Sunday Show & Tell

I had an unplanned afternoon at work today-- required due to a Friday 'fire' that consumed most of my morning to resolve and thus totally blew up my carefully planned schedule.  As one would guess, I was not exactly a happy camper.  My grumpiness was somewhat eased by the walk there-- it was a beautiful day, and I walked the 30+ blocks to midtown.  I also walked back in the dusky light.  About 3 miles round trip.

I wandered up Park Avenue for most of the return home.  I've not spent much time on Park, and it feels different than the other parts of the city that I've explored.  The upper East 40s are a soulless grouping of businesses (JP Morgan, KPMG, BMS and Colgate-Palmolive all have offices there) and so it was a perverse delight to stumble across Hello Kitty in one of the courtyards (above).

The gray offices slowly gave way to stately condominiums.  I walked passed a parade of well-dressed older women with seriously stiff hair pulled back to reveal expensive earrings.  There were few restaurants or shops on the street, thus making the avenue rather dry, and lacking life.  There were pockets of beauty, though:

 

I have difficulty imagining having enough money to live in a home like the one above.  Right in the middle of Manhattan.  It was three stories. 

Other details also delighted:

Once I got closer to home, in the east 60s, I found my guerilla artist (Road Less Traveled )once again:

How can you stay grumpy after walking in the warm evening and being reminded by little fish and a snake to become your dream?  Pretty hard to do.  I am at peace again, and have left the work behind.