Gem of New York

So.. this is my final post for this part of the blog, as I'm three months in! and it is time to head back to English shores.. and I have to say, I was just getting used to it!!
There are things about New York that are very cool, and not found anywhere else in the US, like the fact you can order delivery from ANY restaurant, including places like Cipriani's, and a slice of Pizza from Joe's!
They'll come to you rain or shine, and quite late at night.. eating like that is cheaper than eating in, and given all the heat the kitchen gives off in a small apartment, in the heatwave it's better to order in..
Or take their 'Subway' (i keep calling it the Tube) runs all night.. they have to write engineering works posters from 12am-5am... when most Londoners wouldn't expect the tube to run anyway..

During this trip I've been quite ill, and so haven't been able to enjoy as much of New York as I might have wished.. but for now my gem in New York has been Central park.. every time I step in there, I find another wonder. First time it was little turtles popping their heads out of the green alge water, the second a Hawk -no kidding just perched high up on a branch looking out, apparently Central Park is the place where you'll find the largest variety of birds in the whole of the US. Then there's just the enormity and beauty of the park, the rambles where you can quite literally get lost.
Yesterday I got caught in the rain with no umbrella, and in the humid heat the rain was welcome, I took shelter by a tree, and watched another woman do the same..
As I watched the joggers continue past I started to see steam coming off the tarmac.. I know it sounds insignificant, but it was almost mysterious, and a little bit of magic..

Now that we have an apartment and settled, I cant wait to have people visit.. I'm looking forward to returning.. and continuing this blog.. there's so much more to write about!!
Adios for now Big Apple!

Week Two - The house search

So I met our Estate agent this week- otherwise known as our Broker in these here parts.
Lovey spry blonde woman, my first native that I've had contact with.. in the first ten minutes I learn that she also is looking to move into Manhattan - upper west side infact- which is where we were looking, and she needed a three bedroom, this was because she was divorcing her husband and taking her two daughters with her.
She apologises for getting personal, then proceeds to tell me that she's met someone else who also happens to live on the upper west side and that she isn't quite divorced yet, and 'Oh that probably seems really bad to you' then continues with what a great time she had with her husband, but they argue too much and besides this new guy is so connected to her, oh and they're celebrating their one year anniversary this weekend, going to a spa, her husband can look after the girls...She tells me she wont be available at the weekend due to her trip...but later changes that to my boyfriend to say she has another client...
I still have my English politeness on, the way you are when you first meet someone you hardly know- smiles and nods and the idea that people here are not at all worried to share their personal lives, even on a mobile (cell phone) conversation in the middle of the street.
She puts me through my paces. She is 10 years my senior and she can walk up those brown stones as if it were a breeze, I am puffing and panting my way up the numerous staircases and catching my breath as we look into yet another flat/apartment which has little room to swing a rat, nevermind cat.

She shows me 10 more the same. I start to doubt if she knows the area at all, we double back many blocks many times.. I am exhausted and she hasn't even stopped for a drink. I need to.
So we have a short stop for a drink and she wants to do more. I have taken photo's of all these apartments but now think I am not sure where one starts and another ends.

She finally conceeds to pick this up again tomorrow and I come back to fall asleep on the temp apartment couch and totally oversleep meeting the boyfriend. With only UK mobiles/cells I begin to panic that he is waiting and it will cost me a fortune to tell him I just woke up...