Cheerio...

Cheerio Tom and Fay!
Thank you so much for a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend, it's been lovely to see you both. I'm glad the sun stayed out for the majority of your stay, and I'm glad we all survived Black Friday without too many bruises.

Watching The Parade...

(I forgot to put this picture in with the rest of the Thanksgiving Parade pictures...)

Mellow Yellow...

While we were sitting having lunch, this immaculately dressed gentleman walked passed. What a fantastic suit, and how brilliantly summery. It felt a little like summer today, it was so sunny and bright - it was beautiful.

This man's attire sums up the day perfectly.

All You Need Is Love...

(...and a big panda!)

Lovely Message...

This little message made me smile...

It might be wobbly, but it certainly works.

Highline Park...

After the Christmas Market we made our way over to the Meatpacking District to go for a walk along the brilliant Highline Park. It's been fantastic being able to go for walks along here in the different seasons with different visitors. It looks quite different to when I first went with Abi, and then again with Mops and Pops.

It feels a bit more fuller on the ground, but the trees are obviously a wee bit bare now it's the winter time. It looked stunning in the sunshine though and people were out enjoying the weather, laying on the sun-loungers, having a snooze and just enjoying the peace.

I absolutely love it around the Meatpacking District, the buildings are fantastic.

After a little wander, we went for a spot of lunch at The Diner.

After going here with Mops and Pops I thought it'd be nice to go back and sit outside in the sun, we all enjoyed very American meals, steak and eggs, omelet and a burger... It was mighty fine and a very lovely way to end the afternoon and end a fantastic visit from Tom and Fay.

Back To Union Square...

This afternoon we all met up at the Union Square Christmas Market. It has been the most beautifully sunny, crisp winters day - perfect for walking around the market... so we had another little mooch.

Everytime I've been there I've spotted something new, there's so much to look at, so many interesting little stalls selling handmade jewelery, beautiful (but expensive) leather satchels, tshirts, dolls, lanterns... all sorts.

Tom and I even had time for a little photo shoot at the hat stand!

Zero 7...

On Friday night we all went to Terminal 5 to see Zero 7. They were fantastic. Terminal 5 is a great venue, it feels really big and open, the ceilings are 3 stories high, and there are a couple of balcony levels. We weren't sure what the building used to be, as it still feels like it's a converted warehouse or carpark or something - it feels quite industrial, but they've made it feel loungy at the same time... I loved it.

We were a wee bit pooped after a full day of shopping, so we were VERY glad to discover that there was a roof terrace full of huge comfy curvy sofas. We had a rest up there while the support act were on, some of us nearly fell asleep...

I hope I'll get to see some more gigs at Terminal 5 soon - hopefully the New Year will bring a lot more gigs.

Union Square Christmas Market...

There's a fantastic Christmas market in Union Square at the moment - although they call it a Holiday Market... more PC I suppose? It's lovely, all the stalls are curving round the little park, on different levels, with red and white striped walls (I'll try and take some more photos today), it looks like a long winding candy cane of shops.

There's all sorts for sale, there are fun hats and scarves, toys, jewelery, art, food and drinks... loads. There was a beautiful smell coming from this stall...

The bowls were all full with different spices from all over the world, it smelt incredibly Christmassy. I think the spices were for making tea, at least they had some nice glass teapot for sale... I think it would have been nice just to have a bag of cinnamon to make everything smell nice in the apartment.

There was a rather tasty crepe stall, so we made a little stop outside there...

Fay and I had brie, apple and maple syrup in ours and Tom had bacon, cheddar and maple syrup in his (Tom took these pictures, that's why there's not one of him enjoying his, but it looked mighty fine from where I was standing).

I think I might enjoy going round the market during my lunch times, it's right by work so I can have a crepe for my lunch!

Empty Park...

After Macy's we went up to the top of 5th Avenue to do some more shopping, we got off at the 59th Street stop - which I really love because it's the stop when you get out and see this view of the park.

I couldn't believe how empty the park looks, compared to the summer when I went there some weekends, this view was completely different - not just because of the colours, but because it was usually teaming with people going for walks and sitting on the grass, having their photos taken on the bridge, fishing...

It's great to be here to see the differences in the seasons, not just within the weather but within the people too.

Festive Cheerleaders...

While I was having a little sit down outside Macy's (I needed to recover), a group of people clad in checked shirts and puffer vests came running over the road whooping and cheering and waving pom-poms around, followed by some drummers...

They were the GAP Cheerleaders and they were just throwing free jumpers at people (or to people)! At first I don't think people really realised what was going on, but as soon as they heard the word 'free' and saw things being thrown, they swarmed around the cheerleaders - some even RAN!

I walked over incredibly nonchalantly to have a closer look - they were giving away striped jumpers. As long as you put your hands in the air, waved them around like you just don't care and screamed along with them, you might just get a jumper.

It was a great little bit of guerilla marketing - it caused quite a stir and looked really great (as you can see they did some throwing and catching).

I think the best bit was, that there was all this commotion going on, all the cheering and clapping and they were throwing the jumpers out willy nilly, then a man standing next to me very calmly asks 'Do you have one in a large?'... typical.

BLACK Friday!

It was CRAZY!

I'd imagined it would have been absolutely heaving with people - and I was right. Black Friday is bonkers. It's the one day where shops slash prices of everything (Tom and Fay saw a lady buying a Tommy Hilfiger jacket that was reduced from $400 to $100) and everyone gets up ridiculously early to grab as many bargains as they can.

Our first port of call was Macy's - which opened at 5am! Needless to say we got there at a bit more of a sociable hour, but it was still pretty early... we walked through the doors to be met by thousands of bargain hungry shoppers.

As Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Holiday season, all the shops are now decorated for Christmas - they look amazing! Macy's was so festive and cozy, it's going to make Christmas shopping extra special this year - I already feel incredibly festive and it's not even December yet!

The sweet department in Macy's looked great with all the baubles dangling, and the mountains of red and white sweets, gingerbread houses, candy canes, marshmallows... I'm not sure what the Tooth Fairy would make of it all.

The lovely thing is how much the big shops make of Father Christmas. Inside Macy's just before you start queuing to see Father Christmas there's a letter box especially for his letters, attached to a Believe-O-meter - I didn't see it work but I think it must ping round to believe when someone puts a letter inside.

The shop windows are all decorated fantastically too - I'll take some photos soon. There's a special letter writing machine in the Macy's window - there are three Father Christmas computers where you can write you letter to him and get it sent off right there and then.

It must be so so exciting to be a little child in New York at this time of year - it's exciting enough for me! I love it.

Thanksgiving Dinner...

Well... a little more tired than expected, and a LOT later than expected... the dinner was underway - with the help of a couple of hungry visitors, we managed to finally get the turkey stuffed and cooked...

What started as a rather grand plan of doing the whole Thanksgiving dinner, turned into a bit of a easier and quicker version - not starting the cooking until 6.30pm wasn't really part of the plan, but we made the best of it...

I think we were all rather tired (some of us even had a 2 hour sleep while the Turkey was in the oven - he he!) and very hungry, so when the bird was FINALLY done at 10.30pm we were more than ready for some food...

It wasn't quite the massive feast I'd planned in my head, but the sweet potatoes had cinnamon in them, and the carrots had honey drizzled on them, so that was pretty American I suppose.

Here she is... in all her glory.
(Not a patch on the Chatsworth Turkey's by the way, you really get what you pay for at Chatters!)

The great success of the night were the stuffing balls - bloody delicious, even if I do say so myself... I think I might just make stuffing balls for a meal one time.

Roll on Christmas for some proper Turkey.

Hand Built...

Brooklyn Bridge...

It was the perfect time to be walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, just before the sun went down over Manhattan. It was really busy, full of people who must have been walking off their Thanksgiving lunches (we were yet to have ours!)...

It really is a beautiful bridge, I'd not walked over it since Tom and I came out in February - it's a great thing to do, it takes a wee bit longer than you'd imagine too.

As we got to the 'Welcome To Brooklyn' part of the bridge, we could look back at the skyline and see the sun going down - it looked beautiful.

South Street Seaport...

Later on on Thursday we went down to South Street Seaport which is a lovely area down on the river, over looking Brooklyn - it's Pier 17, which you can see in all the famous pictures of the Manhattan Skyline (like in the beginning of Friends).

It's got lots of shops like Banana Republic, The Body Shop and Abercrombie and Fitch, it's got some yummy restaurants and bars and a little mall. It's also where the sea taxi goes from and some of the river cruises, some of which are on some rather grand boats (like the Pekin in the picture above).

This was a lovely ship named the Ambrose, I think it looks like a Popeye type boat.

The views across to Brooklyn are rather impressive...

The light was beautiful, it was that late afternoon/evening sun the casts wonderful shadow and makes everything look so picturesque.

We stopped off for a quick drink... that turned into a couple of drinks and a big plate of calamari and baby squid. It was lovely sitting outside in the sun, it was even warm enough to take our jackets off - amazing to think that it's pretty much December now.


After we'd had a wee rest, we made our way to the Brooklyn Bridge...

When It's All Over...

... Somone has to tidy up!

After the floats were gone, the streets were back open for pedestrians and the clean up operation began instantly (very efficient!). It was great being able to walk down 7th Avenue and Broadway without any cars about, it was a little bit eery at times.

We walked down to Bryant Park, where there was a Christmas market and a big ice rink. Everywhere's getting really Christmassy now, it's lovely. This little park looked lovely in the sunshine.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade...

On Thursday morning, we got up early and made our way into Manhattan to go and watch Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

I knew it was going to be busy, but I don't think I'd appreciated just how busy it would get so early - we arrived at about 9.30ish I think, so the Parade had already started, and the streets we HEAVING! We heard people saying that they'd been up at 5am, and we overheard a policeman saying that to get the best spots you'd have had to be there at 5 or 6am!!!

Spongebob was the first float we saw from afar...

After a bit of running around, going in and out of subway stations, up and down stairs and round and through a few crowds, we finally managed to get a spot where he had an OK view...

Mister Buzz Lightyear...

Horton (from Horton Hears A Who)...

Mr. Smurf...

This Rolly Polly Father Christmas was one of my favourites...

We saw a fair few of the floats and balloons, we didn't see any of the famous people that were advertised as being there - I think they might have all been at Macy's or something because there were some seats all set up outside the shop for an audience...

Then came the main event, the man everyone had been waiting for, the man everyone had come to see, the man I'd wanted to see...

FATHER CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

His float was followed by these lovely big balloons baring a very lovely message...
(I still do by the way)

Union Square Farmer's Market...

On Wednesday, before Tom and Fay arrived I had a huge list of shopping to get through ready for Thanksgiving... loads of vegetables and bits and pieces for the stuffing...

Luckily Wednesday is one of the days that there's a farmer's market at Union Square so I was able to get all my vegetables (well, nearly all of them) there... from one stall... without having to move!

After the Farmers market it was on to the Brooklyn Fayre for some other bits and pieces... it was all a bit rushed, but it was exciting seeing everyone rushing around getting all the bits and pieces they needed for their feasts...

I've seeing all the Autumnal squashes and pumpkins and turnips and carrots out on the stalls at the market - so it was even lovelier to be able to buy some to eat this time... it was great.