This morning was another sole adventure for me, so I took myself down to Bryant Park for a look-see.  It was such a glorious day and it brought all the people out.

I seemed to have missed the Tai Chi and the Photography Workshop, but I managed to catch the juggling and the piano playing Terry Waldo .

I simply love this park.  Last time Me Jenny and I were here there was an outdoor library here – people were coming and going, borrowing books and laying on the grass to read them,

That’s the New York Public Library in the background…. I’ll be taking myself there in a moment.  Look at all these people enjoying the sunshine.

There is an olde timey carousel on the side of the park.  I loved the little ticket box.

I sat and watch the jugglers for a while…. You’re welcome.

These four peeps were really good and they had a cross over game happening which was quite impressive.

Bless this chap – he was still learning.  But at least he looked good.

There were talented people of all sorts there.

Then this group added a fifth member to the group and things didn’t go as well as planned.  Still pretty impressive though.

Up near the library, I found Terry and he had a modest little crowd listening to his stylings.

He was very sweet.  He’s playing there from 12.30 – 2.30 every day this week.

The cafe was packed and rightly so – it’s a gorgeous location.  Well done New York.

Just behind the park is the New York City Public Library and the pretty Chrysler in the background – she pops up all over the place.

Outside the library, which is still considered Bryant Park there were art tables set up with a little cart for supplies, just in case you felt like a little bit of colouring or drawing on your lunch break.

Then there she was.  Last time I was here with my Cousin, Chris, we stayed across the road, in fact, our room overlooked the library, but we never got a chance to go inside.

For those of you who are SaTC fans – this is where Carrie was to marry Big, but he didn’t show up and she came down these stairs…. in the show there wasn’t a chap doing bag searches, but you can still get the picture.

The building is absolutely beautiful.

They were having a special exhibition about the 60s and there was a warning for parents that the content was not suitable for some people (ie kids) – it was full of nudes and quite graphic some of them.  I had a quick scoot around and made my exit…

Down 41st Street, looking back at Fifth Ave, there are literary quotes on gold plaques the whole way leading up to the library.

I made it to Park Ave and turned right, spotting this man, I assume he was a dog walker, with his 5 dogs of varying shape and sizes – so New York.

I love these buildings with the awnings out the front.

I hit 34th Street and turned right again heading for the Empire State Building.  I’d never been at the top before, and the line was minimal, so up I went.  They are all set up as if ALL the NYC tourists will hit them at the same time, so there are a lot of these ropes to walk up and down.

And in the lift, the roof is a digital screen making it look like the building is being built as you’re ascending, which is pretty cool…. also it alleviates awkward lift silence.

Then there she is in all her glory – this is looking south to the Freedom Tower.  You can see the Flatiron building there in the middle.

This is looking East out over the Chrysler building and across to Brooklyn.

I was so reminded of Sleepless in Seattle when I saw these binocular things.  Alas there were no random backpacks left near them – as if!  The building would be shut down now if a kid left his backpack unattended.  So, no sign of Tom Hanks or Meg Ryan, which was a little disappointing.

This is the view north looking up to Central Park.  I’m not sure what that tall building is, but I feel that somebody might want to call the architecture police.  They can’t have had much land to build on – so they’ve just gone straight up!

We’re still looking north, encompassing both the Hudson and the East Rivers.

And here’s me sporting some new earrings purchased at the flea market last Sunday.  They’re made out of 1950’s Japanese glass!

This is looking west – straight across the Hudson to Jersey.  If you look down – there’s Macy’s which is where I’ll be heading next to find my Met/MWCBaH Gala dress.

There were lots of people there, but not so many that it made it uncomfortable and there was plenty of space to get to the edge for a look.

After all that long distance looking I was starving and at the bottom of the Empire and around the corner I just happened upon this pop up food market.

There was all sorts of fare on offer.

I found a beer and snag stand – Stout NYC, which is pop off hoot of an Irish Pub down the road.  They sold sausages of all kinds, tater tots and beer.

I ordered my bratwurst and beer and when it came out it was cold…. I asked the lovely woman if it was meant to like that, to which she said “Um, no.” and then spoke in Spanish to this chap, who then made me another one…. and then creepily watched me eat it.  I think he was just so bored that he was staring at whatever was in front of him, so I gave him the thumbs up on the second one to let him know that it was hot and he didn’t react or in fact move…. so, a little creepy.

Then right across the street was Macy*s.

This store is huge!  I love the old escalators that clunk you from floor to floor.  I found the evening wear and tried quite a few frocks on… while I was looking around there was a lady who might have been about 4 foot tall and I only mention this because I could hear her voice, but I couldn’t see her.  She had an Australian accent and was talking to herself – exclaiming that she’d never seen such beautiful dresses before and she couldn’t believe how many there were.  In the change room, I heard her again asking some other people what they thought of the dress she was trying on.  she said it was for a wedding back in Australia and asked if they thought it was appropriate. “So, it’s not too tight then?”, “Do you think the white is suitable?”  Sorry, wait… what? White????  I was waiting for the people to ask if she was the bride, but they just gave some non committal comments and left her to it.  I was so tempted to open my door to have a look and offer my opinion, but I kept myself nice.

There were a couple of contenders on the dress front, but I will need to return with reinforcements before making a purchase.  It was 5.30pm before I looked at my watch and realised that I’d been in there for hours!  So I raced out, in my own clothes, not in a frock like out of a movie where the security were chasing me up Broadway!  And I headed to Whole Foods to pick up some supplies for dinner.  We’d agreed on a home cooked number for tonight.

Now I want you to imagine a supermarket where there are 1000s of people all trying to do the exact same as you – but you’re not familiar with the layout of the store (it’s not a regular rectangle with straight aisle like Coles), you don’t recognise any labels or products and there is not enough room for you to stop and read the labels.

Relaxing huh?

Also, a lot of the products are in the section where you line up to pay, so if you’re not in the actual line near the shelf, then you have to forget it and move on with your life.  I spotted something a few steps away and thought I could step out of the line to have a quick look, but looked behind me and 200 more people had joined the check out queue since I joined and they don’t mess around, there’d be no jumping back into place.

So I paid, packed my bag and set off the 9 short blocks and 1 long one to get home.  Yes I could have jumped on the subway, but by the time you get down there and wait, then come up on the street and work out where you are which way you should be walking – it was easier to walk – with a bag full of shopping and a brand new blister I got from my new shoes – no not the runners.

Remember we purchased a pair of Birkenstocks that ML wore out of the shop and around for that day?  Well, she was meant to have worn them in for me, but it seems that she was a little light on in the heel area, because I corked up a doozy.

Dinner cooked.

Lovely day.

Exhausted.