Home again, home again

I am completely worn out! Four days of walking uptown, downtown, crosstown... my feet are killing me!

Let's see if I have any pictures for you. Um, yes I do, lots, so be warned! You can click 'em to make 'em bigger.

Kaffe Fassett. Thursday night, FIT.

The lights were down, and the room was big, and the pictures were crappy. I didn't buy a book for him to sign, so
didn't even say hello to him, though I did ask Brandon Mably what yarn was used in a blanket they were showing off.

Kay did say hello, and so here we have the lovely back of her head and sweater.



I was so impressed with all his talk, I went back to my hotel room and took a picture of the quilt on the bed. (My hotel was fine; there were cats and a yippy dog, but I took antihistamine and had no difficulties. I thought of it as "Marjorie's house" rather than a hotel, and then it didn't bother me that there were no locks on the bedroom doors and the bathroom was full of someone else's stuff. I checked out the books Mary Lou recommended, but they were both physically too big for my bag, so I read 44 Scotland Street, which is not at all about New York, and which I jettisoned for the return trip. Now I can read my New York books knowing a teeny bit more about the place.)

Friday, the Brooklyn Bridge. I got up early and went downtown.


I walked out to the first tower of the bridge, and then back to try to find my way onto the Manhattan Bridge, but ended up wandering aimlessly. So after the bridge, we have the swirly green benches somewhere downtown,


and then the Empire State Building!


All the sights, and I hadn't even really begun!

My main task of Friday morning was to meet Helen and Kay and shop for quilt fabrics and yarn! I think they both managed very well, and I came away with a ball of Manos del Uraguay to make myself a hat. I'll make a knitting post soon -- let's stick with travelogue for now!

Hmm, Saturday. Saturday I did so many things I can't even tell you! I started out at Union Square where there was a market.


On to Grand Central Terminal, which I don't need to show you a picture of, because it's in every movie... It's big and all polished up.

The Chrysler Building, which gets two pictures because it's so cool.


It has hood ornaments all up it!


The New York Public Library, where, instead of resting my weary bones, I took a tour.

It's a beautiful building and has an amazing collection. It must be great to sit in those architect-designed wooden chairs at those lovely big tables with inkwells and nice lamps.

The main building has only humanities and social sciences, since the collection is rather larger now than it was when the library started.



I tried to take a picture of me and the lion, but was, as you can see, unsuccessful. I did get a picture which shows my grey hairs, though!











Saturday's main event was the meeting of the mommies. I wouldn't have gone to New York at all if Helen hadn't made the trip all the way from New Zealand. I met up with her on Thursday, and her and Dana on Friday, and then finally on Saturday we also met Kris. There were several others who meant to join us, but with sick kids and various other commitments, couldn't make it. The four of us, and Dana's son, met at Strawberry Fields and wandered through the park (thank goodness one of us has a sense of direction, and it ain't me!) to the zoo, which just closed its gates as we arrived. Boo hoo. We went on and had a hot chocolate at Rockefeller Centre and Helen and I went to Anthropologie, where I snooped carefully at a sweater. (I might have found a "pattern" for my Yorkshire Tweed Chunky.) We found our way to Chinatown and had a great meal to end the day.

Sunday I was on my own. More getting up early.
I took the Staten Island Ferry, which is free and gives you a fine view of the harbour. It was the 9 am sailing, and there were several marathoners on board, trying to get to the starting line in time.

Battery Park is at the bottom of Manhattan, and it was there that they plonked this sculpture from outside the World Trade Centre. There is also a World War II memorial which is rather imposing.

I quick scooted up to Central Park to watch the first runners finish the marathon. I was at about the 24-mile mark.

The first women in -- they finished 23 seconds apart:


And the first men, neck and neck at this point! They finished 12 seconds apart.


Let's see... on to MoMA, which I figured I could handle. It was very impressive, yet not overwhelming. This is called Five Feet of Colorful Tools, by Jim Dine. I would like this in my living room, I think.



Back to Anthropologie, where I caught this window display! The tablecloth is all knitted bits!

Monday up early again! And home... I was early at the airport and managed to get back to Toronto before my ticketed flight actually took off, so I was able to surprise Arthur as he went to a friend's house for lunch!

Now it's back to the grind, but here is my parting view of New York, before I ducked underground for my train.