Friday 13th New York

This morning I tried a restaurant for breakfast that was described as New England-ish and recommended by the owners of this studio. There was a quilt on the wall, paper mache cows, embroideries on the walls. I had apple pancakes – OK, but I could make them. I then walked through Central Park to the Upper East Side to the Frick Museum. The park was lovely. It had a peaceful feel to it – people walking, jogging, cycling, sitting, fishing. Most of the trees were just sprouting new leaves or fully-laden blossom trees. Quite often you could see the skyscraper skyline through the trees.

The Frick collection is housed in the former residence (built 1913-14) of Henry Frick, who I have seen described as a robber-baron. Apparently a ruthless man, but he acquired a huge collection of paintings and things. My favourite things were a very ornate silver equelle – described in the audio guide as a small tureen for casseroles- which had small silver carvings of animals and vegetables that would have gone into the casserole all around it including a dead bird on the handle of the lid , a painting by Holbein of Sir Thomas More with a strong but still thoughtful face and luxurious velvet sleeves and some small painted enamel works from Limoges.

From there I walked downtown along Madison ave weaving around a bit through the streets of the Upper East Side. I stopped at a little French patisserie for coffee and 2 little macaroons – it was a special deal - coffee and 2 macaroons cost 50cents more than coffee and 1 macaroon. A no-brainer. I talked a bit to the lady next to me on one side and to a lady on the other side who was visiting from Florida. Walking past all the fancy designer shops reminded me of doing a similar thing in Rome last September. None of the shops here had prices but they did in Rome.

I went into Bloomingdales and bought a pair of cotton pyjama bottoms that were on special. I had not realised that my old cycling leggings were quite as holey as they are. Maybe not a good look when I go later to stay with relatives. I had lunch at their restaurant which I knew would be expensive but I was tired. I had had another very disturbed sleep the previous night. The Maryland crab cakes were delicious. I walked to the tourist bureau, only to find it closed again – 2 days in a row. There were 2 young people with ‘trainee’ badges standing outside to fend off irate customers –a hard job for a trainee. With a great effort I managed to be polite.

All along Broadway from Columbus Circle north every 2 to 5 cross streets is a statue of an animal or more with an apple. I took a few photos on the way home and will take more in future. I bought myself a pair of New Balance Minimus Zero trail shoes. They have a flat vibram sole and a very thin lightweight top with no support at all. They have the same functionality as the 5 finger shoes, forcing you to strike the ground mid-foot not on your heel and to use your toes more, supposedly improving your posture. The woman’s were a bright luminous green and the men's were black, which I chose so I could more comfortably wear them around. It will take a while getting my body used to them. I have not worked out, though, what happens when I can wear them comfortably to jog in and go back to ordinary shoes – will I be able to chop and change? I wore them home and stopped , at their invitation, to talk to Susan and Warren who were talking to their next door neighbours on their stoop – the steps going up to their front door. It was Susan who had told me about the shop – sorry, I think I said that yesterday. I told her how I liked that she was able to wear her grey hair long. I had been looking all day and there were lots of long grey haired well dressed women. She said it was only in New York.

Later, after talking to Wendy and my granddaughters on Skype I went to Peacefoods for a light dinner. I was pleased with myself. In the past, if a restaurant looked full I would not have gone in but this time I thought why not ask. In Australia I donot like to be squeezed in, but here everyone expects it. It is another vegan restaurant. I had tofu and veg Thai green curry. It was delicious but a huge serving. The young couple next to me walked all the way from Soho, where they live, to this particular restaurant once a fortnight.

Some random thoughts/ observations:

100m along the street is a NYPD station. They have little 3 wheel buggy-like cars the same as you see making deliveries in Italian old towns with narrow streets.

100 m in the opposite direction is a Ukrakian Orthodox church.

I have seen many female nannies pushing along their charges. I have also seen male nannies. What are they called?

Some things that made me smile :

A squirrel playing in Central Park, lots of clumps of tulips and daffodils in Central Park, the thought of the expression on my children’s face if I were to tell them that I am moving to New York for as long as it takes to grow my hair to my shoulders, assuming it is still as thick as it used to be. All the long grey hair I have seen is thick.

Apart from the too small women behind the counter of the tiny patisserie( there were only 5 tiny tables) there was a young largish guy in his early 20's I guess. He was Jewish and trying to balance his black bowler-like hat on his spiked hair was difficult for him as he bent over to get some little delicacy out of the display cabinet. I tried not to smile openly.