Sunday 20 March

We head out of the apartment for our first walk, of this visit, in Central Park.  Before we get more than maybe 10 metres we realise it is too cold for a walk in the park.  The sun shines but that’s a cold breeze ablowin’.  So a quick change to schedule and we take the subway to Columbus, and walk up Central Park South to Lexington.

Past the horse drawn carriages and the tourists sitting in those carriages with balaclavas, beanies, gloves and huge coats on, pretending to enjoy themselves in this cold, cold wind.  Indeed, we pretend to enjoy ourselves walking against the breeze.  Actually, truth be told, we do so because we can see spring starting to spring in Central Park

Christine is a little concerned that Cherrie is not getting too cold, as this is her first day out since her illness.  But they make ‘em strong in Quirindi and Cherrie insists she’s fine.  We get to Bloomingdales….. just because.  It’s just like we both remember David Jones being when DJ’s was still a classy store.  Floor walkers, gentlemen who will assist you with enquiries, fitted out in sartorial splendour.  Quiet music playing, a genteel feel.  Of course we buy nothing but we spend a happy hour in the store wishing we were several sizes smaller and several stages richer.  We even have lunch in one of the many little in-store cafes.

We then walk past the Plaza, still a wonderous hotel with all the bangs and whistles, and through the classy end of the west side of town and we soak up a bit of the architecture of this wonderful city that never sleeps

 

We catch up for dinner with our dear friend Ronnie, an artist and all round amazing woman with so much energy as to leave us disbelieving of her advanced years

We are home before 9pm but Christine has to stay up because the Wollongong based computer maintenance company we engage is booked to hook in remotely to her computer at 9.30pm NY time (12.30pm Monday AEST) to resolve a syncing issue. The calendars are not syncing, resulting in the calendar on her phone being empty, not useful when trying to make appointments if away from the computer (which is most of the time).  This fix takes much longer than anticipated, and in fact by 11.30pm it is still not resolved.  The technician, a seemingly nice fellow called Scott, suggests we leave it until the next day so he can research a fix.  Christine readily agrees, saying to Scott (this ‘conversation’ all takes place on the keyboard) that she is old enough to be his grandmother and it’s past her bedtime.  To her chagrin, he immediately responds saying, verbatim “I know, and I think you are awesome.  You are much more computer literate than anyone else I know of your age”.

Unable to find the virtual slap key to send to him!

Monday 21-Friday 25 March inclusive

Far too much happening for us to keep daily records.  We have had a great week in New York catching up with friends, walking, ticking things off our wish list and having an all-round fun time.  We have gone at a nice pace, and had plenty of down time.

We even found time to change the sheets on the bed

 

Oh, and by the way, a correction with regard to the sofa height.  It is 25cm high, not the previously reported 45cm.   Little wonder the difficulty of Granny getting out of it.

Other joys of the apartment we have discovered is the propensity for the circuit breaker to trip for no apparent reason, although we quickly learned that nothing else can be on when the hair dryer is in use.  But even without the dryer, the breaker sometimes chooses to trip.  That results in a total blackout in the apartment and a trip down to the basement to reset the circuit breaker.  We are so immuned to it by now that we head down to the basement in whatever state of dress we are in.  Cherrie put a pair of tracky pants on the other evening, with her nighty over the top and her puffer jacket.  She might as well have walked in from living in the subway, but no one turned a hair!

One of the things high up on our wish list was to visit the Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s outpost for their medieval collection which is housed in a reconstructed French Monastery on 4 acres in Northern Manhattan overlooking the Hudson River.  We visited last time we were here but on that occasion we decided to take the bus so that we could see the suburbs of Manhattan.  Big mistake.  The bus ride took hours and, whilst interesting, resulted in our arriving at The Cloisters just as the doors closed at the end of the day!  So, this time we took the Subway, a 40 minute ride.

What a superb exhibition in a brilliantly designed environment.

 

There’s even a little statue of Shane Warne

We just loved this experience.  One for you, John & Sancha.

Back to the computer for another two hours and finally young Scott found the fix for Granny and all is syncing nicely.

Many walks around midtown reveal an optometrist who can fill Cherrie’s prescription very much cheaper than in Australia and a jeweller who can replicate Christine’s lost pearl drop earring for a very reasonable price.  We visit MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) specifically to see the Degas exhibition, which after paying the admission fee we discover opens next week!  But we do see more Warhol’s, van Gough’s and several Jackson Pollock’s, amongst other treasures.

 

At the Paris Cinema we see a lovely French film called Marguerite, which is based on the story of Florence Foster Jenkins.  Anyone heard of her?  Those of you who have not should have supported CDP more strongly. I produced a play a few years ago called SOUVENIR about FFJ.  A wonderful character and a true story.  Marguerite strays from the truth a bit, but it is full of fabulous performances and poignant moments.  Sooky Cherrie wept.

We catch up with our dear friends Susan Lyons and her husband Jefferson Mays.  Susan is an Australian actress who now lives in NY, of course, with Jefferson who is one of the country’s most admired and lauded stage actors.  He won a Tony, Oliver, Drama Desk and Helpmann Award for his extraordinary performance in I AM MY OWN WIFE and he has just closed a 2 ½ year run starring (above title no less) in A GENTLEMANS GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER.  We love Susan and Jeffer and they stay with us at Quamby whenever they are in Australia and we travelled to Italy with them a few years ago.  A joy to see them in their new apartment, which they have bought, on the upper west side near Columbia University.

More Primaries on Tuesday, following the Brussels bombings.  This has bought out record crowds in Arizona and Utah and the election booths stay open for hours longer than they were supposed to.  We fear that these are the hard right voters, mostly those who have not voted before.  But still the GOP is exploring ways to ensure Trump does not get their nomination, despite the fact that he is streets ahead.

On Wednesday night we see Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall.  Feinstein is one of the great exponents of the American Songbook, a protégé of George Gershwin and a wonderful performer.  He is joined by special guests, all stars of Broadway, Liz Callaway, Christine Ebersole, Susan Powell and we are even treated to the great John Bucchino for a few numbers on piano.  Bucchino’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Art Garfunkel, Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Audra McDonald (must be related to Cherrie) and Barbara Cook.  A wonderful concert which we love, and to be in Carnegie Hall is a treat too.  Afterwards we have a drink on the Roof Top of the Viceroy Hotel, a little known venue with a secret entrance which Cherrie’s optometrist put us on to.  VERY expensive drinks, but a great view.

 

On Thursday we head out early to the NY Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and a lecture by an Italian designer on creating gardens.  Most enjoyable, and then we are treated to a special showing in the library of some of their rare botanic books, some first editions, and wonderful drawings.  Followed, of course, by a walk around the gardens.

 

We take the subway back to Grand Central Station and then walk at a pace for 45 minutes to meet Ronnie at a gallery down in Chelsea (it was further than we thought) where we see an exhibition by a sculptor friend of hers.  A stroll along part of the Highline

then to the Red Cat Restaurant for possibly the best meal of the trip.

On Friday we wake up to CHERRIE’S BIRTHDAY.

We meet Susan, and Mandy Bishop (another friend) in Central Park and walk right around the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir.  Oh, what a glorious park this is.

Then that night, we dine at the River Café in Brooklyn, right under the Bridge, in the suburb called DUMBO (down under the Manhattan Brooklyn Overpass).  Cherrie has wanted to eat here since 2007 when we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and saw this glorious place.  We booked in January, and we got the best table in the house.  Right on the windows, right on the river.  We were joined by Susan and Jefferson and it was a very special night.

 

What a good place to end this blog.  More of our next week next week.

Happy Easter to all. By the way, only Easter Sunday is a public holiday here.  Everything open on Good Friday and Easter Monday!!