Happy New Year folks!

meesy and jussy
Originally uploaded by awgreen

It's 10.30am on the last day of the year, and I am one of maybe 20 people in the entire office today. Not sure that it will be a very productive day, but hell, if I look back on all that has happened this year then it seems to balance out.

We've had births and deaths in the family, new houses, new countries, new homes, new jobs, new friends...none of which I would have imagined this time last year.

So who know's what 2008 will bring?

If you're reading this then you're probably someone we miss dearly. Happy New Year and stay in touch :)

Back to the big city

diner
Originally uploaded by Meesy

Well Jus and I had a delightful time in out-of-this-world cute Vermont. You can see our photos. The train trip to Albany was a welcome rest, then we hired a car and drove to Tyson to stay at the Echo Lake Inn. Vermont is full of inns and BnBs: the whole state seems to be a tribute to wooden houses painted in pastels, red barns and the most pristine frozen lakes and wintery scapes. Just the antidote to NYC. We skiied for two days - long runs, icy crust but breathtaking views and empty trails - and bought the obligatory Vermont maple syrup. We didn't go to the Ben & Jerry's factory, which was just as well, as the whole four days was a carbaholic's festive dining frenzy.

Very homesick at the moment. Apparently this is the common 'six months in, get me out' blues. I would trade Flemo, Poska and a BBQ with friends and family in a heartbeat for this urban mecca right now.

NY Times vs CNN vs Fairfax readers

Interesting what makes the top 10 most read articles today.

Christmas greetings

Season's tidings from NYC. On Christmas Eve Jus and I will be en route to Vermont. We'll be wired up once we get there in the evening so schedule your Skype messages for Christmas eve night eastern time. We look forward to having a chat!

Happy holidays y'all. (that's recognising Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hannukah, which is the NY way.)

A New York moment

Strange experience today. Was on my way from Dunkin Donuts to the liquor store (ahem) and there was a guy outside the apartment block, covered in sweat, half slumped on the hood of a car, on the verge of passing out. I thought, 'ooh, looks like he's on some harsh drugs' and kept walking. Pedestrians were glancing at him and walking on, giving him wide berth.

I bought my wine and headed back home, and he was still on the car bonnet, his knees buckling and sweat streaming down his forehead. He was holding a bottle of Sunkist and trying to take sips. I gave him a look over and thought he looked in serious trouble -diabetic, heart attack, overdose flitted through my mind - and I decided to ask him if he was OK. I figured if he was tripping out he would just tell me to get lost.

He opened his eyes fleetingly and said, "No, I'm not and nobody will stop. Everyone thinks I'm a drug addict but I've had a seizure."

He mumbled how he was from Florida and had family in the Bronx and had been on the train and had a seizure and was on medication but hadn't had it since he flew from Florida. He was incoherent and kept closing his eyes and lolling forward. I was afraid he was going to collapse. I asked him where he was going, or if I could call someone for him. He fumbled for his phone and managed to open the contacts and pass it to me but he was too confused about who to call.

I asked him if he wanted to go to the hospital or if I should call an ambulance. He was unsure. 'What do you think?' he asked. I thought, well he can't work out who to call, he doesn't have his wits about him enough to instruct a taxi driver and the Bronx is far away, and he certainly couldn't get on the train. He couldn't stand up. I said "Give me your phone and I'll call an ambulance."

So I called 911 and waited with him while the ambulance stormed up 6th Ave. I asked him his name and told him help was on the way and it would be all right. The paramedics came and by this time he was more coherent and could keep his eyes open, and the sweat was gone. He chatted with them about his medication and I said 'good luck Eddie' and left them to it.

Lesson of the story: if you feel like blueberry donuts and red wine, go and get em.

Morality play quiz: how parsimonious are your morals? Someone at work sent me this quiz after I mentioned this incident at work. Tough questions to ask yourself.

This is London

Jus bought a stereo today and we hastily tuned in a bunch of radio stations. We've found that we aren't getting our regular fixes of news and new music without a TV and its current affairs and Rage equivalent.

The first radio station we hunted out though was BBC World Service, just to hear some modulated vowels and not the cheesy call sign jingles that are the staple of US radio. The BBC is a balm. We're going to see if we can stream Rad Nats (tha's Radio National in our household) from the web to the stereo via Bluetooth. Loving the variety of hiphop available though, and the lilting Spanish and Caribbean stations.

Movie Madness

Jus and I went down to our local megaplex last night to see No Country for Old Men, a Coen brothers movie about a Texan who stumbles across $2m from a drug deal gone wrong, the hit man sent to retrieve the dosh, and the sheriff who is overwhelmed by the whole mess. Not sure if I've seen a movie with a higher body count that wasn't about a war. Brilliant though, engrossing, chilling. Impressive right from Kelly Macdonald's (she's about as Scottish as you can get) flawless Texan accent (well at least to my Antipodean ears) to the score, to the relentless ending.

So after that joy-fest Jus and I wandered into the cinema foyer and noticed that I Am Legend was just starting and so we quietly slipped in. (You could spend all day in this cinema going from theatre to theatre without anyone noticing). Quick switch of genres to science fiction, virus-infested zombies and Will Smith being as charismatic as you can be when you're the last dude left on Earth.

I am a massive sci fi fan so it is super annoying (have lost the use of the word 'very' already as you can see) when they move from the sublime to the ridiculous and you can't suspend disbelief because of massive plot flaws. Like if the infected humans/zombies are so crazed how do they have the wits about them to keep zombie dogs? And if the zombies are so hungry why don't they eat the zombie dogs if they're happy to chow down on a raw deer? And if the zombie dogs are so rabid and aggressive why don't they eat the zombie people? And since when can humans leap like monkeys and scoot up poles like bears? They're not supernatural, they're just infected with some virus.

Anyway, after that lollapalooza of special FX transforming our actual neighbourhood into a dangerous wasteland (like the 80s!), absorbed from the front row mind you, I felt strangely vulnerable and paranoid walking home. The image here from the film is the actual cinema where we watched the movie, at Union Square. Jus and I agreed that if some virus ever gets hinted of breaking out in New York we will be on the first Qantas airbus home, because this place would disintegrate like a cookie.

Needles to say I had the craziest dreams: basically both films intertwined and produced a hellish night of Texan landscapes, zombies, killers, manikins and congested city streets.

I do not recommend this film combo as a double feature at the drive-in.

Oh, the headache

We had our work Christmas party last night. So, natch, today I feel disgusting, and keep having flashbacks of stupid dance moves.










The music was brilliant. We had an over zealous DJ who switched tracks every minute but he just kept the hits pumping.

The one benefit (oh there may be more) of living in the US is that they are not afraid to let the RnB and hip hop run wild and they embrace the old school with fervour.

So there was 100 people dancing to Bel Biv Devoe's Poison, Bobby Brown's My Prerogative and MC Hammer, and Britney's Toxic and Beyonce's everything. And I was in the middle thrashing my hair around loving it.

Juj-meister Jussie has been hard at work

Our little home is slowly taking shape. It's still pretty empty but that's what happens when you refuse to schlep to New Jersey to go to Ikea (instead we've bought secondhand Ikea from Craigslist. Now we're talking cheap, baby.)

What this really means is finally we can have people over to dinner and unleash Justin's cooking mastery on all of New York. Five months of dinner on our laps, be gone!

Like a good list?

I visited a blog recently, Filmoculous, where each year the writer collates all the 'top X for 2007' lists that proliferate in November and December. He has years of them. From 'top gay cars' to 'top 10 best hardcover literary fiction' and 'top sci-fi fashion clothing', he has everything covered.

You might find some Christmas present ideas if nothing else.

We're loving the Skype action

Spoke to the whole fam last week on mum's birthday bbq. Is great to be able to see everyone and have a chat!

I remember warmth

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Originally uploaded by Meesy

I had to resurrect this photo of me wandering around the Fitzroy River in the Kimberley, delirious with 40c heat, to remind myself, yes, you shall be warm again, you shall be warm again.

share and share alike

You'll be pleased to know that the invasion of US TV commercials in Australia is not entirely one way. There are two types of ads where Australian versions dominate NY tv, sometimes even un-dubbed: anti-smoking and road safety. Yep, Australia has set the benchmark for scary community service ads.

Winter officially starts next week

Luckily the days will also start to get longer next week. It's pitch dark at 4.30pm. Haven't seen the sun since last Sunday.

I think the excess of decorations is in direct correlation with the temperature and light. The colder and darker it gets the more you want to surround yourself with tinsel, shiny baubles and bright lights.

The weather descriptions continue to entertain. The forecast includes summaries like 'wintry mix', 'Snow, sleet and rain, some heavy; colder', and 'Wet snow in the a.m.; cloudy and windy'. Nice.

The New Yorker sold my subscription details

And you should see the crazy junk mail I now get. In a land of excess, as you can imagine, the junk mail knows no bounds.



Sure, I love getting mail from Bebe Neuwirth, but the million charities, crappy coupons and hassling for other subscriptions is turning me into the world's best recycler.

$1 an issue for The New Yorker though. Hard to be cranky for long.

Jus and I are addicted to the cartoon caption contest. We try and enter each week, though its a real test of brevity and lateral thinking. If we're ever a finalist you can be sure I'll be emailing everyone I know and their six month old babies to vote for us.

alvin ailey american dance theatre...

...was fabulous! Saw three pieces, The River, Flowers and Revelations, and they were incredibly diverse performances showcasing Ailey's choreographic talent and the versatility of the company.

I thought my usual musings when I watch professional dancers, "Why didn't I become a dancer? I love to dance. Oh my, their bodies are incredible. Surely that hurts. How do they balance for so long like that? Are they doing that barefoot?" and so on. So much admiration for what they make their bodies do.

You shell out for good seats and this was one of those times when it was worth every penny. Utterly thrilling. Goosebumps material. Standing ovation at the end.

email sign offs

A colleague mentioned this was one blog he visited regularly. I loved this post about email closing lines and what it all means.

She ends "But once in a while, it would be delightful if people applied the same sincerity to the last impressions that we do to first ones. "

I wonder where she would put my oft-used 'Toodles' ?

Winter weekend

This weekend was a powerhouse of activity. We roused ourselves from the tempting rut of eat/sleep/work/couch-based distractions, and got out into the city.

Saturday we went to the National Museum of the American Indian, which had an exhibition on the tribes from the Pacific North West. This was disappointing because we were expecting there to be a permanent exhibition that would give details about the people who lived in Manahatta, as it was called before the Dutch and English moved in. No permanent exhibits however, but an interesting way to kill an hour.


Then we hopped on the free ferry to Staten Island, which skirts the Statue of Liberty and is a pleasant 30 minute cruise. At Staten Island we were hoping to find a pub or some cosy-looking place for a cheap & cheerful lunch before getting back on the ferry, but there was nothing. I was shocked, because thousands of tourists make this ferry trip every week, and when you get off at the other end there is absolutely no lure to explore the place further. Someone needs to open a fish & chip joint, or a gourmet pizza place, a pub, anything, and the hordes would descend for the chance to dine while looking back at the skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan and Lady Liberty. So we did one lap of the crummy foreshore, dominated by a carpark, and returned to Manhattan. Two more boroughs to go then I've atleast been to all of New York City. Staten Island, tick.


Saturday night we stayed in and witnessed another parade stream past our window. This was a Hannukah parade, with cars with lit menorah on their rooves and camper vans blaring music, to celebrate the Festival of Lights. It was loud and short and seemed to be mostly teenagers waving and shouting out the wvan windows as their parents drove along. ("Menorah Mobiles" I've since heard them called.)

All the decorations across town have Xmas trees paired with menorah, and like Halloween, no place is undecorated. Even groovy Webster Hall, a nightclub and band venue where we saw Jose Gonzalez play last night, was decorated with wreaths, holly and stars. (Jose was awesome, BTW. He did a cover of Massive Attack's Teardrops, and Kylie's Put Your Hand on Your Heart, among all his hits. There seemed to be lots of Australians at the gig. Must have been that TV ad. Beautiful stage lighting with just him on a stool.)

Anyway, yesterday we went ice skating in Central Park. I hadn't skated for atleast 15 years and I was feeling quite hesitant about it all. But Jus pressured me onto the ice, and within a few clumsy rounds I felt quite confident that I wasn't going to slice off a finger or crack my coccyx, and all those weekends with dad & Jamie at Mirrabooka ice rink paid off. Its a divine thing to do on a cold day and it was so refreshing to be doing some sport out of doors. I think this could become a regular thing.
















The lakes in Central Park have started to freeze over and ice rescue ladders have been put up near each of them.


Apparently this is the time of year when the most tourists come to New York, which I find mind boggling, because in summer it was out of control. We walked the entire length of the park on Sunday (about 50 blocks) and it was full of tourists, and I didn't feel like a dweeb out on the ice because there were plenty of adult tourists giving it a try too.

The dip situation

Weird, but the US, or NYC atleast, is not having the love affair with dips that Australia is. Walk into Coles at home and there is a whole dip section, with every colour of the rainbow represented in a reliable Black Swan or Chris's Dips or Yumi's selection (I can't believe I can recall all those brands).

Here, there is hummus, and there might be 8 different varieties of hummus, but that's about it. And its expensive. $6 for 250g. And its tucked in a random fridge, usually next to the pasta sauces. Confusion.

This lack of dips is really putting a dint in our evening drinks & nibbles.

The hair

So several weeks ago I trooped off to a hair salon, Devachan, that a woman at work had recommended to me because they specialise in curly hair. Music to my ears.

I prepped by taking in pics of Halle Berry and Rihanna (!!!!), with various hair styles in mind. I thought perhaps I would entertain a straight look, just for the hell of it, because I was incredibly bored with having the same hair style since...forever.

I left the salon with the best hair cut I've ever had. In fact it was the happiest hairdressing experience I have ever had. I was thrilled with how my hair looked. And how does it look? Well pretty much the same as it ever did. But for the right reasons.

So my 'consultant', Richard, quickly dispelled any notion of straightening. I have fine hair,thin hair and basically if it wasn't curly I'd be one of those people constantly trying to create volume and body. My fine hair would come out of the straightening process in bad shape, and probably change colour, get split ends, break or fall out, Richard informed me. I pointed to a gorgeous woman on the other side of the salon with tumbling loose curls down her back, "Can I have hair like that?" Richard pursed his lips, "She has a lot more hair than you honey." "What about that?" "Honey you should just buy a wig and do that on weekends."

Ok, so no straight hair, and maybe, if I treat my hair properly for about a year, then maybe I can relax the curl somewhat and have a looser, longer style, a la Ms Berry. No promises from Richard. By this stage of the appointment I didn't care because I was just enjoying being in a hair salon full of women with curls and waves: Jewish princesses, blondes with kinky manes, afros, Meg Ryan waves, ringlets, spiral curls and everything in between. And all the women were walking around in their robes looking blissed out.

For the first time the hairdresser didn't attempt to comb out or brush my hair. They use their fingers, when your hair is wet and loaded with conditioner, to gently detangle. Hooray! That's how I do it at home, (except with a comb). They suggested I never use a comb again: far less hair comes out or breaks if you avoid the comb. They also skipped the shampoo and suggested I never use shampoo again because its ridiculously stripping and drying, and the conditioner does all the cleaning that your scalp needs. My head was spinning. They smothered my saturated hair in gel - heavy, clear, non-sticky gel specially made for curly styles- and plonked me under the diffusion dryer.

While sitting there I read a book that the salon owner had published, called Curly Girl - The Handbook. The book laments the pressure some women feel to blow dry their waves and curls out of existence, feeling that their curls are unprofessional and unsophisticated and living in a constant state of frizz fear. It goes on to explain how to properly cut and care for curly and wavy hair so that they look their best, and not out of control. Finally, someone who understands! Empowerment of curly/wavy-headed people everywhere! I was elated.

So, I haven't shampooed my hair for weeks, and no I am not plagued with dandruff or stinky. I have tossed out all my shine serums and fibre gums and parked my comb in the back of the cupboard. Now I just detangle with my fingers, add the gel while its still dripping wet and heavy, and the hair is loving it!

I can't recommend the salon enough, or the book. The salon was packed, and I imagine opening a curly hair specialist salon in Melbourne would be solid business proposition. Maybe when I get back...

then Noushy got in on the action

Are you getting the picture, my peeps? Skype is awesome. 12 month olds can use it, its so easy.

And doesn't Anoushka look superb in the beads?

You too can have your face plastered here.

Thanks Cbeecio! You made my day :)

Yay, CC gots the Skype

Get Skype and enjoy chatting with yours truly and the better half, a la CC. Hours of family fun. The hilarity will ensue.
The decision is ultimately with you.

Japanese, snow, prank

but those Japanese game shows really know how to mess with people. Funnnnyyy.

Random imagery

Crocs have been made into boots, so the ugly shoes can continue to be worn in winter!
In Hoboken.
George = double dipping.
The Treats Truck. yummy things, different every day, roaming the city. yay!

It's snowing!

Slept late this Sunday morning and tentatively reached for the iPhone to check the time and weather when I woke up. 10am. -5c.

Crikey! I remembered that it was forecast to snow and so got just enough of my body out of bed to open the venetian blinds to reveal... a sky full of swirling white snow.

Jus was awake and up so fast that the neighbours got an eye full of something spectacular.

Porridge with cinnamon and maple syrup for brekky this morning, then wrapping up in coat, scarf, gloves and hat to do our Christmas shopping.

Celebrity sighting #23

Cameron Diaz, in The Bowery Hotel lobby having a drinkie poo & bite to eat with someone. Jus and I were in there having Friday knock off drinks and spied her as we were leaving. She looked all big eyes and smiles - lovely.

The latest instalment

Click the comic to see a bigger version.

Say cheese

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Originally uploaded by ongaarf

A guy at work took this photo at our day at the races yesterday. The whole Ford client team went to Aquedeuct, a horse racing track in Queens, as a bit of end of year fun and appreciation.

I thought it was a flattering shot. Gotta love black & white.

And yes, horse track in Queens was exactly like it sounds.

Going to the gym, Greenwich Village style

I have to stifle a giggle or a roll of the eyes when I'm at the Y because every second person is reading while they are working out.

I'm not talking about people flipping through trashy mags while they're on the stepper. I'm talking about people on leg press machines, people doing squats, people on cross-trainers making their way through the Sunday New York Times, or The Economist, or Time.

People will do their set of chest presses, their paper at their feet, then stop to read. Or they'll have the machine on some setting that's evidently too low and their adductors are on auto-pilot as they sit back and leisurely read.

I feel like yelling "Come on, people. Let's crack a sweat and get the heart pumping. You're here to work out, not read!"

What nerds.

Celebrity sighting # 22

Billy Connolly strolled on past me into our local bodega (milk bar) this morning, as I was on my way to work. Looked like he had not a care in the world. His beard is very white these days but he looked quite dashing.

Curacao

I do love the tropics. I love the way its so humid that your skin changes. It goes softly plump, like ripe fruit. I love that you know you will never need a jumper. I love that you can step out of a warm shower, or into the sea, and there's no temperature change.

Four days in Curacao was enough to unwind, feel a million miles from the noise and intensity of a city, and fall back in love with scuba diving. The country is tiny - you can drive from one end to the other in just over an hour - and the guest house we stayed at included a car rental, so we explored the whole place. Curacao is a mishmash of Dutch people, Venezuelans, Indonesians, Chinese, Indians, African West Indians, people from other Caribbean islands and the locals, who are a mishmash of the above. I don't think I've ever been anywhere that had signage in so many different languages, or where people were nearly every colour in the rainbow.

Curacao felt incredibly old in parts - crumbling buildings from the 1600s form the old town - and is evidently going through a lucrative period because there was construction everywhere. Not just big resorts, although they were increasingly creeping along the coastline, but also housing and office buildings. They have massive oil refineries quite near the capital, Willemstad, and tourism is growing.

Each day we did pretty much the same thing:

1. crawl out from under the mozzie net and chug down a bowl of cereal
2. leap in the car and nearly melt until the aircon kicked in
3. drive to a beach
4. do a shore dive
5. laze in the sun
6. eat goat stew and rice/ fried fish and rice / chips & mayo / drink fruit punch with unidentifiable fruit flavours
7. drive back home and crack a Polar Beer and play Scrabble
8. find somewhere for dinner and marvel at the lack of herbs used in Dutch cuisine
9. fall asleep by 10pm

Highlights:

• seeing a flock of beautiful bright pink flamingos
• hearing a Jamaican tell the girls behind a bar that they were too slow. Hilarious given Jamaicans aren't known for their sense of urgency.
• coming up with our own hand signals for effective communication underwater
• renting dive gear & tanks on the beach for about US$30 and just swimming out to the coral reef. saw scary moray eels and a spotted eagle ray!
• getting horribly sunburned and smearing aloe vera plant leaves all over myself and watching the sunburn disappear. what a miraculous plant. no peeling! no heat, no pain. i had no idea it was so effective. i am now an aloe believer.
• walking on a floating pedestrian bridge in the city that simply slides to one side when a ship needs to pass down the river.
• finding out that Curacao is of course the home of the bitter orange-flavoured blue curacao, and it is indeed their national liqueur and only one distillery is officially allowed to make it. Mr Cointreau first came up with it, after Valencia oranges originally planted by the Spanish on the island failed as a crop, went wild, and changed flavour, and suggested to him another opportunity to make something alcoholic. I sampled a Bon Bini ('welcome' in the local patois) cocktail that featured blue curacao, and it was actually delish. I shall no longer scoff. (thanks Fi for the reminder!)

While away 2 more minutes and take a look at our photos on Flickr.

The big city

This is a pile of trash on the street around the corner from my office. It was as tall as me.

These heaps are de rigeur in the evening: pretty much every restaurant, cafe, apartment building and office block has bags and bags of garbage dumped in the street. Even the recycling is bagged up.The green wheelie bins don't get a look in.

Incredibly gross. And you can imagine what this smells like in summer.

People go through the rubbish a lot here. Homeless people pick through the trash for food and cigarette butts, for cans to recycle, for cardboard and paper to make beds. There are trash collectors in all the Midtown and Downtown districts whose job it is to clean up after litterers and empty garbage bins. They have to reach into the bins, sort through stuff and take out the bulky items and put them in bags, instead of changing over the bin liners. Such a degrading job.

Now that its below 5c at night, the subway stations have become bedrooms, living rooms and toilets for thousands of folks, mostly men, who don't fit into the shelters. They toss sleeping bags down on cardboard and tie their battered luggage to a leg. They hunch over themselves on benches with hoods pulled over their faces. Sometimes they sleep on the sidewalk on top of the hot subway air vents, their heads inches away from hurtling traffic. I've seen people sprawled, passed out, straight on the cement, in the middle of a platform or on the street, their pants full of shit and their mouths gagging open, lips dry. Pedestrians step around them. 10 year old kids walk past without batting an eye. It's truly distressing.

There are a few homeless people I have come to recognise because they're in the same spot each day. There's a young woman who lives under a window of the NY public library on 5th Ave, who draws incessantly and today told me I had spiders and snakes crawling all over me. There's an old man with severely swollen feet in podiatry slippers who lives on the uptown platform of our subway, and another older guy who is usually strung out and strings out all his stuff too across the downtown concourse. There's a big young guy who opens the door for people at the local McDonald's for spare change, and lives a few doors down in a deserted storefront.

There are supposedly about 35,000 homeless people in NY who stay in shelters, and about 14,000 of them are children. On my walk to and from the subway - 1 block in both directions- I must pass at least 5 people either begging or sitting with all their worldy possessions clustered around them.

I don't think I'll ever get used to it.

If you want me to stay, I'll be around today...

I witnessed a little bit of music history last night as Sly & The Family Stone performed in NY for the first time in 20 years. You may have seen Sly's much anticipated performance at the 2006 Grammy's. Nobody had seen him for decades and he came out after a medley tribute and gave a shaky rendition of 'I Want To Take You Higher', before wandering off stage after a few minutes.

Last night I had the option of seeing an 8pm or 10pm show, and apart from being a school night, I wondered whether there would even be a 10pm show given the guy is ancient and drug addled.

So I got there at 8.15pm for the 8pm show and the crowd waited patiently til 8.50pm when Sly finally wandered out, sporting a black mohawk and wraparound sunglasses. His daughter, a few second cousins and two original band members were eventually introduced after some waffling.

The crowd got antsy as Sly mentioned he hadn't made it to rehearsals, or the sound check, and wasn't sure how to work 'this new toy' (his electric piano). He tapped out a few notes and consulted with his daughter and a guitarist, a manager came out on stage, and it was... messy. It seemed as if he had stage fright, and was out of it, and I watched nervously as his daughter was making 'come on dad, you can do it' faces'. The whole band held their breath in anticipation.

The crowd was cranky. Some people were yelling and booing, some were trying to shush the rabblerousers to coax Sly into singing something or playing anything. Eventually the band just started playing. And that set the tone for the 1 hour set.

Sly would join in for a bit and then leave the stage, he'd sing and then disappear, he'd turn away from the crowd and the keyboard and just nod at the drummer. There were signs everywhere saying no photos, no videos, and several announcements, but half way through Sly yelled 'you can take as many photos as you want. i already been to jail, I don't care'. And the dance floor lit up with the glow of camera phones, capturing the mayhem.

The poor bandmembers covered his vocals (you could tell they had a plan B) and just kept the show going, pumping through the hits one after the other, trying to make up for his erratic behaviour. At one stage Sky leaned into a microphone and said "I'm an old man, I have to go pee" and left for ten minutes. His daughter and one of the guitarists followed him off stage after excusing themselves. By this stage everyone in the audience was chatting to their neighbour about what the hell was going on.

It was kinda sad: when he hit it they sounded fantastic - all those nights in the red velvet rooms of Saratoga dancing to funk were not a waste - but he wasn't having much fun up there . I wasn't really expecting someone notoriously addicted to PCP and cocaine, and who missed his own shows in the height of his career, to be totally together. Glad I got to hear them anyway.

I wonder what the 10pm show was like. I'm sure some unflattering reviews will emerge in the press today.

Freerice.com

If you fancy yourself as a confident speller and a charitable person, then www.freerice.com is somewhere you'll want to spend 20 minutes.

Play the vocabulary game and for every word you define correctly, grains of rice are donated. If you get a word right you get a harder word. I got to level 44.

Tell me how you go :)

The big wind down

Well I recall that the Spring Carnival heralds the arrival of the Silly Season in Melbourne and then everything at work begins to wind down, except for things that have end of year deadlines and still have budget.

It seems the catalyst here was Halloween, and now with a short week for Thanksgiving (2 day hol + early closing), people's attention spans are shot. Add in Columbus Day and a holiday for the start of the hunting season in some states, and then parties for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I don't imagine this month will be the most productive.

The iPhone weather icon this morning showed a new graphic: sleety snow. It's already as cold as it ever gets in Melbourne during winter (today's high is 6c, with a low of 3c.) and it has started raining. Short heavy bursts or spitting. The streets are finally empty of tourists and the city smells crisp and fresh. It's now actually pleasant to stand on a subway vent and get a rush of warm air, and those over-sized hot pretzels are finally looking appealing.

On Thursday Jus and I head to Curacao for our last blast of sun and sea before we embrace the winter wonderland. We've decided to go to Vermont for Christmas to stay in an old inn, which a colleague suggested. It's supposed to be a snowbound, sleepy, hot choc and Falls Creek skiing kinda place. We'll hire a car or catch the train and make our way up there on Christmas Eve.

(Vermont is home to Ben & Jerry's Icecream, maple syrup, cider and cheese. You can see why east coasters thinks Californians are strange, with their sushi and juice bar and egg white omelette obsessions. Most states' specialities are a homage to fat & cholesterol.)

Jus is researching a ski trip for February in the Rockies (yep, we're milking this US experience to the fullest). There are great flight/accomm/lift ticket packages available if you book by the end of November. If you're interested get in touch.

And if you haven't set yourself up on Skype yet, now is the time. Jus and I love the sentimental, sunk-a-bottle-of-wine, late night, long distance call. It's free. And we have a web cam so you can see our smiling faces :)

The fastest 6 months of my life

Well, as of next week, I will have been in New York for 6 months. I am shocked because part of me feels like I'm still just getting started and part of me feels like I'm already very used to living here.

Tonight I re-read the blog from the start and had a laugh. The TV ads don't sound strange anymore, I recognize the brands in the supermarket and I know how to cross the road without bumping into 50 people. I know which part of the platform to stand in so I can exit my train at the right subway stairwell. I know which subway lines to catch to different neighbourhoods without consulting a map. I finally know how much to tip and when. I'm probably talking funny. It all happens so quickly.

Jus and I scoped out winter coats last weekend. We tried on puffy jackets, fur lined hoods, coats filled with down that come to your shins. The coats have warmth ratings like doonas. The store was jostling with people preparing for the winter. I've bought wellingtons and two other pairs of boots to insulate against the creeping cold. The stores are full of woollen tights, turtlenecks, fleece tops and pants, gloves, scarves, ear warmers, thermal t-shirts, beanies, heavy woollen dresses and cashmere everything. You can't help but feel a little dread.

Ange, Jon - your scarf and leather gloves have been getting a work out, respectively. I think of you every time I put them on.

Burger odyssey: update

Well let's cut to the chase. We've been having a burger a week. I haven't even bothered looking at a McDonald's because every restaurant - including Asian, $40 mains and Mexican restaurants - have some kind of burger on the menu. They are nigh on impossible to avoid. And let's face it there is atleast a day week when you feel like ripping into one. So we do. I am doing what every good American does and am living in denial and taking supplements instead to deal with my dietary deficiencies.

The weight is under control thanks to the YMCA and walking home from work, and Jus bought a fairly fancy bike and christened it by riding around the entirety of Manhattan island. So all that ice cream blubber slid off and I can fit in most of my pants again.

Note: my cousin Jade just gave birth a few weeks ago to Merric and is back into all her pre-pregnancy clothes already. I admire the discipline. Check out her baby boy. Divine!

Let me hear you say 'yeah - eh'

So, as we descend into a frigid winter all the awesome theatre and concerts are hotting up New York. Suddenly every actor and his dog is on Broadway: Claire Danes, Bill Pullman, Kevin Kline, Harvey Keitel, Bob Saget(!), Rosie Perez, Chazz Palminteri, Hank Azaria, George Wendt (Norm!), Rufus Sewell, David Morse. We haven't bought theatre tickets yet as the stage hands are on strike and most shows are dark, but once the strike ends I'll be sneaking out at lunchtime and getting tickets. May as well make the most of working in Times Sq and go for the discount tix.

Our credit card is singed as we are off to see Sly & the Family Stone, Jose Gonzalez, Caetano Veloso and Cornelius, but I missed out on tix to Stevie Wonder, which I can't believe I didn't notice the advertising for. The genius himself...one day.

Aretha Franklin and Don Mclean are doing the rounds, as well as blasts from the past like Suzanne Vega, Hall & Oates, Alanis Morissette and The Lemonheads, Ween, Bazza Manilow, Neil Young, Ozzy Osbourne, Patti Smith and uber groups like Sigur Ross, the Polyphonic Spree and Public Enemy. Wu Tang clan or R. Kelly, anyone? Ne-Yo? Queensryche? Xavier Rudd maybe? Eric Clapton?

Like our dear departed Big Kev, I'm very excited.

My new favourite websites: farecast.com & farecompare.com

The Farecast travel site lets you search for airfares across multiple sites and airlines and tells you whether fares are rising or falling and whether to buy now or wait. You can compare airfares over the next 30 days to work out when's the cheapest time to go.

So for example if I fancy a long weekend in Miami I can check and see that mid-December is the best time to go and I should fly from JFK or La Guardia as they're hundreds of dollars cheaper than Newark airport. Love it.

It has international fares too.

Farecompare gives you a 1 year price history of a fare so you can see when the numbers dip. It also specialises in discount first class seats that are comparable in price, or cheaper, than economy seats. Freaky, but apparently true. I can't wait to try it out.

Celebrity sighting #21

The heavily made up Ivanka Trump was dining next to our table at Kingswood, a restaurant in the Village. There was a murmur through the restaurant when she entered, all blonde mane, foundation and big designer handbag. She looked a bit like sour puss but maybe it was all the low key staring.

(And yes, Kingswood is owned by an Aussie.)

Celebrity sighting #15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Well this weekend I stumbled across the cast of Scrubs, a TV show I was addicted to until my addiction was rudely cut short by not having a TV. This is the last season of Scrubs and the cast were in NY for one day to give a panel Q & A. I went along and saw Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Don Faison, Judy Reyes, Neil Flynn and the creator Bill Lawrence and Christa, who plays Jordan, in their funny glory.

It was a good way to kill a couple of hours on a cold Saturday afternoon. Bill Lawrence was insightful, saying how he had wanted to create a show that was a cross between the nostalgia of The Wonder Years, the silliness of The Simpsons and the drama of Mash. Given the 7 years I think he was successful. He also mentioned that out of all the guest stars they had on the show Tara Reid was the worst. The audience loved this speck of goss.

And what's been funny is that Jus and I have discovered that NBC and ABC have full episodes of current series available to watch for free with minimal ads, online. So if you want to get a fix of the latest seasons of Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, My Name is Earl, The Office, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Houswives, you know where to go. We've also discovered Joost and Hulu, another way to watch TV on your PC. Their lineup includes the Adult Swim cartoons, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and a whole bunch of The Onion and Comedy Central programs as well as lots of old stuff, like Who's The Boss.

So Jus and I can dip into TV whenever we feel like it, without actually owning a TV or paying for cable, or sitting through 20 mins of ads each hour. hallelulah. This is kind of a god send as Sunday nights with single digit temperatures and a wind that would freeze the smile off Hannah Montana are a one way ticket to Cosyville. Does this mean the experiment failed?

And thanks to all of you who placated my laundry room fears, advising that it's perfectly acceptable to remove someone else's washing from the machine if their cycle is done. Monday seems to be washing night in our building: let the games begin.

Holiday to hunt

Surprise of the morning: our client company has this Friday off for the first day of the hunting season. What the? That's the most bogus holiday ever. A horse race, perfectably understandable, but hunting?

Calling all aspiring filmmakers and cinephiles

May 10 2008 will be Pangea Day, where a 4 hour program of films will be broadcast live simulataneously all over the globe, with the aim of promoting better understanding of our common humanity.

Watch the brief video below: I dare you not to be moved!




Send in a short film or keep a watch out for screening info.

Depressed in Detroit

I don't know if its the cold overcast weather, or the fact that there is nothing to eat in this whole airport terminal except disgusting Quiznos subs or stale Starbucks sandwiches with far too imaginative fillings, but I am not in a good mood.

This is where blogs can be dangerous as the temptation to vent superficial, self-absorbed rants is so strong.

I'll stop whingeing now and go and buy a Detroit Red Wings souvenir pencil.

Celebrity Sighting #14

Saw actress Catherine Keener at Madison Square Garden, watching the ice hockey.

More on that extrvaganza later...

Halloween Highlights & Celebrity Sighting #13

The parade went right by our apartment and some pals came by to watch it with us. We were not disappointed, rather I got over-excited and turned into Squeaky. Was it the costumes, the sheer number of participants or the 12-deep crowd on the sidewalk?

The highlight for me was when a float went by booming Michael Jackson's Thriller, followed by 100 people dressed up as zombies, staggering around the street. I said "If they break into the routine from the Thriller video clip I'll die." And you know what, they did. It was awesome. On every block they would line up and crank out the moves. The zombie arm sway, the quarterback shuffle, the wanking hand motion....if you need a reminder, check out Youtube clip from 8.28 mins.

Other people felt the need to dress up as:

• a giant asshole


• the senator who was caught soliciting gay sex in the men's toilets at the airport, complete with pants around the ankles, toilet cubicle and fake hand tapping


• Posh & Becks


• an iPhone


• Wii controllers


• huge penises (there were countless numbers of these. why?)


• Jedis, replete with glowing light sabers


• Scrabble pieces (I can't escape it)

There were all the usuals - ghosts, scarecrows, witches - and some families where the parents evidently had got the kids involved in something elaborate, that they had no choice about participating in. There were also a lot of people who looked like they had dusted off costumes from Gay & Lesbian Pride / Puerto Rico Day Parade / Mermaid Parade and just wanted to get their kit off in public.

Just to give you some context of the size of this thing, the parade started at 7pm and went until about 11pm, and it was thick with people and floats, stiltwalkers and marching bands.

Work was a sea of people dressed up from Kermit to satan worshippers to Lara Croft to House, and we had a party with dry ice wafting out of the punch bowl, as well as a lot of orange food. Its one of the biggest adult party weeks in the year.

And who was the celebrity in the parade? Ron Jeremy. Truly scary.

Three days in Beantown

Boston was lovely. We jumped on the train Saturday morning and it beelined through Stamford Connecticut, Providence Rhode Island and on to Massacheusetts (there's my spelling test over), where the number plates proclaim 'spirit of America'.





Boston was one long history lesson, with the Institute of Contemporary Art thrown in for good measure. This is where Samuel Adams, John Hanock, Paul Revere and others got the whole American Revolution started ( we even saw their oddly engraved graves). The Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere's Midnight Ride and the 'lobsterbacks' (redcoats) taking on local militia and sparking the War of Independence all became clear after a historical trail we followed around Boston and Charlestown (every tourist in Boston was following the same trail).


Boston is known as the 'Cradle of Liberty' (they really do take their freedoms seriously here.)and we also learnt that Boston is called Beantown because they have celebrated baked beans recipes, featuring molasses. (The tinned baked beans here have lots of sugar and are rather sweet. Unexpected...not altogether gross.) New England is also the home of seafood: oysters and lobster particularly. So you can imagine Justin was in heaven ordering 6 different varitieties of oysters and a famed lobster roll for dinner. It seems sacrilege to me to put a lobster in a hot dog bun, but when in Rome...



This weekend was also the playoffs (finals) for the baseball, and the Boston Red Sox won on Sunday night. So you can imagine the whole city was sporting some piece of Red Sox merchandise and Sunday night in the hotel there was a lot of hoo haaing from the big screen TV in the lobby. We watched the game until midnight, where it was 4-3 and then fell asleep. It's pretty hard to get into even when there's a cliffhanger.

Across the river from Boston is Cambridge, home to Harvard, and we had a Sunday pub lunch there before wandering around the campus. Very atmospheric: lots of leafy trees changing colour in the squares and historic residential buildings, libraries and halls lining the yards. It was getting really cold (people wearing fleece pants) so we hustled through. I didn't realise Harvard was founded in the 1600s and named after its principal patron who donated money and his library to get it going.

And there endeth the history lesson.