“The Flying Kiwi’s” - Epistle #4

Kia Ora whānau…

Well, here we are.. DAY 4… in New York and only 2 more before we fly out to Salt Lake City, Utah. I am in LOVE with New York - I will definitely have to make it back here one day AND it will have to be either closer to summer or on the other side of summer coz it was COLD today!

Under the train bridge on our way to catch the subway - 39th AVE - QUEENS..

So, today was our temple day.. we had planned to do that yesterday but as you read from MAMA KIWI’s insert that didn’t happen.  We woke up today to a cold, drizzly, rainy day and man! It was cold!  But, once again Mum was a complete soldier - although there were sometimes she got a little impatient and put it down to being cold (I think).

LDS Manhattan Temple - with the angel Moroni

We got on the train from our whare, then transferred to the bus and asked the driver to let us know when we had arrived to Lincoln Center - yeah - he forgot!  So, we go driving passed the temple - after a little bit, I’m like ‘We’re going too far’ asked the driver YUP - we had to go back a few stops and it was freezing.. Did I mention that???

Me and Mum at the door of the temple - COOL!

Lucky we left so early to go to the temple, coz even with the bus driver missing our stop - we arrived at the temple at 10.30am for the 11am session (the first one for the day).  When we walked into the temple (coz it’s multi purpose - chapel, family history center, temple etc) we asked the security lady where the temple was and she just starts off in Spanish to us… WHAT THE?? Hmmm… crack up… she said ‘espanol temple’.. we just nodded and she pointed us in the direction of the temple door - WOAH… crack up...

After the session we were on our way to get changed when someone with a New Zealand accent stops us and asks “Where in New Zealand are you from?” - turns out Mum knew him and his wife!  WICKED huh?  Brother Roberts (I suppose it should be President Roberts - he’s in the temple Presidency) is Waireka’s Bishops Uncle in little old Paraparaumu - small world when you’re a member of the church!  What a worldwide church we’re a part of..

Mum with Brother & Sister Roberts

Mum and Sister Roberts

Freaky thing is, is that mum knew Sister Roberts family from Auckland when she was younger!  Sister Roberts dad was mums bishop when she was younger, and mum used to stay with them for a little while - to get some quality study time in coz their whare was such a busy place.  Her maiden name is Palmer - her dad was mums bishop - Bishop Palmer - man, small world!  It was awesome to be at the temple - the Celestial room is just SOOO beautiful...

The FLYING KIWI’s 

Brother and Sister Roberts have lived in New Jersey for 35 years!  Amazing huh… you never do know where life is going to lead you and where you will settle in life.  That was cool.

Our first view of Central Park on the bus...

Anyway, afterwards I really wanted us to go biking around Central Park - but of course when we came out of the temple it was RAINING and COLD just straight FREEZING!  So, instead we just settled with taking a couple of pictures.

Me at Central Park - clearly still winter, no leaves on the trees...

Mum was NOT enjoying the cold weather - so she stayed huddled up to TRUMP tower while I ran over to take a couple of the pics.. that was how close she was getting to Central Park - and unfortunately this is how close I got to Central Park (sad face)...

Me feelings about 1. WEATHER and 2. Not being able to BIKE around CENTRAL PARK

So, sad and so cold.  But, still happy to be in New York though...

Behind those trees - is a hotel I’m SURE is on the MOVIE - HOME ALONE 2 (Lost in NY)

After this we were sufficiently freezing!  We had planned today to also go to Chinatown to check it out and get some souvenirs coz apparently there are cheap ones there - according to Uncle Google (or Aunty Google depending on how you view it)…  The subway was pretty sweet to maneuver, mum and I made it there without too many unnecessary moves.  But, when we get to Chinatown it was FREEZING still.. 

Mum and I in Chinatown - Salmon heads 1.30a pound - CHEAP!!

Chinatown - is such vintage, old buildings - COOL!

So we decided on lunch and had Vietnamese (No steamboat though) and it was SO GOOD - better then our cheap and nasty Chinese last night.  I was YUMMY and REALLY cheap - under $8 per dish we ordered…

Mum and her lunch - YUM! 

Me and my lunch - YUM!

Mum asked ‘Do you make my dish with coriander?’ to which they replied ‘No, thats Chinese’ - Sorry… then we asked ‘Do you make wonton soup?’ and again ‘No, that’s Chinese’… OKAY we GOT it… If it’s not on the menu you don’t make it coz it’s Chinese.. HAHA!

Mum caught the shopping bug again and we’re off again to TJ Maxx.. Mum bought her New York pieces there - we’ve decided that we’re buying a “PIECE” from each city or state we go to and that will be our PIECE - it’s basically a way of justifying an expensive purchase per city if necessary (or not, let’s be honest - LoL!).

We also went to a cosmetics store where I bought a whole lot of hair care products that I will use throughout the month and top up on them before we come home if I like them.. On our way home we walked passed ‘BROOKLYN DINER’ that was all cute and DINER-ish looking and so I said to mum let’s eat there before we go home, coz we didn’t want YUCKY Chinese again…

Mum outside the diner ‘AFTER’ dinner...

Mum and I (she’s dark) outside Brooklyn Diner...

So, we went inside and as I said on FB - Its freakin cold here... So, mum and I found ourselves at the Brooklyn Diner for dinner. Expecting it to be a tv style 'dive' of a diner.. FAIL.. It says 'finer diner' in small print... Haha… So, it was too late to leave, because the Australian doorman had already seated us and it was too shame to get up and walk back out.. HAHA.. But it was more good New York food..  we both got a free refill drink each and when it came and Mum saw how big the cups were and she goes “HECK it all! We’re gonna WEE WEE WEE all our way home!!”  HAHA..

These pictures are of Mum - normal mum having a big inu and scared Mum thinking of “WEE WEE WEE-ing all the way home” Man that was funny!  We kept laughing coz we were talking about getting the cheapest stuff on the menu - LoL!  We settled for a pie and two deserts… FUNNY!

Me and my ginger ale...

 Here’s mum with the pie and after we said our karakia for the kai - I looked at the pie and saw a waiter going past and said ‘Uh, do you have any tomato sauce?’ he blinked and said ‘Sure’ got us some tomato sauce and was on his way.  Our assigned waiter walked passed and said ‘Why do you have tomato sauce?’ to which I replied ‘We’re New Zealanders, that’s how we do!’… afterwards I asked mum - do you think that’s what Kiri means by ‘Māori hillbillies in NY?’ asking for tomato sauce when it isn’t offered in the actual meal?? HAHA - so Kiri can be sure to know that we thought of her while in the BROOKLYN DINER - LoL!  When the man who bought the pie out put it on the table Mum asked him ‘Did you make this pie?’ he said ‘No’.. sadly mum replies ‘Oh, coz I was gonna ask you to marry me…!!’  HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I think she was water log from her drink...

Mum and the chicken pie - it was DELICIOUS!!

 While we were in the diner we could look out onto the busy streets of New York and this limousine goes pass with a SUV with cops lights flashing and as they go pass there’s a guy looks like ‘SECRET SERVICE’ with his window down scanning the building tops while they drove… REAL SPY stuff.. then again I said to mum ‘Uh, if they’re secret service they’re not very good!’ coz the lights were flashing all over the SUV - HAHA…

New York Cheesecake in New York - DONE!! It was goooooood…!!

Mums lemon meringue in New York - DONE… Mmmm...

After we got home, mum checked to see if we would get a free upgrade of our room coz the blinds were still NOT fixed - they’re gonna move us tomorrow - COOL!  I went to our corner store to get a cold water and little things - and the people there are Columbian, so they start speaking Spanish to me… ‘Uh, no espanol buddy’… LoL!  An older guy Fabio (50+) said that I looked Mexican - I said close - New Zealander.. anyway, we’re gonna go dancing tomorrow night at the tango/salsa club around the corner - if I turn up to meet him anyway.. LoL.. I’m gonna try and get mum to come… otherwise, I might just NOT.. LoL..

WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?  SHOULD I GO DANCING WITH FABIO AT THE PLACE LITERALLY AROUND THE CORNER?  (PARNS is this something you would do????)
This will tell me who’s reading our blog… I need your answers ASAP… :D :D :D

Ok, over and out for now - the Collings just rang… it was good to see the kids… LoL.. I showed them our cool skyline…

Arohanui whānau, friends and bored readers…

Mumma and Dorty

Xoxoxoxoxoxo