Saturday, January 20, 2018
31 hours door to door
I was pleased with how I was a bit better than previously at standing in queues and switching off and not getting agitated. I was very pleased to walk into my apartment at midday today.
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Last few days in New York
I have been reminding myself that this is a holiday as well as a trip. Yesterday I went to Midtown and caught the ferry which zig zags it's way down the East River, starting at 34th street , going over to about 5 stops , the first in Long Island City, the southern end of Queens, then several stops along the Brooklyn shore then crosses back to the Wall Street pier. I went to the North Williamsburg stop. The ferry seemed quite new, the LIC and Brooklyn wharves were all very new, but each time the ferry driver took several goes to position the ferry properly at the wharf. Maybe the water was chopper than normal, but I think not. Maybe he was on his L's.
I walked through one of the very new parts of Williamsburg- lots of construction, very old run down buildings, brand new trendy looking apartments, small interesting shops. I walked around, was going to walk to the stop at South Williamsburg but decided to return to the one I got off and came back to my apartment.
In the evening I went to see The Book of Mormon. It was very funny, with lots of good singing and dancing. The single guy sitting next to me lives in a town 63 km ( I have just asked Mr google) away from Wendy in the middle of nowhere in MO. What are the odds of that? We chatted quite amicably about everything and nothing before the show and at interval.
Today I had breakfast in my normal cafe, was greeted by the locals and was assured , when the topic of weather came up, that today's steadily falling snow and the conditions are quite different from the snow 2 weeks ago that stopped Carol getting out of NY. According to the locals, I should have no difficulty getting out tomorrow.
I pottered in my apartment till lunch time , when I walked a long way around to a nearby cafe for lunch but did not enjoy the slippery conditions. I learnt what slippery frozen snow looked like 2 weeks ago here and I learnt in Quebec City what slippery half frozen snow on top of half frozen snow looks like, but today's light snow on footpaths looked like slush to me but was, in fact, quite slippery. I will know for next time. If? When?
I have just returned from dinner at the place I went to last week with the $1 oysters , which becomes more like 1. 60 AUS by the time you add their tax, then the 20 % 'tip' then convert to our dollar. Still I had a delicious final dinner. As well as oysters I tried a few clams. One, the cherry stone clam was huge and delicious. THe same waiter as last time looked after me. He had told me he comes from the Midwest. After last nights coincidence , tomight I asked him where in the Midwest. I told him my daughter lives in Missouri. He comes from Iowa about an hours drive from the border of Missouri. Quite diplomatically , he asked how she found it. After a sentance or 2 of me trying to be diplomatic, he read between the lines and was quick to say that many parts of Iowa are quite progressive and forward thinking. I have enjoyed my exposure to this country of contrasts over the last year
.
I walked through one of the very new parts of Williamsburg- lots of construction, very old run down buildings, brand new trendy looking apartments, small interesting shops. I walked around, was going to walk to the stop at South Williamsburg but decided to return to the one I got off and came back to my apartment.
In the evening I went to see The Book of Mormon. It was very funny, with lots of good singing and dancing. The single guy sitting next to me lives in a town 63 km ( I have just asked Mr google) away from Wendy in the middle of nowhere in MO. What are the odds of that? We chatted quite amicably about everything and nothing before the show and at interval.
Today I had breakfast in my normal cafe, was greeted by the locals and was assured , when the topic of weather came up, that today's steadily falling snow and the conditions are quite different from the snow 2 weeks ago that stopped Carol getting out of NY. According to the locals, I should have no difficulty getting out tomorrow.
I pottered in my apartment till lunch time , when I walked a long way around to a nearby cafe for lunch but did not enjoy the slippery conditions. I learnt what slippery frozen snow looked like 2 weeks ago here and I learnt in Quebec City what slippery half frozen snow on top of half frozen snow looks like, but today's light snow on footpaths looked like slush to me but was, in fact, quite slippery. I will know for next time. If? When?
I have just returned from dinner at the place I went to last week with the $1 oysters , which becomes more like 1. 60 AUS by the time you add their tax, then the 20 % 'tip' then convert to our dollar. Still I had a delicious final dinner. As well as oysters I tried a few clams. One, the cherry stone clam was huge and delicious. THe same waiter as last time looked after me. He had told me he comes from the Midwest. After last nights coincidence , tomight I asked him where in the Midwest. I told him my daughter lives in Missouri. He comes from Iowa about an hours drive from the border of Missouri. Quite diplomatically , he asked how she found it. After a sentance or 2 of me trying to be diplomatic, he read between the lines and was quick to say that many parts of Iowa are quite progressive and forward thinking. I have enjoyed my exposure to this country of contrasts over the last year
.
Monday, January 15, 2018
Trinity church, Central park
Yesterday morning the omelette won over heated up veggies and meat that I did not enjoy first time around. I dawdled reading the paper as long as I could. I went to the southern end of Manhatten, the first settled part and now the financial district. I went to a choral service at Trinity church, the oldest Episcopalian church and the one that I had been to on Christmas Day with Wendy and her family. I knew it was going to be a special service. Today is Martin Luther King Day, a public holiday for most. Trinity had a special preacher, Ruby Sales, who,I suspect ,many of the congregation had come to hear. She is described in the pew bulletin as a social activist, public theologian,scholar etc etc. In her words she is ' pushing 3 score and 10' but she is still a powerful and engaging speaker. To fit the day we sang 'swing low, sweet chariot', ' mine eyes have seen the glory..' and others. Her message was partly about what she called the troubling in the land. Her less than favourable remarks about Trump drew loud applause.
After lunch I wandered around Battery Park, right on the southern tip of Manhattan. Since I was here last, they have built a different sort of carousel in a building. Instead of a horse you sit in a fish which rotates and goes up and down in a sort of ocean with changing coloured lights. I thought of having a ride but decided not to. I had been disturbed by a flickering fluorescent light at breakfast , didnot much like the changing lights and didnot see how I could get off mid ride if I got queasy trying to take a selfie to prove I had been inside a fish.
Today after breakfast in my apartment I wandered around Central Park for ages.
The sun was shining, I had all my layers on and was warm enough. After lunch in a nice place I pottered in the knitting wool shop that I like for ages looking at things, getting ideas, talking to other people.
Still sheets of ice on the lake. Upper West Side mansions, bare trees.
After lunch I wandered around Battery Park, right on the southern tip of Manhattan. Since I was here last, they have built a different sort of carousel in a building. Instead of a horse you sit in a fish which rotates and goes up and down in a sort of ocean with changing coloured lights. I thought of having a ride but decided not to. I had been disturbed by a flickering fluorescent light at breakfast , didnot much like the changing lights and didnot see how I could get off mid ride if I got queasy trying to take a selfie to prove I had been inside a fish.
Today after breakfast in my apartment I wandered around Central Park for ages.
The sun was shining, I had all my layers on and was warm enough. After lunch in a nice place I pottered in the knitting wool shop that I like for ages looking at things, getting ideas, talking to other people.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Saturday
Today I had breakfast again at the same place. The same 2 separate woman arrived at much the same time as I did, and had the same breakfast as they had before. I vary mine. Then I went to Union Square which has a market on Saturdays and other days but Saturday is the biggest. Lots of interesting local produce. There was a lady with a large stall of dried flowers. They were beautiful, lovely vibrant colours. Lots of different arrangements, very reasonably priced. I would have liked to buy something.
Then I walked to Chelsea markets and wandered around, but there were far too many people and mostly tourists, so I came back to my apartment by yet another different way which included a coffee stop. Several people sell hot , spiced apple cider, but so far I have not found one that does not have added sugar.
I had a pleasant afternoon pottering in my apartment catching up on some emails, reading, etc. but now I am grumpy. I have made the same mistake as I made last time I was here. There are lots of 'diners' around. Not always diners with booths but I thinK it it has come to mean fast, cheap, fairly ordinary food. As it happens I went to a nearby diner. I got a plate of roast lamb that, if blindfolded, I would probably have guessed lamb by elimination . When I ordered he rattled off a list of vegetables. I should have said ' a little of everything' but instead said broccoli and potato. Let's just say I donot like paying money for things I can cook better myself. The annoying thing is, I had the same complaint 4 1/2 years ago. I donot know yet whether I will eat the left overs for breakfast or go out for a nice omelette.
Then I walked to Chelsea markets and wandered around, but there were far too many people and mostly tourists, so I came back to my apartment by yet another different way which included a coffee stop. Several people sell hot , spiced apple cider, but so far I have not found one that does not have added sugar.
I had a pleasant afternoon pottering in my apartment catching up on some emails, reading, etc. but now I am grumpy. I have made the same mistake as I made last time I was here. There are lots of 'diners' around. Not always diners with booths but I thinK it it has come to mean fast, cheap, fairly ordinary food. As it happens I went to a nearby diner. I got a plate of roast lamb that, if blindfolded, I would probably have guessed lamb by elimination . When I ordered he rattled off a list of vegetables. I should have said ' a little of everything' but instead said broccoli and potato. Let's just say I donot like paying money for things I can cook better myself. The annoying thing is, I had the same complaint 4 1/2 years ago. I donot know yet whether I will eat the left overs for breakfast or go out for a nice omelette.
Friday lunch and Jewish Museum
Yesterday I had breakfast for the second time in a cafe over the road and saw 2 women that I saw the first time, both locals or at least very regulars. They were greeted , separately , no orders were taken ,their food just appeared.
I dawdled a bit , then went into Midtown and met Joan , a cousin of a friend who I have met several times now in NY, for lunch. We talked for ages, then she went back to work and I went to the Jewish Museum. Ihad been told that their permanent collection was being rearranged and unviewable but that there was a good exhibition of Modigliani's early work. It was interesting. Lots of his early African-ish heads and talk of his early painting life in Paris in the early 1900 when Jews were out of favour, but he was Italian and didnot fit in anywhere and how this affected his work.
There was also an exhibition of clothing worn by Jewish women and some menswear collected from various continents over the years. Many different designs and textiles. It concentrated on how the different groups of Jewish people had adapted their dress to be more like the local country, or adapted the local costume to suit their rules and customs. There were quite a few garments from Bukhara, Uzbekistan with the characteristic patterns and colours that I recognised from 41 years ago.
A funny incident I donot want to forget . I am normally careful , when I come out of a subway station, to orient myself correctly before I move off. The stairs out the subways always go round corners and I find it hard to remember which direction is which . Anyway , I forgot, walked off and realised when I got to the first crossroad that I had gone the wrong way, laughed at myself ( an improvement, I was not cross with myself) , turned around and there was a human sized Mickey Mouse waving at me. I smiled at the universe that arranged for him to be there.
I dawdled a bit , then went into Midtown and met Joan , a cousin of a friend who I have met several times now in NY, for lunch. We talked for ages, then she went back to work and I went to the Jewish Museum. Ihad been told that their permanent collection was being rearranged and unviewable but that there was a good exhibition of Modigliani's early work. It was interesting. Lots of his early African-ish heads and talk of his early painting life in Paris in the early 1900 when Jews were out of favour, but he was Italian and didnot fit in anywhere and how this affected his work.
There was also an exhibition of clothing worn by Jewish women and some menswear collected from various continents over the years. Many different designs and textiles. It concentrated on how the different groups of Jewish people had adapted their dress to be more like the local country, or adapted the local costume to suit their rules and customs. There were quite a few garments from Bukhara, Uzbekistan with the characteristic patterns and colours that I recognised from 41 years ago.
A funny incident I donot want to forget . I am normally careful , when I come out of a subway station, to orient myself correctly before I move off. The stairs out the subways always go round corners and I find it hard to remember which direction is which . Anyway , I forgot, walked off and realised when I got to the first crossroad that I had gone the wrong way, laughed at myself ( an improvement, I was not cross with myself) , turned around and there was a human sized Mickey Mouse waving at me. I smiled at the universe that arranged for him to be there.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
Another visit to the Met Museum and pottering in Soho
Yesterday I walked through Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the morning. It was a lovely fine sunny day, about 3 or 4 degrees, so quite mild after the last few weeks. I have been taking lots of photos of bare trees. I find them strangely attractive but have no idea why.
At the Museum there is currently an exhibition entitled "Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer" that I walked around. There were lots of people looking and lots of drawings and sketches that all looked much the same to me after a while. There were some drawings of buildings he designed.
The Met also has a large exhibition of David Hockney's work. It seemed like they had a good representation of the various stages of his paintings in the various places he has lived . I liked some of the more abstract ones of his time in California, not so much the ones with people in them. There were 2 paintings of the grand canyon which I was interested to see after being there 6 months ago. More recently he went back to live in Yorkshire for a while and there were some I liked that he painted there. All his paintings are bright and full of life. He is in his 80s now and uses an iPad each morning to sketch what he sees out his window.
After a coffee and a mental switch off, I really enjoyed wandering around the section called 'Art of the Arab lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia.' There was so much interesting, beautiful stuff, that I didnot know how to spend my time, so I just picked one thing in each room to closely look at, enjoy, and read about.
I pottered in a different part of Midtown in the afternoon and in the evening went to see The marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera. It was great fun. Wonderful singing and excellent acting. The evening was slightly spoiled because my knee which does not do ' bent stationary' at all well decided to not respond to panadol, well only for 30 minutes. Luckily the guy next to me was a shuffler and didnot seem to mind that I was trying to move my leg a lot.
This morning I slept in then went to a nearby cafe, one of the Le Pain Quotidien chain. I had an interesting conversation with a young woman who grew up in France, worked in Britain, elsewhere, then San Francisco Bay area and now NYC.
Then I went to the box office of the theatre where I have tickets for the book of Mormon next week. ( very poor englisH, sorry) After last night I had to change my seat, which I did to an aisle so I could stick my leg straight) but it had to be a higher category. What a pity!
Then I caught a train further south and wandered around Soho. There is a knitting wool shop that was the excuse, but I enjoyed the edgier feel of the place. Lots of small shops with different stuff, but no prices. I donot think I have seen any prices at all in shop windows, not even the ordinary shops . There was a bigger variety of buildings and some old brick roads.
On my way back from the nearest subway stop on one of the 2 subway lines that I have the choice between, there are about 6 fancy hotels. Last time I was in new york I used to amuse myself by deciding where I would stay (if I was filthy rich) based on the uniform of the doormen who always stand outside waiting to greet their clients. Some are too ornate, some too plain. Until now this trip they have all been inside. Sometimes you can see them peering out , waiting. The temperature must have risen enough - to about 5 degrees I think- for them all to be standing outside today. Except they had rather boring rain coats on, not nice woolen overcoats that I have seen once before.
I have just come home from a delicious seafood meal. As background, before I came I was looking forward to having some oysters from the Oyster Bar under Grand Central as I have on previous visits. When I went a few days ago I passed on the oysters because the cheapest was over $2 each and quite a few were over $4 each.
Several days ago , a lady I talked to in a coffee shop recommended Crave, a few blocks away. I had looked in the window at the menu, thouht the mains were a bit pricey, saw that they had lots of specials in happy hour 5.30 to 6.30 and thought it would be worth a try, so I went to day. I was delighted to find that in happy hour oysters are $1 each. It would have been sensible to try the ones that were the more expensive ones, but I could not work out how to phrase that politely, so I just asked the waiter to choose 3 different ones X 2. Then I had some crab stuff on a corn tortilla and then possible the best calamari I have ever had with Japanese flavours. The glass of wine that came on special in happy hour was an ugni blanc / colombard blend from France. Ugni sounded an odd french word that i had never heard before but I looked it up ( thank you Mr Google) to find it is the French name for the Italian trebbiano. I will return to Crave before I return to Australia.
At the Museum there is currently an exhibition entitled "Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer" that I walked around. There were lots of people looking and lots of drawings and sketches that all looked much the same to me after a while. There were some drawings of buildings he designed.
The Met also has a large exhibition of David Hockney's work. It seemed like they had a good representation of the various stages of his paintings in the various places he has lived . I liked some of the more abstract ones of his time in California, not so much the ones with people in them. There were 2 paintings of the grand canyon which I was interested to see after being there 6 months ago. More recently he went back to live in Yorkshire for a while and there were some I liked that he painted there. All his paintings are bright and full of life. He is in his 80s now and uses an iPad each morning to sketch what he sees out his window.
After a coffee and a mental switch off, I really enjoyed wandering around the section called 'Art of the Arab lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia.' There was so much interesting, beautiful stuff, that I didnot know how to spend my time, so I just picked one thing in each room to closely look at, enjoy, and read about.
I pottered in a different part of Midtown in the afternoon and in the evening went to see The marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera. It was great fun. Wonderful singing and excellent acting. The evening was slightly spoiled because my knee which does not do ' bent stationary' at all well decided to not respond to panadol, well only for 30 minutes. Luckily the guy next to me was a shuffler and didnot seem to mind that I was trying to move my leg a lot.
This morning I slept in then went to a nearby cafe, one of the Le Pain Quotidien chain. I had an interesting conversation with a young woman who grew up in France, worked in Britain, elsewhere, then San Francisco Bay area and now NYC.
Then I went to the box office of the theatre where I have tickets for the book of Mormon next week. ( very poor englisH, sorry) After last night I had to change my seat, which I did to an aisle so I could stick my leg straight) but it had to be a higher category. What a pity!
Then I caught a train further south and wandered around Soho. There is a knitting wool shop that was the excuse, but I enjoyed the edgier feel of the place. Lots of small shops with different stuff, but no prices. I donot think I have seen any prices at all in shop windows, not even the ordinary shops . There was a bigger variety of buildings and some old brick roads.
On my way back from the nearest subway stop on one of the 2 subway lines that I have the choice between, there are about 6 fancy hotels. Last time I was in new york I used to amuse myself by deciding where I would stay (if I was filthy rich) based on the uniform of the doormen who always stand outside waiting to greet their clients. Some are too ornate, some too plain. Until now this trip they have all been inside. Sometimes you can see them peering out , waiting. The temperature must have risen enough - to about 5 degrees I think- for them all to be standing outside today. Except they had rather boring rain coats on, not nice woolen overcoats that I have seen once before.
I have just come home from a delicious seafood meal. As background, before I came I was looking forward to having some oysters from the Oyster Bar under Grand Central as I have on previous visits. When I went a few days ago I passed on the oysters because the cheapest was over $2 each and quite a few were over $4 each.
Several days ago , a lady I talked to in a coffee shop recommended Crave, a few blocks away. I had looked in the window at the menu, thouht the mains were a bit pricey, saw that they had lots of specials in happy hour 5.30 to 6.30 and thought it would be worth a try, so I went to day. I was delighted to find that in happy hour oysters are $1 each. It would have been sensible to try the ones that were the more expensive ones, but I could not work out how to phrase that politely, so I just asked the waiter to choose 3 different ones X 2. Then I had some crab stuff on a corn tortilla and then possible the best calamari I have ever had with Japanese flavours. The glass of wine that came on special in happy hour was an ugni blanc / colombard blend from France. Ugni sounded an odd french word that i had never heard before but I looked it up ( thank you Mr Google) to find it is the French name for the Italian trebbiano. I will return to Crave before I return to Australia.
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Tuesday
I spent a while this morning chatting to the owners of this brownstone. Then I went into Midtown, walked a fair bit, had lunch in the Oyster Bar of Grand Central ,walked past Bryant Park, walked a fair bit more to a wool shop , but it was not as nice as the one 3 blocks from me. Then a walked a bit to another of the Think Coffee chain , enjoyed reading my book for half an hour over a nice coffee and then came back here. A relaxing, warm day.
The fountain in Bryant Park on 26 December, partially frozen.
The same fountain on 9 Jan after a big snowfall and very cold weather. More frozen
Monday, January 8, 2018
Whitney and High line
Today I enjoyed a delicious omelette and decent coffee at a local cafe before going to the Whitney Museum Of American Art. 2 years ago this moved into a brand new building at the southern end of the High Line. There were exhibits on 7 floors. I spent most of the time looking at paintings from their collection in an exhibition Where we Are 1900-1960. This was organised around 5 themes: family and community, work, home, the spiritual and the nation. Their selection of paintings was interesting and thought-provoking. I spent some time watching and listening to a teacher talking to a group of immaculately uniformed all black kids of about 12 about a painting by Joseph Stella called The Brooklyn Bridge. It had the arches of the bridge but they were also like windows in a church with stained glass pictures. She asked all sorts of questions, age appropriate, to get them thinking . Later on I bumped into her and she apologised saying she hoped she or the kids had not disturbed me. On the contrary, I said, I learnt a lot about the painting and thanked her.
There was an exhibition by Laura Owen. All sorts of quirky , whimsical , abstract stuff. I liked a painting that had a boy and an animal hanging onto a rope that said " when you get to the end of your rope, make a knot and hang on."
After some soup in their cafe looking out over some construction stuff and then the Hudson river I had a quick look at the rest of the floors and then left and walked along the High Line. The weather was significantly better than our previous attempt last week, positively mild at -2 degrees. I did have a thought that the day after I bought myself 2 pairs of gloves to wear together, it warmed up and I only needed one pair. I really enjoy the elevated view of different Manhatten (and !ew Jersey) buildings. I enjoy the contrasts -old next to brand new, very rectangular next to curves. The High Line itself was quite bland - white , grey and bare, not the colourful place it is in summer time. Some photos follow of different views of and from the High Line.
After another good coffee from the Think Coffee chain, I went back to my apartment.
There was an exhibition by Laura Owen. All sorts of quirky , whimsical , abstract stuff. I liked a painting that had a boy and an animal hanging onto a rope that said " when you get to the end of your rope, make a knot and hang on."
After some soup in their cafe looking out over some construction stuff and then the Hudson river I had a quick look at the rest of the floors and then left and walked along the High Line. The weather was significantly better than our previous attempt last week, positively mild at -2 degrees. I did have a thought that the day after I bought myself 2 pairs of gloves to wear together, it warmed up and I only needed one pair. I really enjoy the elevated view of different Manhatten (and !ew Jersey) buildings. I enjoy the contrasts -old next to brand new, very rectangular next to curves. The High Line itself was quite bland - white , grey and bare, not the colourful place it is in summer time. Some photos follow of different views of and from the High Line.
After another good coffee from the Think Coffee chain, I went back to my apartment.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Sunday
Today Carol, Katie and I had a nice farewell breakfast in a traditional American place serving traditional American food. Carol and Katie left late morning for their flghts to St Louis to stay with Wendy and Co. She was very pleased to be going. She had originally planned to leave last Friday but the foul weather intervened and her flight was canceled . I was sad to see them go and it took me a little while to decide what I felt like doing. I decided I wanted some seafood soup for lunch and so caught a subway train to the Flat iron district and went to Eataly. As good a way of deciding what to do as any other.
Eataly is like a big fancy delicatessen with little cafes dotted through it. Near the huge counter selling fresh fish there is a small area with tables where you can sit down and have a seafood lunch. Near the meat section is another area where you can eat meat etc etc. You can have wine with your fish but you cannot , as I discovered, have a coffee. You have to go to the coffee bar for that. The first time I went to an Eataly was in Bologna in 2010 and a few weeks later I went to the huge one in Turin which is where the whole chain started. It was massive and less refined than the one here. I remeber being impressed with a whole section downstairs which has wine vats on their sides, maybe 3 reds and 3 whites. You brought your own bottles in and filled them up. Apparently quite respectable drinking wine. There was also a section where you could fill your own bottles with milk from a big vat.
Next stop was a large sport wear shop where I was hoping to get some gloves. It was easy to get someone to help and so i quickly found out they had run out of warm gloves in women's sizes, but not in mens. When you are trussed up like an Eskimo who cares what your gloves look like. I settled on some thin gloves with ends on some fingers so I can use my phone/ camera and over the top a pair of mittens with an extension that unfold to revel topless fingers, but in my case will reveal the under gloves.
I had on my list a nearby coffee shop , part of a chain, Think Coffee that I had read about that sources ethically , environmentally sound etc etc coffee and gives back to some communities. The people were friendly, the coffee was excellent. Enough for the day.
Eataly is like a big fancy delicatessen with little cafes dotted through it. Near the huge counter selling fresh fish there is a small area with tables where you can sit down and have a seafood lunch. Near the meat section is another area where you can eat meat etc etc. You can have wine with your fish but you cannot , as I discovered, have a coffee. You have to go to the coffee bar for that. The first time I went to an Eataly was in Bologna in 2010 and a few weeks later I went to the huge one in Turin which is where the whole chain started. It was massive and less refined than the one here. I remeber being impressed with a whole section downstairs which has wine vats on their sides, maybe 3 reds and 3 whites. You brought your own bottles in and filled them up. Apparently quite respectable drinking wine. There was also a section where you could fill your own bottles with milk from a big vat.
Next stop was a large sport wear shop where I was hoping to get some gloves. It was easy to get someone to help and so i quickly found out they had run out of warm gloves in women's sizes, but not in mens. When you are trussed up like an Eskimo who cares what your gloves look like. I settled on some thin gloves with ends on some fingers so I can use my phone/ camera and over the top a pair of mittens with an extension that unfold to revel topless fingers, but in my case will reveal the under gloves.
I had on my list a nearby coffee shop , part of a chain, Think Coffee that I had read about that sources ethically , environmentally sound etc etc coffee and gives back to some communities. The people were friendly, the coffee was excellent. Enough for the day.
Saturday, January 6, 2018
More biting wind. Fri and Saturday
I will never again complain about the cold on my early morning walks in Canberra. The tall buildings and long streets here act like wind tunnels. You can be walking along a street in -16 degrees wearing all your clothes in relative comfort and you turn a corner and are hit by a wind that slices through everything and hurts . The one mistake I have made with clothing and will rectify tomorrow is gloves. Carol and Isla have gloves you can touch a screen with. I donot. I have to take mine off to take a photo. Hence not many photos.
Having said all that, yesterday morning I walked about 2.4 km through Central Park. It is really beautiful with the sun shining on the snow and the bare trees. Very few people. Photos soon. I went to the Museum of the City of New York and really enjoyed it. I watched a short film which did not gloss over the bad times and walked through the well arranged galleries.
Carol and Katie had been to the 9 /11 memorial site. The weather is hard for little people and quite energy-sapping. Still, Katie loves playing in the snow and in the afternoon I found them near a closed playground. I looked after Katie and enjoyed some frozen 'cake', amongst other delicacies, that she prepared. On our way back to the apartment the 'icy pole' that she insisted on carrying drew some odd smiles. Another dinner from Zabars.
Today we went to the Metropolitan Museum and wandered through some of the numerous galleries, all full of amazing stuff. We went to a Burger place that Carol wanted to try. Their heating was off , but it was still better than outside and Carol and I scored a complimentary t bag in hot water and Katie an apple juice.
I went to the Met Brewer Gallery, an offshoot of the main Met, that was not there last time I was in new York. There was a big exhibition of Edward Munch's paintings which do nothing much for me, maybe I should try and learn. There was, however, an exhibition entitled " Delirious:Art at the limits of Reason 1950 to 1980 which I enjoyed. Well, about half of the exhibits I enjoyed because they were patterns of things. I can hear the smirks.
I walked back through Central Park a different way, thought I was remebering my way well from my previous visits but got stumped because at one point ahead of me there was a field of snow where I thought there was a pond, but as I got closer I realised it was an ice covered pond with some people walking on it. I saw several Ice Rescue Ladder Stations with a bright red ladder.
I tried another coffee shop and did the 3 block walk to Zabars for dinner.
Having said all that, yesterday morning I walked about 2.4 km through Central Park. It is really beautiful with the sun shining on the snow and the bare trees. Very few people. Photos soon. I went to the Museum of the City of New York and really enjoyed it. I watched a short film which did not gloss over the bad times and walked through the well arranged galleries.
Carol and Katie had been to the 9 /11 memorial site. The weather is hard for little people and quite energy-sapping. Still, Katie loves playing in the snow and in the afternoon I found them near a closed playground. I looked after Katie and enjoyed some frozen 'cake', amongst other delicacies, that she prepared. On our way back to the apartment the 'icy pole' that she insisted on carrying drew some odd smiles. Another dinner from Zabars.
Today we went to the Metropolitan Museum and wandered through some of the numerous galleries, all full of amazing stuff. We went to a Burger place that Carol wanted to try. Their heating was off , but it was still better than outside and Carol and I scored a complimentary t bag in hot water and Katie an apple juice.
I went to the Met Brewer Gallery, an offshoot of the main Met, that was not there last time I was in new York. There was a big exhibition of Edward Munch's paintings which do nothing much for me, maybe I should try and learn. There was, however, an exhibition entitled " Delirious:Art at the limits of Reason 1950 to 1980 which I enjoyed. Well, about half of the exhibits I enjoyed because they were patterns of things. I can hear the smirks.
I walked back through Central Park a different way, thought I was remebering my way well from my previous visits but got stumped because at one point ahead of me there was a field of snow where I thought there was a pond, but as I got closer I realised it was an ice covered pond with some people walking on it. I saw several Ice Rescue Ladder Stations with a bright red ladder.
I tried another coffee shop and did the 3 block walk to Zabars for dinner.
Friday, January 5, 2018
Trudging through the snow. Sun 31st to Thur 4th
Last Sunday, 31st, was my elder daughters 40th birthday. It was a good celebratory day. Wendy and I went to the nearest Anglican church for a 9 am service. It was quite different to the packed Christmas service we went to the previous week at Trinity church. There were about 20 other people in the congregation, antiquated liturgy - thees and thous, but a friendly conversation afterwards with a few parishioners. It was a huge church and very warm. Must be money somewhere.
Carol and Lach had organised the kids in our absence and everyone had made a card for Wendy. We then went to a,performance of the Radio City Rockettes. I had never heard of them but apparently they have been putting on a lavish performance of dancing and singing since 1930 something. I enjoyed being with the kids and the professionalism of the dancers was obvious.
After lunch we caught the subway to Brooklyn and all went for a ride on Jane's Carousel in DUMBO ( Down Under Brooklyn Manhatten Overpass). It is a lovely restored old carousel on the waterfront just near the Brooklyn Bridge. It was about 5pm but dark and there were lots of sparkly lights everywhere. I had been for a ride 4 1/2 years ago and wanted to take my family. There was a wedding party there, so obviously a local celebratory thing to do.
We had a delicious dinner at a nice restaurant that Wendy had booked . Lach had arranged a special treat for Wendy. A good day. I cannot remember, but I think it was that day that Stelli fell asleep on the subway on the way home.
The following day we went to the High Line, a disused elevated freight rail line that has been converted to an urban park. I have been several times and thought everyone would enjoy it but the weather was impossible for the small people and the bigger people were not enjoying it , so we gave up. I donot know what the temperature was, but am sure it was colder than the coldest day in Quebec that I experienced that I know was -18 but -26 considering the wind chill. We walked through Chelsea Markets but many other people were also escaping the biting winds there. Lach and Carol took the kids home while Wendy and I went to the library bar in the Nomad hotel. It was lovely. Books, timber, chairs and tables not too close to each other. We had a couple of drinks, some nibbles and chatted like adults with no kids around.
On Tuesday Wendy, Lach and the 4 girls left to drive to their home in Missouri. Carol, Katie and I came here to the UWS where I have stayed before. We left our bags and went on the Staten Isand ferry for Carol and Katie to see the Statue of Liberty. On the way back we were escorted by a small coast guard boat. I wonder if this always happens. Both this time and Christmas day there was a lot of security at both ends of the ferry ride- heavily armed soldiers and at least 2 bomb detecting dogs. Carol discovered the nearby NY institution Zabars for dinner.
On Wednesday Carol and I and Katie went to the NY City Fire Museum. Quite interesting old machines. There are several new coffee shops in this area. New = since I was last here in April 2013. Obviously it is my duty to check them all out.
So I started yesterday. On Wednesday afternoon Carol discovered her flight on Friday to St Louis was cancelled.
On Wednesday afternoon there were lots of warnings about a large snow storm overnight and into Thursday. Everyone was encouraged to stay home if possible, schools were closed etc. I woke to find about 20 m of snow over everything and the snow was heavy through the morning into early afternoon. We walked , or rather trudged, to the nearby Children's Museum, where we were warm and Katie was interested for 2 hours. It was quite eerie walking around. Only taxis, a very few cars and some delivery vehicles on the road, all going very slowly, very poor visibility. Another coffee shop in the afternoon. The snow eased off enough for us to take Katie to central park, 1 1/2 blocks away, to play in the snow. All the way back she insisted on trudging through the snow drifts on the edges of the footpaths, not walking on the sort of track in the middle. Each step was into snow above her knees. No wonder she slept well.
Carol and Lach had organised the kids in our absence and everyone had made a card for Wendy. We then went to a,performance of the Radio City Rockettes. I had never heard of them but apparently they have been putting on a lavish performance of dancing and singing since 1930 something. I enjoyed being with the kids and the professionalism of the dancers was obvious.
After lunch we caught the subway to Brooklyn and all went for a ride on Jane's Carousel in DUMBO ( Down Under Brooklyn Manhatten Overpass). It is a lovely restored old carousel on the waterfront just near the Brooklyn Bridge. It was about 5pm but dark and there were lots of sparkly lights everywhere. I had been for a ride 4 1/2 years ago and wanted to take my family. There was a wedding party there, so obviously a local celebratory thing to do.
We had a delicious dinner at a nice restaurant that Wendy had booked . Lach had arranged a special treat for Wendy. A good day. I cannot remember, but I think it was that day that Stelli fell asleep on the subway on the way home.
The following day we went to the High Line, a disused elevated freight rail line that has been converted to an urban park. I have been several times and thought everyone would enjoy it but the weather was impossible for the small people and the bigger people were not enjoying it , so we gave up. I donot know what the temperature was, but am sure it was colder than the coldest day in Quebec that I experienced that I know was -18 but -26 considering the wind chill. We walked through Chelsea Markets but many other people were also escaping the biting winds there. Lach and Carol took the kids home while Wendy and I went to the library bar in the Nomad hotel. It was lovely. Books, timber, chairs and tables not too close to each other. We had a couple of drinks, some nibbles and chatted like adults with no kids around.
On Tuesday Wendy, Lach and the 4 girls left to drive to their home in Missouri. Carol, Katie and I came here to the UWS where I have stayed before. We left our bags and went on the Staten Isand ferry for Carol and Katie to see the Statue of Liberty. On the way back we were escorted by a small coast guard boat. I wonder if this always happens. Both this time and Christmas day there was a lot of security at both ends of the ferry ride- heavily armed soldiers and at least 2 bomb detecting dogs. Carol discovered the nearby NY institution Zabars for dinner.
On Wednesday Carol and I and Katie went to the NY City Fire Museum. Quite interesting old machines. There are several new coffee shops in this area. New = since I was last here in April 2013. Obviously it is my duty to check them all out.
So I started yesterday. On Wednesday afternoon Carol discovered her flight on Friday to St Louis was cancelled.
On Wednesday afternoon there were lots of warnings about a large snow storm overnight and into Thursday. Everyone was encouraged to stay home if possible, schools were closed etc. I woke to find about 20 m of snow over everything and the snow was heavy through the morning into early afternoon. We walked , or rather trudged, to the nearby Children's Museum, where we were warm and Katie was interested for 2 hours. It was quite eerie walking around. Only taxis, a very few cars and some delivery vehicles on the road, all going very slowly, very poor visibility. Another coffee shop in the afternoon. The snow eased off enough for us to take Katie to central park, 1 1/2 blocks away, to play in the snow. All the way back she insisted on trudging through the snow drifts on the edges of the footpaths, not walking on the sort of track in the middle. Each step was into snow above her knees. No wonder she slept well.
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