A bite of the Big Apple

I am beginning to wonder how many more cliches I can make of NYC before I go home!

We have been so busy, I have worn out my boots (so sad, I will need to get a new pair!). Yesterday (Boxing Day which is not celebrated here, but it was a sort of holiday because Christmas was on a Sunday) Vince and I walked from our house in 120th Street down to Columbus Circle at 58th Street, which is quite a hike! We went though Central Park and then along Central Park West to the Dakota building, which I do not have to tell you what it is famous for, do I? Here is a pic I took from Central park showing the manhattan skyline

It was surprising that the Dakota did not seem as awe inspiring as it was the first time I saw it, maybe I am beginning to get blasé in my middle age!
Anyway Columbus circle was very crowded and it was getting cold so we ducked in to a Starbucks and warmed up and then took an adventure on the M7 bus which almost delivered us directly to our door. The location here is excellent for transport, we have 3 express buses ( that I have counted and ridden on so far) plus 2 subway lines, and only a 10 block walk from central park. I highly recommend this area if you are planning to stay for any length of time here. Below are some pics I took on Christmas Eve, I bought some lovely roses from the local market, and made the living room all cosy and pretty, the tree is downstairs in the TV room, this house is huge. I made a video but for some reason I cannot upload it, so I might put it on Face book for anyone who is interested in seeing the house.

From kitchen looking towards dining area and front sitting room

Looking back from sitting room toward kitchen

Today we had a family day, Amy and Elaine went to the Natural History Museum, and the rest of the gang we went to the NYC public library, it is an amazing building, when it was built it was the largest marble building in the USA and the staff had to be given special rubber shoes because of the hard marble floors, ( I can attest to that, I am nursing some sore feet myself this evening!).
Stopped off to watch the skaters at Bryant Park, here is  a snap

We then caught the subway down to China town and met up with everyone and had some dim sum for a late lunch, it was delicious but the service was a bit dodgy and then the waitress accosted us when we were leaving because she said we did not leave enough tip!  We did leave what we thought the service was worth, but I hate this whole tipping thing here, it becomes not a reward for good food and service but an expected part of any transaction, I say just pay everyone a decent salary and leave tips for the extraordinary, like we do at home! That is my homily for today.

We spit up after lunch and Verity and Ingrid went to get their nails done, Here is a sample of Verity's

the rest of us went for a very brief shopping trip to Century 21, ( the boys in the family could only stand 1/2 hour!) so you can be sure that they will be another expedition there.

We had a lot of rain this afternoon which made walking around a bit of a pain but we managed to get the subway back home and now we are all here, safe and sound.

so what tomorrow holds, I am not sure it will depend a bit on the weather, whether it will be an indoor or outdoor day,,,,, stay tuned!