Fort Gilmore to Fort Brady, Richmond's National Battlefield

One of the National Park Service's narrowest bit of land that gave us a great bike roll from Fort Gilmore to Fort Brady on the James River. All dug out by the Confederates (South) and taken by the Unionists (North)... who then entered a scorched Richmond.

We weren't your classic Civil War history buffs - decidedly European - but we got enthusiastic about grassy earthworks and battlement models in the Visitor Centre.

The Diamond, Richmond

Thanks to a corporate team building event, we had an all expenses paid trip to see a Baseball (Minor League) game (with my colleagues, not pictured). Parking $3, entry $7 and corn-dogs $3, this kind of blow-out can only happen once in a lifetime. It was a night of family firsts, obviously baseball, but also a first for live sport and corn-dog, which is a hotdog deep fried in a cornmeal batter and served (not sure what other word to use here) on a stick. It was M's treat to have the thing but she found it too sweet and for the first time, passed on junk food.

Late in the game, fans get to enjoy the 7th inning stretch and opportunity to sing Take Me Out to The Ball Game. We also stayed to the end, a first for me, with the incentive of fireworks - in earlier games I have abandoned long before the final ball.

Baseball is as dull as cricket but it was fun to meet partners of my work team, all for the first time.

Secret Garden, Richmond Central Library

We love the 1930s Central Library and this morning they were doing a Terrarium workshop with mini Dinosaurs included. Had a moment of magic on a shaded terrace pottering about with herbs and cacti in a quietly focussed and unusually diverse group.

Afterwards we played by a burbling water platform that the girls did 'ballet' on while I got to sit and ponder.

Paint the Walls, RVA Street Art Festival

The perfectly timed reminder that there is energy and community here in RVA. The old bus depot is going to get a creative facelift thanks to the Street Art Festival. Tonight was the prelims with plenty of familiar faces, spray cans, bubbles and beer!

Williamsburg Bridge, NYC

Heading home...

MOMA PS1, Long Island City

On the third attempt to enter MOMA PS1 we got in and found an interesting and gritty place. No rap artists today and the courtyard was a watery haven, alongside a post-disaster community of chrome caravans, vertical vegetable patches and fish ponds in recycled plastic tubs.

Indoors the eco-fest continued with an impressive pool, Minecraft theatre (pic), land-mover movie and bizarre performance...

The fancy French fare in the cafe and the interminable wait for a seat almost wiped out the venues many splendid things. We will return for more art.

Four Freedoms Park, Roosevelt Island, NYC

A 1973 vision of a park on the tip of 'Welfare Island' - disability and mental hospital location of choice - opposite the UN. It was formal and pure with a few issues along the way i.e. not being disabled accessible at key vantage points when this is a fully accessible island in honour of F. D. Roosevelt.

So they have their law suit with the A.D.A. to resolve but my biggest gripe is the crazy pebble paving that is stuck down, so you walk and it doesn't shift... J spent an age trying to dislodge a stone or two.

We took to the insanely high cable car off the island over to Manhattan and the next day found a ferry service we loved.