New York ! New York!

Picked Roger up at 2.00 and shuttle straight into Hotel Excelsior . Great spot right opposite Central Park! When we were not eating, walking or sleeping (rarely) we spent the time people (and dog watching) from our window. Amazing how many dogs, they must all live in the apartments! No wonder they had their own little run right outside the American Natural History Museum.

When we arrived it was cloudy but dry and so everyone was sitting, chatting, reading and walking through the park. After a quick visit to the Museum, we discovered Central Park was right there at the end of the block. Fantastic, we walked past people jogging, biking, kids playing, Nannies with kids, tourists in horse driven carriages, bicycle rickshaws driven by toned and athletic guys, and dogs of every size and shape wearing amazing clothes but everything seemed really quiet, guess because it was winter.

A fab Thai Dinner on Columbus – yummy crunchy vegies at last!!!
New York breakfast at Jackson’s Hole, where every second person looked and sounded like Woody Allen! A bit of a John Lennon morning as we visited the imagine site and the Dakota building. Walked all the way to Times Square, passing the Ed Sullivan Theatre where the David Letterman show is filmed. Decided to put our names down for tickets! Then passed the Barrymore Theatre where Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon were playing in Exit the King – so bought those tickets too, whoa! and then we were at Carnegie Hall and so we just had to get tickets to Chicargo Philharmonic! Mmm no wonder we are broke!

Times Square as tacky as ever. Walked it all the way back through Central Park and we were–just time to get back for another Thai meal and then off Lincoln Centre for Poulenc, Prokofiev – bit underwhelmed by the billion dollar refurbishment but great to be hearing live music again.

Next day we decided to go to the Guggenheim and so walked across the park even though it was raining. What an amazing building! The art work – not for me. Really don’t get modern art but an incredible experience. Did some more walking, and gawking and then off to Carnegie Hall.

Nearly had a heart attack when I walked in, as a guy in a beanie launched at me and grabbed my bag. Only when I squawked did he explain that he was security!!! Much older theatre than I expected. All of the ushers in red coats and cloaks, very suave. Great view, and fabulous musicians, singers perhaps a bit dwarfed by the whole thing but really good evening. Back on bus to our last night at the Excelsior.

Over to the East side – raining so caught a cab to Franklin. What a great reception - friendly as We had a petite suite - in other words tiny but fab. Really well decorated and set up. Straight off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wow, wow and wow. It was HUGE!!! Saw great photography exhibition, sculptures and paintings by Degas, impressionist after impressionist after impressionist. Amazing how many works we had seen in Australia but of course here there were no crowds as the place so big. We saw one small quarter of one floor and there were 3 other floors plus sculpture gardens to see!!

Exhausted we stumbled out and back to our petite chambre. Free cheese and wine in the little bar at hotel and then dinner in a French Bistro opposite and off to Broadway for Geoffrey Rush’s Exit the King – another old theatre built by the Schubert family for Emily Barrymore. Amazing set – created the atmosphere for theatre of the absurd. As soon as Geoffrey and Susan strode across the stage there was tumultuous applause and then we were into it. A typical Rush performance – all slapstick and grand theatrics. Enjoyed it but felt second half could have been culled as it was a bit repetitious – Susan Sarandon was very flat – though I am sure no Broadway critic would be bold enough to say so -Another full day!

Yummie breakfast – first one that we have liked since we arrived in New York. Tiny little breakfast room with small round tables. Real English Breakfast tea with boiling water! Plain Yoghurt, muesli, crisp French bread with good prosciutto and cheese - espresso coffee and croissants. Yum not a sweet waffle in sight.

With that we went exploring again. Down through Madison Avenue, Park Avenue, 7th Avenue. Then the line up for the David Letterman show. We had to be there at 2.00 – ID check, Ra Ra! Training. How loud can they yell at you and how loud can you roar back! I was beginning to think this was so not me!! Never having seen the show I was a bit nervous. They gave us tickets and then told us to be back in an hour and a half ready for the show. An Irish pub was the decision, where amazingly everyone around us was from Ireland visiting New York! Go figure as they say here.

A Guinness for Roger and a wine for me and we were back in line ----next to the Yellow band, in seat order. We waited and waited and then show ID again and answer security question, ticked off the list and we were packed into the theatre foyer – in line, side by side without an inch between us! AND it was HOT!!! As it was absolutely freezing outside all of us had hats, scarves, gloves and boots. Thought I was going to pass out. More training, what do you do if David tells a lame joke …laugh and woop it up. I was regretting this decision more an more by the minute. Outside and in the theatre we could hear the group before us and after us demonstrating what a great audience they were by shouting, screaming with laughter and clapping on cue. MMmmm not sure this was my thing.

Finally, finally into the theatre – we had been queuing for nearly 2 hours now. Into another glorious old theatre with a great set (– model bridges in front of a backdrop of New York - ok I don't watch TV and so I had never seen it before. Band playing and immediately we were urged to clap - for about 20 minutes just to hype the audience up some more. It was SO loud. Pretty lame comedian and then David Letterman arrived and told a couple of lame jokes . Asked if anyone in the audience had any questions…..one woman from Detroit asked for money to help out as times were tough and the comedian gave her $100 and then off went Dave to start the show.

It was all a bit ordinary, band sang old numbers off key - the segments were really short and not particularly amusing. Aussie duo 'Anhorse' really buzzy and really the only thing I enjoyed. Back on subway to a great Thai restaurant Thai Sala and exhausted to bed.

Next day we decided to explore Brooklyn , got the subway local train, very interesting – even had a trio walking through train singing in harmony. Out of the subway and straight onto the bridge. Superb buildings everywhere. Finally the sun was out and so we saw the strands of the bridge silhouetted against the blue, blue sky. Crowds of people walking. As soon as you moved into the wind, it was freezing. We walked down to the front in search of the River café. Finally found it and walked in. Asked if we could just get a coffee. Sure. Let me take your coats and bags. The entrance hall was really impressive, Fresh flowers, orchids, daffodils, cyclamens everywhere. The perfume was overwhelming. Into the main restaurant which was an old boat sitting on the water with views of the Statue of Liberty. White coated waiters showed us to the bar and atmosphere was of quiet, rich money. The bartender slammed a water down in front of us and gave us a menu We just want a coffee I said. Is that ok? Sure he said and then walked away. 10 minutes later he hadn’t return ned so we just drank our water and left. Took the opportunity to visit the opulent loos and set off back to the subway as we had decided to visit Harlem.

Crossing the road, we got honked as we were focussed on our map. The driver wound down the window and immediately gave us great instructions as to how to get to the subway! Typical of our experience here - everyone is JUST SO HELPful. Once in the subway the ticket collector gave us a rue smile and told us he had been born in Harlem and to remember him to everyone there. Syliva’s is the place to eat he said.

Harlem, is really going through a gentrification process but still has a long way to go. Apparantely Clinton has his office there. Chris and Sue had bought me a great hat – looks like I have bright, bright red hair sticking out of a ski band. It just about brought Harlem to a stand still – can’t believe how many people came up to check out that hat and have a chat. One character came up went "Wow what a hat!" then brought his friends and then told me next time in the “hood” I should come look him up. He then invited me in to one of the dodgiest thrift stores I have ever seen. I sadly declined and we headed back. Aamazing that we had been at the glitzy end of all of these streets, Madison, 7th Ave etc not knowing that they ended up here in dog eared Harlem! I worked out that we walked from 125th to 87th …………38 blocks – how crazy was that……lots to see though amazing line at 106 street between the haves and have nots.

Poured ourself back into hotel before searching for non existent Indian Restaurant so settled for a huge meal at another Irish pub! Last night - sad to end the trip but looking forward to Gunni