I debated about posting this, but finally decided to. This was the view from our roof last night. It was a strange and emotional day, but the tribute in lights is a beautiful and touching tribute.
On a lighter note, come and have a looksie at the yarnmail I got last week:
Okay, Okay, if you're a Yankees fan you might not care for this post, or already have stopped reading.
Still here? Well, Wednesday was Mr. B's birthday. To celebrate, I took him out to the Mets / Padres game at Shea and what fun we had, it helped that they won of course. I got into baseball when I first came to visit the US and saw the Yankees play the Red Sox at Fenway (I wanted the Sox to win, but they didn't). I had much fun despite not understanding most of what was going on, particularly the 7th inning stretch - what was that about? We moved to live in New York in 2000, only 3 days before the Subway Series started. We were living with a Mets fan, and as Brits, we naturally support the underdog - so we became Mets fans instantly.
Okay, enough history. Piazza was playing with the Padres, and he scored 2 home runs, which were cheered mightily by the Mets fans. However, the chance of him getting another home run and taking the lead shut us all up! We had the cheap seats, but behind home plate. For a few innings I had this view:
I'm proud of myself, I did not hurt the child, just peered through whatever gap I could and bitched and moaned a little to Mr. B. (thank goodness he's a patient man).
So glad we made it to at least one game this year, it's such a great atmosphere, soooo much different to the last couple of years year where the stadium was practically empty and people just jeered the team :(
In terms of knitting/spinning, while there is plenty going on in the house of Schrodinger, it needs to be super-secret goings on right now. Suffice it to say, I'm actually getting jealous of my secret pal - it's going to be hard to give them the next gift installment (I WANT IT! I WANT IT! I scream in a tantrum). As for my Jaywalker, I'm nearly ready to post another picture. It's still going to be a little big (but much, much, much better than before). Instead, I will focus this post on NYC and what a cool night we had last night.
We were out for a friend's birthday, went to The Overlook which has a lovely patio area, where we spent much of the night, getting bitten. On the way, I was thrilled I brought the camera because of this great view of the Chrysler building which remains a firm favorite of mine on the NYC skyline - little did I realize what the evening would bring. 
I actually took the camera with me today. But, for some reason, I felt embarrassed when I took the camera out to take pictures - I'm paranoid about looking like a tourist here - and I don't really know why. I did manage to take a few pictures though. There wasn't anything overly out of the ordinary going on and people were pretty normal today [for New York]. I'm sad because I fear that the weather will be too humid on Monday and, possibly, Tuesday for this lovely walk.
My new office is located on 34th st, and this is my view walking to the train on the way home... jealous? You might not be if you knew what the crowds can be like during rush hour - particularly in the rain (watch out eyes!!).
Here is a 'typical' boulder, frequently seen and used to sunbathe on in the park.
Delecorte theatre - where they have the free Shakespeare in the Park. One day I will go to this, if I can actually be bothered to queue up for hours and hours in the mid-summer heat.
I have no idea how many people see this view of the Met, I know lots in the city do, but to those that don't, I think it's cool. The Temple of Dendur is housed there behind that glass wall.
And I had to take a picture of the destruction that is going on on 86th and Lex. The building are coming down to make room for yet another storefront highrise. Just in case there isn't enough high priced apartments in the city already.
There was a fundraiser at work today (it's pretty much a daily thing at my office, working for a non-profit and all). I normally avoid them (well, it's not like I'm making big money), but this time it was handmade Jewelry. I will be out with a friend for her birthday tomorrow and really didn't know what to get her - so it was earrings to the rescue...
Of course how could I not get a pair for myself?
Right, I'm off to dinner at our favorite local restaurant.
Did I tell you that I have been walking home from work through Central Park every day this week? The weather has been so friggin' gorgeous that I have decided to take a west side train uptown from the office (cos I actually have an office that I work out of practically every day - AND it's in Manhattan - can you tell I'm excited about that?). Anyway, I get off the train on the west side, then take a brisk stroll, I normally do 'brisk walks', the park brings some kind of serenity that I cannot get a pace faster than the 'brisk stroll' level - I'm not complaining, this is a good thing, I feel I'm normally stuck behind some ridiculously sloooooow walker, that it's a turnaround to be that person. I have promised myself that I will take my camera, since I have missed some great photo moments so far this week [including the filming of the 'Nanny Diaries" with Laura Linney and Scarlett Johanssen which was a nice distraction for a few minutes], so maybe I will have something interesting to show this weekend..... or not :-)
As for the Jaywalker sock, while it looks better than this. However, it was frogged again and I just can't talk about it.
I'm coming home today and my street is signposted 'set'. Now that doesn't happen very often, but I see it in other parts of the city all the time. I don't pay much mind until I realize that I don't think I can get into my apartment building without actually being in the movie - yuck! Eventually I figure out the timing and dash in between "cut" and "action". I figured it was a CSI, Law and Order or some similar TV thing, but checking out the directors name (conveniently written on the chair) from my roof, I find that it's actually a movie. Now somehow this is more exciting than a boring old TV show, I realize that Tim Robbins and Bridget Moynahan are outside my apartment right now, filming. I think the blonde girl is Dakota Fanning - but I could be wrong, shouldn't she be taller than that by now? Anyway, that's my other-than-knitting excitement. I checked it out, the movies is called "Noise" and this is actually the first day of filming, wonder if they will be back again tomorrow?
Yesterday I left work early and went with Mr. B. and a couple of friends to see the Conan O'Brien Show recording. While the guests were just okay, I found Conan to be really funny and his warm-up guy hilarious. I think I laughed almost solidly for the hour, and leaving the studio, we all felt a little odd, as though high on drugs. I couldn't tell you if it was the laughter, the lighting, or sitting in the small studio flicking eyes between the *real* stuff and the many TVs, but it was quiet odd. If you get a chance, and you like Conan, I highly recommend going to a taping for the experience, although your hands will be pretty tired afterward from all the clapping.
We were fortunate enough to go to Joe's Shanghai restaurant in Chinatown afterwards, my first time. The soup dumplings were a major hit with Mr. B., but being the finickety eater that I am (don't like soup, can't stand dumplings) I tried, but couldn't do it, although the flavor of them was awesome. After that it was drinks at a selection of bars, now I find myself at home smiling about the great evening.
As for knitting news (no pics right now, sorry). I have started the "Child's Placket-neck Pullover" from "Last Minute knitted Gifts" for Jane's Bambino. And the Jaywalkers are progressing, albeit slowly. I must confess that I had ditch the toe-up idea when I admitted to myself that I didn't really know what I was doing and I was feeling too impatient to start (again, I will save toe-up for the falling leaves socks). Speaking of which, I'm having a lot of trouble finding Kool-Aid with no added sugar, I walked into several supermarkets in the city on the way home on Thursday, but no luck. Kool-Aid itself is hard to find, but suger free has proven to be elusive so far, my search will continue...
I also bit the bullet and decided that I will join this round of Secret Pal, still yet to inform Mr. B. of this decision though :-)
In a New York Bar actually. A young lady walks around a pool table putting her hands in the tables pockets shouting "where do the balls come out? Where are they?" Eventually, she goes to the bar and asks the barman "how do I get the balls out?". Straight faced, he explained that she needed $1.50 in quarter etc etc... His straight face and patience impressed me.
Unlike me, I am not patient. I have given up on the one-skein sock, the yarn was ugly and it was making a truly fugly knit, I wouldn't even wear thick acrylic socks - what was I thinking? I chose to abandon it the sock this evening, I spun for a bit and spent the rest of the evening blogging and planning my next sock (the knitpicks yarn is waiting for me at the post office across the street - it's okay, I didn't even try to break in to get it). The picture below shows the sock it all it's fugliness.
