Xmas Lights and Brooklyn

Thanksgiving has come and gone. We spent the time in Tampa Bay, a 3 hour flight south of New York. We stayed with Chuck and Lee, Stephen's sister in law and her husband. It was great, fantastic weather and it was wonderful to meet and be welcomed by Chuck and Lees friends.  See PB, Lee, Chuck and PB below.

We arrived back on Saturday afternoon, 27th November. The Xmas lights have just started. We  headed downtown through Columbus Circle where we began with the  lighting appetizers. The little ones before the real ones are switched on the Monday evening. Below are a couple of photos to tantalise the enthusiast. 

We then headed downtown through Times Square to Macy's. People, there are millions of them. All madly clicking away to record their visit. Kodak must rue the day digital cameras were invented. Macy's  front window was spectacular. Not a traditional Xmas window. It was more about the fascination of space. Nevertheless the children we many rows deep to make sure they got to see windows. 

Sunday was a glorious day so we dusted down the bikes and rode out over  Brooklyn Bridge to Prospect Park which is well downtown in Brooklyn. In 1858 Frederick Law Olmsted and Cavert Vaux referred to their creation, Central Park, as "a single work of art, an outdoor museum, one without walls. In 1859 the planning of Prospect Park was commenced by James Stranahan. the now famous Olmsted and Vaux were commissioned to plan the 320 acre (Central Park is 843 acres) into a park that " would become a favourite resort for all classes of our community, enabling thousands to enjoy pure air, with healthful exercise, at all seasons of the year". Notwithstanding the influence of Olmsted and Vaux it was Stranahan who has been given the credit for all the Prospect Park has to offer. The woods, the lakes, the winding tracks and zoos make it a must visit park.  It was finally completed in 1891.  

Downtown Brooklyn we found the Dud Pie shop. It was famous for Australian and New Zealand pies and great coffee. The coffee was great, the pies were dud. Our 45k bike ride took us home via Red Hook an old working wharf area through cobblestone streets and ruined warehouses. Interesting. It doesn't matter how many time you cross Brooklyn Bridge it has a wonderful fascination. It was a great ride.   

Marilyn's Visit

We are fortunate. The greatest pleasure is to share our opportunity with other people. Marilyn Surtees came with many expectations. She arrived 9.00pm on Friday October 8th. PJ Clarkes, our local pub, was open and raging. Maureen and I were having diner, with Kerry Weir, her friend Leslie, Anne Andrews and her daughter Cara Barrow, Kirsten McEwin and her partner Charles Pace. A great start for Marilyn. A few wines later it seemed we had known each other for decades.

There is a lot of discussion about how much this city called New York has to offer. we had a week to help Marilyn  enjoy as much as possible.

Saturday started with a walk through Central Park. Mid morning we headed through Columbus Circle to walk down Fifth Avenue and then head for Brooklyn Bridge. We were interrupted by hundreds of skate board riders heading for Wall Street to support the Wall Street demonstration against wealth.

Brooklyn Bridge was sensational. The plans commenced in 1870 and the bridge was completed in 1886. It was fourteen years in construction. Bodies were crushed and broken, lives lost, political empires fell and surges of public emotion constantly threatened the project. The concept of building a bridge large enough to span the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan was unprecedented. The bridge is a reflection of the social climate  of the time. Today it's strength and charm remain as clear as if it was recently built.    After a couple of hours spent crossing the bridge we were  all absorbed in our own adventure involving the bridge.

 We headed home through Little Italy and Chinatown. The Peroni in Little Italy provided the sustenance to keep us going. Both areas could have entertained us for many hours but they would have to wait.

Saturday evening we met with Debbie (one of Maureen's new friends) and her partner Chris as Debbie was heading to San Diego in the next couple of weeks.   We headed up Amsterdam St. Diner  started with appetisers at the Citrus Hotel where we left Debbie and Chris. The next stop was at Luke's Monster Lobster Roll shop for fresh lobster. Apparently the best in New York.   Our final  meal for the evening was at the Japanese restaurant, Hanu. Not bad for our first day. Couldn't understand why Maz was starting to fade.

Sunday gave us the opportunity to take in a 55k bike ride around New York. Central Park provided the short cut over to East River. Heading South we took in Carl Schulz Park, the official residence of the Mayor of New York. Before our coffee stop we enjoyed Roosevelt Island, Greensboro Bridge,  Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge. The coffee at Jack's at the waterfront, one of the better coffees going round, was great.

Before heading to the Hudson River we took in the New York Stock Exchange, Ground Zero memorial, St Paul's Church which survived 911, Broadway and "The Bull".  Hudson River has a bike track through Battery City all the way to George Washington Bridge. We were under prepared for such a long journey so were forced to lunch at one of the many riverside restaurants at Battery City. The remaining 25 ks following the Hudson and back through Central Park presented New York in much of its beauty.

Sunday evening found us way down town in the Bleeker Street area. Cornelia Street is a very small street with a number of quaint restaurants. "Palma" a family owned Italian restaurant won us for diner. Every part of it was good. This was a great warm up for the Cornelia Street Cafe Theatre. A small 80 seat theatre presented us with a Georgian ( as in Russia) jazz/folk band. Two hours later we headed for home.

On Monday Marilyn enjoyed a polarities class with Maureen's friends followed by a visit to the Tenement Museum. Strange but Monday night found us out to diner at Nook the first BYO restaurant we have found in New York. The red wine was easy to drink. I think Marilyn set the pace.

Tuesday was another ladies day. One of Maureen's other ladies group "The Tuesday Walkers" toured the Frick Museum and then lunch at on Madison avenue. The evening was spent at the Lincoln Theatre seeing "Warhorse". An excellent story of a boys love for a horse that  had been sent to the Western front. The horses used were life size puppets. An amazing play with World War 1 and its background . Diner at PJ Clarkes gave us the opportunity to use all our artistic thoughts to sum up the excellence of the play.

Wednesday saw Maureen and Maz head up to Harlem for a morning of gospel singing then lunch at the New York Public Library. This is internationally recognised as one of the worlds greatest libraries. At the time,1895, it was the largest marble structure ever attempted in the United States. The plan called for an enormous reading room topping seven floors of stacks and the most rapid delivery system in the world to get the Library's resources as swiftly as possible into the hands of those who requested them. That reading room is still in it's current state  used daily and constantly full.

Dizzy Gelespie's Jazz Club allowed us a few pre diner drinks whilst listening to the cool jazz sounds of New Yorks finest. There was just time for diner at ll Violino, the very first Italian restaurant we made home on our arrival in New York.


The Lincoln Centre has "The Atrium" where entertainers from around the States and the World perform for free. Tonight we were entertained by a group from Malawi in Africa. Wow, how good were they. Three instruments and their voices. Just time enough for diner at Bocca di Bacco before bed. More great food.

Friday 15th October came quickly. We were confident that we had worn Marilyn out. Not so. There was still time for a spin around Central Park, breakfast and coffee at Pan Quotidien our favorite cafe in the park. A fantastic finish to a reasonably busy week. Marilyn was sent home with a great taste for New York that included very few of the well known tourist attractions.