9 posts tagged “new york”

I'm back from New York and I have a slight cold. I think it's a result of the air conditioning on the plane, which didn't seem to be adjustable and closely mirrored the temperature outside the cabin (minus 50).

I watched Letters from Iwo Jima during the flight, which very nearly reduced me to tears. But I'm a modern guy and I can admit this publicly without fear of being mocked.

I have the phrase "Nakatomi Plaza" rattling around my brain, for some reason. I think it's caused by looking at lots of tall, shiny buildings during the last few days, thanks to the conference I was at. I also saw Bruce Willis looking airbrushed on the front of Vanity Fair in the airport.

I managed to escape the SoHotel earlier today. The wi-fi broke in there, which is why I haven't posted anything since Wednesday. Contrary to the Time Out listing, the hotel also lacked cable TV, a TV remote, a minibar, hair dryer and, at first, a wardrobe, until I requested a change of room. Having said all that, it was ridiculously well located, and cheap, so I can't grumble too much.

Emma has just left for JFK airport, leaving me stranded in NY, fearful and alone. It's not all bad, though. It's incredibly hot and sunny outside, for one. Also, I'm now entering "work time", so I've checked into a nice hotel on the company's cash. It has an excellent iPod dock, on which I am listening to Do Not Multiply Models by CiM. And there's a DVD player.

I've bought so much stuff in the last couple of days, I genuinely fear for my baggage allowance on the way home. I'm also aching from doing flying trapeze yesterday (don't ask, it was Emma's idea).

Lots more photos on Flickr, here.

We arrived a couple of hours late. It was nice but then it started raining. I've already spent $50 in the Kid Robot store. We also took a trip to Lombardi's for pizza and had a look in the MOMA Design Store, which is full of so many cool things we unfortunately can't fit in our cases.

The hotel, SoHotel in SoHo, is basic. After being given a room that didn't even have a wardrobe or coat hanger in it, only two small drawers and about a foot around each side of the bed (apparently this was a "new" room), we requested another, which is quite a bit larger and has a fine closet and some appealing bare brick walls.

It's only 8pm but we are both knackered, since we've been up since 6am and it feels like 1am. We may, or may not, go back out for a night cap (Emma is watching TV in bed, so unlikely.)

There's a product I've seen advertised on TV called Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper. I have to try this.

The pound is tipped to be worth two US dollars by the end of this week, its highest value since 1992. How fortunate, then, that I'm off to New York on holiday in ten days' time. As Emma says: "Everything in New York is half price!" Which is sort of right, right? 

On this blog, about three weeks ago, I predicted Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and AC Milan would be the four semi-finalists in the Champions League.

Funnily enough, this is exactly what has happened. Now why didn't I put a bet on it?

I'm now going to predict a Liverpool-Milan final. We (Liverpool) can surely thrash the Mourinho Gobshite Allstars (Chelsea) in the semi... again.

Unfortunately I'll be in New York and unable to watch it. Poo.

I bought this book today, in preparation for our trip, which is now a mere three-and-a-bit weeks away!

It's a guide book, but it's a bit different to the usual sort in that it doesn't look or feel much like one. It has plenty of recommendations but it aims to take you off the beaten track a bit. The contributors are all clever arty types - "novelists, artists, architects, curators, directors, historians and gourmets" as it says on the cover - and they tell you about their favourite places.

It has a map and all that but it's deliberately and honestly "subjective". You could comfortably read it cover to cover. I've already found loads of cool places to go.

Emma says it's "poncey" and insinuates that it's the sort of impractical rubbish I usually waste my money on. Of course, I slapped her around a bit for being so goddam insolent, after which she stabbed me in the thigh with a broken wine bottle. We're friends again now.

We're going to New York City again in May. Whoo! Just booked the hotel. We're going for cheap and cheerful this time, so we've opted for the SoHotel on Broome Street (slogan: "Clean, Courteous, Moderate" [!]), close to Little Italy (it's in the Time Out book, so it can't be that bad). Last time we stayed in Midtown, near Times Square, so this should be quite a different sort of "vibe" (if you will).

After the holiday I'm staying on to cover a conference for work and to research some features on NYC, which I'll be writing during the summer. This means I will have the bizarre experience of waving Emma off from Manhattan and then bumming round on my own for the rest of the day before getting into "work mode".

I'd have preferred to do the work bit first, then have a holiday. But our hand has been forced, as usual, by Emma's tedious employer, which is amazingly fussy about when it lets her have the day off (even if she's booking it four months in advance...). Damn those capitalists!

An e-mail arrives: "YOUR MOMMA is a 10” tall, soft vinyl sculpture designed by Tristan Eaton exclusively for THUNDERDOG STUDIOS INC. ‘YOUR MOMMA’ is made in a limited edition of 400 pieces and comes with 9 accessories, including secret babies in her belly!"

Cripes!