walking crosstown

 

i walked over to east village organic today to buy chestnut honey and a wildflower honey for greg and i (we like it on yogurt) and passed abraço coffee on the way. i was going to go in for a "kaffee mit schlag," but decided to meet greg at union square where he had just arrived for his bloodwork appointment (i miss meeting korrina here so much!). 

after his appointment, he went back downtown to work and i ended up walking home through washington square . .

for dinner i made sesame soba noodles (from the mollie katzen cookbook) which i haven't made in ages. i used to make it when the girls were little. it was delicious and the three of us almost finished it completely, but there's still a little bit for someone for lunch tomorrow.

a summery spring day

you know it's spring when the flower vendor returns to the green market.

dogs and babies . . out and about.

i picked up some things for kendall as aurélien wasn't feeling well this morning, and then walked with greg to best buy as he wanted to shop for headphones.

it only took him about an hour to pick out the cheapest pair. (just kidding - he actually settled for middle of the road and chose a pair for $40. of course, as he said, anything sounds better than the inexpensive earbuds he's been using.) i walked around and explored the seemingly enormous kitchen appliances: vacuum cleaners, instant pots (nothing smaller than a 6 quart), nespresso and keurig machines, vita mixes, etc. . . 

and these gadgets . .  i have no idea! (some kind of air purifier and humidifier)

we walked through the green market where i bought potatoes for our cod fish and kale dinner tonight, and then we split up as i went into whole foods for a few other food items and he continued to joe coffee cafe to unwrap his new purchase.

after shopping i was going to walk home but it was such a beautiful day that i decided to walk to the coffee shop and meet greg . . and sit and knit.

it went up to 78 today and i was dressed way too warm. thankfully, the air conditioning at whole foods was on and, afterwards, when walking to the cafe, i stayed in the shade. there was also a nice breeze. 

the park was bursting with people and spring flowers . . 

(the scent of the hyacinth reached me first)

i talked with morgan in the evening before making dinner. they were visiting harley's mom in the countryside.

coffee and dinner

 
i did a lot of walking today . . first to meet korrina for coffee before she began work, and second to visit sacha and charlotte for dinner in brooklyn (coming home in between) . . 

the beautiful fig tree in front of the cafe . .

besides sitting down for coffee and perusing shawl patterns on ravelry (she's searching for something for the two skeins sitting on the table), i was picking up keys from her that i had left at the house when we were there together. i also managed to do an incredibly graceful flat out fall on the floor of the cafe while maneuvering between other patrons sitting in chairs packed too tightly back to back . . 

there's a very nice thrift store across the street with well priced clothes . . korrina found a black cotton dress for $9.

maybe i've posted this black cat before? i'm always surprised to see it.

i stopped at mcnally jackson on the way home as the book i had ordered was in (in my mother's footsteps).

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in brooklyn now . . 

pookie the cat . . they have another cat adopted just four weeks prior who was still in hiding mode underneath their kitchen sink. they lost their sweet bunny half a year ago (he was quite old), but still have one adorable little mouse who poked his up from the little basket he was in. all these years sacha has been able to keep two little mice on a single shelf attached to the wall in her bedroom. however, she thinks the new mouse may have gotten one . . pookie is missing a tail and doesn't jump at all which is why they think it might be the new cat. (the new cat is very sweet but also very shy.) she may have to figure out something else for the mouse.

the chef busy preparing dinner . .

the menu and a delicious grapefruit lime spritz . . 

charlotte made the most delicious salad with black beans, red peppers, mango, avocado, cucumber and a delicious dressing.

greg met me afterwards (he had taken a walk on the esplanade) and we went home together.

wshington square

 

i had an appointment at 10 am this morning to have bloodwork done for a routine check up at the quest lab on 22nd street. greg came along for moral support, and it went well. the phlebotomist was incredibly nice and respectful and supportive and also very good at drawing blood . . she was quick and i hardly felt a thing even though she filled twelve vials (they weren't that big). afterwards, we walked down fifth avenue and through the park to washington square diner. it was a graduation day for one of the programs at nyc and everyone was out taking pictures.

the purple robes are so pretty.

 

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we stopped at designer shoe warehouse for greg to pick out a belt . .
 

and had breakfast at washington sqaure diner . . 

 

christmas eve

 

rolling out french chocolates . . 

dinner after caroling . . 

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every year there is a caroling event in washington square park with a brass band and a singer to lead the carolers. today was the coldest day in the past ninety-eight years - seventeen degrees. being so cold, i thought there wouldn't be many people, but there were quite a number who showed up . . such intrepid new yorkers.

we sang hark, the herald angels sing, silver bells, o christmas tree, it came upon a midnight clear, the twelve days of christmas, we wish you a merry christmas, and silent night.

korrina met us too, and then came home for dinner (which chanda had been making while we were out) and to sing a few songs together around the table with dessert. (we had linguini and clam sauce with gingerbread and moon cookies and french chocolates for dessert.) we read the night before christmas, and sang people look east and silent night.

more carolers in queens where korrina got off the train on her way home.

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 people look east the time is near

of the crowning of the year,

make your house fair as you are able,

trim the hearth and set the table -

people look east and sing today,

love the guest is on the way.

furrows be glad though earth is bare

one more seed is planted there,

give up your strength the seed to nourish,

that in course the flower may flourish -

people look east and sing today,

love the rose is on the way.