Visitors Here Verses the Suburbs

One difference when having company at your place in the city verses the suburbs is that you feel like you HAVE to have some special place to take them to eat that says, "I live here."

This place has to be a place that you "discovered" -- no tourists know about it yet, and only a few New Yorkers do. You have to have eaten there enough times to be recognized by the bartender who pours your drinks a little stronger than those of strangers.

In the city, you just want to prove to your visitors that you are not as stupid as you were when you moved here. Knowing one great place to eat in an obscure corner of town makes you look like you are at least trying. I'd better start looking for "my" restaurant. I have company coming.

You won't see this in Manhattan

I live in New York only part time. The rest of the time I'm still in the Midwest, and something happened today that you won't ever see in NYC. This adorable fawn had somehow found its way inside my fenced-in back yard and couldn't get back out. My neighbor alerted me to it when he was mowing his lawn. The little creature eventually managed to squeeze through two of the slats in the fence and head for the tree line separating my subdivision from another.

Later in the day, I was reading a book on my deck when I heard something behind me. It was the mama deer come to find her fawn! She had silently bounded over the fence and was standing about 15 feet away from me. This mama doe was not shy. She stood her ground as I slowly got up and approached her. She seemed to be accusing me of hiding her baby, she wasn't leaving without her. Minutes later she turned and hopped back over the fence but did not run away altogether. She lingered and made a grunting noise like she was calling for her fawn. Did you know deer produce sounds? I feel confident the two found each other considering the mother's courage and determination.

Private and Public Parks

One Saturday hubby and I were walking (and walking and walking and walking) around the Chelsea area when we came to this beautiful park enclosed by a lovely iron fence. But the gate was locked even though there were people inside reading, playing with their kids, etc. Apparently, they all had keys. . . keys to the park. This park was a private park accessible only to people who lived in that area or pay for access.

I guess in the city, you have to devise some way to entice renters to live in your building, so the landlords decide to offer a park that keeps you safe from "the public." I'm not sure what I think about this yet. Not something I have ever encountered in the Midwest.

By the way, here are some pictures from my recent visit to the Central Park Zoo which is open wide to the public.

You have to try the Macy's Fashion Consultant!

So my husband calls and says do I want to go to this benefit tomorrow night?

Off to Macy's!

After trying on 34 black dresses, I settle on one and head to the counter to purchase it. I asked the associate if there is a delivery service, and she says yes, but she needs to ask how to do it. She goes off briefly and comes back with Marcy.

Marcy is one of ten Macy's Fashion Consultants at the NY store. Apparently most Macy's have Fashion Consultants. Who knew? And I should have known! So I show her the dress and ask if she has an opinion about accessorizing it. (I love sales people with opinions. Really.) So she and I spend the next hour getting just the right necklace, earrings and handbag for it! A very nice service even if she does get commission on things I purchase. It saves me a lot of time, and I don't end up buying something that isn't right and never wear again.

She gave me her card and said to call her anytime I'm in the store. She even told me to use this private dressing room near her office when the store is busy.

This service is totally free!

To all my friends who like to shop with the help of someone with an opinion, you need to find this person at your local Macy's!

The Hudson River Pier

You can buy a ticket to circle Manhattan in this beautiful boat that was just coming in from a tour when I took this picture on the Hudson River. To the left of the tallest building is the Statue of Liberty.

Ask a Cop? No, push a button.

There are several NY City policemen throughout the subway stations. I have been so tempted to use them as information booths, but I have resisted because that's not their job. I have, however, discovered that there are these buttons you can push that gets you a real live subway smart person! You just say something like, "Uh, yeah, I want to go to so and so." And the human voice on the other end assures you that there is a way if you follow their instructions. If they would only provide someone to read you a bedtime story and tuck you in. . .

Evening in Bryant Park

There are plenty of chairs and little round tables on which to place your book, coffee or shopping bag at Bryant Park now that they have removed the ice skating rink. Here's a picture of the park just before sundown from its southwest corner. The building in the back is the Public Library. A fresh carpet of lush green grass (sod) has replaced the ice rink area, and it's really beautiful.

Also at at the southwest corner is a make-shift bar sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Do you think that was a coincidence?