Next time we are in New York ...

... I'm totally, absolutely getting one of these.
A Tiffany & Co compass, perfect for assisting me in making use of all those google-map directions where you're told to "turn north" or "head south west". I found them difficult, nay frustrating, last time. This should cure that.

Mr Brown goes sailing ...

From Central Park ...

... another brown mouse.

I love this stuff...

... it's my favourite kind of art I think, the quirky, elderly still life. I love the detail, the bloom of the peach, the browning of the cut fruit.

Something about it just appeals. Just look at that glass of wine, you could sip it.

And the wee quirks, the lizard. The forgetmenots and the wiggy worm.So it was nice, really lovely, to find so much of it at the Met, when we visited. If only we'd brought the sort of bag that could safely transport posters ... never mind. Next time.

We spent today in the Park ...

... THE Park, Central Park. We walked ourselves footsore. We saw trees and sweeping lawns. And statues. And birds that were not starlings or sparrows. And bees, great big fat fellows. And squirrels, two different kinds. We saw little boats on the boat pond, but not Stuart Little.
And, because he is a kind and indulgent person, Mr Brown took me to the Zoo.Where we saw beautiful rain forest birds, also known as Pink Ducks. A sad polar bear. A red panda. And a snoozing snow leopard. With HUGE paws.And now we must pack. Farewell New York. This little brown mouse had a blast.

And so ...

... dinner was here.
A brilliant space foraged out of a solid steel former bank vault complete with the most amazing safe doors at either end.
A lovely french waiter, who chatted world affairs, Timor, US foreign policy, and politics with us most of the night.
I had a blessedly simple plate of the perfect. simply dressed greens followed by herby gnocchi with chorizo, hen of the woods mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn and shaved Parmesan (could have done without the corn). Mr Brown had east coast oysters (west coast soon) then pan roasted chicken with potatoes, mushrooms, local green beans, caramelized onions, cherry tomatoes, and bacon. We then shared a New York Cheesecake, because you have to do these things sometimes.
It was all most excellently excellent.

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.

Last night ...

... we had Chinese food for dinner, in New York - it had to be done.
It was damn good too, and I got to do all the ordering while everyone else dithered so we got Moo Shu Chicken and Soft Shell Crab (ouch, ouch, hot, hot, hot) and Orange Beef and dumplings .... and I drank a lychee martini, which was a much better experience than the Manhattan incident.

Today my feet & I schlepped ...

... on a little walking tour of the Jewish Lower East Side district. Though, it's really Chinatown.

The old buildings are still there but I suspect one wave of immigrants has moved on and the next wave or two or three have moved in.
It was boiling hot, just that little way away from the river. I went bright red in the face and had to stop for a cooling mango smoothie. Thank goodness there was someone willing to sell me one.

Traditional old tenement apartments I believe. Small and no doubt expensive.

Coming home was a bit of a challenge, due to subway station closures and my getting all mixed up with J, F, 4 & 5 trains. But I just dithered about with a map until a nice local person came up and asked if I knew where I was going. On being told I'd no idea, she pointed me in the right direction, just in time. It's crap what folk say about New Yorkers being rude and unfriendly. They're perfectly lovely and I won't hear a word against them.
And then I went to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. This time it was open. While you know what went on, some of the details made me get all tight in the chest region.

I can't now, nor will I ever, understand how so many people could do nothing, just sit back and watch their neighbours be taken away.

And then homeward. To spot starlings splashing.

Sparrows snacking.

Flowers blooming.

And yes, you guessed it, squirrels being cuter than buttons.

A day without spotting a squirrel is day of sadness I believe.

I love the way they flit their tails, like silvery waterfalls.

This last shot is just Rupert showing off.

I'm going to miss the Battery Parks, I'd love to see them in winter.

Today I took Rupert outside despite the near-constant drizzle ...

... Because Mr Brown and the rest were sailing off Battery Park, and thought pictures would be nice.
But that wasn't until after lunch so I thought I'd wander about the lovely green spaces along the river a bit more and give Rupert's new flash-bang lens a bit of a try out, things other than our own watches from the other side of the room!
Just look at what he can do now.

Isn't this a lovely little park?
Of course, being Saturday, the Museum of Jewish Heritage was closed. Hey! I'm an atheist!
On the way over to the sailing viewing spot some shell hit me on the head. Looking up I found this cheeky wee bugger doing what squirrels do best (eat nuts, climb trees, who'da thunk?)

And on through Battery Park where I saw more squirrels. Yes, that's right, we spent $eleventybillion on a fancy lens so I could take photographs of rodents. I'm not entering into any debate about it.

And there were the sailors. I found an excellent spot, down by the water edge to watch and take some snaps but these bloody great big ferries kept parking in front of me. Also I was beginning to look a bit like a sailing anorak (was wearing one for goodness sake). So, best I pop on one of them, I thought. Risking a vomit-fest (the water was a bit choppy) I paid the money, went through totally over-the-top security (I had to take my watch off for the first time this trip) and climbed aboard the Miss New York.While aboard I also got to see this, the lady has BIG FEET. And this.

Then I pretended to be a good wife and walked down to the ferry Mr Brown catches ever day and waited so we could walk back to the hotel together.
Dinner was here, having slunk out of the hotel like spies to avoid young sailing types who would want pizza or burgers a-fucking-gain. An excellent spot, down by the river.
I had a lovely salad of fresh heirloom tomatoes, basil, celery heart and olive oil followed by beautifully-cooked chicken with the kind of lemon sauce my mum makes for veal. Mr Brown, needing to keep his weight up, ate pasta with squid (pronounced "excellent") and a whole sea bass. I even risked a short black, was asked if I really wanted it "short" assured them I did and got an excellent sip of coffee, perfect way to end the meal.