I live in the North-East Bronx, just South of Westchester, NY, and I find that most of the local nurseries, garden centers, and Home Depots/Lowes etc. suck, if you're trying to find anything that approaches an "exotic" ingredient for making Al's growing medium. None stock Turface-MVP, and they never heard of it. I've been to them all, and haven't found anything that could be called "pine-bark fines"...just shredded mulches....that will mat down, and clog the mix. After you factor in the cost of gas, your personal time, phone bills, cost of the products, time used to screen out unwanted materials -which doubles the cost, if 50% is wasted- the mix becomes very expensive. I can't be bothered hunting down all the ingredients anymore. I cut my losses. I just buy premium grade Repti-Bark at the local Pet-Co/Pet-Smart, a 20 lb. bag of aquarium grit, and a bag of Turface-MVP, and make the mix. NAPA Auto has oil-dry compound that can sub for the Turface. Some of the bark nuggets are too large, but, what the hay. Most of it is usable out of the bag. Hit the big pieces with a hammer. Yes, there are cheaper alternatives for the ingredients that I have mentioned, especially the Repti-Bark, but I'm not driving all over the state just to collect the ingredients that I need. Re-read the 2nd paragraph. Just my two-cents worth. The mix is great,...if you could find what you need, EASILY. My Clivia love the stuff, and you can not over-water plants! No PWT either! Frank PS....When the bark breaks down, just wash out the residue, and re-cycle the Turface-MVP, and the grit. Use new bark chunks, and you're good to go. Just the bark-fines break down.

Driving into NYC can be very nerve wracking. If you can leave the car outside the city or plan it well and park where awm indicated you might do better. But parking can cost $50-$65 for a full day or perhaps a bit more. We don't have a car so I'm not current on prices but sometime garages fill up and you can drive around and around. You might do better parking in New Jersey in Hoboken and taking the ferry ride across the river. Especially with a young teen that's a thrill. Those run hourly. There are about 4-5 other towns along the river in Jersey to get the ferry and at the terminal a bus will take you to several midtown locations for free. The ride is about 9 minutes to cross. Here's a link to NY Waterway. That way you're free all day to go around unencumbered and you avoid driving hassles and super expensive parking. When you're done you go back across and you're outta there. I have friends who live in the buildings there who take the ferry to work every day. Times Square takes about 2 mins to see. You just stand there though you can see the ABC Studio and the jumbotron. You might want to eat lunch there at someplace like Carmine's on 44th St., which is family Italian style -- everyone sits together. There's an Olive Garden and many other places. Pizza is good in NY and there are street vendors for hot dogs and shisk kebab. I'm sure he'll want to see the jumbotron. I'd venture a 13 y.o, boy would much rather see the Museum of Natural History (take him to the Ben Stiller Night at the Museum movie first?) than the Met. Other cool stuff is the Sony IMAX theater (3-d) if you don't have that on Broadway and 68th St. Do you have a Virgin Megastore where you live? There's one in midtown (in the 50s I believe). CD heaven. If you don't do the ferry to get to town, definitely take a Circle Line Cruise. It's very cool -- West Side Highway and 39th St (may be 38th). Goes all around the island with tour guide. Also there are Big Apple bus tours from Times Square that go around. Rockefeller Center might be another place to eat lunch -- you see that on TV at Xmas when they light the tree. All types of restaurants and street food as well. If you go early in the morning the Today show studios are there as well. 49th St. bet Fifth and Ave of the Americas. Any of those should give you a great day. Here is a link that might be useful: NY Waterway

I was in NYC for 3 days on October 3. We used the subways extensively. They are cities of their own down there, and everything is automated. I cannot imagine the devastation and cost to repair the subway system alone. Thanks for the birds eye video. What a tragedy.

Becco (on 46th, west of Broadway) is good. It's one of Lidia's restaurants and they have two seatings - before & after shows. Lattanzi, also on 46th (right next door to Becco, I think) is also good. If you want Latin fusion, try Iguana on 54th. Be sure to order the table-side prepped guacamole - it's outstanding. I would tell you to avoid (at ALL COSTS) the Jekyll & Hyde Club on Avenue of the Americas. It's simply horrible.