Happy Holidays!

I cannot believe that on this day last year we had just arrived in New York and were heading out for our first NYC dinner.

Wow. What a year it has been!

(view of Manhattan from our plane journey back from Montreal)

Last Thanksgiving we chased the Macy's parade around midtown and then ate pasta from paper plates in our unfurnished apartment! 

This year we hope to be watching the parade on TV from the cosy cabin in the Vermont countryside where we will be spending the holiday with friends. 

Happy Thanksgiving! xx

New York Produce

After nine months here the initial novelty of the endless choices and chaotic 24 hour nature of Manhattan grocery shopping has worn off a little. 

We are definitely missing European cheeses and breads. And mayonaise.

(I actually had a dream recently that M&S opened a branch in New York...) 

Anyway, one thing we do still love is buying our fruit and veg (or produce as they call it here) and other supplies at one of the many greenmarkets around the city.

There is a huge and famous greenmarket in Union Square which is great but there is also a lovely little one right at the end of our block at weekends.

Most of the produce is organic and locally grown. So far we've enjoyed cherry season, peach season and lots of heirloom tomato salads and right now we are loving the most delicious sweet corn.

 Any idea what this crazy vegetable is?

 I love the little green punnets the smaller fruits come in

 Now we're looking forward to an apple-filled Fall!

Six months

I can't quite believe that as of last Monday we have been in New York six whole months!

Unfortunately I still call it the tube, still have to use every inch of my brain to write the date correctly, still have faintly scruffy fingernails and definitely still scream every time I see a rat.

So not quite a New Yorker yet. 

Especially this week as the start of summer has made me look exactly like the Scottish tourist I am (think sunburnt scalp, legs covered in mossie bites, desperate to moan about the humidity to anyone who'll listen...)

But, I am beginning to feel that familiarity with the city you never get as a tourist. 

I know which end of the tube (er, Subway) to get on for which exit, I get annoyed at tourists walking too slowly along the bottom of Central Park, I've pretty much mastered American spelling and am slowly, slowly weaning myself off converting everything to £ and Celsius in my head...

All in all I'm pretty excited at where we're at six months in to our adventure. Properly living, working and enjoying our new city.

And still excited enough about being here that we continue to take cheesy, touristy photos at every opportunity!