I'm as normal as....

Yes!   Blueberry pie!   Just after this shot Mr Byrne's pastry leapt into the Hudson,  accompanied by a girly shriek..not, I may add, from me.

So for the Holiday of Holidays, if you don't count Thanksgiving, we were invited by our dear friends, Gary Stevens and Alan George, to celebrate Independence day in their apartment which is part of a pier complex overlooking midtown Manhattan.
This is the view when you alight from the bus right outside the building

The communal central courtyard was set up with party tables all the way to the end of the pier

We had a pre-fireworks lunch and met some stunning folk.

Here's Mr B enjoying the view.

Sheldon and Gary

Sheldon  with Josh Vandiver, a political philosopher and writer, whose lover and husband, Henry Velandia, was almost deported to Venezuela, but for their successful political agitation and groundswell of support. That's Henry, a Latin Dance teacher and choreographer below.

 Lots of jolly actors and musicians too

Claudia and her son, Dan. Such fab people. So kind and gentle and gracious
Tim, Dan's dad, is a gifted cellist and sideman and had stories galore of Connie Francis and Maureen McGovern.

 Alan our gracious co-host

Now the day from the balcony into evening when we moved to the water's edge for the fireworks.

The marina from the balcony.  Music from ghetto blasters and even the odd plungee.

 A tug pushing a fireworks barge (sponsored by Macy's) up the river into position.

This was actually playing a television program.

Getting towards late arvo

Thought someone was throwing out the salad water

It was a fire tug showing off

Here's one coming the other way with red, white and blue coloured dye

The village green

Getting to the vantage point

 From now on til the end of the fireworks the shots were taken from this one spot.

Looking down to the World Trade Centre

The tallest structure is the rapidly growing first tower.

Am only posting a few firework shots. Haven't mastered it yet and you know what a bunger looks like.

Heading home, we begin a patient but futile wait for a nonexistent bus.

We finally got home via light rail, the Path train and a wild taxi ride that nearly saw my demise..being flung against a door then whisked up the East River freeway where children were setting off their penny bungers.

 I was convinced one was going to be chucked in through the open window. Who needed Coney Island!!!!

Thank you Alan and Gary for a stunning day

to Birdland with an odd bird

(tt)   Paul Byrne's first night out in the big A was to Birdland.

Every year a group of mostly European musos of geniacal artistry pay tribute to the jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt.  He is one of my idols and his Hot Club of France albums were my loves. The group consists of  guitarists Andreas Oberg, Samson Schmidt and  Doudou Guillerer;  bassist, Brian Torff, who had played with Grappelli; violinist, Pierre Blanchard and Ludovic Beier on electric harmonica and accordion. They played standards such as 'The Good Life', 'This Can't be Love' and 'Them There Eyes' which Doudo vocalised with hilarious riffs, and new works in the style of but not merely a copy of the Master.. Each of the core group are stunningly gifted and every evening they invite a guest artist to sit in. Tonight's was brilliant brass player, Claudio Roditi.
This was so wonderful and the excitement of the evening grew slowly into a bubbling frenzy.  Paul's apple crumble was horrible.

Afterwards we met up with Sheldon at the stage door and Mr Byrne got to meet him close up

He's coming. He's coming . He's here!!

Paul Byrne arrives to wreck the peace and quiet and eat us out of house and home.

Is that his cab?

Is that him?

Yes!!!

"When are you leaving?"

wonders

(tt)                                     Two incredible visions in the one hour

This fawn sprang across the road deep in another world. He was looking through a  bosky wood not a rusty railing.

He was reading a maiden's palm not her Blackberry.

When I  told him he was wonderful he said, "No, man. You are wonderful. I 'm just a married man with children and a job to go to every day"

 Magic!

And having  his interval cigarette in the street one of the actors from "Unnatural Acts".

How's that for luck!