Originally published at my real blog. Please leave any comments there.

Central Park is beautiful in the spring.

And so are the flowers [at Madison Square Park].

I had a great return trip. The weather was much better. The hotel was much better. My legs never got sore, even though I walked just as much. (They didn’t get sore in Paris either, which leads me to laugh at my lament about “getting old.” I think the culprit was, rather, doing my exercise routine that involves an excessive amount of lunges the day before the protracted walking, with no rest day.)

And the food. The food, I can’t even say. I thought I didn’t like Kobe beef, that it was too heavy/greasy. I changed my mind after trying it at Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse. They apparently have the real thing, and Ruth’s Chris’ is an imitation. They also don’t cook in butter. (The only case I can think of where butter doesn’t make it better). It was succulent. And so was the French Martini that the bartender recommended. It tasted like a beverage made from draining cans of fruit cocktail. But in a good way. A so good way.

I stopped at Filene’s Basement, which I thought could only be found in Boston. Guess I haven’t been keeping up with the times; looks like they have stores all over now. Including one in Tyson’s Corner (the black hole of Virginia). Since Aubrey deems it prudent to stay far away from the event horizon… to New York it is! I love that store.

I also stopped at Chelsea Market, home of gourmet food shops & Food Network headquarters. Plus a couple minor parks. The trees are so full of flowers that my pictures are overloaded with color. (And you thought NYC was all about buildings…) I was minding my own business in Bryant Park when I got stopped by an evangelist. In a breathy voice she asked if I had heard of “Mother God.” I smirked and told her I was in a hurry. But now I wonder what religion that was…

Josh did some press stuff there. He’s going to be traveling tons this summer. Way more than I could possibly tag along on. He’s in London this week. He says the airport is becoming his second home. I’m getting more used to it than I used to be. But I still think it’s going to be a weird / long summer.

ANYWAYS it’s worth it for the perks :). Like, you know, chillin’ on top of Belvedere Castle on a warm April Saturday.

Oh! Photos here, pinned on to the end of the album I started in February: http://picasaweb.google.com/aubrhea/NewYorkCity
Will there be more to come? Only time will tell. Though I’m making good coverage of the city, I still have some major landmarks left. Like ground zero and the Statue of Liberty.

If I go back, it’ll be on the train.