Summer in the City

It's getting noisier and busier round here as all the students suddenly start to arrive back on campus after summer break. I still feel their back to school excitement years after I was last a student and am enjoying watching friends reunited on the streets on Morningside Heights. 

I think I can take this as a sign that (touch wood) we have officially survived our first long, hot and humid New York summer. Phew.

The summer coincided completely with me starting work and things getting pretty hectic for us both. 

I feel like were finally settling into a routine and hope we can now resume our explorations of the city which may mean some more regular posting on here!

But for now here are just a few of our New York summer highlights...

Summertime view from the apartment


Long walks from our flat along the riverside


Trips to the seaside


A week of food and fun with Shantha

 Meeting the neighbours

 Birthday brunch at our old favourite Red Rooster

Lots of Park time

 

Including my ever enjoyable walk home from work (on cooler evenings only)

Open air burgers at the amazing Shake Shack (always worth queuing for...)

Dinners on the deck with Dave's team at his boss's lovely cottage by the Hudson

 Endless warm evening wanders on the Upper West Side

Enjoying some of the amazing summer events happening in New York, including Prospect Park concerts with friends, magical Shakespeare in the Park and the Central Park Film Festival.
(And I'm still not over the novelty of not needing a cardigan for outside events at night!)

Frozen Margaritas and guacamole with my travelling cousin

 The loudest and most regular thunderstorms we've ever experienced

Discovering the rooftop bar at The Met complete with amazing sculpture and even better views

Think we're ready for September and a bit of cool air now!

The daily commute

After a 15 minute subway ride I have a 10 minute walk right along the bottom of the park.

Through the trees, past the tourists, the horse and carriages, the many snow cone and coffee vendors, morning dow-walkers and endless horn-beeping yellow taxis.

My little New York escape before the working day begins...

Times Square visits

When visitors are here, especially when it's their first New York experience, there are certain things that they just have to see. 

And as we've had quite a few visitors recently it follows that we've made several post-dinner trips to Times Square to take in the crazy neon spectacle and even crazier crowds.

It may not be cool, or somewhere that real New Yorkers would ever hang out but it is completely overwhelming and so unlike anything in the UK that I kind of love it for that. 

In very small doses.

 We even squeezed onto the big screen! Can you spot us?