I think I may have forgotten to mention that I quit my job. And I couldn't be happier.
There was a guy at Sunshine who left not long after I arrived to pursue a career in coffee. During one of my tirades about how boring it was to work there and how I craved excitement he suggested I interview for a new location of Jack's Coffee that he would be managing. I did, with the intention of running 2 jobs side by side, and was lucky enough to get it despite my lack of barista experience (and the fact that I'm primarily a tea drinker who hates milk). I approached Sunshine about working with my schedule so that I could maintain 2 jobs and they refused to be flexible. I had given them a 7 day availability when I started and they weren't prepared to change that until I'd completed my probation (another 4 weeks). I really did not want to jeopardise my new job with Jack's as I could already tell that it would be much more fun and enjoyable (and it paid more). So I quit. The only thing I'm sad about is that they probably couldn't care less. And no-one will miss me which is not a nice feeling.
This is my new place of employment - Jack's Coffee. There are 3 other locations around New York and mine is the newest, seasonal branch posited in Green Acre Park, a private park owned by the Rockefellers, in midtown Manhattan. The park is one acre and contains a massive waterfall and ivy covered walls. It's contained by a seriously heavy steel gate that closes every night at 6pm and re-opens at 8am. There are a list of rules posted in the park that stipulate no dogs, no smoking, no photos to name a few. There are two hefty groundskeepers that have worked the park for 40 odd years and enforce the rules. Our storefront is a window onto the park and the space behind it is cosy for 3 people. We make a special cold brew iced coffee, stir-brew coffee (like drip coffee) and have an espresso bar. We sell croissants, bagels, pre-made sandwiches and salads. We have drinks called the Happy Jack, Sweet Mary and The Mountie. We have to open a secret hatch by the waterfall to get inside the store. Basically I love it so far. I typically work 1-7 although Scott, my boss, has dragged me to a couple of 7.30am opens. I love the early closing time (beats the hell out of waiting for the subway at midnight) and the people I work with. I also get tips which makes me a mad hypocrite/tipocrite but hey.....when in Rome right?
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Introducing Bobby Flay and the rest
So just before the girls arrived we decided that it would be best if Toulouse, our foster cat, returned to the shelter. Being of such fragile constitution we thought that 2 extra bodies in the apartment would surely freak him out beyond repair. About 4 days before the girls left we got an email from the Foster Woman asking if we could take a new cat called Bobby who had just been given the chop and needed a quiet place to recover. The girls said OK so we said OK. On the Monday Timon and I went down to Union Square to collect Bobby, a white boy cat with patches of ginger. An albino with a ginger top - just like celebrity chef AND Iron Chef Bobby Flay. We brought him back to 105th on the subway which was terrifying for all and he immediately sought cover under our bed. We left him in peace and when we returned from our adventures that evening he had found his way on top of the cupboards in the kitchen, about 5 inches from the roof. We left him there and it was not until about 3am that we heard from him again. And oh did we hear from him. He cried and cried and cried in the loudest most whingey cat voice ever. He hid under the couch (under Lucy) and cried some more. The space under the coach is not sufficient for a big boy cat. We teamed up and got him into the bathroom. He cried some more. Everyone was pretty grouchy with Bobby in the morning.
Eventually Bobby calmed down and became a beautiful, cuddly affectionate boy. He had a ravenous appetite and slept on the bed between me and Timon. He was too slow to bite and his claws had been clipped so he couldn't really scratch. The only problem was toilet related - he insisted on pooing in our bath whenever the door was left open. This sucked because we wanted to keep his tray in the bathroom. The only answer was to keep the door shut and place the tray in front of it, meaning that Bobby's toilet was also our lounge room. Anyway, we survived and his cuddles made up for everything. We were kind of shattered to receive another email 3 weeks later asking if we could help a foster emergency and swap Bobby out for a mother and her 3 kittens. As we got into this business to help out we felt kind of obligated (that's what we tell ourselves so we don't feel guilty). Last Tuesday we bundled Bobby up, bought fresh litter trays and brought home a 1 year old grey tabby called April and her 2 month old kittens Meg, Lucy and Abu. We promptly changed Abu's name to Conan as he is all ginger. Lucy is a beautiful blue eyed Siamese and Meg is a calico kitty with a gammy back leg. The best part about kittens is that they play with each other and relieve us of the burden of entertaining them. The worst part is that they play with each other and ignore us! The weirdest part is that they are still getting milk from the mama and it's a crazy thing to watch. They are quiet and gorgeous and tiny and tire themselves out quickly. Here's a pic:
For pics of Bobby being super cute check out my Facebook album called Kittens!
Eventually Bobby calmed down and became a beautiful, cuddly affectionate boy. He had a ravenous appetite and slept on the bed between me and Timon. He was too slow to bite and his claws had been clipped so he couldn't really scratch. The only problem was toilet related - he insisted on pooing in our bath whenever the door was left open. This sucked because we wanted to keep his tray in the bathroom. The only answer was to keep the door shut and place the tray in front of it, meaning that Bobby's toilet was also our lounge room. Anyway, we survived and his cuddles made up for everything. We were kind of shattered to receive another email 3 weeks later asking if we could help a foster emergency and swap Bobby out for a mother and her 3 kittens. As we got into this business to help out we felt kind of obligated (that's what we tell ourselves so we don't feel guilty). Last Tuesday we bundled Bobby up, bought fresh litter trays and brought home a 1 year old grey tabby called April and her 2 month old kittens Meg, Lucy and Abu. We promptly changed Abu's name to Conan as he is all ginger. Lucy is a beautiful blue eyed Siamese and Meg is a calico kitty with a gammy back leg. The best part about kittens is that they play with each other and relieve us of the burden of entertaining them. The worst part is that they play with each other and ignore us! The weirdest part is that they are still getting milk from the mama and it's a crazy thing to watch. They are quiet and gorgeous and tiny and tire themselves out quickly. Here's a pic:
For pics of Bobby being super cute check out my Facebook album called Kittens!
and from the darkness rises....IAN
Exactly one week after we tearfully bade farewell to Lauren and Lucy an old friend dropped by to say hi. In town after hitting up Toronto and Baltimore for a doctoring conference, Ian (long-time friend, long-time no see) checked into the Empire Hotel on 63rd and Broadway and we met him on a sunny Thursday afternoon. Despite him bagging me out for a poor Supercoach performance the week before, we decided to take him along to the NBC Store at Rockefeller Plaza to see Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation! I'm not sure I've ever seen Timon so excited about a celebrity sighting. We arrived a little bit late and missed joining the queue for the meet and greet so we camped inside the store and took a stack of candid photos with Timon's head in the foreground and Nick/Ron in the background. He sported a full beard which looked out of character but he sounded just like the Ron we know and love. Ian spent the time we were drooling and ogling shopping around the most awesome store ever (NBC Store). We walked from there to Times Square and collected our theatre tickets for that night's show The Addams Family. We walked back to the hotel, changed and went to Ruby Foo's for dinner. Ruby Foo's is a tourist mecca for weird Asian fusion (Duck Nachos) with intensely OTT decor. The food was excellent and we left room for dessert after the show.
The show was really fun. We had unbelievable seats in the Orchestra (Timon and I always end up in the gods - it will be so hard to go back!) and laughed along with Wednesday, Pugsley and Lurch. Morticia was played by the woman who is Lilith in Frasier. I spent most of the show transfixed by her mad cleavage dress. The music was great, costumes cool and there was this weird and wonderful musical number with Uncle Fester and the moon that cannot be sufficiently described. After the show we walked BACK up to the hotel and had dessert and coffee. Ian and I had Key Lime Pie (which we really should have shared) and Timon was directed towards a full-on chocolate brownie. We left Ian around midnight to join his tele-conference work meeting. Snore.
Using my spot-on instructions Ian found our apartment the next morning. After a quick look around (there's not much to see) we set off with the intention of re-visiting the NBC store to gather gifts. Much to Timon's chagrin (sore knee) we ended up walking all the way from 105th to 50th. We went down Central Park West and hit up the Dakota Building where John Lennon spent his last months, and then walked through Strawberry Fields and the rest of the park until we found ourselves at 5th Avenue. We dropped by my new work (more on that later) in midtown - East 51st between 2nd and 3rd Ave - and had an iced coffee. From there we knocked off the presents and caught the subway to 72nd so we could eat at my new favourite place - Lansky's! I'd say any visitors we have from now on can expect to go there for pizza knishes. (I forgot to tell you about the first trip to Lansky's with L&L).
I decided to order light and just go with pizza knishes, mac and cheese croquettes and banana pudding. Timon had southern fried chicken and Ian went with chicken pot pie. I definitely over-ate but Ian said his was awesome. He also liked the free pickles that you get in every diner in this city (bleugh). From there we said Adios Ian and left him to make his way to JFK and then home.
More visitors please!
The show was really fun. We had unbelievable seats in the Orchestra (Timon and I always end up in the gods - it will be so hard to go back!) and laughed along with Wednesday, Pugsley and Lurch. Morticia was played by the woman who is Lilith in Frasier. I spent most of the show transfixed by her mad cleavage dress. The music was great, costumes cool and there was this weird and wonderful musical number with Uncle Fester and the moon that cannot be sufficiently described. After the show we walked BACK up to the hotel and had dessert and coffee. Ian and I had Key Lime Pie (which we really should have shared) and Timon was directed towards a full-on chocolate brownie. We left Ian around midnight to join his tele-conference work meeting. Snore.
Using my spot-on instructions Ian found our apartment the next morning. After a quick look around (there's not much to see) we set off with the intention of re-visiting the NBC store to gather gifts. Much to Timon's chagrin (sore knee) we ended up walking all the way from 105th to 50th. We went down Central Park West and hit up the Dakota Building where John Lennon spent his last months, and then walked through Strawberry Fields and the rest of the park until we found ourselves at 5th Avenue. We dropped by my new work (more on that later) in midtown - East 51st between 2nd and 3rd Ave - and had an iced coffee. From there we knocked off the presents and caught the subway to 72nd so we could eat at my new favourite place - Lansky's! I'd say any visitors we have from now on can expect to go there for pizza knishes. (I forgot to tell you about the first trip to Lansky's with L&L).
I decided to order light and just go with pizza knishes, mac and cheese croquettes and banana pudding. Timon had southern fried chicken and Ian went with chicken pot pie. I definitely over-ate but Ian said his was awesome. He also liked the free pickles that you get in every diner in this city (bleugh). From there we said Adios Ian and left him to make his way to JFK and then home.
More visitors please!
The saga ends..... for now
I'm sure there are a million things I forgot to write about but that's what happens when you leave it until a month later. For more complete details check with Lauren. She kept a diary of all the adventures we had and the thousand photos tell a better story than me. All I can say is that putting my sisters in a cab to the airport was the most brutal thing ever. I cried for days afterwards. This trip so far has been undeniably tough, with our first few months in Manhattan being a real test. The anticipation of having the girls visit was a great boost, but nowhere near as awesome as having them here, sharing our apartment and experiencing the city in a new way. We did every tourist thing imaginable plus some extra special side missions. I got to see the city that kicked our asses in a better light and get lifted out of the everyday drudgery of working and riding the subway. People keep saying - but you live in New York, it must be amazing - but it truly wasn't, until my sisters came to stay.
Art and Music
Quite early in the piece Lucy had booked us all tickets to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Alexander McQueen exhibition. Timon was too broken from his AFL experience so we left him asleep and set off in the rain, for some reason walking, across Central Park to the Met. (Oh I remember we waited for ages and couldn't get a cab). We had an umbrella each which was fine for the most part but once we hit the road that runs across the park we got mercilessly drenched by passing cars and their off-spray. It was the first day of the exhibition and people were flooding into the museum but thankfully the flooding outside kept some people away. We made a beeline for the McQueen gallery and spent the next 2 hours examining the clothes and reading many (rather pretentious and wanky) quotes from the designer. Well actually I spent about 30 minutes, Lucy spent 2 hours. She procured a giant hardcover book on the work and we cabbed it home.
I'm not sure what we did in-between as my memory is pathetic. I'm sure one of the girls can fill in the gap. But later...... we trekked to Harlem for Amateur Night at the Apollo Theatre. Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson all appeared at the Apollo, just to name a few. We had no idea what to expect, but I did not expect to be amongst a predominantly white, tourist crowd. The show started with an awesome performance by one of the Emcees to get the crowd pumping. Then the comedian host told us the rules (don't boo little kids, give everyone a chance but go crazy if they suck) and introduced the acts. We voted through a very young trumpet player who was brilliant, although the youngest rapper was super cute ("Pull your pants up" was his rap). One girl spirit fingered her way through Don't Stop Believing but it was just too Glee for the Apollo.
At intermission there was a hilarious dance competition between members of the audience. A super shy Japanese girl broke out some wicked moves and won our hearts. She was almost upstaged by an old Scandinavian man who did a jig. The main event featured mostly young adults singing rock, r'n'b and soul tunes. I never booed and felt terrible for those who felt the wrath. But the music was rad and the jokes were funny. I'll definitely be going back.
The vibe was strong after the show so our crew decided on $4 margaritas. And "Redheaded Slut" shots and 123 Burger Shot Beer. We ended up cabbing it all the way to the Lower East Side to meet up with some dudes from The Standard. There was a lot of dancing and smooth moves, and ALOT of shielding our eyes from what these countrymen seem to consider dancing but is more like gross grinding crotch mashing. Some of us were home in bed by 4am, some of us didn't show their faces until 7am. The night before an international flight......spew.
I'm not sure what we did in-between as my memory is pathetic. I'm sure one of the girls can fill in the gap. But later...... we trekked to Harlem for Amateur Night at the Apollo Theatre. Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson all appeared at the Apollo, just to name a few. We had no idea what to expect, but I did not expect to be amongst a predominantly white, tourist crowd. The show started with an awesome performance by one of the Emcees to get the crowd pumping. Then the comedian host told us the rules (don't boo little kids, give everyone a chance but go crazy if they suck) and introduced the acts. We voted through a very young trumpet player who was brilliant, although the youngest rapper was super cute ("Pull your pants up" was his rap). One girl spirit fingered her way through Don't Stop Believing but it was just too Glee for the Apollo.
At intermission there was a hilarious dance competition between members of the audience. A super shy Japanese girl broke out some wicked moves and won our hearts. She was almost upstaged by an old Scandinavian man who did a jig. The main event featured mostly young adults singing rock, r'n'b and soul tunes. I never booed and felt terrible for those who felt the wrath. But the music was rad and the jokes were funny. I'll definitely be going back.
The vibe was strong after the show so our crew decided on $4 margaritas. And "Redheaded Slut" shots and 123 Burger Shot Beer. We ended up cabbing it all the way to the Lower East Side to meet up with some dudes from The Standard. There was a lot of dancing and smooth moves, and ALOT of shielding our eyes from what these countrymen seem to consider dancing but is more like gross grinding crotch mashing. Some of us were home in bed by 4am, some of us didn't show their faces until 7am. The night before an international flight......spew.
Coney Island, Buddakan and other adventures
The Sunday after Mark I had to work all day in the Box Office. Timon, Lucy and Lauren collected me in the afternoon and we jumped on the F train for the epic epic (I'm talking like 20+ subway stops) to Coney Island. On the brink of Brooklyn, Coney Island is a boardwalk/carnival/amusement area that is free to enter (if you don't value your soul). We went straight for Nathan's - a famous hot doggery - for a quick dinner before hitting up the ride zone. Lucy smooshed her way through a very messy chilli dog while Lauren went for the funnel cake, a pile of donut dough deep fried and topped with icing sugar. I guess I should cut Coney Island a break because it was not summer when we visited and the crowds were sparse. But the areas we walked through were ghetto carny in a very un-fun kind of way. The boardwalk was deserted (and freezing) but it was nice to see a beach for the first time in ages. We did stumble across a new part of Coney Island, coincidentally called Luna Park, that looked more fun. Lucy, Timon and I braved one ride and almost regretted it. It was one where you spin and slide and go up in the air. There was a lot of screaming and an almost spew. Check Lauren's facebook for the pics.
I hear that Coney Island has fireworks in the summer. Maybe I'll give it a second chance...
Having visited Buddakan restaurant on the Sex and the City tour we decided it should be the venue for our grand finale dinner. We dressed up all fancy in our new dresses and heels (Timon wore manly stuff) and had a cocktail in the bar while we waited for our table. The restaurant is stunning, dark wood, deep reds and low lighting. The food is Asian and as we'll soon learn - delicious. We were seated in the area from the New Years Eve scene in the SATC film with Stanford and Anthony. We shared amazing dumplings and spring rolls and beef, chicken and scallops. We drank champagne and wine and the desserts were equally awesome. I had a peanut butter inspired dessert that had this white powder that tasted like peanut butter. Crazy. Afterwards we ventured to The Standard bar/beer garden for some follow up drinks. I was carded at the bar and the guy almost wouldn't accept my Aussie driver's licence. Come on! Every where else has, no problems. He asked for my passport, which quite sensibly I don't carry around in my handbag, but in the end I charmed him into getting over it. I think it might be time to get a New York state ID.
The crowd at the bar was mostly suits and slutty ladies, many sporting an Australian accent. We got sufficiently blotto and jumped into the girls' first New York cab and went home.
On Tuesday night Timon had arranged to join a local amateur AFL team for a training session in Queens. Having not yet visited Queens, and with a desire to tick off every borough, we accompanied him. It was a quick trip and a not so quick walk around trying to find the training ground - a soccer pitch not even half the size of a football oval. Us girls left Timon to get his sweat on while we explored the surrounding area. Only a block from the pitch was a newly developed boardwalk with an awesome view of Manhattan over the East River. It was peaceful and there were wooden recliners built in along the boardwalk. We sat and looked and chilled as the sun went down behind the Empire State Building. It's moments like these that remind me why I wanted to come here, and why I'm so excited that I could share the city with my sisters.
Timon was completely wrecked after training so we carried him back home and had a relaxed evening in. I'd tell you about the time we watched Black Devil Doll but the description of the film is enough to tarnish this blog forever. Let's just say I was shocked that my cinema screened it for a midnight session.
I hear that Coney Island has fireworks in the summer. Maybe I'll give it a second chance...
Having visited Buddakan restaurant on the Sex and the City tour we decided it should be the venue for our grand finale dinner. We dressed up all fancy in our new dresses and heels (Timon wore manly stuff) and had a cocktail in the bar while we waited for our table. The restaurant is stunning, dark wood, deep reds and low lighting. The food is Asian and as we'll soon learn - delicious. We were seated in the area from the New Years Eve scene in the SATC film with Stanford and Anthony. We shared amazing dumplings and spring rolls and beef, chicken and scallops. We drank champagne and wine and the desserts were equally awesome. I had a peanut butter inspired dessert that had this white powder that tasted like peanut butter. Crazy. Afterwards we ventured to The Standard bar/beer garden for some follow up drinks. I was carded at the bar and the guy almost wouldn't accept my Aussie driver's licence. Come on! Every where else has, no problems. He asked for my passport, which quite sensibly I don't carry around in my handbag, but in the end I charmed him into getting over it. I think it might be time to get a New York state ID.
The crowd at the bar was mostly suits and slutty ladies, many sporting an Australian accent. We got sufficiently blotto and jumped into the girls' first New York cab and went home.
On Tuesday night Timon had arranged to join a local amateur AFL team for a training session in Queens. Having not yet visited Queens, and with a desire to tick off every borough, we accompanied him. It was a quick trip and a not so quick walk around trying to find the training ground - a soccer pitch not even half the size of a football oval. Us girls left Timon to get his sweat on while we explored the surrounding area. Only a block from the pitch was a newly developed boardwalk with an awesome view of Manhattan over the East River. It was peaceful and there were wooden recliners built in along the boardwalk. We sat and looked and chilled as the sun went down behind the Empire State Building. It's moments like these that remind me why I wanted to come here, and why I'm so excited that I could share the city with my sisters.
Timon was completely wrecked after training so we carried him back home and had a relaxed evening in. I'd tell you about the time we watched Black Devil Doll but the description of the film is enough to tarnish this blog forever. Let's just say I was shocked that my cinema screened it for a midnight session.
Mark Ruffalo, Celebrity Crush
I've been stalking Mark Ruffalo online for months. Once I found out he would be appearing for a Q&A at the screening of his directorial debut film I visited the ticketing site everyday so I wouldn't miss out. Stupidly I thought this was such a huge event that tickets would go on sale well in advance. But alas, as New York is so jaded about these things, tickets went on sale the week before just like it was any old film release. Bah to that. I finally got 3 tickets, arranged for the night off work and when the day rolled around...I was sick. Snotty, red and gross sick. Which is exactly how I wanted to see/meet one of my top 5 celebrity crushes.
Lauren, Lucy and I made our way to the theatre in no particular rush. I hadn't even dressed up for the night, expecting that we'd spy Mark from a distance and be done with it. This is how Q&As roll at the cinema where I work. The celebs appears once the theatre is full and disappear out a back door before they are mobbed. We saw the queue at the theatre almost before we saw the theatre. It was long. I had underestimated the crowd. The girls jumped in line while I collected our tickets from the Box Office. The staffer assured me that the screening wasn't sold out so there was nothing to worry about. The queue moved fast and we ended up with pretty decent seats up the front. I can never understand why people rush for the back row on nights like these. Obviously the special guests are going to be up the front.
The trailers started and the lady next to me leant over for what I was sure was going to be a friendly joke about "Bridesmaids". It took me a while to process what she actually said, which was "You know if you're sick you should really stay home so you don't make other people sick". I nodded and smiled a bit, then recoiled as I realised what she said, and that I had to sit next to her for 3 more hours. Awkward. I guess it's a fair call but not one you expect to hear out loud.
The film "Sympathy for Delicious" was original and interesting. It was about a paralysed DJ living out of his car and the discovery that he has healing hands. Mark plays a homeless-helping priest who first exploits the DJ for his powers but sees the error of his ways. Orlando Bloom features as the front man of a band who invite DJ to join and exploit him even further, though not without his consent. After the film, Mark, Orlando and Christopher (the DJ, screenwriter and Mark's bestie - also really paralysed) came out and the Q&A went off. As always there was a mix of intelligent questions, over the top hero worship and cringe worthy idiot questions. The middle-aged women in front of us went gaga and could barely speak when given the microphone. Lucy and Lauren took many photos while I just basked in Ruffalo glow.
Down in the foyer I fully expected to go home and be done with it. But Mark entered the room and was amazingly sweet and friendly with everyone. It wasn't a total mob scene but he spoke to people individually and graciously took photos and shook hands and all that. The girls encouraged me to grab him for a photo and, despite my sick redness, it turned out pretty rad. After that I got a bit shaky and weak knee'd and needed a few deep breaths but we waited around and got a sneaky Orlando autograph as well (although he moved briskly through the crowd surrounded by handlers - not cool Orlando). I think he was mad that he was basically ignored throughout the Q&A. The only question posed to him was "How do you feel being second choice for this role?". I also got the autograph from Chris, making the evening a resounding success.
Tick for meeting Mark Ruffalo, celebrity crush. Now if I can only meet Scott Bakula, Alexander Skarsgaard, Hulk Hogan and Eddie Vedder. Too much to ask?
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Take me out to the ball game
On Tuesday night we booked in $5 tickets to Yankee Stadium. We saw the Yankees play the Chicago White Sox and what can I say, baseball is no AFL. The crowd seemed distracted and disinterested until the bottom of the 9th when the game could be won with a home-run. But before that, and before people got nicely drunk, there was a definite lack of energy. L & L did some merchandise shopping while Timon and I watched the sun go down over the stadium. We also witnessed the diamond sweepers do the YMCA, the national anthem and a tribute to the soldiers in Iraq ("God Bless America"). We sampled Yankee hotdogs and beer and Lucy had a lot to say about the horrendous customer service on offer. Ultimately the Yankees lost and the stadium cleared out quick and painlessly. I purchased myself a large Yankees foam hand, which I reckon is the best buy of the trip.
Here is where my days start to get blurry and I can't remember things in chronological order. I know for sure on Wednesday we got up super early and caught a free shuttle to Stamford, Connecticut to see a free taping of The Steve Wilkos Show. Now I won't blame you for not knowing what this is, but you see I've been watching it regularly over the last 3 months. Steve Wilkos was Jerry Springer's old bouncer, the big tall bald one. He graduated to his own show which adopts a more serious, people helping, lie detector, paternity test format. I like it because Steve doesn't let his audience take pot shots at the guests and the show tends to be slightly less out there. Our fellow audience members encompassed a huge array of stereotypes and we laughed, gasped and "Steeeeeeeeeeeeve"d our way through the day. We were also provided with free donuts for breakfast and sandwich platters for lunch! I was a little disappointed because Steve seemed a little brusque and over the whole thing, he said himself he was ready for his upcoming break in filming, and he didn't give the audience much love. I was hoping for a photo or an autograph but he was off as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. There was much debate over whether the guests were actors or not (I vote not) and we all slept on the bus back to Manhattan. There we killed time with coffee, Victoria's Secret and a diner dinner until 8pm when we had scheduled "The Ride", a magical mystery bus tour/interactive experience around the city. You sit facing the side of the bus which has been replaced by perspex windows from top to bottom while actors in the street perform dances and musical numbers amongst the crowd of tourists. It was a very fun way to see the city and Timon trivia'd his way to the "Coolest Tourist" prize of a cap.
There was a day in there where we visited the New York Public Library where Carrie almost married Big, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park (for you Project Runway geeks), Times Square, the Flatiron Building, Rockefeller Plaza and the Top of the Rock observation deck. We scouted the NBC Store which had awesome stuff from The Office, Parks and Rec, Friends, Golden Girls, House, Friday Night Lights, Community etc (basically best shop ever). We ate cart hotdogs, pretzels and giros. Lauren had bagels galore. We scouted the High-Line park, built over old raised train tracks that provide a beautiful, different view of the city. The girls shopped Patricia Field, Betsy Johnson, DVF and Loehmann's. We had drinks at an Aussie bar for ANZAC day (do NOT try their Ozmapolitans). We learned the hard way that American's are generous with their liquor, not matter how disgusting it tastes. We caught the Staten Island Ferry just to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty for free. Along with a thousand other tourists. I got sunburnt at least twice. We only had one meltdown which was quickly resolved with mozzarella sticks and philly cheese steak. Lucy discovered Philly Cheese Steaks.
Here is where my days start to get blurry and I can't remember things in chronological order. I know for sure on Wednesday we got up super early and caught a free shuttle to Stamford, Connecticut to see a free taping of The Steve Wilkos Show. Now I won't blame you for not knowing what this is, but you see I've been watching it regularly over the last 3 months. Steve Wilkos was Jerry Springer's old bouncer, the big tall bald one. He graduated to his own show which adopts a more serious, people helping, lie detector, paternity test format. I like it because Steve doesn't let his audience take pot shots at the guests and the show tends to be slightly less out there. Our fellow audience members encompassed a huge array of stereotypes and we laughed, gasped and "Steeeeeeeeeeeeve"d our way through the day. We were also provided with free donuts for breakfast and sandwich platters for lunch! I was a little disappointed because Steve seemed a little brusque and over the whole thing, he said himself he was ready for his upcoming break in filming, and he didn't give the audience much love. I was hoping for a photo or an autograph but he was off as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. There was much debate over whether the guests were actors or not (I vote not) and we all slept on the bus back to Manhattan. There we killed time with coffee, Victoria's Secret and a diner dinner until 8pm when we had scheduled "The Ride", a magical mystery bus tour/interactive experience around the city. You sit facing the side of the bus which has been replaced by perspex windows from top to bottom while actors in the street perform dances and musical numbers amongst the crowd of tourists. It was a very fun way to see the city and Timon trivia'd his way to the "Coolest Tourist" prize of a cap.
There was a day in there where we visited the New York Public Library where Carrie almost married Big, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park (for you Project Runway geeks), Times Square, the Flatiron Building, Rockefeller Plaza and the Top of the Rock observation deck. We scouted the NBC Store which had awesome stuff from The Office, Parks and Rec, Friends, Golden Girls, House, Friday Night Lights, Community etc (basically best shop ever). We ate cart hotdogs, pretzels and giros. Lauren had bagels galore. We scouted the High-Line park, built over old raised train tracks that provide a beautiful, different view of the city. The girls shopped Patricia Field, Betsy Johnson, DVF and Loehmann's. We had drinks at an Aussie bar for ANZAC day (do NOT try their Ozmapolitans). We learned the hard way that American's are generous with their liquor, not matter how disgusting it tastes. We caught the Staten Island Ferry just to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty for free. Along with a thousand other tourists. I got sunburnt at least twice. We only had one meltdown which was quickly resolved with mozzarella sticks and philly cheese steak. Lucy discovered Philly Cheese Steaks.
Belated Birthday Surprise!
On Monday 25th the girls arranged a super special belated birthday surprise day! The first part involved a mystery train ride to New Jersey. None the wiser as to the final destination, I was just chuffed to be leaving the state (New Jersey is it's own state apparently!). We reached Hoboken and I was led blindly down streets until we came across an ominously long line of people. Feigning ignorance of the line we jumped ahead to the destination - Carlos' Bake Shop - the official bakery of the Cake Boss! We tacked on the end of a short queue but were promptly told by a guy that unless we already had tokens from him we must join the other line which stretched down a whole other block. We decided to peer in the window, take photos of the outside and make do with Dunkin Donuts instead of Carlos' delicacies. No regrets (as we asked the lady in front of the queue and she'd been waiting for over an hour!). We cruised Hoboken and soaked up all it had to offer before heading back beneath the Hudson River to Manhattan and the next surprise........
Have you heard of the awesomeness that is Mario Batali? Well he is none other than an Iron Chef and personal chef to Mrs Gwyneth Paltrow. But mostly he is this rad, portly ranga who says Bon Appetito! alot. I was mega-thrilled to discover we would be eating lunch at his pizza restaurant on Fifth Avenue called Otto. Woo! The food was fantastic, the waitress said Bon Appetito and they brought me dessert with a birthday candle in it. Very cool and highly recommended.
The final surprise of the evening, for which I had to dress up, was a trip to the theatre! I didn't know until we reached the theatre that we were seeing Ghetto Klown, John Leguizamo's one-man show. And it was awesome. My favourite parts were when he talked about films he was in and his experiences on set. He also did killer impressions of Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal (I'll forget he said nothing nice about Seagal). The worst part was to do with the theatre - imagine 2 tiny toilet cubicles for a house full of women! Armed with our new stage door expertise, we camped outside afterwards and had a brief encounter with Leguizamo - Luigi himself!~
Have you heard of the awesomeness that is Mario Batali? Well he is none other than an Iron Chef and personal chef to Mrs Gwyneth Paltrow. But mostly he is this rad, portly ranga who says Bon Appetito! alot. I was mega-thrilled to discover we would be eating lunch at his pizza restaurant on Fifth Avenue called Otto. Woo! The food was fantastic, the waitress said Bon Appetito and they brought me dessert with a birthday candle in it. Very cool and highly recommended.
The final surprise of the evening, for which I had to dress up, was a trip to the theatre! I didn't know until we reached the theatre that we were seeing Ghetto Klown, John Leguizamo's one-man show. And it was awesome. My favourite parts were when he talked about films he was in and his experiences on set. He also did killer impressions of Kurt Russell and Steven Seagal (I'll forget he said nothing nice about Seagal). The worst part was to do with the theatre - imagine 2 tiny toilet cubicles for a house full of women! Armed with our new stage door expertise, we camped outside afterwards and had a brief encounter with Leguizamo - Luigi himself!~
What we did - the LLJT Chronicles
I don't have the greatest memory so I'll just give you the basics. But let me say - everything turned out perfectly. I'm not sure if it was due to planning or plain luck but I couldn't have wished it better. As far as I know we ticked off everything from the girls' list and even threw in a few surprises.
On the second day we had brunch at Tom's Restaurant, otherwise known as the diner from Seinfeld. It's on 112th and Broadway which is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment. We came back via Amsterdam Avenue which boasts this insane cathedral down a side street that is both monstrous and beautiful. We dropped Timon off at home, grabbed our high heels and walked down through Central Park to meet the Sex and the City tour on 59th and 5th. Lucy wanted to duck into Forever 21 and exchange a top she had bought the day before so Lauren and I waited and wandered into The Plaza for a toilet stop. I fully expected to be kicked out as soon as we entered, but little did I know there is a whole shopping area/restaurant inside that is open to the public plebs. We found the bathroom, gawked at rich people having high tea and spotted Susan Sarandon entering through a side door. Very cool, very gorgeous lady. The tour was highly populated with Aussie tourists all as nerdy about SATC as Lauren. Our guide was funny and very informative, showing clips to confirm all the sites she pointed out. We stopped at The Pleasure Chest sex shop and a park in Greenwich Village for a brief shop at Marc Jacobs and Magnolia Bakery. We also visited Buddakan, the restaurant from the first SATC movie, a place which will feature in our adventures a couple of weeks later! I think the most important nugget of info gleaned from the tour was that Chris Noth, Mr Big himself, could be seen in a current Broadway production. The trick was to stake out the stage door and get an up close and personal experience as opposed to spending how much on a ticket to the show. Hot tip noted!
Friday was Century 21 day. It was also Good Friday which meant that approximately 1 million people were in our way all day. Century 21 is an outlet for fancy designers and covers everything from Chanel, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and Lucy's fav - Winter Kate (Nicole Richie's line). The dressing room queues were insane and when I left the girls (I had a job interview to attend) they were trying stuff on amongst the racks. I returned an hour later and they had moved about 5 metres. I splurged and bought 1 dress, the girls.....went nuts. From there we moved east to Chipotle, an awesome mexican fast food place, for lunch. We walked down to Wall St to collect JScott (a friend from my time at UNCG), captured the Bull on camera, witnessed a small child falling from atop said bull, stifled a laugh because seriously, who puts their child on top of a giant shiny smooth bull statue on cobble stones and does not spot them???, circled the construction site that is the World Trade Centre spot and subway'd up to 50th to grab Timon from work. Upon the mighty fine suggestion of one of Timon's co-workers we found ourselves downing $4 margaritas at a nearby restaurant until somehow (and no-one remembers how) we ended up at home, sloppily drunk and rowdy. Apparently I kissed a subway poster of Danny McBride - I protest that the photographic evidence employs a trick angles. JScott went on his way out to Brooklyn and we heard later that his journey was long and eventful - with him managing to get his glasses stuck in the subway door for 3 stops.
Needless to say Saturday morning was spent in a relaxing fashion and we only dragged ourselves outside to stalk Mr Big. We found the right theatre and loitered for an hour unsure of the procedure for this stuff. Luckily Chris Rock was performing next door and his show finished first so we could see how it all went down. Lucy tried for an autograph but Chris Rock will only sign Playbills, not scraps of paper found in your handbag. Boo to him. We did get some sneaky photos however. He looks old. We were fist in line for the Mr Big stagedoor and we charmed the security guard into giving us a playbill each. We met Brian Cox who was so lovely and chatted with us about his impending trip to Cairns for a film shoot, Jason Patric, Jim Gaffigan and finally Mr Big himself. He was handsome but business-like, doing his duty with the crowd. We got autographs and candid photos so it was definitely a successful mission.
Timon spent the next morning with the girls shopping at various markets while I was at work. They collected me at 5.30 and we hunted down a rumoured $1 dumpling place in ChinaTown. We found it, lucked upon a table and ordered a table full of pork dumplings and miso soup. Nom nom. This would not be our last visit (and I suspect Timon and I will make regular pilgrimages).
On the second day we had brunch at Tom's Restaurant, otherwise known as the diner from Seinfeld. It's on 112th and Broadway which is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment. We came back via Amsterdam Avenue which boasts this insane cathedral down a side street that is both monstrous and beautiful. We dropped Timon off at home, grabbed our high heels and walked down through Central Park to meet the Sex and the City tour on 59th and 5th. Lucy wanted to duck into Forever 21 and exchange a top she had bought the day before so Lauren and I waited and wandered into The Plaza for a toilet stop. I fully expected to be kicked out as soon as we entered, but little did I know there is a whole shopping area/restaurant inside that is open to the public plebs. We found the bathroom, gawked at rich people having high tea and spotted Susan Sarandon entering through a side door. Very cool, very gorgeous lady. The tour was highly populated with Aussie tourists all as nerdy about SATC as Lauren. Our guide was funny and very informative, showing clips to confirm all the sites she pointed out. We stopped at The Pleasure Chest sex shop and a park in Greenwich Village for a brief shop at Marc Jacobs and Magnolia Bakery. We also visited Buddakan, the restaurant from the first SATC movie, a place which will feature in our adventures a couple of weeks later! I think the most important nugget of info gleaned from the tour was that Chris Noth, Mr Big himself, could be seen in a current Broadway production. The trick was to stake out the stage door and get an up close and personal experience as opposed to spending how much on a ticket to the show. Hot tip noted!
Friday was Century 21 day. It was also Good Friday which meant that approximately 1 million people were in our way all day. Century 21 is an outlet for fancy designers and covers everything from Chanel, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs and Lucy's fav - Winter Kate (Nicole Richie's line). The dressing room queues were insane and when I left the girls (I had a job interview to attend) they were trying stuff on amongst the racks. I returned an hour later and they had moved about 5 metres. I splurged and bought 1 dress, the girls.....went nuts. From there we moved east to Chipotle, an awesome mexican fast food place, for lunch. We walked down to Wall St to collect JScott (a friend from my time at UNCG), captured the Bull on camera, witnessed a small child falling from atop said bull, stifled a laugh because seriously, who puts their child on top of a giant shiny smooth bull statue on cobble stones and does not spot them???, circled the construction site that is the World Trade Centre spot and subway'd up to 50th to grab Timon from work. Upon the mighty fine suggestion of one of Timon's co-workers we found ourselves downing $4 margaritas at a nearby restaurant until somehow (and no-one remembers how) we ended up at home, sloppily drunk and rowdy. Apparently I kissed a subway poster of Danny McBride - I protest that the photographic evidence employs a trick angles. JScott went on his way out to Brooklyn and we heard later that his journey was long and eventful - with him managing to get his glasses stuck in the subway door for 3 stops.
Needless to say Saturday morning was spent in a relaxing fashion and we only dragged ourselves outside to stalk Mr Big. We found the right theatre and loitered for an hour unsure of the procedure for this stuff. Luckily Chris Rock was performing next door and his show finished first so we could see how it all went down. Lucy tried for an autograph but Chris Rock will only sign Playbills, not scraps of paper found in your handbag. Boo to him. We did get some sneaky photos however. He looks old. We were fist in line for the Mr Big stagedoor and we charmed the security guard into giving us a playbill each. We met Brian Cox who was so lovely and chatted with us about his impending trip to Cairns for a film shoot, Jason Patric, Jim Gaffigan and finally Mr Big himself. He was handsome but business-like, doing his duty with the crowd. We got autographs and candid photos so it was definitely a successful mission.
Timon spent the next morning with the girls shopping at various markets while I was at work. They collected me at 5.30 and we hunted down a rumoured $1 dumpling place in ChinaTown. We found it, lucked upon a table and ordered a table full of pork dumplings and miso soup. Nom nom. This would not be our last visit (and I suspect Timon and I will make regular pilgrimages).
Catch-up
The last few weeks have been life-changing. Not in a dramatic, rethinking my whole belief structure way, but in a significant, review the situation and make subtle changes way. First things first - my sisters came to visit. The excitement built up to this day over a long period and culminated in a deep clean of the apartment and the return of cat Louie to the Petco shelter. We didn't think he could handle an influx of people into his domain so we sadly parted company. We tried to preserve some sweet memories by taking photos but Louie would have none of it. We ended up with photos of Timon grasping at a grey blurry blob. Poor terrified Louie.
Timon and I prepared the welcome kits of twinkies, twizzlers and cookies and journeyed out to JFK armed with spare metcards for the girls. It took me a while to twig that they would be arriving on a domestic, not international flight, so the pickup area was in a whole different area. Freyja will attest to the fact that I have a pretty bad airport pickup record. But we made it in time and loitered around the baggage claim waiting for L & L. While waiting I spotted Britta from Community standing by the carousel, guarded subtly by an incognito security guard. After several attempts at directing Timon to my gaze he spotted her too (his first official celeb sighting!). She looks much smaller in person.
We found the girls, had the hugs and waited for ages for their bags to come around. As is customary, Timon and I shouldered the larger ones and we made the long, 3 train trek back to our apartment. But you see, everything is a little more fun when you have new people to share it with. I love love love showing off the mundane stuff we do to fresh eyes. It makes every experience shine in a new way. We got back to the apartment, dragged the bags up all 5 floors to our stuffy apartment (sorry Lauren, the heater is NOT on, it's just this hot naturally). The girls were buzzing even after 24 hours of traveling and we talked, ate and watched the food network until 1am. I setup the carefully maintained double airbed (only used once) only to realise the next morning that it had slow leak. I hoped I had made an error in plugging it but after 2 nights of deflation the leak theory held true. Lucy made the couch her new bed while Lauren put up with it until the morning blood rush to the head forced her onto a makeshift floor bed.
The first morning was an early one. The 3 of us left around 9am (having been up for 2 hours) while Timon slept in. We walked west to Broadway and started the epic journey south. Photos were taken, shops were shopped and Gray's Papaya hotdogs were eaten. We walked from 105th to 59th and took in the bottom edge of Central Park. We baulked at the way-too-expensive horse and carriage rides and sticky beaked at various souvenir tack. I showed off my favourite hotel - The Plaza, we squizzed the giant piano floor in FAO Shwartz and wandered down 5th Avenue, stopping in at Tiffany's just to look. We hunted down Manolo Blahnik and met up with Timon at a much more reasonable hour for lunch at the Moonstruck Diner. The group hit Bloomingdales, Daffy's, Urban Outfitters, H&M and Aldo just to name a few. All in all 9 hours of shopping and sight-seeing. The plan WAS to attend a party that night hosted by Lucy's NYC friend Andre. We did not make this party. I'd say everyone was asleep by 11pm.
Timon and I prepared the welcome kits of twinkies, twizzlers and cookies and journeyed out to JFK armed with spare metcards for the girls. It took me a while to twig that they would be arriving on a domestic, not international flight, so the pickup area was in a whole different area. Freyja will attest to the fact that I have a pretty bad airport pickup record. But we made it in time and loitered around the baggage claim waiting for L & L. While waiting I spotted Britta from Community standing by the carousel, guarded subtly by an incognito security guard. After several attempts at directing Timon to my gaze he spotted her too (his first official celeb sighting!). She looks much smaller in person.
We found the girls, had the hugs and waited for ages for their bags to come around. As is customary, Timon and I shouldered the larger ones and we made the long, 3 train trek back to our apartment. But you see, everything is a little more fun when you have new people to share it with. I love love love showing off the mundane stuff we do to fresh eyes. It makes every experience shine in a new way. We got back to the apartment, dragged the bags up all 5 floors to our stuffy apartment (sorry Lauren, the heater is NOT on, it's just this hot naturally). The girls were buzzing even after 24 hours of traveling and we talked, ate and watched the food network until 1am. I setup the carefully maintained double airbed (only used once) only to realise the next morning that it had slow leak. I hoped I had made an error in plugging it but after 2 nights of deflation the leak theory held true. Lucy made the couch her new bed while Lauren put up with it until the morning blood rush to the head forced her onto a makeshift floor bed.
The first morning was an early one. The 3 of us left around 9am (having been up for 2 hours) while Timon slept in. We walked west to Broadway and started the epic journey south. Photos were taken, shops were shopped and Gray's Papaya hotdogs were eaten. We walked from 105th to 59th and took in the bottom edge of Central Park. We baulked at the way-too-expensive horse and carriage rides and sticky beaked at various souvenir tack. I showed off my favourite hotel - The Plaza, we squizzed the giant piano floor in FAO Shwartz and wandered down 5th Avenue, stopping in at Tiffany's just to look. We hunted down Manolo Blahnik and met up with Timon at a much more reasonable hour for lunch at the Moonstruck Diner. The group hit Bloomingdales, Daffy's, Urban Outfitters, H&M and Aldo just to name a few. All in all 9 hours of shopping and sight-seeing. The plan WAS to attend a party that night hosted by Lucy's NYC friend Andre. We did not make this party. I'd say everyone was asleep by 11pm.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Fraternising with the Famous
Here is an update of the famous people I have spied/met/drooled over in the last few weeks. I hope to keep adding to this list over the next year until I am well and truly celeb'd out.
Michael Moore - tore his ticket at Sunshine Cinema.
Britta from Community - spied collecting her luggage at JFK while collecting Lucy and Lauren
Susan Sarandon - walking through the lobby of The Plaza Hotel in a big puffy jacket
Brian Cox - stage door stakeout, chatted with us about an upcoming trip to Cairns
Chris Noth - Mr Big!!! Tall, handsome and slightly over it
Jason Patric from Speed 2
Jim Gaffigan - comedian
Chris Rock - looked old and grouchy
John Leguizamo - (yes LUIGI!) stage door after his one-man show
Steve Wilkos - big bald talk show host, used to be a bouncer on Jerry Springer
Orlando Bloom - screening of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
Christopher Thornton - writer of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
MARK RUFFALO !!!!!!!! - director of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
Photos on Facebook :)
Michael Moore - tore his ticket at Sunshine Cinema.
Britta from Community - spied collecting her luggage at JFK while collecting Lucy and Lauren
Susan Sarandon - walking through the lobby of The Plaza Hotel in a big puffy jacket
Brian Cox - stage door stakeout, chatted with us about an upcoming trip to Cairns
Chris Noth - Mr Big!!! Tall, handsome and slightly over it
Jason Patric from Speed 2
Jim Gaffigan - comedian
Chris Rock - looked old and grouchy
John Leguizamo - (yes LUIGI!) stage door after his one-man show
Steve Wilkos - big bald talk show host, used to be a bouncer on Jerry Springer
Orlando Bloom - screening of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
Christopher Thornton - writer of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
MARK RUFFALO !!!!!!!! - director of Sympathy for Delicious, Q&A
Photos on Facebook :)
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