During my whirlwind 48-hour-long stay in New York City, my 11-year-old requested that I bring her back some of the magnificently colored M&Ms from the huge M&M store in Times Square (the Hershey’s store is just across the street).

As it was her sole request, I granted it.  One pound of M&Ms cost $12.95.  I hope she enjoys them immensely at this price!  These are colors that you can’t get anywhere else (I think they all taste the same but I’ll need to do some major sampling in order to say this definitively).

There are some new statues . . . with signs saying “Do not climb” . . .

. . . and old statues that would be hard to climb . . .

Columbus Circle is completely different . . .

. . . but a block away there are the traditional horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.

If you want to ride in a horse-drawn carriage, you should get your ride in soon;  there’s a movement afoot to ban all horses in the city for their own well-being.

I stayed in my old building at 82nd and Riverside in the apartment of my friend Steve, whose apartment is four stories above my old apartment and who was the reason I moved into the building in 1994.

Here are the views from his apartment, which are similar to the views from my old apartment, only higher up and more spectacular.

The sun setting over the Hudson River and New Jersey Palisades:

And the view east towards Broadway, the water towers like huge beasts crouching over Manhattan.

God, how I love water towers!

More comments in tomorrow’s post about changes in New York due to the administration of the new mayor, Bill de Blasio, and whatever else I come across!