Autumn in New York

Autumn red

Just back from two weeks in the US of A, and in honour of today being Thanksgiving - that important holiday for our US friends - I'm going to post some pictures of a few days spent in Chappaqua, New York and Manhattan. Pumpkins left over from Hollowe'en and brilliant foliage still lasting through the final days of Autumn (or, should I say, 'Fall') feature prominently. This is more of a photo album than an proper blog post, but - hey! - enjoy!

Chappaqua

The Inn

Chappaqua is about 45 minutes by train from Manhattan, and is filled with the homes of the rich and famous, including that well-known family, the Clintons. Though I didn't find time to drop in on Hilary and Bill *wink* I did have the privilege of staying at an Inn they apparently frequent from time to time (am I allowed to say that?): the delightful Crabtree Kittle House Inn, built in 1790.

Crabtree's Kittle House Inn

The last of the leaves

Still glorious

Chappaqua sunset

A neighbourhood walk

Cold Spring

Cold Spring: Antique heaven

In Cold Spring, New York, about an hour's drive from Chappaqua, I found the motherlode of American antique shops. Sadly, only a few were open, but those few were so extensive and so filled with interesting objets that it really didn't matter. With pretty houses, still-vivid trees and a great riverside (yep - the Hudson) restaurant, Cold Spring was worth the pretty drive.

Cold Spring houses

Manhattan

'LOVE': Sixth Avenue, NYC

In Manhattan, the weather was surprisingly mild, with only a little rain. Central park was looking divine, in a wintery kind of way, and the city provided its usual basket of goodies: a De Kooning retrospective at MoMA, plus great Christmas shopping in the design shop; two great meals in the The Bar at The Modern (my all time favourite restaurant, for food and for people-watching); rendevous at Grand Central; opera (Zefferelli's big 'Boheme'); lunch in SoHo; a swing by Bloomingdales; brunch at The Pierre...and one last walk in the Park...

The marvellous Met

A reflective moment, NYC, November

Bloomingdales: Classic

Central Park...aaahh!

"Meet you under the clock..."

"...a little rain must fall..."

Skating in the Park

Autumn on the upper East Side

Street food: Manhattan

Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Brussel sprouts as they've rarely been served before.

And an unexpected bonus: discovery of Blue Hill at Stone Barns: a gastronomic delight of a restaurant on a marvellous farm estate (once part of the Rockefeller estate, now restored to a working farm) at Pontcantico Hills, NY. The food presentation was very picture-worthy; the tastes were sensational; the company the best ever...as you might guess, I had a good time. A very good time.

Vegetable masterpiece!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends, and to all.

My favourite pic from Central Park.