Saturday, April 26, 2014

Central Park Walk


Would you like to continue with me on my walk through Central Park.  We are still on the West side of the park walking north.  Above is Sheep Meadow and in fact sheep grazed here up until 1934.   A little history on the park. it was opened in 1857 and now covers 843 acres. In 1844 it was decided by the notable folk of the city that a park was needed similar to the Bois de Boulonge in Paris, or Hyde Park in London, where one could drive with the top down.  There was a contest held as to the design of the park and Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won this and their design came to be known as the Greensward Plan.

The park seems to have gone into two declines and rebirths, mostly to do with who was in power and money.  Today it is a lovely park to visit and wander around.  I walked to less than half way up on the west side then crossed to walk back down 5th Avenue side.


Bow Bridge.


A wedding party.



The Lake




I think this was a German couple, having wedding photos taken.


 
I sat in this little gazebo and ate the left overs of my lunch time Reuben sandwich, I quite enjoyed that peaceful time sitting there.




I liked these rock formations.



I liked the shadows on the bridge.


The narrow tall tower in the distance is a very expensive penthouse apartments that sell for millions.  Marble carrara sunken baths, carved in one piece from Italy.  Hand made wood kitchen cabinets from England.  I saw this on TV.

More to come on my walk.


Christy

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Central Park, NYC


Take a walk with me around Central Park.  I entered on the South corner off 8th Avenue and started walking North.



Horse and carriages very iconic.


I especially liked this wrought iron bridge.


One of the food vendors in the park.


I snapped this lady, she looks like a private patient nurse cycling through the park, I'm sure there are any number of older folk who need care in one of those very expensive high rise apartments around the park.


Christy

The Marshmallow Experiment - Instant Gratification - Will Power

So this morning I said to Rob get stuck into your homework early and then your have time at the end of the day, instead of procrastinating. So he says "I bet that test does work." This is a test that he had discussed in one of his classes at college. Where you take young children and sit them down with a test of self denial for something better.

According to what was discussed in Rob's class this can be an indicator of how well children will do in school.  Instant gratification or self denial for something better, see here

It's quite interesting, self control and achieving goals.

Christy

Friday, April 18, 2014

New York City

As I left the house at 6:30 AM the temperature was 30 f.  I got on the PA Turnpike and then onto Route 1 to Trenton to catch the train, unfortunately a sign shot up which said Trenton and I rashly took it, as soon as I was on that road I knew it was the wrong one, but once you are committed to those super highways, it's hard to get off.  Eventually I did, got back on again, and back to the correct road to Trenton.

I just missed the train, but they come pretty regularly to Penn Station, I got onto the very slow local train when I found out that the next one made only three stops and arrived twenty minutes earlier, so I got off and waited for that one.

I got off the train at Penn Station, which is a labyrinth of passages coming out on different sides of the block, I made my way to the 8th Street exit right where the Post Office is and walked up to the office, there with twenty minutes to spare, straighten up and be ready for my meeting.

Penn Station was demolished in 1962 one of the biggest tragedies to the architecture of New York City in living history, to be replaced by what?  See here what it used to look like.  A saving grace is the Grand Central Station still exists.



One of the views from our NYC offices.

After my meetings I left at about 2:00PM and decided to do some sight seeing while I was in the city.  I walked up 8th Avenue to Central Park, the day was bright and sunny, but cold, a good day for walking though.


Some people watching.  A lady walking her dogs in Central Park.


The military style coat that this lady was wearing I found very interesting.  Epaulets on the shoulders, double breasted buttoning at the front, with a half belt and pleats at the back.  The most interesting feature was the leather sleeves.


Now here is a different look, fur coat with advert leggings.

Have more to share with you about my trip.

Christy

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Daffodils






Poured with rain all day so had to run around when I got home picking the poor daffodils that were bludgeoned down into the dirt, thus several displays of daffs around the house.  Rinsed them off, many were covered in splattered earth.  The broken ones I cut the stems off and put them in my short vase.

I was up in NYC two weeks ago and I am up there again this week for training.  It makes for a long day, but since I’m going up on my own I will not have to race along the sidewalks at double time to keep up with the men, thank goodness.

I think we’re going to the Tick Tock Diner for lunch, always fun to eat at new places.  If I feel like it maybe I’ll take a little time afterwards and walk up to Central Park, I’ll think about that one.

Life seems to have been filling out online forms recently, what with student info for Robs College, Obama Health care and Tax Season, I am a bit formed out, do you know the feeling?  I’m sure you do.

We have had a few nice days, but today was bucketing rain, tomorrow though should be sunny and 50 f, I do hope sunny though because the last two times I went up to NYC it rained.  Will take my crochet on the train again as I did last time, I do find that relaxing working on the Japanese flowers.

Last week I took my lunch hour at the park hoping to see signs of spring buds, but they were all very tightly curled, nothing seems to want to come out in the weather that we have been having.


 Christy



Sunday, April 6, 2014

Circular Crochet Shawl & Shark Tank & Manganaro's HEROBOY


 I had fun making this putting together my left over yarns and filling in with a few new bought yarns.  There was a pink and gray mohair with a sparkle thread. a lovely soft pink and purple yarn, and some new plums and grays thrown in.


I love the ruffle edging.  The grays and pinks came together so nicely.  Remember I thought the white was too stark so crocheted a braid and wove it through, I do like the look.


I'm working on a charcoal gray fleck crochet skirt to match with it. It's a double crochet and shell stitch, a work in progress.

Of course as soon as I finish we'll have a heat wave, but the weather is still chilly.  Picked my first miniature daffodils out of the garden today.

Last Friday I was up at 4:30AM to get up to New York for a Promo Show at the Javits Center.  The opening seminar had Daymond John from Shark Tank.  He's pretty entertaining especially as to how he got going, a true rags to riches story, with his FUBU brand.

Stopped in at our office on 8th Avenue.  Very late lunch meatballs and pasta very good, at an Italian restuarant Manganaro's HEROBOY at 492 - 494 9th Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets, in the Hells Kitchen area which is due for a hevty revamp as the subway is being extended to that area, home by 6:30PM, made for a pretty long day.

Christy

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Victorian Afternoon Tea

 The girls at Afternoon Victorian Tea held at the Clifton House, by the ladies who belong to the Historical Society.

We had torrential rain last Saturday, well on Sunday it bucketed, so afternoon tea in a cozy room was well received by us all.  We had a table for eight and it was a most enjoyable time.  Even accompanied by a quartet from the local High School, they were very good.

Last year I came and was seated in the other room see here, which suited the bright sunny day that I came on, dressed in a spring dress and a shrug, but this year with the dreadful weather this cozy room was just right.







Christy
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