NYC and The Films

New York,  featured in many films and TV shows from Sleepless in Seattle and Working Girl  to Blue Bloods and NYPD Blues.  There was much in this fast paced city that was the epitome of the screen.

Brown stones and the fire escapes

Staten Island Ferry

Ice skating at Rockerfeller

However,  there were a few things that were not as I expected.

Hmmm not as NYPD Blues portrays it and I couldn't see Frank Reagan pootling around in one of these.

Wall Street  ....really just a few buildings long!  

But, oh Grand Central, you outshone your portrayal in movies with your glitz and glamour.

His Version of the Gift and the Reprieve

Dear reader

Mr Him has posted his version of The  Gift on his Facebook.

I note below that he mentions 'words of wisdom ' and his 'reprieve.'  And what a reprieve not just a pedicure but a zen pedicure! Now if you excuse me  I'll just go and  cancel that back wax I'd booked for his birthday next week.

Here is his post.

My little lady's birthday began with hope of scoring serious "Brownie Points".  My present to her (in my opinion) was awesome. I had bought her a "whatever" voucher for the local health and beauty spa. I also had the temerity to buy her a "specific" voucher! :-( When I distributed my gift to her, the initial feedback was promising. She had seen the £50 voucher to put towards whatever she wanted. :) Then she saw the "specific" voucher. It was for a "full facial threading". Before all of you ladies out there start being indignant on Anna Mutton years  behalf, I would like to state that it was my aim to assist her on her mission towards perfection (and she's not far off)!!! I most definitely was NOT expecting the shrill indignation with which that voucher was received!!!! However, I listened to the verbal tirade (as painful as it was), because words of wisdom (and my ultimate reprieve) were contained therein. I believe that I have redeemed myself by exchanging that voucher (today) for a Zen Spa pedicure (at additional cost)....!!! I sincerely hope that I won't end up wearing my testicles as earrings later this week.....!!!!!!!!!!!! :

The Gift...Not

Dear reader,  it's been my birthday.  One I expect presents that glisten.  That sparkle.  My hope has been raised by Mr Him dropping hints 'you'll love your present. ' 'I spent a lot on it.'  The more he said the more my mind drifted to De Beers with the odd detour to carat.

So you can imagine my surprise when I got this. 

Actually not too bad,  a Spa voucher.  A massage perhaps.  Facial maybe. No!

Full facial threading!   What?  I didn't even know that was possible let alone know that I wanted it, which I don't. 

My reaction was incredulity.  It was shrill.  It was loud.  It was recorded.  Yes it went on snap chat for all if Miss 22's friends to see.  I didn't mind.  I wanted the world to sympathise with my life with Mr Him.  I want you to sympathise,  laugh or do what you will.  I have uploaded the video to YouTube below. (with Mr Him's approval in fact.)

Mr Him gets it Wrong

I will explain that my outfit is PJs.  I thought it's my birthday.  If I want to have wine in PJs I will.

That's another thing.  Mr Him calls me a Fresian  ( as in cow ) when I wear these.  I wear them all the more for it at home after work. 

I instructed Mr Him to tell his female colleagues what he bought me.  Maybe they can give him some guidance.  I've instructed him to tell his mum,  his sister.  There has to be help for me out there somewhere.

 

I have to add that I did find it all funny and will eke this out purely for my amusement and his agony  for a long, long, looooooong time.   Anyway, I love him for his ridiculous ideas. The concensus is 10/10 for imagination and trying, 0 out of 10 for execution.

Will I use the voucher?  Apparently they told him I can swap it for another treatment in the spa when he bought it.  Shouldn't that have been a hint to him at the time!  Good Grief .

A Gardening Sunday

Goodness.  Two posts on our weekend!  Well miss 22 went gardening mad on Saturday.  Too much sun. Poor thing. The sun drove her to weeding , sweeping,  hosing and rearranging. 

On Sunday Mr Him was struck with a touch of compost churning and tree chopping. 

 I was then instructed to get replacement foliage from the garden centre.  This grey whatsit for the front 

and for the back some fruit trees.  A pear, now planted in the gap left from the old laurel,  and a fig that we will plant later. 

There's also a budleia

and this Black Lace.

I offered to cook lunch and have it ready for 1 pm.  Mr Him told me he needed advice first, on gardening, or rather where to put the plants.  I therefore planned on delaying lunch until  1.30 pm leaving half an hour for advice.  As it happened he got fed up with advice within 12 minutes (yes I timed it to ascertain his resilience ).

I'm about to go MIA again, much to Mr Him's relief.  I'm off to NYC.  

A Spring in February Walk and Pub Visit

Dear reader, I'm sorry for you that I have been MIA.  I have been updating my boring blog with a few boring bits but as you are a discerning reader I must assume that you do not read that.  You will therefore not know  that I was MIA at a conference. This was followed by MIA in a new department at work which I am temporarily leading, in addition to my own special MIA I do when Mr Him has an idea.  However during my MIA I did sneak in some research for you.  I had an evening in a Wetherspoons.  This particular one was focused around HG Wells and his novels.  There's a rather attractive clock on the ceiling

which runs backwards, being a time machine..
clock


However, this Saturday Mr Him had an idea which I found appealing so I went FIA. Yes, he found me. In fact it was  as soon as I heard 'pinot' that he found me. I didn't wait for the rest of the sentence. I thought it was going to be a mighty fine idea,  and it was.  His idea was that we must do more  'research' for you, after a dog walk around Ardingly Reservoir.

The water looks low this year.  Yes, we have had a dry winter. 

Interesting. Especially as it's our drinking water.

Sailing lessons being enjoyed in the sunshine

Mr Him has Luna under control.  Sheep are nearby.

Contrails.

Grasses blowing in the breeze

I can see the appeal of fishing.  A nice sleep.

Catkins are out.

Now, the pub and the dogs. 

We visited the Ardingly Inn. Being a village pub we were fairly sure that dogs would be allowed but I did pop in and ask first before Mr Him sauntered in with our beasties.   

Being Spring in February the fire was not on.

Ales... not Mr Him's thing. 

A homely atmosphere with arm chairs, sofa and the look of a book case.  It's actually wall paper but effective.

Farming implements of days gone by.

Duck decoy maker sign from that famous London street, The Strand. 

I'd made myself comfortable on the sofa

and worried that staff would make themselves comfortable on me. 

The dogs were not going to make themselves comfortable on the chairs, or me.

Mr Him was comfortable on the sofa.

A Tavern and Dogs that has Been Seen Before

Dear reader, I've been busy. I've been busy on your quest. It's gone so well I don't have pics!  In fact I barely remember.      However, this afternoon we did pop down to the Lockhart Tavern again and did this time take our dogs. (Mr Him has said he doesn't mind frequenting here again and again in the purpose of research.)   I have found that dogs do mean one ends up talking to people, and that's a good thing. I'm sorry that this is not a new bar to you but we rather like it as it caters for our Mutton age group.  There is not loud music, one can talk, one can sit, one can take dogs.  

Mr Him did wear his Washington DC T shirt to take a bit of the States to the bar on my American readers behalf.  (This segues nicely into the news that I am on my way to NYC this month.  Anyone want autographs? )

A year ago, with amazing foresight I did visit another pub and wrote about it here.  I particularly like how 'I' cooked a meal after we got home that day.  

Having read that I made sure that today we had our main meal, which I cooked, before we went out.

My Tavern Quest on Dogs Continues in Westminster

Dear reader, I hear you.  I you  want me to drink more.  You I need me to visit more bars.  You are requesting that I go on a Tavern quest. Well, I have immediately got onto the case, being the epitome of efficiency, and  went straight to the source of the laws for my next stop.  I went to Westminster. 

I love Westminster underground station. It really is one of my favourites

I headed for what I believe is one of the close pubs to parliament. One apparently frequented by MPs.  Where better to assess the dog situation?

This is a cozy tavern with two small downstairs bars. St Stephens Tavern is opposite Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower  (houses the bell.)  It was rebuilt in 1873 and apparently frequented by Winston Churchill, amongst other notable Prime Ministers.

I was meeting a peer.  No,  not that sort.  By peer I mean that I know her from business and we get along well so we were having a girlie social.

Listening in to a few conversations in this cosy tavern  I gather the clientele to be associated with parliament. On the TV the live parliamentary channel was showing.

 I guess if you can have a drink in comfort,  hear the debate then go back to vote why stay seated in the Commons.  The blub online  tells me that it houses a Division bell which announces 8 minutes to a vote, summoning the MPs back to the chamber.

There is a lovely view of Big Ben tower through the ornate window.

We had a couple of wines and some nibbles and I finished off with a decaff coffee.  The milk came in this pretty  little bottle. 

There were no dogs. 

You can find more information about St Stephens Tavern here.