5.00pmish, Sunday July 5, patio of Hotel Bentley ....sore feet

I have been walking all day and my feet are sore.

This morning, Dad came to the city and met SW and I at the hotel. We went to see Grand Central Station. Dad hasn't seen it since its 1990s renovations, its bright new constellated blue ceiling and shining marble floors.

We walked through a street fair on Lexington Avenue. SW bought sweet corn and Dad and SW bought Kashmiri woven rugs. There were two beautiful rugs with deep-coloured big flowers and butterflies which I loved, but I'm not in the market for a carpet right now.

Dad kept commenting on how clean the city is now. He loves it. I find it sterile - clean, well-behaved, orderly. I was thinking how no one seems to beep anymore (though coming from Canberra SW thinks they beep a lot). I noticed a 'don't beep, $350 fine' sign last night. The only chaos I have seen so far is in Times Square, still crowded with tourists ambling at a crawl. Barely chaotic.

Dad left to go back home around 1.30pm and I got falafel in a gyro pita and bought a $9 bra at Strawberry's for my 'new' (op-shop) shirts that I bought with Mom. Both will look much better with my boobs lifted. I like NY's falafel balls better than Australia's, and the bread, but Australia's falafel-sellers add better fillings, tabouli and hummus included. The falafel was $6.

Now SW and I are resting. There is a movie theatre a block or two up the street, so maybe we will go to the movies tonight. I bought a roll, tomato and avocado for dinner in the hopes that I can revert to my light South America eating.