S had her first Witch's walk in school this year. She said she wanted to go as a dog and lo, after a couple of 4am late nights, the doggy costume was produced. D went as Hermione, cloak by M. Wang, scarf by Auz De La Renta.
Mini and Hermione
No black dogs, no Irish.
We ended up missing the Witch's Walk itself (much to S's indignation) as we had a flight to catch. M helped me fulfil a long held ambition by bringing me to New York for my birthday. "Bring" is an interesting verb in this context, the precise meaning of which I'm still trying to unravel via my credit card statements.
The Lego and Marimekko stores are side by side on Fifth Avenue. The Lego Pick'n'Mix was a highlight.
Following the crowd-funded-brown-guitar precedent set for my 30th birthday, I picked up the guitar I've been coveting and conjugally visiting in guitar shops in every city I've been in since Vancouver. A guy called Sean Hayes played one at a Jolie Holland gig in a church on 12th while we were there and I am excited beyond tablets to finally be able to pick one up and play it in the comfort of my own home. It is truly an amazing sounding instrument, smells beautiful, looks beautiful and is a dream to play. After purchasing it, I spent a good chunk of my time in the hotel bathroom getting my ears around the pure sound of it. The factory it was built in is two hours from NYC and it was in perfect tune when I unboxed it in the shop. Nerdy midlife regression crisis alert.
MOMA
Cocktails
Post Cocktails Window Licking
The inspirational Flatiron Building, just 2 blocks up from our hotel.
The Highline
View from the Highline
View from the Highline
"Punkins" on a well-appointed stoop in Greenwich Village
Grand Central Station
Early Sunday Morning Park Avenue
A couple of musical highlights included a trip to the Blue Note cafe in the village and a Sunday morning pilgrimage out to Harlem to the Abyssinian Baptist Church. A 60 strong gospel choir belting out ten part harmony hymns at incredible uplifting volume, sometimes accompanied by the house band (with a Jazz drumkit!), the best sermon I've ever heard in a church. The 3 hour service was topped off with 4 elderly persons getting baptised by a pastor up to his waist in a huge pool on the altar. Definitely an unexpected highlight.
Liquors, Harlem
Liquors, Brooklyn
Harlem
Mojito at Broadway Bites
Getting the feeling in our legs back at the hotel. A cup of the fantastic Stumptown Coffee in hand.
Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Touristical Montage
Fulton Street Subway
The Guggenheim
Another last minute highlight was our visit to the
Guggenheim. We'd visited MOMA earlier in the week and it was a bit of a zoo, Photography was allowed / encouraged which meant every painting had tourists 3 deep, elbows splayed taking digital photographs of some of the best art ever produced. The Guggenheim on the other hand was an oasis of calm by comparison. The building itself, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is hands down the most amazing space I've ever been in. Even without the exhibits it would have been a highlight. That said, a better venue to view and appreciate great art would be hard to come by. We'll be back.
The bathroom in the Guggenheim
Central Park (Eldorado building in the background)
Following traditions set by millions of other star struck visitors to NYC....
Strawberry Fields, Central Park
Finally, I came across this clip just before I left and it's pretty great. The 3rd song (9:00) is mostly all I've been playing on my new brown guitar since I got home. Worth a listen. Available to purchase
here if you like it.
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