Family, food, art, a little LEGO, and more than a few moments I didn’t want to end. Here are the things that stood out.
Coney Island
Every year to celebrate my dads birthday we head to one of his favorite places, Coney Island. We enjoy lunch at Nathan’s, the kids love the rides (see the picture above), and we get some ice cream. It’s always a win and makes me smile.
Brunch Date with SB
There’s something about a slow morning when neither of us has anywhere to be. We found a table, ordered too much, and just talked. No kids, no timers, no rushing. We got to try a new (to us) restaurant I don’t take these enough for granted — this month I tried not to.
Legoland with Zeke
Zeke and I got season passes to Legoland this year and I plan to use them as much as we can over the next few months. It is an easy drive, the park is small but has lots of things he loves. Plus we get to build Lego throughout the day and brought some new sets home.
Taking Photos at Manhattanhenge
Twice a year the sun lines up perfectly with the Manhattan street grid and the whole city turns gold for about four minutes. I’ve lived near New York my whole life and this was my first time actually being there with a camera. It did not disappoint.
Taking a Photography Class & Build a New Portfolio Site
I’ve been shooting long enough to have opinions about gear but not always the vocabulary to match. The class helped with that — gave me some structure around things I was doing intuitively and a few new tools to think with. It made me more confident in my skills and to shoot in manual mode more often Already seeing the difference in how I’m framing shots.
In May I finally built myself a dedicate photo website. AI makes building these things so easy and fun. Check it out here
Zeke’s Field Day
He had a great morning and smiled through all the activities. I got some good action shots (of him and his classmates) and watched him run around with his friends. A good day by any measure.
Reading to Judi While She Ate Lunch
This one is small and I want to write it down anyway. Judi eating her lunch, me reading aloud, her occasionally stopping mid-bite to react to something in the story. It was maybe twenty minutes and it was one of my favorite moments of the month.
Watching Zeke Read Books to My Mom
Zeke settled in next to my mom and just started reading to her like it was the most natural thing in the world. For her, I know, it was everything.
Seeing Washington Crosses the Delaware with Zeke
We went to see the Emanuel Leutze painting at the Met — the big one, the famous one, the one that takes up the whole wall. The best part was that he asked why the painting didn’t include the kids from the Magic Treehouse where he learned about the event taking place.
Taking Mom to Omakase by Korami for Mother’s Day
My mom deserved something special and this delivered. Course after course, each one better than the last. She kept saying she couldn’t believe it.