So I take some of what I said yesterday back. There is some sustainability here. Like, for instance, an entire store called Sustainable NYC. There also seems to be an effort on the city’s part to increase the amount of bike riding here. I’ve seen a good number of bike lanes all around midtown and in The Village. Even up in Inwood, way at the Northern tip of Manhattan where we’re staying, there’s bike lanes. There’s also this, which Melissa says just recently appeared.

Covered bike parking with a bicycle map for the city is pretty cool. We also discovered a community composting garden on the Lower East Side. In fact, we found a ton of little gardens in the midst of an extraordinarily peaceful part of the city (at least on a Friday midafternoon). The gardens were really pretty, though locked, and still somewhat lush.

On the giant and extravagant wedding front (which is the whole reason we are here after all), yesterday was the first event. We got off to a raring start with a huge rehearsal dinner at City Crab. About 40 people sat around tables cracking into King Crab and Lobster (both okay to eat per Seafood Watch), chowing down on popcorn shrimp (which I felt bad about), muscles and clams. Mmmm-Mmmm good. My cousin and his finance gave the bridal party (of which I am a part) all gifts last night. Michael got us guys beer steins and a grooming kit, both with our names etched on them.

The scene itself was decidedly un-extravagant feeling (though I can bet it cost an arm and a leg since this is NYC.) I was impressed at the Yankee Stadium-decorated cake though.) I’m pretty sure the real show is coming up in a few hours. My uncle confirmed that the price tag for the whole thing broke the six-figure barrier(!) and my mom, Alexis and I got a look at the bride’s 14-page schedule events. That document starts at 7;30 a.m. with Jen rising and shining, continues with her hair and makeup starting an hour later, Michael’s at 10 and continuing in 15-minute increments through the rest of the day.

Again, at our wedding, there were people camping and we decided to tell the wedding party where to stand about 5 minutes before the first guests arrived. Two sides of the family I guess.

Anyway, I’m off to put on my tux now so we can go to the hotel and do the whole picture thing. According to my copy of the schedule (I only got a three-page version), we’re doing pictures for almost two hours and then a rehearsal of the ceremony for half an hour. Hopefully there’ll be a time for a drink or two too. But it’s not written down, so I’m not betting on it.