Day 2 Part 2

While I ducked into Purl Soho and a few other cute shops, the boys walked through Chinatown and little Italy. I met up with them as they were finishing off gelato and espresso.

 

We joked that I took this next picture because the lady in orange looked like my mom.

Dragon fruit!

We headed back towards 5th Ave. taking it all in.

We are truly amazed at how the foreign tourists will wait in line to go to stores like Hollister and Abercrombie. Personally I think Asians shouldn't give them any hard earned money.

We are also surprised we don't see as many dogs as in San Francisco. New York is more family friendly than we expected. 

Our feet needed a little rest so we hoofed back to the hotel for a quick swim and shower and some relaxing.

New York is fun, but you have to move fast to keep up with her.

Intermediate post

1) I'm posting via iPhone mobile blogger app. These people should consult me because I have some serious recommendations. It is failing to allow me to reply to posts. This is something I'm trying to do a little more. It has crashed three times saving drafts and trying to publish with and without photos. I have lost most of the entries, drat.  Hang in there with me.

2) The wifi at the hotel is angry with me and has my latest draft spinning.

3) Lets talk about you!

Kepanie, Sapphireblue and wanderingCat, this is an eating town, and  definitely part of the adventure we wanted and our getting. I wish you all a lovely meal or two here. Also makes it easier to put in the extra hours of walking.

Deborah, I love your city and imagine you working out in this town is very inspiring. I love Central Park but am intrigued by the "rules" and directions of the runners. You must explain this to me! We don't have this in golden gate park as far as I know.

Karen as much as I can tell from your blog you and yours know how to enjoy the fast and slow paces of life. Go and enjoy yourselves!

I'll be back with more phood and photos.

Thanks for tuning in.

Family Holiday NYC 2013: Day 2

Monday's dreams of waking up at the crack of dawn and doing the Empire State Building  was dashed by Pacific standard time sleepins. 

We needed that. We employed flexibility which I'm not always good at if they are my plans that have to change. Well I think this trip is showing some of my change and growth too. 

We opted for leftover muffins and pizza for breakfast. The Manfriend went downstairs to the artisan coffee place. Fancy but perhaps not worth it? (Is that horrible of me?)

We slowly made our way south and walked around and went to Balthazar for lunch.

Skate wing with tomatoes, sweet corn and frisée.

The husband had frisée salad (over poached egg) and steak tartare which he enjoyed as you can see:

Then we walked around the nearby neighborhoods and look where I went!

It's Purl Soho!

This is where you stick your non knitter. 

But my non knitters found their own way around. Stay tuned for Day 2-Part 2.

Family Holiday NYC 2013: Day 1

Saturday evening the boys and I took the red-eye to NYC. I haven't been since I was a kid in my 20s visiting my parents in DC.

I was excited but nervous. I dislike other people's discomfort and disappointment. My desire for everyone to enjoy themselves was at high alert, when The Kid slept for maybe 4 hours on the plane.  

We took our time getting into the city via subway from JFK. We dropped the bags a little sluggish at our hotel, where they offered to try and check us in early.

We went off to the edge of the park for a proper breakfast at Sarabeths. There was construction outside so we had a chance to get seated fairly quickly for a NYC brunch. We just had to endure the noise. This was not a problem as family focus, individual or otherwise was minimal.

So sleepy, but I like the crispy pig mom!

I had "the Popeye" which was scrambled eggs over spinach and grilled ham on gorgeous homemade English muffins and a side of griddled tomatoes. Mm. The Manfriend had the eggs Benedict, classic.

We took a turn around the bottom of the park for constitution.

We then came back and checked into The Parker Meridian where everyone had a rest.

We walked the town some more towards Times Square and had dinner at some Neapolitan pizza place my husband looked up and we had some arugula to validate this:

And this was The Kid's which supplied his breakfast:

The Kid was giddy at  the flagship Toys R Us. They were sold out of the Minecraft poster he wanted, but the store guy thought they might restock the next day. We told him we could return. He skipped back to the hotel. 

A little bedtime reading and a few sleepy rows of knitting later, we went to bed ready for day 2.

Run or walk, just go.

Last week Thursday I ran a 5k out at the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve with my sister. I should've taken a picture of the lovely bay side wetlands but I was too busy huffing and puffing my way to the finish line. It's not pretty when I do it, but I do it, and I'm always glad afters.

It was an Esprit de She event which was super fun. There was a mani station and a massage station. There were great vendors and sponsors such as Luna bar and Athleta. They had salad, and fruit and sandwiches for the runners, post race. Even the porta-potties had plastic flowers stuck in the urinals, ha! The race shirt was a super cute tank top that is pretty flattering for different body types, and it was another female centric event. Everybody in line for the start and in general, were really friendly and supportive. Everybody there was sort of celebrating female fitness. I like that kind of stuff.

It was also our first evening run event. We got off a couple hours early from work so we wouldn't have to fight traffic so much, stopping off at a Joann's fabric for some Padawan poncho fabric for my nephew's birthday party. It was nice to not rush.

After the race, everyone (of age) was allowed 2 drinks, wine, mimosa. We opted for one each of the grapefruit mimosa with raspberries thrown in. Tasty, and a great idea for brunch and luncheon parties, non? No pictures  of them, because we were too chatty. Here is a picture of the "happy hour" area.

We went out for a quick dinner afterwards and got home around 9:20pm. I missed tuck-in but managed to sneak in a kiss.

There has been a lot of coordinating for our family holiday next week and family stuff going on, but we did manage a little family activity together. The boys and I ran The Giants Race 5k on Sunday morning. It was at 11 this time, to stagger the starts of the half marathon and the 10k.

They passed me again, but we all did pretty well. The Kid was like 79 out of 396 for males 16 and under (he's 10). My time was slightly faster for this one than on last week Thursday. Regardless, it was a fun family thing to do.

One for the money, two for the show ...

Okay none of it is for money. It's all for "Getherdone" or if you are tagging your items for Andi's KAL on Ravelry getitdone2013.

I have brought an old lace stole out of hibernation because it's been YEARS since I touched it and I do not want to re-purpose the yarn. I just want it to end. Who uses the word stole anymore? Grannies? I think the rest of us folk say, "wrap" My sister would say it's like a scarf and a shawl had a love-child, but I think it's just a wide scarf. I think it's in a cascade pima cotton. I remember being at the LYS and it was NEXT to sale yarn and it was shiny and soft. I also remember detangling it sitting on the floor of an airport on the way to Phoenix.

This iis a free pattern from Lion Brand, one of my first attempts at lace (2nd at this pattern) and it's when I learned you have to pay attention to yarn overs and count and stuff with lace.

It's not pretty it's provisional -- the provisional cast on for that seamless baby shrug I have prattled on about. Cast I just in time to qualify for the knit along. 

Now that should be the last of my summer projects, but we shall see. Perhaps there will be a third wind for me.

How many things are in progress for you? 

Knitting Tid Bits

So this is my sock frozen in time. I think I know the proportions are kind of off, so I think it's slowed the momentum a bit. But don't worry, I've joined Andi's KAL (which is really a FAL - finish along) and is very awesome, because if there is any kind of peer pressure I need, it's the follow-through kind.

Andi's awesome knitalong!

(Yet for the record, it's really only your own pressure, Andi's not going to come after you with a wooden spoon like my Mom when I wouldn't do my chores, smart talking her and knocking over stuff in the kitchen running away from her -- sorry, flashback.)

This is how I have been distracting myself, I finally managed to cast on for a hitchhiker. It's fantastic times. When my mind is whirly-birding with next day work anxiety or I just can't focus on yarn overs, I crack this project bag open. The yarn is my first go with Little Red Bicycle. The colorway is "Sidewalk Chalk", and the little girl in me says, "totally."

And then there is the gift knitting.

 This one has potential to feel like obligation because I said I would make it out loud. This means there's a level of expectation. So I "have to". But it's a baby item and it's a return to pattern (Baby Sophisticate - Free). I have faith, and I'm sorry, I know I've mentioned it before, but if you're gonna acrylic, I can't hype the Brava worsted from Knit Picks enough. Get on that horse and ride it, because you and your hands will be happy with this washable soft project yarn.

What say you? We are verging on August. Where does your summer knitting stand? Have you joined Andi's knit along? Are you doing another one? Are you too deep in the heat or work or family to clickety clack?