New York - Eataly

You know how I love a good food emporium.... well Eataly on Fifth Avenue in New York left me gasping 

O. M. G !!! ...

It opened in October this year and is the brainchild of US super chefs Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich, her son and Mario's restaurant partner Joe Bastianich - and Oscar Farinetti who started the original Eataly in Turin Italy.

This is a mega food temple without peer..

4,500 square metres of the best local and imported Italian produce.

Some of the produce is direct from Brooklyn Grange a rooftop farm in Queens.

There is a vegetable bar - ' The Vegetable Butcher - that will peel and prepare your produce for you. Think pesky artichokes or the peel on pumpkins...

The variety of citrus is incredible including Buddha Fingers

While it is largely an Italian-focussed complex the emphasis is on local produce grown organically

...and yes given this is Manhattan Fifth Avenue everything is styled Hollywood - 'Mr de Mille I'm ready for my close-up'

ga -ga blocks of Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano

fresh, salty, crumbling shards

a salumi counter...

And ten different eateries all featuring the produce

La Brea Bakery breads and focaccias wood-fired on site.

home-made pasta..

.. that can be made to order..

An indulgent supply of fresh black and white truffles...

milk in old-fashioned bottles with cream on the top

A pasticceria run by Italian pastry chef Luca Montersino

Saucy is too overwhelmed. I've been wondering around mouth agape for two hours now. I may have to make a pit stop here to recover...

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New York - Central Park in Fall

We've made a dash to New York for work and a little play....

A glorious burst of fall weather has to be enjoyed with a stroll through Central Park.

... and maybe a little row

... a riot of autumnal colour...

...on patrol

picture perfect...

..this bridge dates back to the 1890s...

Central Park covers about 3 1/2 square kilometres...

Now that crime in the park has dropped dramatically, 27 million joggers, skateboarders, families and visitors use the park each year.

 On weekends and after 7pm during the week the park is closed to traffic..

Its about the only place in New York to escape the humdrum..

The Park's resident squirrels are like nimble rats able to bouce from trees to benches in seconds if they spy a feed

Most of the squirrel are Eastern-grey squirrels which are native to North America

Now this is my sort of garden

Hotel Beacon, Manhattan - A New York Must-Stay

We've been coming back to the Hotel Beacon for ten years now. Situated on Broadway in the leafy Upper West Side, the Hotel Beacon has become our New York home away from home. It is conveniently located on the Red subway line one block away from the West 72nd subway stop. The Beacon has undergone extensive renovations in the past three years, making the rooms and suites

 - all with kitchenettes - some of the best value for money accommodation you'll find.  With two great supermarkets literally across the road (Fairway and Citarella) and the food emporium, Zabars, five blocks away you can easily cook up the treats you find in the markets.  And sometimes - even when you're in the ciy that never sleeps - you just want to rug up inside, cook some spag bol and watch some trashy TV!

Our suite had a spacious lounge/dining room, kitchen and a bathroom off the entrance hallway

My blogging station. The Beacon has WiFi ($10 for 24 hours) and an iPod docking station

The king-size bed was heavenly comfortable

delicious crisp white sheets and downy pillows

flat screen tv in both the living room and bedroom

lots of room to relax

great shower and deep bath

tiny kitchen that is equipped with everything except a sharp knife which we had to buy from Zabars

high-wattage microwave and good bagel toaster

just enough room for a cuppa....

..and to throw together a comforting bolognaise.

 the Beacon has a doorman who will take in your bags and call you a cab which makes all the difference when the winter wind whips up

most Beacon guests are from Australia and Europe

 The staff are efficient, friendly but low-key - just the way I like it.

 The Beacon has over 25 floors and 250 rooms and suites

The Fairway supermarket and cafe from our window across Broadway

 Fairway is opened from 7am until 1am and gets it's organic food deliveries in big semi-trailers

A beautiful French Haussman-style apartment block opposite the Beacon Hotel

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