Saturday, January 31, 2015

Winter Continues Unabated...



So where did we leave off in this sad saga of unending cold?
Ah yes, with the children having fun.
So... the snow is now messy and clumpy...


Pat, the crossing guard - the one with the dog treats - is all bundled up. 


They are filming at the Chelsea Square Diner - the one I'm standing outside in the post above. The cross walks are somewhat shoveled.


The 'wolf moon' visible at 2:15 in the afternoon - does that portend something?


Buster likes the snow.


It's something to eat  - and he likes eating.


This morning it is 13 degrees F with a windchill of who knows what.


Vapor billows from the drains in scenic fashion.


It's better to walk home briskly


to contemplate the fruit some more


and dream of warm days ahead.




PS. 4 -8 inches of snow predicted for tomorrow night!





Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Blizzard



Yesterday afternoon the FedEx man was finishing his deliveries...



as we waited for Snowmaggedon to hit New York City. A state of emergency was declared. Cars were ordered off the streets. Well, in the end, it was a nice little snow storm but not nearly as dramatic as billed. It is much worse on Long Island.
Herewith some photos before, and after.


Buster ponders the snowfall.


The night was quiet without traffic.

This morning 23rd Street was traffic free...


but the Chelsea Square Diner was open full of cops having breakfast...


the clean up crew posed for their photo and


Cosmo and Cleo were pleased to see Buster.


This intrepid reporter headed up to the roof ...


and looked down to the desolate intersection of 8th Avenue and 23rd Street...


saw the cleanup crew by the subway entrance...


 the lavender and butterfly bush looking miserable.


Much the same on Renata's deck...



Looking south.

I was sort of looking forward to a blizzard of "historic" proportions. I'd even got the candles left over from Hurricane Sandy out and filled jugs with water...
Oh well, it's fun to see so few cars and the city school children are thrilled to be off for the day.






Thursday, January 22, 2015

Tea & Sympathy


This is the time of year when comfort food is in order - and comfort food usually means food you ate as a small child.
English food in the 1950's was spectacularly bland - but excellent in parts.
Take bubble and squeak - a  mixture of cabbage and left-over mashed potatoes - fried of course.
Bangers and mash...and so on.
Luckily I'm within walking distance of Tea & Sympathy


a wonderfully retro cafe where these things are to be had.


To be washed down with copious cups of tea and followed by custardy puddings to fend off the cold and replenish the calories used up walking there.


It's always very crowded which attests to its appeal. The decor a mishmash of things British


rather heavy on royal memorabilia - so I get to see the coronation mug I managed to smash on the very day I was given it.


Nikky Perry, the owner, can be relied upon to have lots of opinions vociferously aired - currently the fact that proper English Cadbury's chocolate is no longer to be sold in the US. See all about it in The New York Timeshttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/24/nyregion/after-a-deal-british-chocolates-wont-cross-the-pond.html?ref=nyregion


Luckily the shop next door still has some in stock as well as sherbet fountains, Maynard's wine gums and large boxes of PG Tips and all the things much missed by us ex-pats.
A blessing indeed.


Friday, January 16, 2015

Penn Station and People Rushing About


There is no shortage of people in New York...



and most of them are rushing about.


I was on Penn Station yesterday waiting for a train to Long Island. I wanted to take portraits of people, but, as usual, though others might think I was some sort of nut.


I rather hesitate to approach people with guns.


So, instead I started looking for patterns, and stayed in the same place and let people walk into the camera frame - like in Grand Budapest Hotel.


It was fun.


Anyway...




Robert does somewhat of the same thing in this painting of people in slightly warmer weather - all together - all separate.


I finally managed to have a conversation with a real person even though I didn't want any pizza. Sayed is from Egypt, which, according to him, is a much better country than Morocco...




Wednesday, January 14, 2015

More of the Same...



Still cold - well,  it's winter.
But so cold you don't want to go out and do anything, and assume your friends don't want to do anything either...so you stay home and think of all the things you could be doing...



People tramp around being miserable...


and try to cover up every inch of skin. I want a ski mask so I can dress up as a bank robber...


Pinwheel Park is deserted.


Citrus fruit looks extra zingy


and can be photographed at home.



We went to Long Island on Monday when it rained and rained and the garden became a giant puddle but the snow and ice lingered...
Not much snow left today but only 24 degrees F at almost eleven in the morning.
However, we could be somewhere where it is minus whatever....so I'd better stop complaining!





Thursday, January 8, 2015

Beastly Cold and a Party


The only news around here is that it is bitterly and miserably cold.
10 degrees Fahrenheit as I write. I wore two pairs of pants, two sweaters, two scarves etc etc to take the dog out.
Mostly I spy things out of the window...


There is only a little bit of snow...


but it's clear and biting and bright...



and extra cold in shadow.


The street is rather quiet.



When I go out, I look for spots of color. A bit late for donning the gay apparel. Ah Chelsea!



At home, I fill a Moroccan bowl with mandarins.


At the weekend I had help celebrating my birthday.


My cake was splendid.

Keep warm!