Sun Pillar!

On my run tonight, what appeared to be a normal sunset turned into a first for me: a sun pillar:

This effect is create by millions of falling ice crystals. It's sort of like a rainbow, but also not at all like a rainbow. Either way, how magical!

US open 2025 - Homeward Bound and Closing Thoughts

[Composed 8/29/2025]

Thanks Mom and Dad!

A couple of years ago we found the pefect answer to one of my parent's FAQs: what can we get you guys for your anniversary? The answer: lounge access at the airport. This is the perfect gift because every time we take advantage of it, it feels like an absolute luxury.

And so today, as we flew from La'Guardia to DC, our first stop after security was the lounge, where we got to eat, drink and reflect on how amazing the last couple of days have been. Thanks Mom and Dad!

The lounge also delivered in terms of practicality. Shira and I needed to join a foster parenting related video call. Doing so in one of the lounge's mini-private meeting rooms was ideal, as convo could remain private. The fact that I could nosh on little pastries and drink tea while the meeting was going on was a nice bonus.

A Mid Air Mystery

Our flight back to DC was easy and the scenery gorgeous. I snapped some pics of what appeared to be an unexpected site in the area: pit mine or quarry. But for the life of me, I can't identify it.

I tried busting out my innner Sherlock Holmes, but every lead I chased down was a dead end. I checked Flight Aware to analyze our flight path, tried Googling landmarks that appeared in the photo and did a bit of timestamp math to determine where on our trip the photo was captured. Of course, I asked ChatGPT for help, but in this case, it told me to try the things I was already trying. How can such a disctinct location from above be invisible on the ground? On our next flight home from LGA, I'll keep my eyes peeled and the GPS Test app ready to grab a set of coordinates. This site can't hide forever.

A Little Less Tennis?

For the second year in a row, we visited the tournament on Tuesday and Wednesday, versus coming for the middle weekend. We did this last year out of neccessity, and this year because we liked the larger match selection the earlier days offer. Compared to last year, however, there was slighty less tennis going on. That's because for the first time in the Open era, the US Open started on Sunday and not Monday. Some players seem quick to point to this move as a way for the tourament to make more money. However, I have to imagine that spreading the tournament out over an extra day means that rain delays and other glitches don't quite pile up into the into scheduling nightmares; like they seem to do every year.

So while there was something special about having an impossible amount of tennis to watch on Tuesday, with matches going deep into the night, the extra day did seem to make the schedule more consumable. I have to imagine that's a good thing for the tournament.

Goodbye T6s, Hello JJ02 and OpenCamera

This year my US Open gear remained nearly unchanged in all but one department: my camera gear. In a major break of tradition, I left my Canon T6s DSLR with 300mm lens at home. The fact is, the aging DSLR just can't compete with the quality and convenience of my Galaxy S22 cell phone. I considered using this as an opportunity to slurge and pick up a new, probably mirror less camera. While I could no doubt get a camera that would outperform my cell phone, I can't justify the cost and bulk of such a setup. Whatever I'd gain in image quality, auto-focus speed and shots per second, I'd lose in portability. My goal is ultimately to capture the story of the Open, and my cell phone lets me do this more than well enough.

Still, I couldn't resist using the Open as a proving grounds for two new photography add-ons: one hardware, one software.

On the hardware side, I brought along a ULANZI JJ02. This is combination tripod, selfie-stick, bluetooth trigger and camera grip all in a fist-sized package. The JJ02, like most multi-purpose tools, doesn't fully excel in any one area. All the features work, but all have limitations that a dedicated item wouldn't have. For example, the tripod can has only the most basic adjustment options and the Bluetooth trigger isn't USB rechargable. Yet, the sheer portability and functionality of the JJ02 makes it a winner. The tournament forbids tripods and selfie-sticks, yet I had no problem bringing it through security. When we wanted to grab a group shot, the Ulanzi was quick to set up, use and tear down. I took well over 1,700 photos during the tournament and the grip definitely made the camera more comfortable to use. So yeah, the JJ02 may be a compromise, but on the balance, it's a winner.

On the software side, I experimented with using Open Camera. Conventional wisdom is that no 3rd party app can beat the phone's built in camera. That's because the built in camera has access to features that aren't available to 3rd party apps. And for everyday use, I find this to be true. Yet, Open Camera does have a number of advantages that made it shine during the Open. The repeat option let me capture sequences of images with ease. I was also able to select Focus Continous Picture, so that the camera refocused on each shot. Combining these features let consistently snap action sequences.

Other cool features that Open Camera offers includes exposure and focus bracketing, focus peeking, alternative implementations of HDR and NR modes, and impressive control over things like file naming and image metadata.

The user experience of OpenCamera is far less sexy than the built in photo app. Yet, it brings a degree of consistency which is much appreciated. Most importantly, the apps settings are truly sticky. If I carefully input a series of settings, they aren't lost, as often seems to happen with Pro mode in the stock camera.

For day to day snapshots, the S22's default camera is amazing. But for specialized tasks, Open Camera is an excellent tool to have in the toolkit.

US Open - Day 3 - Tennis with Heart, Tennis with Drama

[Composed 8/28/2025]

Finding a Seat

We had a delightful walk to the US Open grounds this morning, with the weather cooperating and a seemingly endless stream of graffiti and sticker art for me to ooh and ahh at.

Security at the Open this morning was notably tighter than yesterday. Despite having less metal on me (opting to leave an extra power bank at the hotel), the metal detectors flagged my bag. I'm not sure if yesterday's settings were too relaxed, or if it was always planned to make the machines more sensitive as the tournament progressed. Either way, I was glad to open my bag and show off all the baked goods I was bringing into the stadium. I ultimately got through without incident.

We spent some time scurrying around the grounds before the first match. Along with picking up some freebies (thanks, Fage! The yogurt was delish), we stepped into the main gift shop to purchase a game ball. This is a tennis ball that was used on court for a period of time, typically 7 games. While the balls lack specifics of which match it was from, they are often scuffed up in interesting ways that suggest they are legit. This makes each of them unique. Because balls are changed out so frequently, a match can rack up quite a few. So while each ball is unique, they aren't in short supply. Apparently, the Open uses between 70,000 and 100,000 balls for the entire tournament! We've got a collection of game balls going back to 2018, and while I'm not usually a fan of accumulating tchotchkes, these do make me smile every time I look at them.

We started the day in Grandstand and had pretty much perfect seats: in the shade and positioned right behind the ends. It was going to be a good day!

Let's Tennis!

Our first match of the day was Andrey Rublev vs. Tristan Boyer. Rublev got off to a strong start, taking the first two sets 6-3, 6-3. This looked to be a continuation of yesterday's upset-free day.

To Boyer's credit, he didn't give up. In the third set, he kept fighting and was ultimately victorious in the tiebreak. He battled hard in the fourth set, almost taking it. Rublev came out on top, but the young American distinguished himself as one to keep an eye on.

During Rublev's match, I loved watching two older, obviously local New Yorkers make their way through a paper copy of the New York Times. There was something timeless about the scene, which almost certainly has been playing out on these grounds since they opened back in the late 1970s. While Rublev and Boyer were making bold choices on court, these two gentlemen were doing the same by working on the New York Times Crossword in pen. Such chutzpah!

From Boyer, we made our way to Arthur Ashe to watch Jannik Sinner take on Alexei Popyrin. Ranked 40 in the world, Popyrin had promise to at least push Sinner. Alas, it wasn't Popyrin's day: Sinner steamrolled over him. At 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 Popyrin never gained any momentum. Sinner looked great and is an obvious candidate to take the whole tournament.

Walking out of the half-full, subdued Arthur Ashe stadium, we found the grounds buzzing with activity. That's one of the quirks of having such a large stadium in the mix: its mood can be completely independent from the grounds that surround it.

Tennis At Its Best

Up next, we made our way to the Renata Zarazua vs. Diane Parry match. On paper, this hardly seemed like must-watch tennis. Ranked 70 and 127 respectively, neither player has the name recognition that top 10 players bring. Joe, however, was confident that this was going to be the match to watch. Zarazua had just upset #6 ranked, Madison Keys, and is a beloved player in her home country of Mexico.

We took our seats just a few rows back from the court, and in no time the place was packed. If you squint, you can see us in this photo:

Zarazua got off to a slow start, losing the first set 2-6. But she didn't waver and took the second set 6-2. Both players brought their A-game for the third set, with the contest being decided in a tiebreak. Ultimately, Parry came out on top, but it was an absolute nail biter to the end.

While the competitive matchup and close-in seats helped, it was clearly the energy of the crowd that made this a highlight match of the Open. With every seat and then some occupied, the rowdy crowd made the experience feel more like a (I'm guessing very tame) football match rather than a tennis match.

Joe, who's a dedicated Spanish Duolingo user, translated the crowd's Spanish chants and shouts for me. "What'd they say?" I'd ask after hearing an outburst. "Yes, we can!" he'd explain. Or "don't call immigration!" "What are they saying now?" I asked later in the match. Joe shook his head, uh, they're just saying her name, Zarazua. OK, maybe that last one I should have been able to figure out myself.

By the time the match had entered the tiebreak, the crowd was euphoric at every Zarazua point. The tiebreak had the energy of a final, with the tug of war between the players making for must-watch tennis.

The most remarkable scene in the match came after Parry won and the two players shook hands. Tennis protocol is that the loser leaves the court first, often slinking away with emotion bubbling over.

But instead, despite losing the match, Zarazua's fans treated her like Roger Federer: ecstatic just to be there and perhaps get an autograph, selfie, or exchange a word with the player. She and Parry both remained on court for a time signing autographs and receiving love from fans.

The whole experience was tennis at its best. The players battled, and Parry was the winner. But both were beloved by their fans, and most importantly, honored for having the opportunity to play in such a high-level tournament.

After Zarazua's match, Joe hit up the Gauff match, Shira wandered over to watch Tsitsipas, and Sara quietly slipped off to probably do anything but watch tennis (Sara, I feel you!). I liked the seats we had, so I hung around, hoping that the next match, Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Roman Safiullin would be as captivating as what we just saw.

It's been some time since I'd seen Felix play, and I'd never been this close to the action so I was wowed by the power he brought. I stayed for part of the first set, which he ultimately took 6-1. I ended up leaving that match to join Shira, but I left with the sense that if Felix could keep that level up, he'd be in the running to win this tournament.

While I wasn't there to witness it, the match didn't end up being the blowout the first set suggested. At 7-6, 7-6, Safiullin put up one heck of a fight. He certainly held his own in a way that the first set suggested he couldn't.

Tennis At Its Most Dramatic

I joined Shira at the Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Daniel Altmaier match that she promised was going to be worthy of our time. While Tsitsipas had lost the first set in the tiebreak, the fact that he took the second set 1-6 surely meant that he was going to finish this match off with ease. Altmaier, however, had other plans for the evening.

Shira was right to pick this match to watch. Not only was the underdog putting up one heck of a fight, but it also contained a bit of juicy tennis drama. Altmaier, to Tsitsipas's obvious annoyance, served an underhand serve. This 'changeup' of tennis is a sort of anti-power serve and is a rarity in pro tennis. Shortly after this unexpected move, Tsitsipas hit a ball directly into Altmaier. At the time, Tsitsipas raised his arms in apology. However, at the net as the two shook hands, Tsitsipas explained: "Next time, don't wonder why I hit you, okay? No, I am just saying...if you serve underarm...". You can see the chain of events play out in this video.

Altmaier kept his cool, staving off a match point and was ultimately victorious. His upset was the most significant one we'd end up seeing this year at the Open. Well done, Daniel!

Sara and Joe joined us for the end of the Tsitsipas match, and when it was completed, we called it a night. As we left the grounds for the night at around 12:30 a.m., everyone agreed we'd had a successful day at the Open.

On our way back to the hotel, a plastic buckle on Shira's bag gave way. My Eagle Scout reflexes kicked in, and I quickly fixed her bag using a 3-foot piece of cordage that's quick-deploy-ready on my keychain. Did my ego appreciate the chance to show off my MacGyvering skills in front of the gang? I mean, it didn't not appreciate it.

Good friends, good tennis, and looking like you know what you're doing? I mean, c'mon, what more could I ask for?

US Open - Day 2 - Tennis Time (Finally!)

[Composed 8/27/2025]

Getting To The Open

The first day at the Open began on a down note. On our walk to the stadium, we learned that Iris Tea and Bakery had permanently closed. During our first stay in Flushing, we marveled at the exotic Asian restaurants, nearly all of them featuring off-limits treif. Out of curiosity, we wandered into Iris Tea and Bakery and found a magical world full of delicious treats, all labeled with their contents, the latter being helpful so we could steer clear of the pork buns. Since that introduction, it's been our tradition to stop at Iris on the way to the stadium and stock up. The taste, freshness, and cost of the baked goods were always many orders of magnitudes better than stadium food.

We were genuinely sorry to see that Iris is no more. Thankfully, Tous les Jours, another fine bakery, is across the street and still open for business. We stocked up there. Still, Iris will be missed.

Breezing Through Security

The US Open bag policy is actually quite generous. You're allowed a bag of significant size, there's no 'clear' requirement, and you can bring in food. One tricky part of their policy is that backpacks are firmly forbidden, yet they allow single-compartment drawstring bags. These are, of course, backpacks. It's odd that they have a firm rule, followed by an exception to it.

I've always been on the lookout for a bag that meets this quirky requirement while being more comfortable than the standard drawstring bag. This year I picked up one of these from Amazon, and was pleased when I sailed through security. The wider straps are more comfortable than a typical string bag, yet it's still identifiable as a draw-closure bag.

This year, they added magnetometers, and my bag didn't contain enough metal to trip it. So the guards at the entry didn't even bother opening my bag. If they had, all they would have seen is a selection of pastries from Tous les Jours.

Shira thinks all this optimization is silly. She brings a tote that meets the largest possible dimensions and doesn't give it a second thought.

The Pregame Experience

After sailing through security, we had some time to kill before our first match. We made our way to the American Express Fan Experience, where they were giving away the same custom-monogrammed tennis balls as last year. They also had a shoelace service where the attendants would swap your laces for a tennis-themed set in an exotic threading pattern. I waited an excessively long time for this privilege, and frankly, I'm not sure the result was any nicer than the laces I already had. But gosh dang it, this is the Open, and I'm going to embrace it to the fullest!

Oh Yeah, Some Tennis, Too

At 11 a.m., it was finally time to watch some tennis. We hit up Grandstand for the Caty McNally vs Emma Navarro match. It seemed fitting to start our tournament watching two Americans battle it out. We stayed for about 50 minutes, as the match did not get especially competitive. The highlight of the match was enjoying an 'Everything Cloud Bagel' from Tous les Jours. I'm not even sure I can describe what a cloud bagel is, other than to say that it was heavenly.

From the two American women, we zipped off to catch Novak Djokovic vs Zachary Svajda. In past years, we may not have even bothered to watch an early-round Djokovic match, especially one against a qualifier. But these days we watch Djokovic with the nagging question: is this the end? When will the tennis great finally call it quits?

This mindset isn't healthy and often triggers a cascade of negative thoughts every time Zachary makes a quality shot. Would this lost point lead to a break, which would lead to a lost set, which would lead to a lost match, which would lead to the end of a career? Of course, this is ridiculous, as the players of all levels and abilities have ups and downs during a match. Trying to read anything into specific points is, well, pointless.

When Svajda took the first set, I thought maybe Djokovic was in trouble. Like many times before, he was just having a slow start while his young opponent was having a strong one. After the second set, it was clear that Djokovic was in fine shape and that this qualifier wasn't going to be a career ender.

Looking back at the scoreline, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, Djokovic was never in any trouble. I was just being overly sensitive. One day Djokovic's luck will run out, but it wasn't today.

From the Djokovic match, we made our way to Taylor Fritz vs Lloyd Harris. Here we found a match similar to the one we'd just left. Fritz, ranked 5th in the world, was struggling in the first set against Harris, ranked 353(!). It was again time to question the front-runner's abilities and wonder if we were going to see the upset of the tournament.

Yeah, no. Harris did indeed have a fantastic first set and took the second to a tiebreak. But by the last two sets, it was clear that Fritz was dominant and that, like the Djokovic match, there'd be no breaking news coming out of this match.

During the Fritz / Harris match, our friends Sara and Joe arrived. This is their first in-person US Open, and we're excited to share the magic of the Open with them. Joe, like Shira, is basically a tennis super fan. Sara, like myself, is more here for the spectacle of it all. Sara came prepared with the right attitude. As we caught up, she explained that her goal for the day was to Be Like Water. Very wise, Sara, very wise.

From the Fritz match, we made our way back to a standing-room-only Grandstand where Francis Tiafoe vs. Martin Damm was already underway. After watching a few points through cracks in the crowd, Shira managed to procure us seats.

Tiafoe looked to be playing well and ultimately wouldn't lose serve in the whole match.  According to the match stats, he had no unforced errors in the first set. In fact, the match was going too well for Shira and Joe's taste. This looked to be our fourth match of the day where the higher-ranked player would sail to an easy victory. Convinced of the outcome, we ducked out to the Elena Rybakina vs. Tereza Valentova. Ultimately, Shira made the right call, but apparently, the last set of the Tiafoe match was a nail biter. That's the challenge of having so many matches to choose from: you just can't predict where the best action will be at any given moment.

Rybakina took the first set off of Valentova without much difficulty. But in the second set, Valentova fought back. I loved her fist pumps and positive energy. And she almost took the second set. Alas, almost doesn't count for much in tennis, and for our 5th match of the day, the front-runner came through unscathed.

The weather was glorious today. At a high of 73°F, this is about the most perfect conditions one could ask for. We tried to explain to Sara and Joe that what they are experiencing is an outlier: usually the tournament is a hot and humid mess, where every scrap of shade is treated as a luxury. None of that made sense today, it's just effortlessly gorgeous outside. What a pleasure!

From the Rybakina match, we made our way over to Holger Rune vs. Jan-Lennard Struff. At this point, it was 7:00 p.m. and I demanded we take a break to eat or otherwise unplug from tennis. After a couple of games, Shira finally relented, and we got empanadas and halloumi fries from the Immigrant Food kiosk. I was more impressed with the fries than the empanadas, but I was just thankful not to be watching tennis.

Ironically, the Rune vs. Struff match turned out to be an upset, with 35-year-old Struff beating the 22-year-old, 11th ranked Rune. I'm all for cheering on the old guy!

After our pick-me-up, we met up again with Sara and Joe in Arthur Ashe Stadium. We'd walked in on Carlos Alcaraz vs. Mattia Bellucci. I asked Joe for a match update and his response was succinct: just look at the scoreboard. At that moment, it was 6-1, 1-0 Alcaraz. Poor Bellucci, he never had a chance.

You know the match isn't much of a contest when the commentators are talking more about Alcaraz's haircut saga than the match itself. Pro tip: maybe don't have your brother trim your hair using a clipper he doesn't know how to operate. I can't tell if this incident shows Alcaraz is comically naïve or Zen-master chill. Either way, it doesn't seem to be impacting his tennis, so that's a good thing.

We closed out the night watching Aryna Sabalenka vs. Polina Kudermetova. This match followed the Djokovic, Fritz trend by starting off competitive and closing out with a resounding win by Sabalenka. Sabalenka tends to be quite emotive on the court, and she was so tonight. She seemed to have no patience with herself for making even the slightest misstep. It brings to mind Rafael Nadal's disposition on court, where he treated every point as though it was the most important one of the match, and failure was not an option. That's a high bar to set, but it does seem to be working for her.

The two quick night matches meant that for the first time in years, we caught both night matches. As the stadium emptied out, we explained to Sara and Joe that we usually walk the 2.3 miles back to the hotel rather than call an Uber. They were game, and so we traipsed through a darkened Flushing at 11:30 p.m. The weather had cooled a bit, but it was still a wonderful night and the walk to the hotel was a breeze.

What an amazing day at the Open!