Speigeltent

(tt)  Monica K, my agent, invited me to the opening of "Empire" in the tent right on 8th Ave. It was directed by Wayne Harrison and used the King Kong/Empire State/ Depression themes as a coathanger for some pretty amazing acts. Here are some grabs.

  A trio of Slavic sisters with amazing balance and strength

 I was convinced I was going to have my teeth knocked out

 An erotic adagio

 A small boy was juggled and spun at alarming speed. Theirs was the first standing o.

 Our host also paired with his "wife". Apart from a quick change act they did a banana chunk spitting routine which ended with them regurgitating chewed nana into each other's mouths!!

 This man manipulated a gyroscope along a huge branch.
No photos of his  tour de force which was a balancing act involving a white feather and an ever increasing mobile of banana fronds. Hypnotically moving.

 Some faces from the audience  Martin Kinnane who created the wonderful lighting with Miss Purple, the singer. There were no programmes!!!!

 On the right is my wonderful agent, Monica Keightly

A few 42nd St pics

(tt)   With screaming feet we walked along 42nd bound for the subway.

Residential towers on the corner of 11th Ave. This is the future for this once no go area

  I recognised this chair. We had seen others in a trendy pub garden in Toronto. Then Sheldon looked up and saw that we were outside the new gay hotel

 It is very pleasant. If George Jetson comes out he will be very at home here

Hoboken

(tt) I make no apologies for the length of this post. Hoboken is just too beautiful!

As I clack my feet are throbbing but it was all worth it. Sheldon had to turn down the possibility of subletting an apartment in New Jersey. The owners need immediate occupancy so it's a no go. But he decided we should go and look at the area anyway. It is across the Hudson and looks at Manhattan from Washington Heights to Battery Park.
We got on the PATH train from W33St  which took us under the river and arrived at the Hoboken Station

 This view looks to the NJ Train and Ferry terminal which we returned to later.

  We are on Hudson St bound for the Museum which turned out not to open til 2.

 This section of the street is mansion stuffed

  These school kids were belting out a song whose lyrics were all the states of America

  Sheldon is going to buy this

Yes Hoboken is his birth city

 We are now on Washington St voted one of the ten most beautiful streets in the country

Here we had a German lunch. Steak and salad for Sheldy. I had bratwurst with three kinds of mustard.
This family restaurant has been around since 1910.

We coninue our jaunt and are now totally Hoboken-sotted. It is so so lovely...very much reminiscent of Edinburgh.

We began a self guided tour and were sticking to it..Bloomfield St

And Tenth

But Sheldon was drawn back to Washington St

The Shrieking Finger spots a bargain

A little book store with art gallery windows

This is the site of a reality cooking show. The place was packed with people queuing for canoli and wanting to see Carlo

 Sheldon found this classic sign

The magnificent train and ferry terminal. You realise just how wealthy America was a hundred years ago

 The skylight is Tiffany

 There are still paving stones in the forecourt

The view across to Manhattan

A fab park created from waterfont dock and warehouse land. Gentrification is the go here.

 Sheldon plans his next property purchase. That tall one would be nice

  That's a uni campus

 A family picnic

Don't leave me fellas

 Sybil's cave..an old spring rediscovered and turned into a park...locked

  Days gone by

 This is a home!!

  There is a chook cage astern

 And a garden aport

 The gangplank is topiaried

 The captain snores in her hammock

 The ferry pier. 8 minutes to 39th St.

  Our carriage arrives

  A familiar sight to regulars

  Last Independence day we had a picnic down those steps courtesy of Gary Stevens and Alan George

  Battery from the ferry

  Not the sky line it used to be. Ah well

 The Holland Tunnel air shaft towers over the ferry terminal

  Thanks NY Waterways.  Maybe you will become a regular in Sheldon's life. That was Hoboken!