It's hard for me to believe my last post was August 5th and today is September 5th and we're celebratingLabor Day.  The last few weeks have flown by with a very busy schedule!  Starting off with a trip to New York, attending the New York Now Trade Show, lots of shopping and meeting new people with whom memories were made. The highlight of my trips to New York are always about the great people who usually are chance meetings and then a conversation turns into an exchange of emails or phone numbers and then a chance to continue as a new friendship.
           The trade show was exceptional this year with approximately 2800 vendors that had everything from Home Decor to Clothing, Childrens Wear, Toys, Books, Furniture, Rugs, Kitchen items, Greeting Cards etc......everything is represented from all parts of the World.
There is a Handmade section and then the gifts and import side. The picture above is Me with my Daughter Stephanie and two of the employees of the NY Now Team! Below are some shots taken as I walked around the show. 

      I especially enjoy the Handmade side, as the exceptional talent of so many people are displayed. It was nice to catch up with a few people I met last year and see their new line. One such vendor is Jennifer Collier from England and her handmade Paper items. Another great Lady I met this year with a unique whimsical collection was Elaine of At-Choo. Below is Jennifers booth and a fun picture taken with Elaine. 

,      The last day of the show I purchased some items from a few vendors.  One nice man actually gave me a rolling cart to make it easier for traveling when I left the show.  It was late in the day so I accepted graciously and set out to meet my Daughter after work.  Off I went on the M20 Bus headed downtown. As I got on the bus another nice gentleman jumped up to give me a seat. I accepted with a few words of Thanks and then sat down to relax. I looked over and saw a women and her Son and another two children behind them I could tell they were traveling together and once again struck up a conversation.  They were a   lovely family from Ireland, now living in England. As usual when I get to talking I forget everything else and sure enough my rolling cart took off when the bus came to an abrupt stop . The lovely man who I now knew was Ray jumped up and got it as it rolled down then aisle. I was laughing so hard with Fiona his wife and truly enjoying this chance meeting. It turned out we were traveling to the same stop and  we all got off together, with Ray helping once agin with the cart.  By this time I had been introduced to their lovely children Hannah, Erin and Sam. We walked together to the 911 Memorial and I was able to take pictures of them together as a family and even one with me. My Daughter Stephanie met me there and also was able to meet this lovely family. We exchanged emails and I promised to send them some pictures. They were continuing their Holiday in Washington DC before returning to England. We took a goup picture by the Survivor tree with a Police officer who had put his hat on my head for fun.  We left after hugging Good-bye and once again a heartfelt memory was made.
      This trip truly provided the opportunity for me to add to my best collection.........new Friends!!!

       Above is the Lighthouse at Montauk Point on Long Island. I  remember many happy visits to Montauk as well as the Hamptons, Greenport, Port Jefferson and so many other Long Island towns. They are all so pretty with quaint  shops, restaurants and beautiful shore lines.  The Harbors are like so many pictures you see with docked boats, some with colorful sails and yes those beautiful Sunsets on the glistening water. I have been fortunate to live in both the Northeast on LongIsland and now in Southeast Florida.  The main difference is we only have two seasons in Florida Hot and Hotter!!! Ok I'm not always complaining but I do miss the change of Seasons most of all. My Daughter Stephanie lives in New York City and we visit often.... so we are fortunate to enjoy a taste of all the seasons. I have shared with you many New York Winter and Fall memories and now comes the lazy, day memories of the Long Island Summers where I grew up.
          

Many weekends we would head out to Jones Beach for the day. Sometimes we packed a picnic and swam in the beach and other times we went swimming in the two big pools that were there. We loved walking along the boardwalk stopping to taste some of the tasty foods the vendors had piled high.  From hot dogs and hambugers, fries, corn, clams on the half shell etc to ice cream and cotton candy. Everything tasted better at the beach as you felt the breeze of the water as you walked along the boardwalk. They also had archery, roller skating and an amphitheater that had great shows. A really great place and one that held many happy childhood memories for me. Here are some pictures I was able to find on line.

         Yes. yes so many nice memories but what would a post to Britalia Way be without mentioning food! Long Island summers brought some of the best tomatoes and vegetables I ever tasted.  The tomatoes grew in rich soil inlike Florida sandy soil that yes does affect the flavor. They were the deepest red and so juicy with a deliciou balance of both a sweet and tart flavor....absolutely the best. Long island corn, string beans,peppers were also fabulous. With all the farms, the vegetables stayed on the plants till ripe which is the key to flavor. Each night we would have sliced tomatoes with a little salt and just enjoy them plain to really savor the taste. There was no talk of organic then just incredibly good flavor! The only comparrison maybe was New Jersey who thought they had the best tomatoes but oh well we know the truth! ;) The one thing I did enjoy when traveling thru New Jersey and stopping at a farm stand was the white Gentlemens corn. It was always said the white corn was fed to the animals, but I actually thought it was better than yellow. The kernels were smaller and much sweeter. Of course now people like a mix of yellow and white as well.
​            Another Long Island treat for me was on trips out East we would stop and get Sorrell. A green not as common today but back then a part of spring and summer harvest. It is common in France and Europe as well as California. It is a hearty plant that can survive the odds ...perhaps I should try and grow it! Bright long firm green leaves, this herb had a bite which I might compare to arugula that is a staple in my salads each day. Sorrel is tasty in salads, soups, steamed or sauted. It will turn olive green when heated without changing the taste but if bright green is your color palette of choice use in salads or as a drink perhaps in green smoothies the rage of today. I will have to figure out perhaps wrapping my olives in sorrel for a twist for a dirty martini!!!   I will be visiting Long Island in two weeks and you can be sure I will be tasting and cooking with the great produce they have to offer. Can you imagine the best tomato on the best lightly toasted bagel with a sorrel leaf and perhaps a schmear of scallion cream cheese..............a meal like no other......I can hardly wait!!! ;)
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Although I love Florida it's hard to beat the Fall and the Festivities of Halloween in New York City!  These people (my kind) get really excited and it shows, in all of the decorations all over the City. I actually flew back to Florida on Halloween and was excited to see some New York ladies on the plane with hats  and costume shirts! I was headed home to celebrate my son Stephen's birthday on Halloween and my husband Rocco's birthday the next day on Nov1 st.

Every year the street where my daughter lives has a big celebration. They close the street, remove all the cars and thousands of kids from all over the City come to Trick or Treat! It is a truly a spectacular event.  I usually spend Halloween in Florida with Stephen for his birthday, but I actually got a little taste of the festivities two years ago when Hurricane Sandy hit. I was scheduled to fly home as usual but because of the storm I could not get out. The event had been canceled but the street was still decked out with decorations and about 2,000 kids and families showed up anyway. I was amazed and could only imagine what it is like with double that amount of people!!!
 Over the years this event has brought some celebrities and Stephanie (my Daughter) has seen Jennifer Garner and her daughter and Conon O'Brien with his daughter! Such a fun time for parents as well as the kids! This year my daughter and her neighbors set up a dance club outside of their building.  Dressed as ghosts, werewolves and witches as the DJ played music everyone danced.

Each October I look forward to the third Saturday of the month for Carol 's annual Halloween gathering. Carol and I were neighbors in Commack before I moved to Florida. Our friendship is one that is very special to me and one that has grown closer over the years. Even living so far apart, we always plan visits around my trips to the City and she comes to Florida every few years.
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P.S. A funny memory I forgot to share was several years ago Carol had the table set with fall leaves intertwined through beautiful flowers and tea light candles.  It was absolutely beautiful until....Yes you guessed it, as we sat down someone knocked over a tea light and all of a sudden the leaves caught on fire. The fire followed the design from one side of the table to the other. It was really scary at first, but then we all were laughing so hard!  As we sit down to the elaborate table each year we  always remind Carol, even her disasters have style!

 One of my favorite things about visiting New York is the opportunity to walk and take in the scenery around you.  At home in Florida I walk each morning  at 6:15  for an hour. As I walk out my door I see the night sky with the stars and hear the sounds of the owls and crickets.  Within a few minutes as dawn is approaching the sounds change to birds chirping and the beautiful sun rises. It is truly a beautiful way to start each day.
My daughter Stephanie's apartment is close to Central Park and each morning after she leaves for work I head over to the park for my walk. It is usually after 8:00 so the sun is up, but the sounds are so different. As I step out her door you hear the sounds of traffic and the sights of the cars, taxi's and trucks creeping along Columbus Avenue. One block away is the Park and as you walk in immediately you'll notice how quiet it is. Despite the city sounds you hear the birds and depending on the time of day you'll hear music from the street players. I love the  saxophone players as well as those with violins, cello's and one time a Harpist was there.

​I next walked by the Carousel and listened to the music while the children happily waved to their families.  I was just about to head back to the apartment when I noticed that an artist I had met over the summer was set up on Sheep's Meadow.  I walked over to see her progress on the picture she was doing of the skyline. She has huge rolls of paper that she rolls out to 12 ft long . It is so cool to watch her as she uses paint brushes that have handles 3 feet long so she can stand and paint. I enjoyed talking with her for a few minutes and then headed home.

New York Now...What a Great Trade Show.
This was my first time attending a show of this caliber. There were 2800 vendors that had just about everything you can imagine from Home Goods to Gifts and then some. I thought the Artisan side was fantastic, and got to talk with several vendors from England. One in particular had the neatest objects made from paper products that were carefully stitched together.  She had Tea Cups made of old Post Cards and Ladies Shoes that were so attractive. She used old Vogue patterns and even made a Sewing Machine. Her name is Jennifer Collier and here are some pictures of her work and some others taken through out the Show. ​

Stephanie and I woke up early the next day and headed to the Metropolitan Museum to see an exhibit on Dressing Tables and Perfume bottles. It really was lovely and you appreciate the beauty of such simplicity. OK well simplicity at its finest with an elegance all its own. The furniture was accented with the Perfume Bottles and several artworks depicting grooming. It was really interesting seeing the different styles from several Countries and imagining time back in the day. The art and sculptures at the Museum capture the detail of people and an era that was rich with culture. It was a time I might have enjoyed with its formality and grand atmosphere without the mention of Google and Facebook! Ok back to reality we had a lovely lite lunch at the Museum and then wandered about the City and stopped at Fairway to pick up some Codfish for Dinner. I made Codfish Puttenesca  and we enjoyed a quiet night relaxing and thinking about all the beautiful art and furniture we had seen that day. A beautiful day in a grand Museum viewing priceless art reminds me of Oscar Wilde’s statement, “My tastes are simple. I simply like the Best.”

I Love City Dogs!

When I’m in New York, I always take pictures of them and usually get the owners feet as well. It’s so cute to see the outfits and expressions on their faces. As I said in one of my earlier posts, their owners talk to them as children. I understand this as I talk to my Sheltie Dylan all the time. They set up play dates for them, take them to Doggie Day Care, as well as have walkers come to their apartments while they’re at work. The number of specialty stores that carry homemade treats, organic food, designer outer ware and toys is incredible. In some areas there is one on practically every street. It is so sweet to see how the dog owners meet up in the Park and discuss everything from training,day cares and yes even therapy! LOL! Most restaurants that have outdoor seating, all have water for the dogs as well. I was so surprised at how many stores allow dogs even full size in Department Stores. I’m talking about Saks Fifth Ave and Bergdorf Goodman! Have you ever heard that statement that some owners resemble their Dogs.. Of course in my Family nobody looks as good as Dylan! But anyway I was walking down Fifth Ave in New York and people watching and realized this statement is so true. One very well dressed woman with blondish gray hair walked into to Bergdorf ‘s with a beautiful Afghan and their hair color was almost identical ! Here is a picture of my Daughter Stephanie with our Beautiful Dylan! They kind of match too! So funny !

Here I am flying home with my head literally in the clouds! (My husband always teases me about that as I’m such a dreamer). It was great visiting my Daughter Stephanie in NYC and really enjoyed all the Fall sights and cool weather. I spent time with family and friends and of course had some of the best food in the World. I get so inspired to be creative in both cooking and gardening after a visit to New York. My favorite place is Central Park and seeing every type of plant and tree imaginable and set in backdrops that are magnificent is amazing. Clearly, nature at its finest with a feeling of grand elegance and topped off by history with all the Statutes around the entire park. Walking around the farmers market is always so fantastic. To see such a selection of fruits, vegetables, fresh breads, eggs, local honey, and beautiful lavender is great. I tried some tri-colored  chards that I sauteed with some onions and celery and used as a base to plate my roasted pork tenderloin with heirloom tomatoes. I also picked up a celery root and made a great Greek salad adding the fresh root. The leaves you get with the root are great in a light soup with peas and rice. Another idea for the leaves is to make a pesto with garlic and then add some cream cheese or even fat free yogurt and spices for a great dip or salad dressing .

I think the best thing about visiting New York is to just observe all the chatter around you. For example staying at my Daughters apt is like being a part of a sitcom. She lives on a beautiful tree lined street in an apt in a lovely turn of the century building. That in it self sounds picturesque but does pose issues. You really don’t have to see people on a daily basis as you can hear mostly everything through the walls. Actually you know that phrase If Walls could Talk well Stephanie’s Do! Another example the window panes are so thin when the leaves fall outside you think they are blowing around in your apt. I’m always amazed at how loud everyone can be from discussing dinner plans to picking up the kids or even just making an appointment. New Yorkers are emotional and don’t hide much. The cutest thing was last week I heard this women talking so lovingly and I had too take a peek to see the child and it turned out to be her adorable dog! She was chatting about what a great Play date they had and about stopping for a treat on the way home! Priceless NYC moment. Some of the  neighbors came over for a wine and appetizer gathering and what a fun time. Without even knowing what everyone was bringing it turned out to be so colorful and quite healthy. I’ve posted a picture in the gallery. Although we rarely see them, the next door neighbors are always having International people over and I love all the languages and dialects you hear. From England, Ireland, Germany and last week Chile!

Another funny encounter was on a trip downtown. I got off the subway and wasn’t sure of the direction I needed to walk. I stopped a gentleman and as he was giving me directions I realized I had to make another stop. When I stopped him and said I think I need to change the address he threw his hands up and said “Are you Kidding me, do you know where you’re going?” Once again only an emotional New Yorker will display such drama at giving directions! I thanked him for his help and walked away with such a smile on my face. I really enjoy Florida but miss the dynamics of the City!