WE ARE IN NEW YORK!

Been looking forward to this for a long time.  

We arrived jet lagged and more or less sleep deprived.  One of the things we always do before we arrive at Martha's is to stop at Euro-Pan for a bagel.  Not today.  They have closed their doors.  No more panini sandwiches, fresh bread, $1.25 giant pizza slices, or tiramisu in a cup.  Not that you can't get these things other places in NYC, but this one was right around the corner and very convenient. 

It actually seems to me that a few more businesses on the Upper West Side have closed their doors, though at only an annual visit, it's hard for me to remember exactly hat was where.  But it feels more corporate and less small business.  

Martha is doing quite well, and it's a pleasure to see her and her naughty cats, who I have been promised will wake us up at 6 a.m. for breakfast.  

We went to a very enjoyable concert tonight at Trinity Lutheran Church on 65th across the street from the park.  The group was House of Time, an ensemble consisting of violin, flute, oboe, cello, viola da gamba and harpsichord -- almost the same orchestration as City Water.  

They played some re-orchestrated Vivaldi which was wonderful.  Five players playing music written for baroque orchestra, including a well thought out transcription of the Four Seasons.  They also played a piece from 2000 written for a group two of the players had previously performed in.  It was in three sections, and like the Four Seasons, it was definitely a "program" piece.  I'm including a photo of the program notes.  

All in all it was very enjoyable.  

This is a group that is sort of under the Gotham Early Music Society umbrella.  The man sitting behind me was telling his friend that they didn't think the group (GEMS, I think) did a good enough job of finding out where people heard about the concerts.  I think he is one of the founders of GEMS, I've met him before.  So I turned around and said that I subscribe to the newsletter, and I live in California, and I picked out all the concerts we're going to on this trip from that newsletter.  

It rained here most of the day, and the same is expected tomorrow and Sunday.  We are planning on going to the Gracie Art Show and the Craft Fair at Lincoln Center (both outdoor events) anyway.  They both say rain or shine.  Not like drought-ridden California where you can pretty much count on not a drop of rain.