Sunday: Natalie made american pancakes with them - and they're excellent.
My last meal in NYC: fruit salad with shadberries. Call me a purist, but I think they're best just like this - fresh and delicious!

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Thomas and Jasmien - only a few months left in NYC - enjoy every minute!
Outdoor terrace at Robin de Bois in Smith street
Shop front of Robin de Bois - it started off as a kind of specialised junk shop, and then people used to linger, and the owner would start cooking and pour glasses of wine, and so it transformed into a cafe. I think you can still make an offer on the furniture, like this skiboat, or.....

Saturday I met Thomas and Jasmien for brunch at Robin de Bois in Smith street - to celebrate his birthday (forgot to ask how many years, T?). A french cafe with funky decor and a leafy green courtyard terrace. The weather was warm - perfect for outdoor eating. I enjoyed listening to the stories about your trip to California - not to mention anecdotes of your folks' / in-laws' TEN day visit to NYC. I know family dynamics are stressful at the time, but hell - they're entertaining and make excellent material for retelling...

Having brunch at the back courtyard

Self portrait inside
Interior of Robin de Bois - the big mirror (self-portrait) is on the left, and the big forest (reflected) is on the right
Jasmien & Thomas - just after they'd kissed. ...such romantics!

Highlights of the Met

Entrance foyer at the Metropolitan museum - busy, even on a weekday
The roof terrace

Mycenae - decorated pot
Amazon
Bamako, Mali
Even though the museum is too big, my stamina too short, I'm glad I went. I love the great halls, the grand setting for the pieces.

Time is flying, no swooshing by - too quickly to keep up with the blog!

On Friday I took the day off to go to the Metropolitan Museum. I was going to focus on the Greeks and Romans, but soon got saturated with the marble statues, and painted vases.... can confirm I still prefer the older Mycenean and minoan stuff to the red and black figure Greek vases. Then I started wandering and pausing at things which caught my fancy.

I stumbled across a temporary exhibition on Paul Poiret, a fashion designer around the turn of the century, during the belle epoch. His creations are truly breath-taking - the fabric, the way it was draped, the combinations of colours & textures, the design - I've never seen anything like it. Many looked inspired by the orient, others were typical of the art deco period. I'm glad I had this chance encounter in the museum.

Al di La - a taste sensation

Oops - I forget to post this pic, because it required a special posting! Marie treated Chris and I for a farewell dinner at Al di La - her favourite italian restaurant. It's on Carroll street, cnr of 5th avenue, Brooklyn. And what an amazing dining experience it is - from the waiters who treat her like a regular local, the gracious decor and ambience, to the fine food. We shared and tasted 3 starters: the spring salad, gnocchi (with a paper thin wrapping and melt-in-the-mouth fine spinach inside) and oxtail &squid served with polenta. For main I had a 'hanger steak' which was soft and tender, with arugula and a delicate and delicious balsamic reduction. And a pear and dark chocolate tort for desert. It was Yum. Thank you for an unforgettable evening.

Have you been yet to Marie's and Chris' blog? Check it out at www.onemonkeyshow.blogspot.com and 66squarefeet@blogspot.com. They write well and are aces at this bleedin' bloggin' thing.

Sunday cycle

Sunday I took the subway to 155th street and cycled home. I stopped at this veggie garden in Haarlem and chatted to the gardeners (below). They were growing not only veggies, but grape vines on the fence, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and a peach tree.
Then I cycled in Riverside Park along the Hudson river - here looking north

where I spotted some hippos
Later I crossed through west village and spotted this teeny shop called 'Kaas'
And stopped at this pub called the Spotted Pig for a beer (which I pointed at and which turned out to be cider). Despite the friendly local exterior, the people inside seemed loud and pretentious.

Look - I have to say this blogging is fun but bloody time-consuming - resizing the pics and uploading them. I'm looking forward to next week sunday when it officially ends! In the mean time keep tracking it - there is something to be said about arm chair travel when it's raining non-stop in CT, not so?

Shopping at the Food Co-op

Sunday I went with Natalie to the Food Co-op - around the corner in Union street. It's a members only co-op which has been going since the 1960s (?) where one can buy fresh local produce and most other goods. To be a member you have to work 2 and 3/4 hours a month - helping with packing, stock-taking, cleaning, etc. And Adriana gets to organise this temporary always changing once-in-a-while work force. And, she tells me, all the permanent staff get paid the same, irrespective of how many years they've been working there (10 years in her case) or what you do - whether it's managing people or sweeping the floor. Can you imagine?

It was fun to get an inside view and see the variety of produce. Lukas has discovered back bends and spent most of his time with his head back, looking at the ceiling. So much for all the colourful merchandising and branding...