Colorful New York

ABC -- these wonderful overdyed old rugs made into furniture.

The hot chili peppers at the Greenmarket at Union Square

Brussels Sprouts - aren't they amazing little creatures?

Yarns available from a sheep farmer! Greenmarket Union Square

Lee on the elevator to the High Line

                                       




This past Saturday, we acted like New Yorkers, heading out early onto the city streets with dear friends Tami and Frank McCann visiting from Charleston. (St. Tami and St. Francis are the two who have hosted Isabelle in their Charleston guest house for the last few months until she moved ito her own apartment this week.) Frank is a New  Yorker by birth and, although he grew up in Ohio, he returned to NY for college, was a NY cabbie and generally loves New York City- its grit AND its groove.

We headed first to ABC - Tami and I have a long-shared passion for fashion and design and she had never been to ABC. We agreed to meet Lee and Frank near the door in a bit over an hour to check in. Well, we never made it off the first floor! (She is staying the week and will go back.) Gary Graham's incredibly sophisticated clothing,  their cut, the fabrics kept us transfixed for at least 20 minutes. We didn't buy a thing but marveled at his ideas and happy to know his things were mostly made in NY - his work is a lily in a field of schlock made in China.

We only imagined how and where we might find spots for a chic line of furniture that ABC creates from vintage rugs that have been over-dyed - but all in modern forms.

Tami's taste for vintage jewelry was sated when she found a pair of old silver earrings with carnelian from Afghanistan, circa 1920.

I mostly catalogued ideas for clients, from the beautiful hand-painted bird pillows on wool felt for just about anyone to an ottoman for Meg in just the right teal.

Then we walked to the Farmer's Market (or Greenmarket) at Union Square and, here, on a mid-November day with rusty leaves dangling from near-naked trees, with golden Ginkos shimmering like crepe paper, the most beautiful display of vegetables, breads, pies, cheeses and meats are still available.  This is the lovely advantage of the latitude difference between Minneapolis and New York. Fall lasts a month longer and Spring comes a month earlier!

We then went to Eataly for lunch on the 15th floor - open air - at the birreria. On the way out we saw this (okay....cute) cheesemaker pulling mozzarella!

Finally, off to the High Line, which I am ashamed to say I have never visited. Great little architectural tour of old Chelsea and Meatpacking Districts.

Then, we went home to nap.