Last day - off we go

This morning we were up at 2.30am can you believe- I would rather not - and got a taxi to Newark in New Jersey to catch our plane to London - Ian took a photo of Central Park as we flew over.


We actually had a good trip - the plane was nearly empty or barely full. Back to London and got an upgrade at the hotel which means slightly more room in the bedroom but less room in the bathroom


We got a discount voucher for dinner so are at the restaurant and indulged with desserts


Forget which was whose.

Then today up early for the long flight home - we get to Perth Sunday afternoon and Monday to work. When we are away I answer every email as they appear and then delete from my phone and when we get home I download all - there will an awful lot for 21 days including the usual delightful spams - and print them out from the oldest and then work through all the orders.




Patricia and Kaz have been looking after Harley who has been naughty but I expect she has missed us

See you all on the downunder side- bbq Monday night. We have missed them and I have especially missed tomatoes and garlic

And then I have heaps to do - a Dale's Delight (still thinking) - two articles to produce- starting my articles for threads.in-Fusion and lots of other things I am itching to get working on. Oh well - isn't life exciting......

New York City Day Ten

Before we caught the subway we stopped at the soap shop just around the corner - we always buy lovely soaps when we go away. Loved this basin and as a result I got a free hand wash and stuff and then a very nice tube of hand cream as a gift ( we did buy a pile of soaps)


The other thing I have noticed are the cellars - this one is inside the shop but usually they are outside heading down under the store. This one is a bit like the cellar under our bedroom at home where you lift the floor and head down the jarrah staircase.




Today we went to the MOMA - it is a pretty wet old day so course there was a long queue but you work your way through it all - loved the paintings. On the 5th floor including Van Gogh Starry Night - I was amazed by so many people simply taking a pic of every picture with their phone so I took delight in walking in front of them. Bet they don't even look at them again - buy the catalogue or choose your artist and buy a book to enjoy browsing through. We also went to the Matisse Cut Outs exhibition- most interesting. I bought the 2015 diary.




Tonight we are off to Alta again - this one and the restaurant at The Ace Hotel are our favourites and by far the best




And because many people emailed me - I bought two colours and may be seen wearing them or perhaps using them as great resists- it might be time to bring out some nail varnish resist work.




My only stitching on this holiday - too busy walking and looking and sleeping soundly. I have taken photos of a great deal of sewer covers and have started lots of sketches with intentions of using them in many different ways. I even managed to get one on Park Avenue with Ian in charge of looking out for cars intending to run me over.

This is our last day in New York- we head back to London very early in the morning. We have loved it all - my geography of NYC was rather bleak. Studied the cotton fields in America in 4th form geography and read Grapes of Wrath etc but never quite sure where all those places we have seen fitted in. We learnt a lot on our boat trip around Manhattan and it means we will be able to place things when we read about them. People have been so very friendly and helpful.

And thanks for all the emails from people telling me they have enjoyed my monologue - I am only pleased that Blogspot played ball this time.

For all who asked where we stayed - we used AIRBNB and stayed 33 W9th Street Greenwich Village and I booked it back in Feb - it's a great place in a great spot.

Halloween in NYC

Halloween has never featured in my life - I am a Guy Fawkes girl and all I really know is that it involves pumpkins and trick or treats. Apparently it us especially big in Greenwich Village and there are ever increasing displays appearing. My award goes to the one two doors down and I thought I would share some of the goodies in the garden

























These are the legs to with the hands below - loved them






Every night it's all lit up and loads of people take photos - hard to photo but the garden is packed with all manner of excitements - these people have had fun. Apparently there are big happenings in the Village on 31st but we will be well gone by then

New York City Day Nine

Lazy day today - slept in - it was raining and windy - and went to French Roast for breakfast- mostly we have been eating at our apartment. We have doing most of shopping at our local fabbo shop - Citarella






On our way to the subway I tried a few nail varnishes for fun and to cheer up my sad miserable hand and wrist - which colour do you think I bought?







We caught the train to the MOMA but it was late so decided to try first thing tomorrow and instead went off to seek out the Ace Hotel since the boys at Ace Pizza told us we must. Trouble was it was raining heaps and our umbrellas were at home and I thought it was 25th street and it was 29th so we arrived all wet and soggy.















The lobby is really lively - hard to take photos in the light and we booked to eat at the Breslin which is their restaurant- the bar there was packed- great restaurant








When you have good service and good food and wine then you forget how wet you are/were. We both had pork belly and because our waitress was so helpful and friendly and chatty and looked and talked like KD Laing, we had





Eaton Mess for pud. Now Ace Pizza could take this one up.

After all that it was still raining hard so one of those yellow taxis drove us home

Sculptures in the park

I thought I would share some of the wonderful sculptures in the Real World Sculpture Garden in the Nelson Roosevelt Park - loved them all. The sculptor is Tom Otterness

New York City day eight

This morning we took the subway to Soho (we could have walked but trying to respect our feet early in the day) and checked out Purl Soho - I was interested to see their wool selection - mostly plain wools and hardly any of those fancy ones seen everywhere at Ally Pally - and a large selection of Habu (Habu trade opposite us at Ally Pally. They have fabrics too but I didn't actually look at those. I did buy a lovely woolly bundle - left Ian to pay for it!





Then we caught the subway uptown and walked to the Frick Collection - this is one of the nicest collections of art in beautiful surrounds. Wonder if Gina Reinhart would ever become philanthropic? Ha ha. You can only photograph in the central garden





And these are the flowers in that garden. beautiful colours







Next we went to Grand Central Station - another fabbo place saved with the help of Jackie Kennedy- magnificent inside - we had a bite to eat





The clock at Grand Central Station





Then off to the Rockefeller Centre - here is the ice skating rink





Passed these on the way - I know people don't like dyed flowers but I couldn't resist all the colours popping out at me - and finally we found somewhere to sit for a glass of wine before





We went to Matilda It was wonderful - real Tim Minchin - you could see him singing all the lyrics himself. Superb show recommend to anyone.

Times Square - I know it something you always see lots of images of but actually it is horrible- full of people and touts - I guess that's how it is when you have tourists but I am so glad we are not staying around there. We went the other direction and took the subway home

New York City day seven

This morning I walked to The Ink Pad which is only a few streets away. It reminded me of the stands we have had at shows - small and packed with loads of fabulously interesting stuff. I was quite restrained and only bought a few things I had not seen before. Ian took all the clothes to the laundromat to save our having to recycle our socks.



This is the public library on 7th Ave at the end of our street - it's a lovely building


Then we took the subway uptown once more- this time to the Lincoln Centre where we checked out the Met - looked to go to an opera on Wed but apart from the $300 tickets was all booked out and we are not that mad about opera. It was just going to be for the experience.

Next we walked back through Central Park to visit another gallery only to discover it was closed on Mondays.


So we went back to Colombus Circle and visited Wholefoods Market again in the base of the Time Warner building. The queues to purchase were huge - we bought salads by the weight and ate there.



Some of the flowers which greet you when you go down the escalator- I am enjoying seeing all the beautiful flowers in shops and on the sidewalk




Back to Chelsea markets on a failed mission but I did enjoy the window display at Anthropologie- the things you do with tags - when Bruce was on his cycling pilgrimage in Japan he posted some interesting photos which I have stored in the brain


Halloween is heating up and there were lots more displays at the market


And stuff with pumpkins - quite different for someone who has grown up with Guy Fawkes Night.

Walked home - we must be getting fit to match our tired feet and then ventured off very late a few avenues away where we found an Indian restaurant- hadn't realised just how late it was


A few weeks ago I tripped over as is my want and landed on my hand - it has been very painful and driving me nuts so I bought a bandage in the hope that. First wrap my hand changed colour so I have had to loosen it off.