MOMA

MOMA is a wonderful place but yesterday afternoon the weather was overcast so it was packed. This means that you spend a lot of time getting in pictures being taken by people who seemingly can't go anyway or do anything without taking 50,000 photos. They never actually look at paintings with the naked eye.... Only through the screen of a mobile. You may legitimately ask, why then have I added a picture to this posting. The answer is that there were several small groups of kids being taken around. This group were asking some fantastic questions and even better, their guide point blank refused to move the kids when asked by these halfwits with the cameras. They wanted a clear shot at Warhol's soup cans but he stood his ground and quite rightly. I applaud you sir.

Birthday morning

Birthday girl's enjoying breakfast... Went french this morning for a little change.

Birthday

As this will post on wednesday it is M's birthday.  She basically spent all her birthday money over the last couple of days.... She's been all over the shopping. So far the weather has been very warm and we've done our usual thing of wandering, subwaying, stopping here and there and generally taking life as it comes. Will post more detail when I get home probably as I don't intend to spend the whole trip writing the blog!

Beauty and Essex

Restaurant review - went to B&E on sunday night. Slightly out of our usual areas, lower east side. Looked as though we should check it out more though as seemed to be lots of popular places. Unusual entrance through a pawn shop.... On the other side of the magic door was a huge place, oppulently decorated and buzzingly full. The waitresses all look like they are dressed for a night at da' club. The concept is "tapas" based in that you should choose 4-6 dishes and share. This we went along with and were happy with the choices. Scallop, shrimp, a shaved steak concotion on pretzel, spaghettini and roasted root vegetables. All good, and a very nice Napa valley sauvignon blanc. Desert was nice too. Generally good atmos, service and food. Possibly little pricey but overall 7.5 / 10.

Breakfast

The good thing about being trained to get up early in the mornings by your kids is that you get more out of your holidays. Today we were in the coffee shop by 8.15. Slept ok, bed is comfortable. This place (below) is called the Birch and we frequented it last time. Really nice start to the day. We've been along the High-line park today.... Really super idea turning an old disused elevated railway track into a park. Had lunch at the Dutch (corner of Prince and Sullivan)... Nice place although we did feel semi alcoholic by getting there before 12 and ordering a beer... To be politely told that alcohol wasn't served until after noon. We should have pointed out that for us it was nearly 6 in the evening but we didn't..... Brain slowed by jet lag! Spent the afternoon in Central Park.

New York

Here we are again..... Our tri-annual trip to the Big Apple has come around again. We arrived saturday afternoon, checked into the hotel and went in search of a pizza. This coincided with a monumental rain shower for which we were ill prepared. We struggled to get the subway ticket machine to work but evetually found our way to Spring street. Lombardi's pizza was buzzing... Which was what we needed as the long day was beginning to take its toll. Pizza was nice.... And by the time we came out the rain had stopped. I'm writing this at 6.30am.... Not quite managed to kick the habit of early mornings even when our 2 little alarm clocks are absent!!