Signs And Symptoms Of Homesickness’ness

It feels like Nigel has been away from home for an absolute age, so goodness knows how it must feel to him, but yesterday he admitted that he was finally feeling the beckoning of a distant homeland and a gentle tug on his heartstrings……..

……. and, believe it or not, it was a humble box of confectionary that started this heartfelt yearning.

Whoopers may be original “malted milk ball” and Nigel has enjoyed their pleasures many times over the past few weeks, but, Maltesers they are not ….. and as he finished the last box that he had kept in wardrobe, his heart and mind were returned to Evesham, thinking of all those cosy Saturday and Sunday nights in, with us all snuggled up on the sofa, watching X Factor or Antiques Roadshow and, as is our want, passing round the obligatory box of Maltesers. 

It was then that Nigel decided that it was finally time to do the last of his souvenir and present buying and return to familiar, if not so hectic and foreign climes, Santa done good, but even the most wonderful dreams have to come to an end at sometime.

A Billboard You Just Can’t Miss

Darrell is really more into The Kardashians than Nigel, but of all the mahoooosive billboards in Times Square, this is one that is hard to miss ……

……. featuring the Kardashians (Nigel not having a clue about names or how to tell who is who, as they all look the same to him), plastered all over a huge expanse of prime advertising space. The majority of said females lounging about in, what he thought looked like their pants and vests ……. despite which, he thought, Darrell would appreciate this selfie.

Nigel Visits “American Girl”

It wasn’t really on his New York itinerary, but when he looked through the window in Rockefeller Plaza it, it would have looked rude not to pop in and explore the American Girl store.  It is safe to say he had never seen anything like it, a store devoted solely to a doll (and all her variations), her wardrobe and very many lifestyle accoutrements.

https://www.americangirl.com/retail/new_york_city.php  

He said that it almost blew his mind, the doll wanted for nothing!

It was all a little bamboozling, but, there was a caravan and awning that he was very taken by, imagining himself camped out, American style, alongside all the other caravans on the campsite opposite us back in Evesham.

And although Nigel isn’t really a “man bag” sort of a guy, he could almost hear Darrell and Hugh billing and cooing over the vast array of designer bags available.

There was a proper café, but sadly, there was no table available when Nigel enquired, otherwise he could have been very tempted to a granola and yoghurt parfait or the savoury breakfast skillet.

There was even a Beauty Salon, where young ladies and their dolls could have their hair styled, have a pamper day or deluxe spa package, ear piercing and manicures to name just a few treatments.

Nigel did try out one of the treatment chairs for size, but decided that even though his feet were indeed in great need of a pampering, it would be unfair to “release” them in such a refined establishment and given the extensive choice of nail polish he was frightened he wouldn’t be able to choose within the time restraints of his appointment!

His visit was an unexpected experience which he wouldn’t have missed  ………. but ……. only in America!

Food Glorious Food

Nigel reckons he’s put on at least a stone during his New York odyssey …….

He’s done tricolour nachos in a bar just round the corner from his hotel and almost felt like a native, sat sitting on his bar stool.

He’s embraced one or two delis and their multifaceted sandwiches of a lunch time …….

……. and didn’t know where to start at Trader Joe’s in  Chelsea ……..

….. with too many snacks to mention and loads of mooching opportunities ……

……… and discovering that animal crackers really do exist.

He took to heart the advise of a friend to eat as much steak as he could as he would never eat anything like it again anywhere else in the world and in such generous portions, accompanied by mashed potato even more wonderful than Darrell’s.

And then he dared to venture outside his comfort zone…….. lobster was something he had only ever heard Darrell and Hugh talking in hushed terms about bisques and matadors thermidors, ……….

……. but Nigel’s lobster mac and cheese is a dish that will stay in his heart, memory and perhaps even his hips for a long while to come.   I think it might be a good idea to put him on the scales as soon as he gets back!

Nigel Gets The New York Cinema Experience

Nigel has always dreamed of “doing” the real American cinema experience, and what better place to finally achieve such a goal than in New York, just off Times Square.

I think there was an awful lot about him also wanting to go extra, extra, extra large on a bucket of popcorn, but, it also seemed the perfect way for him to still continue to embrace all things New York while giving his throbbing feet some respite. His film of choice? Darkest Hour.

It did not disappoint ……….

………. especially as there was no Pearl and Dean to sit through!

To be honest, he said that in almost all ways it was just like going to the cinema in the UK, but knowing he was in New York, well, that feeling was priceless. And the popcorn?  Despite his healthy and more often than not unflagging appetite, Nigel’s bucket was sooooooooo mahoooosive that even he could only skim the surface of its contents! 

A New York Phenomenon

It’s been very wet and very windy in New York and as such Nigel has happened upon a pretty unique phenomenon ……..

…… The Broken Brollies of New York!

After a storm piles of bedraggled, inside out, spoke broken umbrellas are to be found on every street corner.

He says he’s never seen anything like it …….  and then in the morning ……  they’d all disappeared, as if by magic.  “New York”, he says “ ……is just brilliant!”

Royal Wedding De Rigueur?

It has to be said that there is very little, if anything, available in Evesham of a Royal Wedding type nature and consequently with only four weeks to go Darrell is in a bit of a panic about it all. What on earth is he like?

He “says” that he thinks he has found “us” the perfect t-shirt, but he will have to order them online and I, in turn, have told him, in no uncertain terms, that I will certainly not be wearing one. You’d have thought with all the mentoring on all that is de rigueuer he’s received from Hugh over the years, he’d have come up with something that had at least an ounce of class and finesse.

When Harry Met Meghan I ask you?  I think NOT!

I’ve told him we’ll wear our best bib and tucker t-shirts and embrace our creative side by making our own commemorative badges to adorn them. There is no need at all for any angst or the wringing of hands, we have plenty of time.

When I go to Weston Super Mare in a couple of weeks time I am sure that I will be able to find a couple of Union Flags for us to wave and perhaps even a tea towel to drape over the settee in a decorous manner and in the meantime, he can concoct a celebratory Harry and Meghan cocktail for the royal toast and get the iced fancies in!  I think he has calmed down now!

New York Real Estate

Nigel said that he couldn’t help having a little peruse in a New York Real Estate window, well, it would have been rude not to ……

………. but it became obvious, very quickly, that he’d have to win the lottery several times over in order to afford anything, and that would only have been of a very bijoux type nature  …….. this, he sighed, was the world of The Real Housewives of New York!

However, dreaming aside, he did think that Darrell would have been in his element critiquing the interior designs of some of the properties had he been there with him. 

They may even have dared one another to make a couple of appointments to view said properties so that they could have a proper look around, under the guise of being two, plum rich, Evesham oligarchs in need of a discrete New York Pret a Manger Pied de Terre.  What is he like? 

Nigel Does China Town & Little Italy

Nigel tells us that he has now “done” China Town. He was in two minds as to whether to go or not, and he said it was exactly as he had expected, unless he missed had something.

He’d gone mainly because he’d been told it was the place to go for cheap New York souvenirs, as indeed it was, saving him quite a few dollars on each of the “choice” items he had purchased.  I dread to think what!

But, Nigel said he absolutely LOVED Little Italy, which is right next door to China Town, not for it’s souvenirs, interesting as they were, but for the gelato which was in every flavour imaginable and unimaginable …….

…….. ……. and the wonderfully cute cafes ……and as such it would have looked awfully rude not to treat himself….. just a little.

It was a hard call to call, but in the end he decided it wouldn’t be right if he didn’t avail himself of the “Best Cannoli on the Planet” at Caffe Palermo. 

It DID NOT disappoint!

Although, in making his choice he had to ask the waitress to come back four times before he was able to make his mind up …….. and then, he still waivered a little.

It had to be, he said a trio of cannoli …………..

………… and a pastry whose name he had to point to as he couldn’t get his tongue round it, i.e a small sfogliatella, which he thought he recognised from The Great British Bake-Off.  Both were a most excellent choice, giving Nigel a sugar rush that sent him floating on air back to his hotel.  His stomach was, he said, in seventh, eighth, ninth and possibly tenth heaven.

The Carousel in Prospect Park

It has to be said that although Nigel has only seen a pin prick of Brooklyn, he absolutely loved it, and said that if he ever returned to New York, especially now he knows how easy it is to get around on the subway, he would find a quiet hotel there and travel in to the city each day, as he much preferred the more relaxed atmosphere of a village type nature.

And as such, his last port of call was the famous hand carved carousel in Prospect Park which dates back to a very historical 1912.

It was stunning ……..

…… very romantic …….

…… and almost deserted, which was a quite a weird sensation with the iconic skyline of Manhattan looming just across the river ……. he found it another pinch yourself sort of moment!

The signs in the park also made him smile ……..  he has seen signs warning you not to feed the seagulls back home at the seaside, but never one warning you not to feed the cats ….. only in New York ……. that was a whole different ball game.

As for dogs not being allowed on the lawn, well that was understandable, but furniture?  The lawn was quite a way from any houses/apartments, so it seemed unlikely that anyone would really want to take any of their furniture there.

But then, he had a fit of the giggles thinking of all the local people dragging their three piece suites, dining tables ……..

……. beds and other household items down with them to embrace the view in comfort. We might share a common language, but at times Nigel has found Americans a bit erm …… strange!

It may not have been San Francisco, but Nigel says that he definitely left his heart in Brooklyn, bless him.