Woke up far too early considering the amount of sleep deprivation I had in the past few days, but the City is beckoning and it's a fine morning out there.
Naturally plenty of Starbucks around, but coming across a Pret-a-Manger is reassuring. And troubling. I'm contemplating the probable inevitability we're heading towards of having pretty much the same everywhere we go.
The fine morning turns to windy, then cloudy, then hail. Just like home. I find refuge atthe lovely Friedman's brasserie for avocado on toast and poached eggs. Service is excellent in true NY fashion, and there's a guideline for tips on the receipt showing the amounts for 15% 18% and 20%. Just in case you're from Europe and was considering a conservative 10-12%.
I'm having second thoughts regarding my plan to walk the High Line considering the changing weather, but by the time I leave the cafe it seems to improve and I take a chance. It been recommended to me by a number of friends, an old overground railway route that was used to transfer goods from/to the river warehouses and now converted to a lovely walkway conserving parts of the original railway with all the plants that have grown over it since.
A nice break at 'The Under Line' cafe, perfectly positioned half way through the walk, and I continue on to end at the Whitney Museum. I can appreciate contemporary art, and would have been nice to go up to the viewing gallery, but I'm put off by the $22 it costs to go in and I am happy exploring the free gallery and continuing on.
I wasn't sure what it'd be like in New York having not been for so long, but I'm just loving it and walking through the streets of Manhattan I think to myself I could easily live here.
I'm exhausted and sleep deprived and it's time for a little snooze before going to see The Crucible which happens to show literally next to Alan's block. Very powerful. A night time pizza and then bed. The images from the play still flashing in my mind.
