Looking for fun and feel in' groovy

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We have had such a hectic week that we have not had a moment to catch our breadth. The lack of time was aided greatly by the unwise accommodation choices we made and finding out that our accommodation was in the far extremes of Brooklyn. Suffice it to say we got to see some interesting sights and experience some funny moments. There is a whole story in this itself.

Following is a few highlights of the last week as we wake up at 3.00am to catch a flight to London this morning. It has been a great week. The best part is having Leo, Margaret, Ann and Philip around to celebrate the birthday week. We loved New York but at times hated it for the crowds, traffic, shocking transport system, rubbish everywhere,but then we would come around some corner and find some beautiful sight or experience some unexpected kindness by a stranger or eat in some amazing little bolt hole and have another memorable food moment. The following text was written as we went so apologise if it seems disjointed.

Moving in to the new place finds us only slightly better off, we have space, we have stairs now, we are slightly closer to the city but still spending too much time travelling. More about that later. 

Among the guided walking tours booked was one centred on the Hassidic Jewish community in Crowne Heights and once again a very revealing look at their life, their traditions and their rituals. None of us feel a conversion is on the cards.

Evening has us on 'The Ride', a fantastic adventure where we were seated on a coach in stadium like seating, facing the footpath and entertained by two very funny hosts. As the coach moves slowly through the city a range of performers emerge from the crowd and dance, sing, play music to our delight and to the amazement of passers-by, very funny and very clever look it upexperiencetheride.com 

Another full day brings us all to Chinatown for the 'tenement tour' centred on the harsh conditions experienced by early migrants this time in a real life tenement building preserved as it was left 100 years ago when changes in the regulations meant the owner evicted all of the 20 families and just used the ground floor as retail space. Tiny rooms housing up to 10-12 at a time. Interesting to also learn about the tensions between various nationalities around those times and given the nature of our contingent, a deal of pride in learning how the Irish went on to great things in NY.

A cycle up the Hudson River parkway and across town to Central Park was a great way to see that part of town and to enjoy the Park for the enormous space that it is. We were slightly amused by the VIP touring the Park in a motorcade complete with motorcycle police escort.

All the exercise prepared us for dinner this time at Vinegar Hill in Brooklyn for a culinary adventure that has to be the best so far. Delicate flavours and textures, complimented by superb wines had us all agreeing that it is up there with the most memorable meal record held by Le Somel in France.

Next day we wake to find half of Manhattan in shut-down as the President is in town to open the WTC memorial. A bit of a nuisance as it creates traffic chaos but handy as it delays the departure of our boat trip around the island, or rather cuts it short as part of the East River is closed off. Anyway, we go off around Ellis Island and around the Statue of Liberty and across to Brooklyn to find that we can now continue up river where we really get to see just how big this city is, it just goes on forever.

Motown the musical fills the night with a musical journey through the sixties and through the creation of the distinctive sounds of that time. A great performance by a very talented cast.

More subway and walking home makes the decision to move in to Manhattan easy so we book a hotel near Central Park, so much easier. Booking accommodation has become something of a ritual, with Ann needing some fill in digs when she gets turfed out of Williamsburg. Seems that we could start up our own service!

Confronting Macy's Mary discovers that makeup and skin treatments for Friday night can be sourced for free, very handy as it just leaves hair treatment without too much running around. Dira had very kindly booked Akiko, her daughter in law months ago for the special occasion. Akiko runs a funky hairdressing salon in Greenwich Village.

The big day arrives along with the stunning YouTube clip pulled together by Fin and Rata in the back of a kombi in the NT! Thanks you so much you two and Emily for pulling it off. I loved every bit of it and will treasure it forever. I was challenged to recognise a few people initially but further examination revealed all.  Thanks to all for your contributions. And for that special person who sent me an additional clip which some how didn't make the cut. Late contributions will still be accepted as the birthday celebrations are a year long event! Don't forget to pencil into your diary my birthday party on Ist November from 4.00pm. Book your accommodation now and pass word on, it will be a great event and we will even have the slide show of our trip as part of the event. Only kidding!

Night time has us in the pouring rain collected from our hotel and delivered to the NoMad restaurant for a superb feast for the birthday girl and after to a rooftop bar where if it weren't for the rain, we could have lingered on.

It was a night full of beautiful experiences and the dramatic backdrop of the rain on the rooftop garden and the view of the rain filled  rooftops only make it more memorable. Thanks!

Next day saw Mary heading off to TriBeCa for the annual food fair, Greenwich for their annual street market and East Village for the 8th Annual Dance Parade which was just gobsmacking. After the 4 hour parade the whole of New York retired to Tompkins Square Park to try out some of the dance moves we saw. Mary is now a convert to duff duff music( what is it actually called?) particularly surrounded by a throbbing crowd of brillant dancers.60 you say, she can still get down and boogie! Also she learnt to shimmy, shammy and will provide a performance at her celebrations I November.

Another sunny morning after the last few rainy days so it is off to do some more exploring, this time to find Ann, have breakfast, confront the subway again and find a flea market in Hells Kitchen only to find someone must have spread around some flea powder, very un impressive compared the the Brooklyn Flea.

Also attended a gospel singing service in Harlem which was unusual to say the least.

Onwards to Gramercy to find a fabulous park, shut off to the public and reserved for locals or those who feel ok about paying an annual fee for a key. Funny how just walking around the outside is enough for us, on the outside looking in has a zoo-like feeling.

Finding Little Italy brings a smile and a rumbling in our collective tummy's but food proved a little elusive as it had gone 4pm and most kitchens shut until 6 for dinner. But success came in the form of the YNBar where we consumed lashings of walnut pesto, Sicilian olives, meats, salad and a stunning chicken dish. A few wines topped the whole thing off and we retire to an Andy Warhol movie way out at 103rd street. The wine took its toll and we had to leave Ann to endure the movie by herself.

General agreement has it that had we known, we would have taken the hotel option right from the start and if we had have found Little Italy at the outset then that's where the hotel might have been, just a pity YNBar doesn't do breakfast!