Today we made it, we actually made it ...

... to the Guggenheim.
Of course, most of it was closed, preparing for the Kandinsky exhibition that starts after we leave town. But we got inside and saw some amazing works by Kandinsky, Picasso, Cezanne ... you get the picture.And the building. Wow.
Lunch was here, where I had the prosciutto, butter and arugula (rocket) panini and an affogato and Mr Brown had a huge panini with chicken and the works and then chocolate cake with ah hot, liquid middle. We had wine too, because we're on holiday and it's the civilised thing to do.
Then, because Mr Brown was just plain itching to do it, we went up the Empire State Building.I'll admit here and now, the view is far, far superior to the Top of the Rock. It just plain is.Tonight we have the place to ourselves again, and for this I am glad. I have observed at close range just what it is to live completely and utterly without vanity and I do not like.
Edited to add - I forgot, on the subway home, due to a "person on the tracks" which went on for so long we believe it was not a matter of chasing someone out of the way, we coped our first dose of NY 'tude! It was crowded, the 4 & 5 trains were cancelled, everyone was cramming into the 6, sardines would have complained of lack of room. I was staying upright holding onto Mr Brown, since none of the bars were within easy reach. When the train lurched, I bumped into a rather large-bottomed 'lady'.
"O, so sorry," said I, and was given a bit of a lecture about how "here in New York we hold the bars, that's what they fo!!".
"Really, how novel, in the rest of the world we just flop about hoping for the best" I muttered to Mr Brown. I got one of his "don't start anything" looks.
Of course my good response, thought up 10 minutes after we left the train, was "well, I'd have been able to if I'd have been able to reach past your enormous arse", but all I managed was a "lighten up" as we squeezed past and out the door.