I’m hip! I’m groovy! I have made it in New York City!! There I was early on Saturday morning, sauntering through the pumpkin filled Farmer’s Markets with my bike, the front box spilling over with groceries and spiked with ears of corn, a bag of apples swinging from the handle-bar and another in my hand mid-munch, when Bill Cunningham appeared to my left pointing his camera at me! There was no time to call hair and makeup, run a hand through my helmet hair, or swivel to a three quarter front pose. There was scarcely time to swallow. The famous New York Times photographer was taking my picture. What a moment. In a flash I wondered what I was wearing – certainly not Jimmy Choos, a designer outfit, or even mascara. I hadn’t even polished my bike. But then my life of living with a particular photographer clicked in and I paused and smiled, looking right down the lens. Bill took a shot and beamed at me, raising his thumb enthusiastically. Then he was gone, no doubt to make someone else’s day. If I make the edit, my picture will appear in the Times on Friday, but just in case I don’t, we replicated the shot. I was still smiling…
TheFitzyreport 
Your positively beaming, Fitzy! Great pics and story.
You look as gorgeous as ever!
Great pic and fun story!!
Wow look at all that orange. And Wow for another brush with fame ~ does that now make you famous getting your pic snapped by Bill Cunningham?
No Carol – not famous, it was just funny to be caught in my ‘natural’ state early on a Saturday morning by the very endearing Bill Cunningham. Bill is an absolutely iconic member of the city, so it made for a delightful New York moment for me…
I love Bill Cunningham – discovered him at the Adelaide Film Festival where a film about him was showing – what a lovely, humble and talented guy, adored by the glitterati in NYC;
and you look fab with your bike!
That was great hearing you last night talking about ‘meeting BC’….and great to see the photo. I can see why he took one of you Fitzy.
I too have a Bill Cunningham story, but, unfortunately it was not pretty…
Jan 2 2013….It began by taking photos of the Bergdorf Goodman Christmas windows and running across 5th Avenue to look back to take a photo of the snake at Bulgari. I was mindful of not getting in the way of the pedestrians crossing at the green light at 57th and in doing so stood in front of someone else taking photos… well stood in front of/stood on ….oops! An older guy…in a blue coat….there was a blue bike leaning on a lamp post nearby….. it was Bill Cunningham…
I really really wanted to see him this trip after seeing the documentary and watching his column in the New York Times each week. I was not cool. Since the encounter I have been imagining the cool conversations I could have had with him…alas.
This is a hilarious story Jenny – I can just picture the scene… Maybe there is a shot of you in Bill’s archive, looking slightly alarmed, with the Bergdorf Goodman Christmas windows in the background! But please do not give up, come back to NYC and pursue that cool conversation….
Hey Fitzy, we loved it so much we’re coming back this Christmas – New Year…. 3 weeks this time.
AND I’ve been made a NYC Destination Expert on the Trip Advisor Forum. I received this correspondence from the Trip Advisor admin bods a couple of weeks ago:
“Good news! Because of your valuable, frequent participation in the TripAdvisor Forums, we’d like you to become one of our Destination Experts for New York City!
Destination experts help our millions of travelers plan their dream vacations. You’ll be asked all sorts of questions. Destination experts share their knowledge to be sure that travelers make the most of the destination they’re visiting, and help them create once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”
There are only 7 DE’s for NYC and all of them bar me live in NYC so I was pretty chuffed to be asked.
And then – on the NYC TA forum about a week later I made a silly quip in a post that I was a bit nervous to post now given I was a ‘DE’….some-one sent me this TA Personal Message (this poster is also from Australia):
“Hi Jenny,
I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the destination expert.
I just saw your post about “being nervous when I put my fingers to the keyboard” and wanted to stay that you should not be nervous!
I’ve gotten so much good advice from your posts (more than any other poster on the NYC forum). A week ago I read I read your trip report from your last visit and I thought it absurd that no one had nominated you.
I advised them that I was very impressed at how you gave helpful and polite advice to each poster despite the question have been asked over and over and over again. I also advised that it was nice to hear from a non-NYC perspective and that you have a good and balanced opinion as someone who has visited the city enough time to have the knowledge of a DE but also still understand that some tourists are so excited about their first visit to NYC that they are happy to go to the big famous sites.
Anyways, I’m really glad that they awarded you with your long over due DE and I look forward to hearing about your next trip come December. Cheers ….”
How is that Fitzy? gosh! Better go check what questions came in overnight!
Fantastic! Congratulations Jenny – this is an excellent compliment and good for you. You deserve it DE – and I wonder what you’ve got planned for this Christmas….?!
I have heard you on 774abc Melbourne, love your segments. Great pic too!
Thank you Sharon !