Its amazing you could nail so many shots right from the hip with manual focus. Well done bro. Do you carry your camera everywhere you go? How much time per day do you spent walking around taking pics?
I know first hand how not easy it is to get these shots right. I have the same lens. The DOF is so shallow especially if you open the lens up in order to get that creamy bokeh. You gotta to be really good at range focusing if you want to fire from the hip. But when you get it all right and if the composition is good also the feeling is like hitting jackpot. Well done bro.
Lots of bro's in this thread I'm more of a brew.
I love your pics, I went through them twice (grin)
I'm D700 as well and manual focus, not hip or zone but I'm fond of any technique as long as it results in a pic to like and you have plenty.
Ant.
Always following your thread. Please keep them coming.