FLAMING YARN AND GRILLED MAHI MAHI

So, we turn our backs for five minutes and the whole international financial sector comes crashing down. This is surely no coincidence. We predict a recovery for the sector around May 2009 (or at least we hope so, we're going to have a lot of bills to pay...)

We arrived in Manhattan last Wednesday night after some emotional goodbyes at Heathrow and a vodka-numbed flight (for Emma at least - it makes the bumps less bumpy). Amazing how much free booze you can have before lunchtime when they're giving cocktails away in T5. Went to a favourite little 'boutique hotel' of ours - Chez Margot n Si, on East 22nd St - it definitely gets five stars for hospitality, food and drink and the lovely Arthur, their sausage dog. Margot and Si took us to a lovely Vietnamese restaurant that evening just round the corner from the apartment, which whetted our appetite for the travels ahead.

Next day we did a spot of shopping before meeting up with Dave and Dav in Grand Central Station to take the train up the Hudson Valley to Poughkeepsie, where our friends Kim and Nick were getting married. The journey took about an hour and a half and the scenery along the way was incredibly beautiful. That night we ate at the 'Coyote Grill' next door to our hotel, where we experienced for ourselves the insane portion sizes but smily service that the US is famous for.

On Friday the wedding was not until 5pm, so during the day we took the opportunity to get out and explore upstate New York, visiting a nature preserve (not reserve, oddly) called Mohonk, a high rocky ridge overlooking the lush green countryside below. We saw a fair amount of wildlife - caterpillars, crickets, a snake, lots of bear poo but thankfully no bears, although Dav was disappointed - and a model shoot. The taxi driver who took us there and back thought he was a bit of a dude and was really into his r n' b - loud - but gave us a bit of a flavour of local life.

The wedding was held at the 'expertly named' West Park winery, and was outside on a hillside overlooking the whole area, in a stunning setting, particularly against the cloudlesss blue sky. The sun was low in the sky by this stage so the lighting was perfect. Kim and the bridesmaids arrived in a white open-topped car and despite the flower-girl getting a touch of stage fright the ceremony, carried out by Judge Parker, was very moving, at least from Emma's point of view. Kim and Nick read Apache Indian poems to one another - cue tears from most of us girls... Kim looked completely beautiful and very happy.

The reception afterwards was lots of fun - dinner options of Flaming Yarn and Grilled Mahi Mahi had had most of us Brits stumped for a while until we saw the menu card - filet mignon with an American accent, or the PC version of dolphin fish. The wedding party was introduced on the dancefloor before dinner - an American tradition - and Kim and Nick did the first dance and then danced with their parents, before we all sat down to eat. After dinner, the wedding party kicked off the dancing with the birdy song (I don't wanna be a chicken I don't wanna be a chicken I just wanna be a duck quack quack quack quack - what's that about??) and YMCA. The highlight for us was Livin' on a Prayer, which brought back lots of memories of our own wedding. All too soon it was over and after some sparklers we headed back to the ever-welcoming Coyote Grill (Dunc went there four times in 48 hours).

A hungover Saturday had us driving up to Kim's parents' house for a barbecue out in Poughquag, 45 mins out of Poughkeepsie, with all the Frankfurters and both families. We ate bison burgers and the biggest sandwich we've ever seen - the 6ft sub - and did cartwheels in the garden (Duncan opted out of this part of the proceedings). R n B taximan (apart from 'Frank' who seems to run a taxi cartel in upstate NY, our friend seems to be the single taxi driver there) took us in a race against time to Beacon station for our train back to Manhattan.

That night, despite post-wedding exhaustion, we had a lovely night with Margot and Si and two of Margot's friends at a trendy and lively little pizzeria called Otto where our table was announced on a train station departures board. The following morning, after a well deserved lie in (it's a tough life) we did a bit more shopping and sightseeing in Manhattan and had lunch in the West Village at a great little cafe called Foccaccia, away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of New York. Later we popped in to see Scott and Jairo's beautiful new flat in Tribeca to say goodbye to them and Nan and Jenny. Then we headed back to Margot and Si's for a great Sunday roast and a relaxing glass of wine and a session of Snatch.