Day 4

Day 4 – Last night we made a booking, on the concierge’s recommendation, at an Italian restaurant, La Masserie for 10pm – their next available booking.  It was about 9pm so we wandered up to the restaurant stopping at Hurley’s Saloon located opposite for a pre-dinner drink.  At 10pm the restaurant was still packed not only with lots of couples but also lots of families with young children!  Food good and service excellent….the tipping guide is 10% for any service, 15% for good service and 18% for excellent service and I must admit, the service, no matter if you are dining or drinking, is always great!  We wandered home after 11pm and there are people everywhere!  New York really is a place that never sleeps J

The weather has been unseasonably mild – around 19 degrees Celsius yesterday.  Gordy is very disappointed L Today it’s raining lightly as we wander up to Radio City to pick up our tickets for tonight’s “Rockettes” show.  Five shows today and they are ALL sold out!  We continue down 6^th to the park and then back along 5^th, stopping at the Peninsula for a drink.  Unbelievable shopping!  Gucci has a children’s shop where you can buy a dinner suit for your two year old!  Prada, Tiffany’s, Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton ….you name it!  New York is alive… so many characters …people singing, playing instruments or just drumming on plastic buckets and saucepan lids to make music ….smells, sounds, visually … it’s hard not to be caught up. 

I still have the dreaded lurgy and Gordy is still trying to catch up on sleep so we go back to the hotel for a rest.

The Rockette Show was great! 

People everywhere!

Waiting for rubbish collection

MORE people!

Beautiful windows

Peninsula Hotel

Day 3

Day 3 – It seemed like a good idea L I thought that if the change of connecting flights meant we had to spend some time in LA that we might as well spend as much time as possible hence the choice of the ‘red eye’ to NY!  I even took a sleeping pill to ensure rest …… wrong!  Did not sleep a wink….don’t know if it was the bumpy flight or the fact that the pilot unnerved me from the start when she singled Gordy and I out and came over for a little chat before boarding!  I had it in my mind that she might have been an imposter!  Anyway, we obviously arrived in NY safely but as we were early to the hotel, could not book in.   Found a diner for breakfast then walked down to Madison Square Gardens to pick up our tickets for “A Christmas Story” for today's show at 1pm.  Back to the hotel, room still not available (we were very early) so hung around in the lobby until time to go to the show.  Show was lots of fun…only drifted off once or twice, Gordy just about slept through the whole thing!  Walked back along 6^th Ave.  This morning there was hardly anybody around, now there were people everywhere….New York is amazing!

We are staying at the Sofitel in New York.  Rooms are a good size by New York standards…chocolates on arrival, daily Evian, Hermes products and consistent Sofitel service.  Have slept for a while, now wide awake so think we might go out to eat somewhere then come back and attempt a normal night’s sleep J

Cnr 6th and 34th - Macy's, H&M, Victoria's Secret, Zara, Gap ...the list goes on! 

Juggling school in the park

Christmas skating

Our room in New York

Day 2 - LA

Day 2  - We have organized a tour today starting at 10.30am, when we are picked up and transported to Hollywood Boulevard, home to the walk of fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – not to mention an overload of hawkers trying to entice you onto their tours.  The tour is to the Hollywood sign, along Mulholland Drive, Rodeo Drive – where we stop and go for champagne and oysters at the Beverly Wilshire and through Bel Air.  Along the way various stars homes are pointed out ….ho hum.   Johnny Weismuller’s (Tarzan) is interesting insofar as it has been abandoned since he died.  He built a moat around the whole property but now it looks like it really is set in a jungle!

After we were dropped back at the hotel we checked out and took a cab to Santa Monica Beach.  This is quite a way from Beverly Hills ($35 taxi ride) and is basically lots of shops down a centre mall which is overrun by buskers.  Around the corner is the seaside and a brief walk brings you to the Santa Monica Pier that has a wonderful carousel and an amusement park …. I even saw “Voltar” – remember Tom Hanks in “Big”?   Back to the esplanade and into ‘Del Frisco’s Grille’ for a drink and a bite to eat before catching a cab back to the hotel to grab our bags then straight out to the airport….. unbelievable traffic ….just as well we left plenty of time!  Now sitting in the lounge waiting for our flight to New York.   

I am still struggling with this flu….. L

 

Grauman's Chinese Theatre

An oldie but a goodie!

What can I say?

My namesake :)

Add caption

You meet all types!

I get my kicks on Route 66!

Santa Monica

Day 1 - Left home at 8am Friday, arrived in LA 23 hours later!  Thank heavens for “sky beds”!  Great flight with Air New Zealand….very attentive, tasty food and generous amounts of Mumm champagne and a variety of great NZ wines.  Nice idea that with the ‘herringbone seat pattern’  allow you to dine together.

Airport is a fair way out from the city ($42 – 50 cab ride, would be $80 – 90 in Brisbane)– we are staying at the Sofitel, Beverly Hills and have a view of the “Hollywood” sign from our room.  Sofitel is always consistently good and this is no exception….comfy beds, Lanvin products, excellent staff.

After a freshen up we walk down to the Farmer’s Markets (about 25 mins) which includes a beautiful French Market, glass of wine – we are on holidays after all, then back home for a tiny ‘cat-nap’ before heading to the Ivy for dinner – zucchini flowers, lobster – delish J

'Hollywood' sign in the distance 

In the lift we were greeted by two French bulldogs and one very large great dane!

Farmer's Markets

Lobster stuffed with crab meat!

Christmas at the "Ivy"