Manhattan continued.....

Day 4 – 27/6/14

The trip is starting to go quick L  Today we headed up to 57^th St, where we called into Tiffany’s to get our new necklaces cleaned.  Apparently sterling silver doesn’t like sweat!  They thought Sheri’s necklace was old and were going to charge to clean it!  We were ‘whoa, purchased 3 days ago’. All worked out and scored a Tiffany cleaning cloth!

Straight into Nike where we looked at stuff but alas kept our money in our purses!  Bought another purse (black leather backpack) and then headed down Madison avenue and I came across a Shave shop and bought up a storm for Pete – beautiful gear for his beautiful face – awwww I do miss him and he can’t get skype working so ‘whatapp’ is all we are using for now.  He could see me and not hear me (some would say that’s a good thing) and I could hear him but not see him.  Can somebody pop around and give him a lesson lol?

Nibbled on some sushi (I am doing so well with good eating!!) and wondered back to Disney shop via a sports store (where I bought some Nike shoes) and Sephora where I spoilt myself with some Shisheido.

Sher then bought some gear in some sports stores and we got home and chilled for an hour before heading out to dinner and the show. 

Walked up 9^th Avenue towards 52^nd street (we are in 42^nd street) and found a lovely Italian restaurant where our food was superb!  I even treated myself to a couple of glasses of sav blanc at $14 a glass (yikes!  It was nice!).

 

Then got to the little theatre – August Wilson on 52^nd and took our seats – on the side but good view and only about 11 rows back. 

THEN BIG PAPI walked in.  I didn’t see him but Sher with her eagle eyes did.  The show started – it was wonderful!  At half time, David’s wife walked past me and I asked if he would mind and she said sure, go say hello.  I asked for a photo too!  He seemed shy and I was a little worried he might get swamped but hey, he is a Boston Redsox and we were at broadway – he was safe J

 

Came home after long, wonderful day and went to bed, very happy!

Day 5 – 28/6/14

We only have 3 full days left in NYC and already I am sad – I LOVE this place!

Slept well last night and arose early and went for a walk along Hudson – left Sheri to have a sleep in. 

 

 

When I got back she was dressed and ready to go, so go we did, straight to the hire bike shop I found on my walk.  We bought a day pass and rode up to central, around, back down Hudson River, over Brooklyn bridge and to the drop off point on the river – close to 30 k’s.  For both Sher and I, that was huge and I did it all on an empty stomach – but shit loads of water!!  Here’s the map – http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/456376320 and it was a beautiful day for it. 
Oh and a funny little video I made when cycling - click here!

Got the City Ferry back to Pier 79 (34^th st) – we jumped off and walked the 8 blocks back to our apartment.  I got a nice chicken and salad wrap and another water(about 10 litres at this time!) and we rested for a couple of hours before heading to Yankee Stadium to watch the Yankees play my team, the Boston Redsox!  And didn’t the Sox stink tonight! Couldn’t manufacture one run against a pitcher with an ERA of close to 6  - pfft.  And unfortunately every loud Yank was beside us today – everywhere.  And before my ‘oh so witty’ friends say something – compared to what we dealt with today I am a timid mouse.

Doing hop on and hop off tomorrow – running out of time and only seen 1/10 of what I wanted.  One thing I have learnt though is if I come back again, I will move further north – around 57^th and Madison area – much nicer, cleaner and not so mad crazy, in your face (which is cool but only for a while).

 

2 legends - No 2 Derek Jeter and No 34 - David Ortiz

 

Night........

Montreal continued

FridayWe both woke up sick, again I coughed all night.  Seems to be lying down and air con?  Got up and went and got good old maccas for breakky.  Decided I needed to get out and about.  Pete wanted to lay low and try and get better so i did my next downtown walk as the book suggested.  Saw a salon where nails could be done.  Thought that I should spoil myself and have a pedicure and my nails done.  Now that I am not playing softball I can be a bit girly and have long nails.  They look gorgeous, even if I do say so myself.  Even with a little flower on one - love them!!

Went back to get Pete for lunch but he wasn't up for it yet so I finished my original walk with a few detours.  Walked up St Laurent to this place recommended called Schwartz (that is not it's real name, people call it that.  Here they have a law where French must be written/spoken first therefore the name is unpronounceable for me).  It is a Hebrew Deli but there was a line of about 20 - obviously good stuff but I didn't hang around.  I was meeting Pete for a late lunch/early dinner as we had decided to go up to ? to see the Festival of Lanterns.  walked through Chinatown and it was dirty and a bit scary in some spots but we found a nice little restaurant and had a late lunch/early dinner.  Walked back up to St Laurent train station and caught the Metro to Pie IX.   Of course we walked the wrong way but it was kinda cool because we got to see Montreal Olympic Stadium but seriously my feet were aching by the time we got to the Botanic Gardens.  What lovely gardens!  There were heaps of people riding, running and roller blading around this track, but there were no signs for us to get to this Festival of Lanterns.  Nothing new to us, kinda being running blind here because of our lock of French speaking skills:)  Saw some cars and found an entry to another part of the gardens.  We had to pay (which is odd) but we wanted to see the lanterns so pay we did.  Disappointing thing was that 2 exhibits which Pete had mentioned wanting to see where closed due to some labor dispute - WTF?  Sort it out peoples, we are paying money to miss out on things!!  Walked all around the gardens, Japanese, Lilacs, everywhere leaving the Chinese Gardens to last (and to dark).  When we finally got there we were not disappointed.  Unbelievably beautiful lanterns amongst some beautiful gardens.  Snapped myself silly with photos and of course ran out of batteries before even getting half way.  Lucky I was able to buy batteries and continue snapping.  All my snaps might be mindless to others but they will always mean something to me and Pete.  Last night was beautiful so I have taken lots and lots of photos. Got back late and we were a little hungry but like all other days out eating is shit - one or maybe 2 meal a day - that's it.

Had more sleep than previous nights but again coughed all night - is it getting better? I think so - I hope so.  Found a recommended restaurant, Eggspectations and had late breakky and early lunch - yum yum yum. Walked the water front again - it could be so pretty with all that water but it has all these old working buildings - ugly!  But we found a lock which allows water in and out to let boats move through - that was kinda cool! Then up to Rue St Catherine to shop!  Oh forgot walked around trying to find laundromat - don't they have them here??  Anyway back to shopping.  Went to La Baie (or something like that, a big David Jones) and found all these accesses to underground shopping. Seriously the street facades hide these amazing dens of shops - I could have spent the whole day there - oh it was beautiful but Pete was patient and let me buy some stuff but forced me out about 3.30pm back to hotel.  Having a few drinks now before heading out to dinner - Houston

Day 2 – 24/6/14

Best night’s sleep- woke up very refreshed and to the sounds and sirens of NY.  Decided today, because it was another beautiful day to do Statue of Liberty.

Got down to Battery Park by the E train from the Port Authority transit area.  Straight out to where all the work at trade centre is.  Wondered down to Battery Park, got out tickets, lined up, security checks and headed over to Statue of Liberty – she is one grand lady and the story behind her and her maker and the reason was really interesting.  Then over to Ellis Island – hmmm not so interesting even though the history behind it is.  More lining up (seems all we do atm) and back to NYC.  

 

Had a very late lunch (again only eating half of what I ordered) and went to 911 memorial museum.  The waterfalls commemorating the North and South towers were simply stunning – and so perfect!  As is the Freedom tower and then we went downstairs – wow, so sad and haunting and beautiful.  So many lost lives – I honestly shed a few tears L

Didn’t expect to be out so late and do so much walking so back to apartment for a brief rest before heading to Met Stadium to watch the first of 7 games whilst away.  Had a brief respite at home and off we went again – this time to 42^nd and 7^th to catch the 7 train out to Queens and to watch the Mets take on the A’s.  Citi Field is a beautiful stadium and has lots of stairs. 

 

I don’t think we walked as far today (?) but we certainly made up for it with stair – stairs, stairs everywhere!  Had fantastic seats on left field line – front row.  Also had access to 2 clubs if we so chose- how very posh of us lol!  Great game – Mets won easily and back to Manhattan.  Spent some time in Times Square where Sheri promptly went jeans shopping at 10.40pm and then shopping at Disney for Lekhyia.  Unfortunately all Frozen gear sold out.  Straggled back to apartment around midnight and crashed!!

Tomorrow I pick up some pre-ordered stuff and then time for hair cut and facial.  Probably a quieter day??

Day 3 – 25/6/14

Deep deep sleep and woke to a foggy overcast day.  Tried to rise and my legs screamed at me in protest – OMG that’s a good thing though, right?!

Slowly managed making myself respectable and we headed out around 10am back to 5^th Avenue for me to pick up my camera and headphones and for Sheri to visit NBA store.  Interestingly when I got to Best buys my order had been cancelled because of suspected fraud!  WTF?  Because I used an Australian credit card but put NY address the cancelled it.  Lucky for me they had what I ordered in store and they gave me the prices that were the online special.  A cool little Samsung camera and some headphones.  Nice!!

Sher bought some NBA stuff and I bought another 2 handbags - haha from the same place as last time - they say they re $600-$700 handbags but I think they may only be a few hundred but I get them sooooo cheap - and they are excellent quality.  I have 2 from last trip to prove it! 







Then at Nike store she bought about a billion pairs of shoes, shorts, tops, you name it!  Then we had to rush and catch a yellow cab down to Asanda.  I am telling ya, I was not meant to go there.  Sher had her facial ok but me, well first they tried to reschedule haircut but I managed to keep that but my facial was cancelled.  Now I am just fighting the battle to get my money back from Groupon – fingers crossed.  Got some lashes down, very pretttyyyy, even if I do say so myself J
 

We then started walking to China town but ended up jumping on a 6 downtown train and had some China in a very non flash store but a busy one with heaps of Chinese eating there – always a good sign!  Grabbed some chicken rice and couldn’t eat it all – probably something to do with the fact that we only had lunch 2 hours earlier – a very yummy chicken sushi wrap from Dean and Deluca.

 

Saw some puppies today and gave them a pat - missing my babies, and Pete I suppose :)

Still a bit of walking today but we are having a night in – got back to unit around 6.30pm and are going to put some baseball on TV and rest our very weary feet.

New York - Take 3 - June 2014

Day 0 – 22/6/14

No surprise I woke up early-today was the day we flew out to America!

7-30 am cab to the airport and met Sheri who, as expected, had Rose and Le Khyia with her.  45 minute check in where Sheri learnt of her surprise where I had upgraded us to premium economy  - a pleasant surprise J

Then it all happened pretty quickly - next thing we were off!

12 long hours later with barely any sleep we arrive in LA.  Took Sheri to wrong building but in my defence a fair bit of work had happened since 2010 – LOL. Anyway we found the right building, the one we had been in! More lining up, around 30 minutes in total, and we were our own way to NY Back to cattle class but we got the 3 seat to ourselves.   I slept a little on this and around 4.5 hours later we arrive in NYC!

It took 50 minutes to get our bags in this cramped little room and then we couldn’t get wifi working therefore couldn’t get UBER working. Ended up getting a cab which cost around the same – actually probably a little less and Ray’s doppleganer drove us.

Arrived in Manhattan and to Emily’s & the view is amazing! We are both knackered so we bought some groceries from the Food Emporium, had something to eat and crashed around 10 pm.

Day 1 - 23/6/14

Wake up sporadically throughout night and finally rose around 8 am. We decide on Tiffany’s and then Rockefeller.  So off we pop, straight to Tiffany’s.  All the gold and white gold and diamonds are on the ground floor and it just positively sparkles!!  Alas I can’t justify spending the money at the moment so we headed to the 6^th floor to see if I could get my ‘real deal’ Atlas Tiffany ring replated (rhodium).  It takes about 2 weeks from Oz so figured it would be much quicker in New York.  They take your name and you wait until a sales rep can see you.  Whilst you wait, Rhett (that’s my name for him), comes and asks what it is you would like to drink – wow – impressed!!

Anyway, sadly they can’t do it quicker – in fact it takes longer L  They steam cleaned my ring and it looks pretty again.  We head to the 3^rd floor where you can buy sterling silver material and Sheri bought a lovely chain and I bought a matching Atlas necklace – very pretty.   As I wanted longer chain I couldn’t take mine with me so we had to head out and come back later – ha, hard ask!

We kept to 5^th Avenue and Sheri picked up some nice clothes from Gap.  

We accidentally walked onto Rockefellers so we did the Rock on the Top – beautiful views, especially of Central Park. It was a magic day today!

 

Got a data sim and mophie for my phone and then we headed back up 6^th Avenue (the Avenue of the Americas) to get some lunch.  I ordered a chicken salad and with a water cost me a massive $8.  I couldn’t eat the whole salad, in fact probably didn’t even eat half of it. 

At this time we did start to get a little tired but back to Tiffany’s we went so I could pick up my necklace – she’s very pretty – maybe one day I will get the white gold one…….

So we stopped and had a coffee break and guess where……Starbucks of course. I then wanted a manicure so we set out to try and find a nail salon.  Eventually found one and at this stage my blisters were huge and actually bursting L  I had a pedicure too and then Sher and I had a French maincure.  The guy I presume is the owner could not understand what I was asking for when I explained what I was wanting (what Anne had!!).  So because I was so poor at explaining I had the French manicure only to find the voucher when nails were drying. Shallac – bloody hell! AND it was nothing like I was explaining – no wonder he got confused!

Finally finished off at Dalton’s on 9^th.  Had some beef burger sliders (and allowed myself 3 chips), one lite Hahn and headed home.  The 11 hours on the go finally got to us. We were going to Times Square but decided we will do that tomorrow night after the Mets.  So shower, some Yankees (being flogged haha) on TV and a good night’s sleep (hopefully) and off again tomorrow.