Sunday 9 December - NYC

Out of bed at 7.30am and down to the subway to get Jenny to the 9.00am Radio City show. Made the journey with time to spare and Philip and Alison left Jenny in the show queue and headed off to 9.00am Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. Enjoyed being at the service - shame that when they announce a hymn then only sing one verse - but the cantor's voice was very good. Out of the Cathedral as the 10.00am congregation were heading in. A bit like trying to get out of a subway carriage!

Alison and Philip then walked off in very light drizzle to find the Marquis Theatre on Broadway to buy tickets for Evita on Friday evening. Box office doesn't open until 12 noon on Sunday - bummer. So P and A headed back to wait for Jenny outside Radio City. She was out at 10.30am and had thoroughly enjoyed the show. Snacked on hot dogs from a street vendor and Philip was overcharged so went back and got some dollars back. By this time it was starting to drizzle more so headed back to the Beacon to collect umbrellas and have cheese and crackers for lunch. Whilst lunching we made a little list of things that Jenny might still want to see.

Headed back onto the subway and first to Broadway for Philip and Alison to buy the Evita tickets. Walking then to Bryant Park and a look at the ice skaters and the stalls.

Further along the street to New York Public Library for a television moment to see the stairs where Carrie and Big went up for their wedding or non-wedding.

 Continued walking along 42nd Street to Grand Central station and did a quick tour of the main concourse.

Hopped aboard a train to Bleeker Street station to visit the Dean and Deluca store in SoHo and Jenny enjoyed a chat on the train with two German children. The little girl said cooee to Jenny when she heard Jenny was from Australia! Lots of yummy foods on display at Dean and Deluca and so we purchased our dinner provisions.

Jenny - prawns, tomato and cheddar soup and lemon meringue tart and Philip and Alison - sushi, black eyed pea and ham soup, almond and olive bread and also a lemon meringue tart to share! On the way out Philip was feeling thirsty and saw their special cold drink was fresh lemonade - sugar, two freshly squeezed lemons, ice and water. We all found it very refreshing and gave us a boost for tackling the subway journey back.

Returned to the Beacon and Philip and Jenny had a much needed nanna nap - Alison wrote emails while there was apparently some snoring coming from the bedrooms! We have now enjoyed our dinner and will have our lemon meringue tarts with a hot cup of tea shortly.