Sunday funday

What a great day! It is still soooooooooooooo cold here. I still couldn't help taking some long walks...I just love 'em but I was wishing I was wearing some longer underwear, if you know what I mean!
I tried a third Redeemer service option...this time the West Side morning service, held at the Society for Ethical and Cultural Society. What an amazing and beautiful space! I thought I had tons of time to spare so I walked through the park, past frozen ponds and spare trees...listening to my tunes and freezing my bunds. And when I got to church I was so confused because it was totally full! Ah! I thought it started at 9:45 but really it was 9:15. Bummer! I didn't miss too much and two members of the small group I joined led music. Louise, the violinist, played 1st violin for the string quartet that played exquisite movements of a Haydn quartet. Aw....another reason to love church in NYC. This was the first service where Tim Keller didn't speak....Rev. John Lin gave the talk about the passage in Mark where the woman breaks her alabaster jar of nard over Jesus. I love that passage and he brought to life the contrast of Judas' betrayal and the woman's extravagant love. And how that extravagance is a preview of the even more sacrificial and extravagant love of Jesus that comes on the cross. I found Jennifer, my new friend from small group at the coffee hour and met a few other musicians. That was a big step...not leaving right after church!!! I walked through the park a different way and found an ice skating rink as well as the carousel that I can't wait to bring Charlie to!
I walked all the way home on 5th Avenue past all the fancy fancy apartments that have fun little red lights on the corners of the buildings to call taxis as well as the Museum Mile. It was cold, cold, cold. But I'm stubborn, stubborn, stubborn and wanted to walk all the way home!
I convinced Adrienne to join me at a knitting circle put on by Redeemer at an adorable knitting cafe called "The Point" in Greenwich Village. So cute, I felt like I was a character in a chick lit novel! We met some really nice girls, possible future friends!, and Adrienne is already hooked on knitting. We're currently watching "Brothers and Sisters" and she is knitting away with much purpose! The knitting cirlce meets once a month and we're planning on going back.
Adrienne and I got on the A train to head out to a concert by the Althabasca String Trio featuring my favourite Canadian and violist, Tawnya! It was way up in Washington Heights at a beautiful old co-op building called the Hudson View Gardens. The concert program was a Mozart flute quartet, a really cool and haunting Penderecki trio and then after intermission a John Harbison trio where each of the 4 movements had the subtitle: Fast. The finale was a beautiful Schumann piano quartet where the strings were the stars!
Next, Adrienne and I embarked on my first undercover detective assignment for La Bo. Lara is having me check out some possible trademark infringers in the city and one of the addresses she gave me was really close to the concert...only a few blocks into the really shady part of town. Yikes. The deal is that Lara is paying for me and a friend to eat a 3 course dinner and take cabs to these places in exchange for pictures and materials that show whether or not they are using the trademarked logo, etc, etc. I had called this place called, "La Bodeguita de Broadway" this morning to see if I could make reservations for dinner. When the line picked up I heard, "WASSUP?" I then asked, "La Bodeguita de Broadway?" and then had a really awkward conversation about dinner and reservations, etc. I was doubtful Adrienne and I were going to get a high-end meal but I was cracking up with what we found...this was a tiny little quickie store with a sign advertisitng liquor and cigarettes. I think Lara has nothing to worry about here! We were pretty excited to find a cab RIGHT AWAY to get out of that neigborhood and I felt once again so blessed to live where we do, where I always feel safe.
Our cuban feast derailed, we settled for trying a new restaurant down the street, Geronimo, and ended the evening with some Tasti-D which is all over NYC. It's low calorie frozen yoghurt that is just delicious!!!
I'm trying to figure out how to post some pictures but I think my images are too large...but they'll be coming soon!