The sky is so clear and bright blue that it is deceivingly cold when I step out of the apartment in the morning. It will get down to freezing point tonight, crazy weather for this late into spring!!!

I'm going to see the frick collection today (free between 1100-1300 Sunday). However, I got off at 86th st not 68th street, but this is prime shopping territory, so i decided to windowshop and walk back to 70th street, my destination.

Right now it's 1200 and I thought I would have an early lunch before going to the gallery, as I've found via Quadronno - a little slice of Milano! Yes it's an Italian restaurant that is very regional, and I'm really looking forward to a decent cappuccino and my polenta bolognese al fungi. People watching is particularly interesting here, there was a woman dressed so much like Diane Keaton, I had to look three times to make sure it wasn't her. Her look is a particular look for artistic women who live around the upper east side, I'll take that any day over the tracksuited brigade. The older Italian men are dressed in full suits and the young Italian men are very slick.

I just made it to The Frick Collection just before the time cutoff when you have to start paying! The art collection is stunning! European masters such as Vermeer, el Greco, Goya, Degas, and plenty of others are displayed in a gorgeous beaux arts building, on 5th ave. Much of the furnishings have been preserved in the rooms, as well as the original drapes, parquetry floors, chandeliers and silk lined walls. A couple of the rooms are oval shaped and everything is very grand and formal. There is an internal stone courtyard with fountains and ponds, which is a nice place to sit and absorb the surrounding splendour . Unfortunately no photos are allowed so you will have to go and see it all for yourself!

It's such a glorious day that Central Park is heaving with people - the runners, the families, the dogs, the tourists, the wedding parties! Some geisha from Japan had just posed for photos under flowering magnolias in full dress. There were a lot of people at the boathouse restaurant so I found a posse on the grass to watch all the goings on in the park for a while. Even though its about 8 degrees, there's no wind and the sun feels nice.

I'm now returning to scarsdale as Jane will be arriving soon - it will be good to have a companion for a while to explore with!