NYC, Here We Come Again: I've Been [Almost] Everywhere, Man

I'm going to post this before we go to our last show, "Ghost," because I think my internet will run out before we return from the show. Our hotel, The Edison, has entries from both 47th and 46th Streets and this show is right out the door on 46th. "Death of a Salesman" starring Philip Seymour Hoffman is right out the door on 47th, and, when we were coming back from our show last night, there were about 100 people of all ages waiting at the stage door of that show.

Bob and I started out the day together at the market at Union Square. Then we split up, agreeing to meet at suppertime. Bob walked and walked and then rented a bicycle and biked and biked both in Central Park and the Greenway Bike Path in Riverside Park. He also got to eat at a Shake Shack, something I had given up all hope for as the line-ups are always so long.

The market at Union Square had some root vegetables, lots of greens, wine, elk, ostrich meat, baking, flowers, and bedding plants. Eight inch pies were $15 and they looked delicious.

I love how I lined up this sculpture called "Big Elephant" by Miquel Barcelo with the building behind it. I don't have a clue what the building is.

Then I found the Max Brenner ("Chocolate by the Bald Guy")Restaurant and ordered the dark, spicy Mexican hot chocolate just so I could have the fun of sitting in the cafe.

Not far from there was the Strand Bookstore which boasts it has 18 miles of books. I think they need to retally that, but there are definitely lots of books.

Look who I could have heard (and drooled over!) if we didn't have tickets to "Ghost" tonight.

Next I headed to Washington Square which was abloom ...

...and had wildlife ...

... plus an off-leash park that is perhaps a third the size of Weyburn's small dog part. I should have taken a photo of the chocolate lab who decided it wasn't time to leave yet when his master thought it was. The dog went into "down" position and really dug in. The poor woman had to yank with all her might to get him to leave...

... and there was great jazz. This group didn't even have a bucket for you to throw change in. They had CDs for sale and that was all.

Next I walked over to the first block of West 10th Street which is called the most beautiful block in all of New York. This was blooming in front of one of the buildings. Do you think it's magnolia?

The block really was lovely as seen here.

Then I caught the subway to the American Folk Art Museum on the Upper West Side. I was hoping for a quilt show, but the show was some of their permanent collection. Elizabeth, the following folk art will show you why I named you Elizabeth and not Liz!

There were a few quilts. Here is one displayed behind characters made entirely of pop bottle caps.

For all the times we have been in NYC, neither of us have ever been to the Museum of Natural History so I decided to go. It was certainly easy to find as I got off the subway train.

You can even gain admittance right from the subway. However, that entry had a log jam of people so I went around to the front of the building. There was another log jam and so I saw this much of the museum. I'll try on another trip when all the New York school children aren't on spring break.

I crossed Central Park to get to the Upper East Side. Here's how New Yorkers enjoy themselves when the temperature in April hits 64F.

Bob spotted a bridal party in Central Park yesterday and I saw this bride and groom and photographer entering Central Park today. The bottom of her dress was already grimy. Note her running shoes.

On the Upper East Side I went to two thrift shops; one was the Arthritis Thrift Shop which is supposed to be the best in Manhattan and the other was a branch of the Housing Works one. Definitely items were upscale. Some shoes were $50/pair. To me that isn't thrift! Almost all of the customers ... let me change that ... all of the customers looked a lot wealthier than I am. If I could have got it home unbroken, I would have bought this.

I have taken dozens and dozens of photos of flowers.

Bob and I had supper at the Edison Cafe. It is famous for being the model for the cafe in Neil Simon's "45 Seconds from Broadway." Neil must have been walking slowly when he researched his title because Bob and I can do it in about 10. Last time we were in the cafe it was all peeling paint, but it has since been redone.