So I've skipped a blogging day .... but I don't think anyone noticed. I just didn't have the intestinal fortitude to tackle Blogsy last night. It sounds like I am travelling with an obstreperous travel companion doesn't it?! ....no, just some severely temperamental technology. It's all fine until I try to load some images.
So, 25 words or less...ha, yeah, right...this is what I have been up to over the last 48 hours. All I can say, in summary, is that I have never enjoyed a shower at the end of the day more than I have here in this New York summer. I even consciously wash my eyeballs ....there is so much grit and grime in the air!
Wearing my supposedly orange gingham, new Abercrombie shirt purchased in the darkest, poorly lit, funkiest, night clubbiest shop..where it turns out in daylight, it is red..and the black sandals I bought are navy blue. I can work with that....at least they have a story to them.Today, with already weary legs from yesterday, I resisted the urge to catch any form of transport to the Upper West Side to spend my day exploring...you see so much more when you walk ......and you meet people too!
I walked from 77th and 5th Ave, through Central Park, to Central Park West and then meandered through all the streets on the Upper West Side, marvelling at all the beautiful Brownstones, up to 110th street....on a mission to get to St John the Divine Cathedral, the biggest in the world (cathedral, that is).
I chatted to a lady in the street, who had the cutest, barky little daschunds with her. I asked her whether the houses were all house or broken up into apartments. She said they were a bit of both. Turns out she was a real estate broker in the area. She said she is one of the nicer ones. She was. Nice. I asked her a million questions and actually walked with her (and barking little dogs) a good few blocks while she answered my questions. A single studio, no bedroom, will on average set you back about $2000 a month, a one bed - $3000, a two bed - $4000 to $8000. She pointed to a 3 story, 4 bedroom home that she recently sold in the street for $4 million which she is now trying to rent out for the owners for $20,000 a month. Wow!
She gave me her card and said she had found places for many Aussies who have been very happy with her honesty...and determination in finding decent landlords. That's what's important she said, finding a good landlord! So anyone looking for a decent broker on the Upper West Side? She's nice. Honest face. Cute dogs. I have her card.
I continued on my way up Columbus Ave, in search of something cold to drink and ran into a sweet little, skipping boy and his father on their way to their local synagogue. The little boy was such a happy, smiley little thing. I told him he was gorgeous as I passed and he followed me and caught up with me to tell me his red and white shoes make him run really fast. He had the sweetest, most angel face. His father said he is not so much an angel in the synagogue. I didn't believe him for a minute.
Here he is. His name is Yossi (Joseph). He made me miss my boys for a fleeting moment. My boys have been so underwhelmed when I have been skyping them. It's like I am just down the road so it's no big deal to talk to me. Back in my day boys, there was none of this free instant skyping stuff ...and you had to send a postcard home that took two weeks to get there ....and by the time it arrived everything was old news....and if you were flush with funds you could call back home for 2 minutes on a filthy street pay phone ...to let your mother know that you hadn't been murdered by that Boo Radley character in the Cesky Krumlov Backpackers in the Czech Republic.
Long story short, St John the Divine...tick, gorgeous. Made my way back downtown and got caught up in a Saturday market......
...where I planned arm parties .....and shopped up a storm.....and got distracted by things.....like shiny fire engines...
...and pretty windows...
....glorious architecture....
....the groovy filament lights in Starbucks...
....street fashions....
...and sort of odd, creepy fashions.....
...and self portraits ...
....as I have just realised I have no photos of me...no proof that I was actually here...as I have been on my own with no-one to take photos of me!
Just quickly, yesterday I hightailed it to Designer's Way and Ann Sacks where my heart literally stopped when I got to see all the tiles, I have been coveting for so long, in real life.
That Michael Smith stuff stops my heart.
Does it get any better? Really?
Apart from the 18 floors in the Design and Decoration building/s... the streets were packed with rows and rows of beautiful 'to the trade' stores.
Lighting beyond my wildest dreams....and all 100v ... grrr.
Reflecting on a nasty tweet I received a few days ago (from a supporter of Mr 'you have 3 days to remove my stock from your website' wholesaler) in which the tweeter informed me that the company in question is working very hard to bad mouth me to every supplier out there while I'm away to ensure that I can't do business again....it made me realise I don't have much to come home to. Tweeter informed me that 'wholesaler' is determined to ruin my business....because I did as I was told and flogged off all his stock below cost within 24 hours???? Ahhh, Australia, you are too small. I know this now after walking down Designers Way. Mr Wholesaler, you may have just done me a big favour. It was a defining moment for me.
Spicy tuna, miso cup!
Stopped in at the Plaza Food Hall for some exquisite sushi and then took refuge in Starbucks (free Wi Fi) in Mr Trump's Tower where I met a delightful Russian girl, married to an American artist, visiting from Miami. We shared our lives for hours whilst it rained and promised to keep in touch. Hi Christina!
Ok, I must stop to sleep! Thank you once again Blogsy, for crashing a million times during this 4 hour attempt at a post. I will not miss you when I am home.
I have one more full day in this wonderful city before I start my journey home ........and I am going to make it a beauty!
A-M xx
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