HOME!!!!!!!

Finally. We're back from "camp!"

There's our Heron-cam waiting by the front door. (We have to stop and thank him and compensate him for his heronic reporting.) And there's our plumbago, blue flowers popping up.
Our hibiscus on the balcony -- always stretching for more sun.
And a handsome lizard on the wall, waiting to say hello.Marigolds in a pot -- full blooms to welcome us home.The entry way -- er, Mom, don't you think it's time to replace our faded photos? And the welcome mat, with a special message, just for us!!!

Inside, first things first: a dash to our water bowls.

Actually, JH has his own water bowl. This one is mine at my Dog Bar, but he sometimes likes to share it.
And then the kitchen!! Will Dogdad remember we're here now and waiting for something to drop

???
My chair!!!
Just Harry's chair!!!
Yep, we're home!!!! Thanks doG!!
Jake

Heron-Cam Manhattan Report: The Rest of the Story

Uh oh -- my clients, Mr. Jake and Mr. Just Harry, will be home shortly and I still have Days Five, Six, and Seven to catch up on or they may not compensate me properly for all my efforts. (Admittedly I did get to gorge on a variety of fish and see awesome sights -- but I have to put something away for the down times.)

So, there my charges were on Day Five -- still wondering how anything could top their visit with Ms. Asta and her family -- but they decided to buck up and trudge on anyhow. Off they went on foot, experiencing all the New York City ambiance - the crowds, the vehicles, the mini-events, the noises, the smells.

As they walked along, they passed by the Hello Deli -- famous for skits from the Dave Letterman show. It's a tiny tiny place, with three or four miniature tables and stools -- but the coffee and bagels were delicious (who needs Starbucks anyway?)
On the same street, TV crews were getting ready to shoot a Survivor reunion -- and it was fun to watch all the set-up -- with very very expensive equipment and lots of scurrying around.
Continuing their walk, they found a set of statues in front of a huge office complex, giving a new interpretation to the concept of "green." (These two are matched by a single statue on the other side of the complex.)And then they spent several hours inside the Museum of Modern Art, which was renovated extensively a few years ago and is now able to exhibit works of art that had been in storage for a lack of capacity. Picasso, Matisse, Gaugin, Cezanne, Leger, De Chirico, Braque, Gris, Dali, Arp, Orozco, Rivera, Kahlo -- the museum is filled with old friends from the first generation of contemporary artists as well as those that followed like Rauschenberg and de Konig and Warhol -- etc., etc., etc. In a setting like this, the art just seems to enter through your pores as well as through your eyes (or your feathers). If Mr. Jake and Mr. Just Harry had been there, they would have had just one word to say:



W

In addition to all the thrilling paintings inside the museum, the windows reveal rooftop curiosities:

And from a lovely sculpture garden, even more architectural combinations can be seen: But then, back on the streets -- captured in this early image from the museum and brought to life in real time:

Manhattan is also filled with amazing reflections, whether from store windows... Or from one set of buildings reflected in the glass of another set across the street.

And then: the Plaza Hotel on the south side of Central Park. The Plaza was recently transformed into a residence as well as a hotel. But one thing was left intact: The famous Oak Room -- which is one of my charges' traditional stops for -- yep!! The Classic (and ridiculously expensive) Martini.


Through the window of the Oak Room, with its views of Central Park, they saw this curious combination of transportation modes: private auto, taxi, pedi-cab, horse-drawn carriage, and tour bus:As they walked back to their hotel, they made a quick stop at another New York institution -- the Russian Tea Room. It too has recently reopened.

Dinner was at an Italian restaurant on Restaurant Row -- more linguini with white clam sauce -- just to make a seafood-loving bird go berserk!! And then, a very very unusual play: Exit the King, written by Ionesco and rarely staged. The 400-year -old King, who is scheduled to die at the end of the program, was played by Geoffrey Rush, who was absolutely incredible.
Day Six began with a taxi to Greenwich Village for brunch with friends, followed by more strolling through neighborhood streets. And then another taxi back to Fifth Avenue for a leisurely walk through Central Park. As I said earlier, Manhattan has so many moods. The park on a Saturday afternoon is filled with local families, with their children and their dogs, as well as with visitors from all over the world.
A lake in the middle of the park with sail boats for rent is reminiscent of the Tuileries in Paris. And then, and then -- THE SQUIRRELS!!!!! Oh my, if only Mr. Jake and Mr. Just Harry had been with us!!! These two were so laid back and unafraid -- two terriers could have had a ball!!
Next destination: the Guggenheim Museum -- celebrating its 5oth anniversary with an exhibit of Frank Lloyd Wright's work. Actually, most of the museum was given over to his work, so only a comparatively tiny space was devoted to some of the Museum's other collection. But it was fun to see his original drawings on vellum -- and to see which of his works were built and which were never built.
Last stop for the day: uptown for dinner with friends who live in South Florida, but had just arrived in Connecticut for the summer. My charges thought it would be fun to meet fellow Floridians in Manhattan and their friends found it perfectlty natural to take the train into Grand Central for the evening (something we here in South Florida cannot do.) And of course, just to tempt me -- three of the four had soft shell crabs for dinner. Is there no end to their baiting me and my patience and good manners???

Across the street, they spotted this interesting message, which I do believe Mr. Jake will interpret once he gets home from camp!!!

And so, we reach Day Seven -- and another amazing flight that left LaGuardia Airport on time and arrived back in Fort Lauderdale on time. How bizarre. Could it be because they knew they were competing with one of the finest -- and most beautiful -- of birds?

Just for the record, Days Eight and Nine were a road trip back to Orlando for a business meeting - so I stayed to keep a bird's eye on the house and get it ready for today -- Day Ten - and the return of my clients, Mr. Jake and Just Harry!!!!!

Over and out for now,

HC-Bird

Heron-Cam Manhattan Report: Day Four

The Key West Collies called it: they said I could be a flighty bird. And it's true, oh too true. Today, as anyone who has a calendar well knows, is Day Seven -- and here I am just starting to tell you about Day Four.

So what happened???

In the interest of full disclosure, on Day Four, when my charges had a long-awaited date with Ms. Asta and her mommi and daddi, what did I do???? I accompanied them to the West Village and then was so distracted by the Hudson River and all the fishing opportunities, I kind of lost it until I remembered they were flying home on Sunday (Day Seven)-- and I had to be there at the airport. So what you will read from here on is a threadbare recapitulation of what I think happened -- kind of a third-bird account.

Day Four then: the absolute highlight of the whole trip -- meeting Ms. Asta herself and her pawrents!! Asta, the star of the show, greeted everybody with her usual grace and charm.

Knowing her visitors were from Florida, she ran and got her alligator so they would feel right at home!And her mommi thanked her with a few treats.But then, Ms. Asta kind of suspected they might have brought her something special -- and indeed they had: a fox!!! (Of course -- what else would a wire fox terrier need???)She set right to making its acquaintance, But then, she discovered there was something else: a monkey. And she made his acquainatnce as well.

In the meantime, her pawrents and Jake and Just Harry's pawrents started talking, and talking, and talking -- and they accuse you dogs of barking too much!!! But it seems they all felt as though they had known each other for ever -- and just had lots to catch up on.

After more conversation (and delicious wine), they decided it was time for dinner -- and went to a very cool Italian restaurant (with a distinct terrier profile). Had I not been so enamored of the river, I might have joined them in the favorite, linguine di mare.... but who knew? All I did knew is that my charges had an amazing time, and were trying to decide how they could live in Florida and Manhattan at the same time so they could spend more time with such warm, hospitable, fun, creative people (and dog).After dinner, it seems a stop for ice cream was involved. And then, before they all said good night, the three ladies sat for a spell in the hallway and shared a few secrets!!!

Yes, indeed the highlight of the trip. The only thing missing???? You guessed it. My clients, Mr. Jake and Mr. Just Harry!!! Indeed, they are sorely missed -- but my charges have a business meeting in Orlando (Days Eight and Nine). So sadly, we have a few more days to go before they'll be home -- and I'll fill the time with more about Days Five Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine.!!

Your flighty reporter.

HC-Bird