Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hurricane Season


We have safely survived Hurricane Sandy. We have been incredibly lucky compared with lots of other people who are still have no power or have been evacuated. The Upper West Side was largely unscathed and we felt very safe in our sturdy old apartment building.

Everyone started to panic a little on Sunday afternoon when it was announced that the subway would shut at 7 and the crazy buying began...


We stocked up on plenty of food, wine, some bottled water (pretty much the last few bottles in Morningside Heights) and a large bag of tea-lights. Everyone had received emails to say there was no work on Monday so Sunday night definitely felt more festive than usual!

On Monday morning we went out for a long walk round the neighbourhood before battening down the hatches.


It was wet and windy but nothing exceptional and was hard to imagine a hurricane was arriving that night. I was definitely enjoying a much needed extra day of rest!



Just before it got dark Dave popped out one last time as the winds were really picking up...

Then we settled in, cooked spaghetti and meatballs, had a G&T, watched Downton Abbey and listened to the wind howling outside.

On Tuesday we ventured out in the morning to see how things were looking. A few trees were down and there was debris strewn around but a world away from the pictures we were seeing of a just a few miles downtown.


Pretty much everything was opening up again by lunchtime so we had lunch with friends to compare hurricane tales.


Back to work for me today (Dave's campus still has no power) and the commute without the Subway was not much fun. Fingers crossed it will be up and running again tomorrow.

Scary, dangling crane on 57th Street

Queue for the bus home this evening

Monday, October 29, 2012

Brooklyn weekend


We had such a wonderful week with Nick and Stef in town!


We spent most of the weekend exploring bits of Brooklyn, a place we love more and more the longer we are here.

Autumn sunshine on the East River Ferry from Dumbo to Williamsburg.

Atlantic Avenue street fair near Park Slope



Amazing projections under Manhattan Bridge at the Dumbo Art Festival


Crazy long queue for famous Grimaldis pizza

 The pizza was good but not the best we've had. 
But we were so hungry by this point we devoured it happily!

 Enjoying some very good cocktails at The Bedford in Williamsburg.

Come back soon!!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Autumn in Morningside Heights


I warn you there are lots of pictures of our first New York 'Fall' coming up over the next few weeks as the leaves are really starting to change colour now. 

And I love this time of year.


But for now just a few Iphone snaps of my Saturday morning stroll through Riverside Park with a coffee and a croissant.

Riverside Park is less than a block away from our flat but we don't use it nearly enough. I think it just gets overshadowed in our minds by Central Park. But it's really lovely and so close and has the tamest little squirrels! 

Must walk here more often...