Monday, May 12, 2008

Big Apple Fun!

I went on a bus trip to NYC on Saturday. I offered my services as a tour guide to Alisa and her friends, but they wanted to hang with Cindy (her mil), so I was "forced" to go yarn shopping! Alisa had my cellphone number, and I told her to call me if she changed her mind later in the afternoon.

Hopped on the subway near Times Square, then back off at 28th Street. My favorite yarn store, School Products is just around the corner from the subway stairs. Up to the third floor, where the owner was much friendlier than he has been in the past. I told him that I recommend School Products every time anyone asks for ideas for yarn shopping in Manhattan and that I had "pre-shopped" the online site. Yak yarn turned out to be not as soft as I'd thought it was going to be, so it stayed. I did, however, get some cashmere/merino, straight cashmere, and some mohair/nylon for a scarf for Mom.

Next up, a trip down to Greenwich Village. I had noticed a "Greenwich Avenue Festival" for May 10. It was quite nice and relaxed, and I got to talk to several hand-made jewelry vendors about amber. Dessert first: two macaroons from a little patisserie at one end of the street, then a sandwich and latte from "Le Petit Cafe" at the other end. While I was eating, Alisa called me wanting directions from Canal down to Ground Zero, so I told her how to get there and decided to meet her.

From there, we walked down to Battery Park, where Alisa, Brandon, Bida, and friends explored while I sat at KIPped near one of the Statue of Liberty people. After watching Bida trying to tempt a squirrel with a cheese cracker, we decided it was time to head uptown again to Times Square. They decided to eat "real New York pizza", while I went for "healthy" at a Pax Whole Foods store.

Long ride home, up "early" for breakfast with Mom and the Houtzes, then back to Saltillo... where I slept with the cats all afternoon!

Monday, May 05, 2008

Maryland Sheep and Wool Weekend

Wow.

That's all I can say. Wow.

It's been two years since I went last. This year, I stayed in Frederick, Maryland, and got to the grounds around nine a.m.

The lower part of the field was already full. Yikes. (I've since found out that some people were there at SEVEN a.m. and already into the fairgrounds before I was even dressed.)

I ended up at the TOP of the hill. I did NOT take my spinning bag, so I didn't stay for the spin in at 6 p.m.

I did, however, meet a lot of people from Ravelry and DRU. I got a Rav button. I got two skeins of Socks That Rock yarn, three balls of green wool for A4A, and three bags of Bavarian almonds (two left at this point). Oh, almost forgot the "you found me" gift from a fellow Raveler. I see a nice shoulder shawl in my future!

Sunday was fun, even though I didn't go back to Howard County. Instead, I went to Barnesville where I was in a workshop with the people from Woolly Thoughts. Time to go home now to play with my yarn!