A Busy Summer

This year we promised ourselves we would get out and see some more of this new continent. 

We set about planning little trips here and there to make the most of vacation days, long weekends and work schedules. Suddenly it all came together and we are very much enjoying a summer of fantastic mini breaks and explorations.

With that on top of work suddenly shifting up a gear for us both, a fantastic flying visit back to Scotland for me and hosting many, many lovely visitors from the UK we have been BUSY.

Photos from all our recent North American travels to follow.  For now here are some summer snippets from NYC...

Hot evenings on the High Line

The whole of the City showed up for NY Philharmonic in Central Park (despite some serious heat)

Brooklyn Flea treats

Fourth of July fireworks with the Fergusons!

 

Happy days with Nick and Stef

Central Park in the Snow

15 months into our New York adventure we've finally had the sort of snow I expected to be  a regular occurrence here.

We were sent home from work at 3 last Friday to await blizzard Nemo from the safety and warmth of our apartment.

(View from the apartment around 11pm)

 
(Upper West Side the following morning)


On Saturday morning of course we piled on as many clothing layers as possible and headed straight out for an afternoon in Central Park.

After a seriously long walk and lots of leaping around in some pretty deep and powdery snow we headed to our new favourite local spot Jacob's Pickles to defrost with some Matzo Ball Soup.

The opposite of January blues

I'm possibly the only person I know who really loves this time of year. 

We've finally had some properly chilly weather that has required real layering, big scarfs and thick socks. Still no snow though.
I enjoy the muted grey skies and bright light of January and I really love being bundled up and cosy. 

I think New York looks great in winter!

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