Been away from New York for one day and am already pining for the hustle and bustle, crowds and buzz of NY. Boston is a slow sleepy town in comparison but will give it a go today.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Boston
Bought some wine in the mega healthy supermarket "Wholefoods " in Boston. I was asked for ID! I AM 55 YEARS OLD! Go figure. Apparently it's the local custom -now that's the Nanny state gone mad.
Boston
My brother is in Boston for a couple of months so we are having a family gathering and like Megan and Peter Singer I am blogging on a bus as they ahve WiFi - very civilized.
Another gallery day
Felt I had to catch up on a bit of culture after the mad shopping session on Black Friday ( am wearing the over the knee boots as we speak) so we finally got to The Guggenheim. Now that's my kind of gallery - small and focused on modern art. Great Kandinsky exhibition (I am bit partial to his stuff) and a very creative way of exhibiting Italian artist, Maurizio Cattelan's work - everything was hanging from the centre.
Raffaela was not impressed with the monochrome room - she thought they were renovating. I must admit it is hard to understand a white canvas is a great work of art.
The Guggenheim cafe does, however, serve a decent coffee.
Next, across Central Park to the Natural History Museum to see the live butterfly exhibition - beautiful. We also saw LOTS of skeletons.
I absolutely HAD to visit the new bar in town, Spin - which is a ping pong bar -my kind of bar (from the 1978 Mt Isa female table tennis champion)
Raffaela was not impressed with the monochrome room - she thought they were renovating. I must admit it is hard to understand a white canvas is a great work of art.
The Guggenheim cafe does, however, serve a decent coffee.
Next, across Central Park to the Natural History Museum to see the live butterfly exhibition - beautiful. We also saw LOTS of skeletons.
I absolutely HAD to visit the new bar in town, Spin - which is a ping pong bar -my kind of bar (from the 1978 Mt Isa female table tennis champion)
Brooklyn Bridge
Saturday was very warm so we decided to cross the Brooklyn Bridge along with thousands of other people. The walkers must stay on the right while the kamikaze bikes have absolutely no regard for the pedestrians.
Got lost in Brooklyn but eventually found Grimaldi's pizzeria but was rather dismayed at he queue. Finally we decided that it was only a freaking pizza and left the over an hour long wait in the queue and went around the corner to another pizzeria only to wait for 20 mins. The New Yorker before us in the line had come from Upper Manhattan to wait in this queue and assured us it was worth the wait. it was good but couldn't help thinking it's still only pizza.
Got lost in Brooklyn but eventually found Grimaldi's pizzeria but was rather dismayed at he queue. Finally we decided that it was only a freaking pizza and left the over an hour long wait in the queue and went around the corner to another pizzeria only to wait for 20 mins. The New Yorker before us in the line had come from Upper Manhattan to wait in this queue and assured us it was worth the wait. it was good but couldn't help thinking it's still only pizza.
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| standing in queues is thirsty work |
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| Raffaela was taken by all the locks people had put on the Bridge |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Going to the Movies
Black Friday evening saw us 'peopled out' so we stuck close to home and went to the movies in Harlem. We wanted to see Happy Feet 2 in 3D but as usual got the times wrong so went into see Tower Heist instead. Good Choice.
it was set in midtown NY and at the time of Macy's parade and just where we were watching the parade.
On the way home the owner of the soul food restaurant was outside smoking and shouted hello to us - we are becoming locals. It was pretty cool.
it was set in midtown NY and at the time of Macy's parade and just where we were watching the parade.
On the way home the owner of the soul food restaurant was outside smoking and shouted hello to us - we are becoming locals. It was pretty cool.
Black Friday
Never in my whole life have I seen such shopping madness, then the anti-fur demonstrators came chanting around the corner and added more noise to the chaos. It really was an indication that we have gone mad with consumerism. BTW we were there buying things as well!!
Going into Macy's was lke being herded into a pen.
Iit all got too much for me but Raffaela has become a seasoned New Yorker already and would grab my hand and forge through the crowd.
Going into Macy's was lke being herded into a pen.
Iit all got too much for me but Raffaela has become a seasoned New Yorker already and would grab my hand and forge through the crowd.
Friday, November 25, 2011
My first American Maccas
Succombed to a Maccas meal late last night. The 24 hour Harlem Maccas only serves through a window after 6pm - no human contact just through a speaker. Not the slick Australian operations of many young people working behind the scenes. A lone employee did everything - served, cooked (if that's what you call it). Raffaela thought it was a moment she will remember - eating Maccas with her mother - a rare event. Back to soul food tonight I hope.
I keep saying that people are so friendly - as we were nearingor apartment, somebody actually said "Enjoy your meal ladies" (noticing that we had Maccas bags). Calling it a meal is stretching it but it is the thought that counts.
We are becoming a regular site in our neighbourhood - the two white girls coming home late each night! Raffaela, of course gets lots of stares and a woman the other day was staring at her and finally said "I love your hair". I suppose black women spend a lot of money to get long, straight dark hair like hers.
I keep saying that people are so friendly - as we were nearingor apartment, somebody actually said "Enjoy your meal ladies" (noticing that we had Maccas bags). Calling it a meal is stretching it but it is the thought that counts.
We are becoming a regular site in our neighbourhood - the two white girls coming home late each night! Raffaela, of course gets lots of stares and a woman the other day was staring at her and finally said "I love your hair". I suppose black women spend a lot of money to get long, straight dark hair like hers.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Big Big Day in the Big Apple
Macy's Parade, followed by hours in the Empire State building queue and finished it off with the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
The Parade was fun and the balloons BIG, the view from the top of the Empire State was awesome but the queues were a nightmare. Should have taken Hazel Jerrard's advice and gone very early in the morning but the Christmas Spectacular definitely lived up to its name. Busby Berekly's style lives on in this beautiful art deco theatre.
Tomorrow is Black Friday - a shoppers paradise and we're off to shop til we drop.
The Parade was fun and the balloons BIG, the view from the top of the Empire State was awesome but the queues were a nightmare. Should have taken Hazel Jerrard's advice and gone very early in the morning but the Christmas Spectacular definitely lived up to its name. Busby Berekly's style lives on in this beautiful art deco theatre.
Tomorrow is Black Friday - a shoppers paradise and we're off to shop til we drop.
NY NY
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| Subway music is of a very high standard |
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| I think they thought that we were running drugs from Staten Island. The gun is permanently poised. |
Twas the night before Macy's and everyone was out. The Ramones were playing in the background and it was @#$%^& cold
Soul Food
How wrong could I be - the soul food was delicious - so delicious we went back again tonight. BBQ on Frederick Douglass Bvld in Harlem. Last night was baby back ribs and southern potato salad and tonight was grilled salmon with collard greens. The corn bread that comes with each meal is to die for. Raffaela and I were the only whities. A band was playing soul music and I thought i was in heaven. it was sooo cool.
Harlem BBQ
Harlem BBQ
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Today - the Met, tomorrow The frick
Travelling is also good to get you out of a rut and think about other things. It is also good for that live in the moment' stuff. Today I used a laundromat for the first time in about 20 years. One focuses very intently on how to get the washing powder etc and I just love asking New Yorkers , especially, those who Live in Harlem, questions. That way I can listen to their charming and often totally cool and almost rap like accents.
Washing done we headed off to the Met where there is an abundance of Picassos, Miros, Monets, Manets and sumptuous room after sumptuous rooms full of Versailles like furniture etc. Sadly the Alexander McQueen exhibition was no longer on.
Then cold miserable rain so we are back at our cosy airbnb apartment ready to go out to Harlem for some world famous soul food (which to me looks like a lot of deep fried everything)
Washing done we headed off to the Met where there is an abundance of Picassos, Miros, Monets, Manets and sumptuous room after sumptuous rooms full of Versailles like furniture etc. Sadly the Alexander McQueen exhibition was no longer on.
Then cold miserable rain so we are back at our cosy airbnb apartment ready to go out to Harlem for some world famous soul food (which to me looks like a lot of deep fried everything)
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