New York's Longest Day 21st June 2013

Today, 21 June 2013, is the longest day of the year for New York. It is celebrated by Make Music New York. There are 100d's of musical events around the city. They are all free. The hardest thing to do is to decide what to see. After spending 3 hours madly studying the form  we have decided on four, yes only four, events to experience. Starting at Central Park, we were then to go to Cornelia Street, then to West 68 and finishing in Hells Kitchen.

7.30am saw us at Central Park Lake in Central Park to experience TILT Brass performing "Music for Wilderness Lake" Three groups of Trombone Players surrounded the lake and were led by a conductor using flag signals to lead the music. In the stillness of the morning it was magnificent.

The TILT Brass performing "Music for Wilderness Lake"

The stillness of the morning reflects New York City on Central Park Lake. 

Our next point of interest was Cornelia Street, downtown. There was the world premiere of Jed Distler's Broken Record, a piece composed for 175 battery powered Yamaha keyboards and one acoustic grand piano. Players included luminaries of the piano world, local amateur pianists, school children and city officials. The performance set a new Guinness Book record for the world's largest keyboard ensemble.

A group of the 175 players 

It's done, 175 players creating a new Guinness Book of Record
  for  the largest keyboard ensemble.

 During the course of our time there young players would come, play and sing. The amount of talent  that's walking the streets waiting for somewhere to play is significant. Cornelia Street was their playground for the day.

This is Christopher McGinnis, a 15 year old school boy, who already has his own fan club. 

A bike rider dropped in to play a couple of tunes and got the young lady in pink dancing.

La Boite en Bois. our local and favourite French Restaurant on West 68 was the next stop. The Privia Piano Bar started in Harlem and at each stop from the back of a pick up truck Nate Buccieri plays live music on a keyboard to accompany singers on the side walk. 

Nate doing his thing.

When the truck arrived at our stop we were fortunate enough the find the lady chairperson of the New York Chamber of Commerce on hand to belt out a few tunes. Her enormous jazz and gospel voice had the street rocking in no time. We could only imagine the board meetings of the NYC Chamber of Commerce being very upbeat.

The Lady Chairperson.


Our initial plan was to head to Hell's Kitchen to experience more Jazz and Gospel singing. That was until we met Gino, the owner of La Boîte en Bois. Sitting on the steps of West 68 we got to know Gino, the Italian owner of a French restaurant. We learnt about, the restaurant, his life in New York and  his  four daughters, a doctor, two in finance and one in marketing. All still single. After a couple of Prosecco  and French Chardonnay our trip to Hells Kitchen fell into disarray and we stayed on the steps and listened to the Greg Smith Group. From the Bronx, they played Hall & Oates meets Van Halen. There will be a visit to the Bronx to continue our new friendship. At 8.00pm we headed home via Ronda's for a quiet meal and reflection on the day. It was indeed the longest day for New York and its visitors. 

Spring has arrived

There is nothing as wonderful as spring in New York. It arrived with force this weekend. The temperatures were 18/19 degrees celsius, not a cloud in the sky.

     
                           The New York skyline from Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central Park

Central Park was overloaded with people. There was very little room, every available blade of grass was being used, the sun worshippers had arrived. Blossoms appear for two weeks and then disappear. Their presence provides tranquility and beauty forcing New York's apartment dwellers to increase the already high energy levels that exist.

This is the time for man's greatest friend to help everyone share the extraordinary atmosphere of Central Park.

A two week splendor that cannot be missed. The sun and flowers change the attitude of an entire city.

Beauty has many forms. Not the least is the ability to snap up a rare delicacy as you leave the park.

                What a wonderful city.

Outside New York

Fantastic as New York is there's a need to enjoy what other cities have to offer. Late January and early February saw us in London enjoying a recent significant dump of snow. Hyde Park covered in snow is worth experiencing. Early morning walks through the Park were rewarded with no queue for coffee and scrambled eggs at the cafe next to the Memorial for Diana, Princess of Wales.

London does not have the vibrancy or energy of New York. It does have extraordinary experiences within two hours drive of the city.  We headed for The New Forest, South West of London, an area, encompassing Brockenhurst, Lymington and Beaulieu.

The township of Beaulieu

The New Forest has over 200 km of bike riding trails, great Trout fishing and extensive walking trails.  Horses run wild so it's a wonderful playground. Thank god the snow and rain had made  riding and walking difficult and trout fishing is apparently a summer sport. We were restricted to enjoying the environs of the wonderful hotel, "The Pig". Thoroughly recommended. 

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu owns the town of Beaulieu and the surrounding 7000 acres. His grandfather was given ownership of the land and all on it as a wedding present. The Estate which  is home for Beaulieu Abbey, the Palace House and Gardens also houses the National Motor Museum. 

Lord Montagu's "Home"

The National Motor Museum houses over 250 motor vehicles reflecting the history of motor cars in Britain. It has the worlds largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles. There's even more. The Museum offers an experience in the "World of Top Gear". See actual cars, or what's left of them, from their most ambitious challenges. 

Motoring History

An early Man Cave. 

Our UK experience was finished with an illegal drive through the grounds of Downton Abbey. The grounds on which Highclere Castle, the real name, rest, border a property owned by Chris and Clare Berry, friends of Jimmy and Tig Nathan. Chris is a master designer of extraordinary tables. View some of his handy work on berrydesign.co.uk. Chris and Clare were kind enough to have us for lunch which finished with an  intermit drive through the grounds of the Abbey, or should that be castle?