Wrapping Up New York Trip

24 Oct 2013 (Thu), sunny-partly cloudy, 4-11 deg C.

The temperature had dropped again.  I had initially wanted to travel as far as I can to Brooklyn, but decided not to and I just alighted at Prospect Park.  Walked around a little and went into a little cafe for a muffin and a hot tea.

I didn't shop much the whole trip and only bought souvenirs (name tags, key chains and such), so I went around some shops along Sixth Avenue to buy a little beads and trimmings for myself. 

Time sure passed very fast when one go shopping. Joined DH for dinner in Columbus University.

25 Oct 2013 (Fri), sunny, 5-12 deg C.

Today was our last day here.  I went out to Times Square to buy a bit more gifts, and walked around while waiting for DH to finish the last part of his course.  

   

It was sure congested in the evening on the road and it took much longer than we expected getting a cab willing to drive to the international airport. Lucky we didn't miss the plane!  Long flight back to Singapore, but I swapped seat with hubby after the transit at Frankfurt and enjoyed the rest of the flight on Business class.  Loved the cheese platter, but I still couldn't sleep despite the ample space to lie down, and ended up watching 5 movies on the flight back, making a total of 10 movies including the flight to New York!  

It was sure a lot of unforgettable first experiences and encounters in this 16-day trip.  Fond memories too of the people I have met.  My heartful thanks to all for their little gestures and little helps I received everyday I explored this big and diverse land!

Grand Central Terminal, 9/11 Memorial, Empire State Building

23 Oct 2013 (Wed), partly cloudy, 5-14 deg C.

I had wanted to rent a bike and cycle in Central Park, but it was too cold for me without any jacket.  So, I just wandered around today.  Went around the State Empire Building, but decided to go up only at night for the night view.  Then I went on to Macy's, but nothing really caught my fancy.  I hopped on a bus, but guess what, a few tens of police cars, ambulances and fire-engines went whizzing past the bus I was on.  Traffic almost came to a standstill. I got off and walked down the street. No one was running, everyone was curiously waiting and watching.  Something happened at Penn Station, and service was suspended.  The buzz was that someone fell into the track.  After a while, fire-engines and ambulances started to pull away, and I too continued my way for lunch.

Hoping to get some postal stamps, I walked to the General Post Office.  There is a corner of postal exhibits.   

Just next door is the Grand Central Terminal, and it is grand and elegant as its name! 

Took the subway from the Grand Central Terminal to World Trade Center. I had a bit of frustration and problem finding the place where they issue the ticket and the actual entrance to the 9/11 Memorial, and was literally walking up and down the street a few times before I finally found it.  They were almost closing.  Sombre yet tranquil.  One World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) is impressive.

After dinner at Mdm Ruby Foo's, we went up the Empire State Building for the night view of NYC. Luckily, DH had some pullovers and jackets bought from the University store that day; we were so cold out on the rooftop that we just wore them, never mind if they were grossly over-size for me and tags were still hanging! 

Some of the Most Famous Places in New York

21 Oct 2013 (Mon), sunny, 11-18 deg C.

I spent the whole of Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Nina was there as a volunteer to repair books, and she got me in as a guest.  I had a little tour of her workplace and had a soup and salad for lunch with Nina at the staff canteen.  The museum is amazing, all those exhibits!  If I could afford the time, even one week would not be enough to  go through everything!

I tagged along with hubby for some of the meals at restaurants designated by the University.  We got to try different foods from Mexican to Asian fusion.  I couldn't say I really enjoyed the food, most tasted just not quite there compared to what we eat in Singapore, but then, there were some nice surprises too.  

I hardly take fast food even at home so no burger at all for the whole trip, but I simply love salads, and I was overwhelmed by the variety of vegetables and salad dressings available everywhere.  Soups too! 

22 Oct 2013 (Tue), cloudy turned sunny, 9-19 deg C.

This was one busy day.  I went to the Top of the Deck at Rockefeller Center for a bird-eye view of the whole city.  Initially cloudy, but the sky cleared before I left!

Next, it was Ripley's Believe It or Not! at Times Square.  Another place with amazing exhibits.  The most gruesome must be the those shrunk heads, with even a 10-step recipe on how to shrink a head to fist size!  I'm not joking.  Although I'm one brave gal, it did feel a bit eerie to walk on my own in the near empty halls looking at the collections.  I reinforced on myself it was the dim settings and purposely done that way!!

Just nearby was Madame Tussauds.  This was my first to the wax museum.  Pretty exciting to meet some of the most famous, just like real!  I was visiting on my own, so when I spied a lone Japanese visitor, we became happy companions and exchanged cameras to took photos for each other!  

Hey, that wasn't all for the day!  How about a dinner cruise on the Duchess?  Awesome sight along the bank, millions of lights dotted the darkness.  Dinner was fantastic too, every single dish, both presentation and taste!  This was one meal I really enjoyed!

Weekend in New York

19 Oct 2013 (Sat), overcast, 10-17 deg C.

DH skipped some optional modules and we spent the weekend sight-seeing New York via the fastest way - taking the bus.  The agents were all over the streets!

The weather wasn't exactly very cold, but I wasn't prepared for it and didn't have the appropriate jackets.

Colours on the trees hadn't quite changed yet, according to Nina, it would change only the next month. So glad I went Connecticut first!  Two very different worlds, not just the colours.

And the 3rd loop.

Getting dark and getting colder!

Colourful M&M World at Times Square!  You could personalise the M&Ms too, but they aren't cheap. 

20 Oct 2013 (Sun), sunny, 10-17 deg C.

How can we miss weekend flea markets?  We didn't pick up anything though, but discovered different flavours of s'mores, toasted to order.

We were lucky that the United States federal government shutdown ended barely a few days ago and we were able to visit the Statue of Liberty!

Walking around Chinatown and Little Italy in the late afternoon.

And we went on a night bus tour.  Bought some snacks and drinks back the hotel.

Bye Bye, Connecticut!! Hello, New York!!

17 Oct 2013 (Thu), overcast/sunny, 17 deg C.

I dared not venture too far from Norwalk on my own, so I took cab to Darien today, to the Bates-Scofield House.  I was walking straight into a 18th century farmhouse!  It was built around a massive central chimney with a huge fireplace and beehive oven, the house is an original Darien farmhouse thoughtfully restored to its origins. 

Darien is a nice little quiet town.  I took a long stroll around and managed to see some nice autumn colours.

Before I knew it, I found myself close by the train station, and decided to find my way back to Norwalk by train.  Not many people around to ask for info, the office was locked and I was walking up and down the platform almost in despair.  But, I managed to hit the right person for help and I was finally on the train back to Norwalk for a salad in Chocopologie before heading back to hotel.  

I did a sum, couldn't believe I chalked up US$215 in cab fares for just 5 days!  I had looked up the option to take public bus but the place is big, houses are far and between, few people on the pavement, I hardly notice any bus or bus stop. Even cab is difficult to flag off the road and has to be called. Oh well, this was our last night in Connecticut. 

18 Oct 2013 (Fri), sunny, 15-19 deg C.

Left Dolce for New York on a chartered bus with DH.  They dropped me outside Columbus University and I made my own way by Metro to Lower Manhattan to meet ..(drum beat).. Nina!  Yes, Nina Libin in person!!  Nina stays in a neat little apartment, I was so impressed with her computer system - 2 real huge monitors side by side, set up by her husband, oh wow! And of course a feast on the eyes seeing all her tatted jewellery with all those beads!  Ate a simple lunch with Nina and I tried my first goat cheese and almond milk!  Love the tastes! 

I couldn't stay long though and had to rush back to check in Le Parker Meridien, catch a quick dinner and then to The Metropolitan Opera House to catch Vincenzo Bellini's "Norma".  Hubby's classmate bought the ticket, but they had night lesson, so I went!

The opera ended around 10.40 pm.  So many people were trying to flag for cab. The hotel wasn't far, but my sense of direction was poor and the night was dark and cold.  Never mind, I could get back on foot, and I did, but not before walking in the wrong direction part of the way and asking for directions.  I did have a local phone with google map, but at times, I just couldn't figure out which direction it was pointing!  

More of Norwalk and Westport

Though I didn't really took a lot of photos of my USA trip last Oct, I still spent quite some time going through the photos and creating these collage photos.  Well, I shall continue from where I last stopped...

15 Oct 2013 (Tue), sunny,  11-16 deg C.

Decided to go to the Matthew Park, only to find out that the Lockwood Mathews Mansion opens from Wed to Sun, so I could only admire the external beauty of the mansion from the Victorian Era.

From there, I wandered on foot, walking down streets; vehicles on the road passing by me but hardly any one else on the pavements.  It was a fine day despite the cold wind.

I ended up in Connecticut Ave again and stopped for an afternoon snack and packed dinner back.  The spaghetti was nice but just too much a portion for me.  I had walked so much that my boots worn out and I had to buy a new pair at Payless!

16 Oct 2013 (Wed), overcast, 17 deg C.

Another hike, this time at Earthplace in Westport.  There were 5 trails in total.  The place was quiet and peaceful, so much so there was hardly a soul.  Yes, I hiked alone leisurely for a few good hours, enjoying the nature and snapping away with my camera!  Well, I did lose my way in the last trail and instead of getting back, I ended up on a road somewhere. Alright, I was lucky to at least walk out of the forest with the sky overcasted, and not lost myself inside, and to manage to stop a car to ask for directions!!  

Found my way back to Earthplace to explore the garden and museum exhibits.

Here, there were more of birds, specimens and live birds of prey (though each with some injuries).

Geraldine from Earthplace was such a great host that she even drove me around Westport for a little sightseeing and then all the way back to Connecticut Ave.  

I had a California omelette before heading back to the hotel.  Really enjoyed the dish.  We don't have such an interesting variety of ingredients in our omelettes here and I have to be content with just mushroom usually. 

Colours of Fall in Stamford

13 Oct 2013 (Sun), sunny, 13 deg C.

DH managed to squeeze some time to come out from his course.  On recommendation from our cab driver,  we went to Stew Leonard's at Westport Avenue  Stew Leonard's is a chain of 4 supermarkets in Connecticut and New York which Ripley's Believe It or Not! deemed "The World's Largest Dairy" and Fortune magazine listing it as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For".

There were games in the market and lots of animatronic singing animals perched on top of shelves that would sing and dance, even running trains, which entertain customers of all ages. I have never seen so many fresh herbs and variety of cheeses too!  All those gourds and vegetables are such a sight, wow!  We haven't seen so many of these huge pumpkins in our life. Halloween is not widely celebrated in Singapore and definitely not in any big scale. The amount of food and fresh produces had me breathless.  Lobsters were relatively cheap so we bought whole steamed lobster and big tub of lobster salad and some very tempting fried chicken pieces for a simple lunch.

We spied hay rides in the car park, some Halloween photo corners and a small petting zoo too!

I didn't want to go but DH decided to make a trip to the SoNo Market Place at 314 Wilson Avenue. It was a disappointing trip, so quiet a place, with just some stores opened. We ended the day early as hubby had a night module back in the hotel - orchestral leadership.  I sat in as an observer.

14 Oct 2013 (Mon), sunny, 15 deg C.

14 Oct 2013 was Columbus Day, and a federal holiday since 1934.  The Stamford Museum & Nature Center (39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford) had lined up special programmes for the day.

I first went for a guided hike through the SM&NC forest. It was a fine day for hiking and a great feeling to be out in the nature. Even felt magical to touch all those maple leaves, oak leaves and acorns that I have been tatting all these while!

There were quite a number of animals in the Heckscher farm and compound. Was it that I have not been to our local zoo for too long? I felt it was really up closer and personal here in this place.  So thrilling to admire all the different animals within close proximity.

Lots of fringe activities on the native American culture held on that day.  I also tried starting a fire spark and drilling a hole with simple hand-created tools.  And I found out about s'mores and had my first-ever piece done the bonfire way! A great treat for those who like marshmallow and chocolate! 

An exhibition, "By Her Hand: Art of Native American Women".  In the exhibition, one can "meet" the Native American women at the turn of the last century in the western United States, who transformed everyday objects such as basketry, pottery, textiles and beadwork, with personal expressions of artistic flair.  They were identified as true artisans and their highly-prized works are part of this exhibition.

 Awesome blooms and fall scenery.

Spent the evening with DH shopping at Best Buy, T.J. Max, Great Deals and Walmart along Connecticut Avenue and dinner at Red Bean Asian Bistro.  The food wasn't too bad, I almost wanted to go back a second time for more.