New York - September 2006

[John]

As some of you know, I've been away for the last week or so in New York, and you can see the best photos here (2 pages worth):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93413068@N00/

Thanks for looking, enjoy! :D :wiggle:

[Win2Win]

Our gallery not good enough for you :D

[John]

Don't want to put any strain on your bandwidth, Boss. :D

[Win2Win]

The width of my band is not in question! :)

[mathare]

Did someone say banned? Who's banned? :wink

[MattR]

Good pics John. Bet you had a great time.

[Win2Win]

Just think of the pics if you'd gone this time last year :yikes:

[mathare]

Who is the skirt in the last pic then Johnno?

Do we need a new letter adding to the Person A, Person B and Person C saga?

[John]

Cheers Matt, yep, had an amazing time! :)

The highlights were:

1. The pure fluke of getting Snow Patrol tickets, I'd heard they were touring a few days earlier in the US but when I found out it was literally across the road from the hotel we stayed at (Novotel), we HAD to try for tickets!

2. Meeting Renée, my 'pen friend' who's currently at Temple University in Philadelphia. We had an amazing day out at the Statue of Liberty and she had never even seen herself so it was new grounds for her. We also went to a place called Applebee's for lunch and I had an oversized cheeseburger!

3. The BB King Blues Bar on Monday night, our last night in NY. A guy called Jon Paris was playing and he was awesome, both the music and the food was great. He did renditions of Mustang Sally and Blue Suede Shoes as well as his own bluesy stuff.

4. Getting to Ground Zero was a mission in itself, and seeing the site was quite strange and eerie but I appreciated the experience. This is quite far downtown as it is, so we carried on past Ground Zero towards the Hudson River and saw the city across it. We tried walking up to Brooklyn Bridge but it was just too far and it was getting dark too. Headed back up to 5th Avenue on the subway and walked back to the hotel from there (W. 52nd St).

5. Central Park, and seeing the John Lennon memorial (Strawberry Fields). I didn't see this last time I came to the park so it was fantastic to see, and people had left the Imagine lyrics and some photos on the memorial as well as what you can see in the picture.

So yeah, I had a fantastic time! :D

[mathare]

What was the reason for going when you did then? Just happened to coincide with the 11/9 (I'm British, it didn't happen on 9th November) stuff and Snow Patrol then did it?

[John]

The skirt? I assume you are referring to Renée! (Person R, perhaps!) We've known each other now for 7½ years, and have kept in touch online for the large majority of that. We've also exchanged cards at Christmas, birthdays, that kinda thing. I met her for the first time in 2003, on my first visit to 'The City' and this was the second time we met. :) I can't remember how we met exactly but I was using AOL at the tender age of 14, and, as you do, you go on people-searching missions. I think I got an IM (Instant Message) from 'some random American girl' and we started chatting, again, as you do... it has gone from there really... she lives in Massachusetts but goes to uni in Philly, and is the same age as me.

[mathare]

Cool :)

[John]

What was the reason for going when you did then? Just happened to coincide with the 11/9 (I'm British, it didn't happen on 9th November) stuff and Snow Patrol then did it?

No, it didn't actually. :)

Basically, Chris, my friend who I went with turned 21 on August 24th, so we decided to wait until he turned 21 before we made plans on a date to fly out, else we couldn't have gone to any bars or clubs over there (not that we found a single club whatsoever in 5 days, mind). We were going to go the first week in September but he couldn't get the time off work, but he managed to get the 4th-15th off, and I knew myself it'd be better to go over a weekend, hence flying out on the 8th.

As for seeing Snow Patrol, well, on the Wednesday before going (6th) I found a website listing all the gigs in NYC over the next week. 135 in total, one of which turned out to be Snow Patrol... I couldn't believe it, and the location was simply a bonus! So I hunted the Internet frantically, but tickets were all sold out. I thought it'd be easy to find a tout once we got there, but it wasn't, so we were quite fortunate really.

[mathare]

But you didn't go out with the intention of seeing the 9/11 stuff taking place? It was just on while you were out there?

Either way, you got some greats shots of the lights there

[John]

But you didn't go out with the intention of seeing the 9/11 stuff taking place? It was just on while you were out there?

Sorry, yeah, we did go with the intention of looking at Ground Zero on the Monday. It was quite strange on the Sunday night though, I was a bit nervous and worried about going there. We did Central Park on the Monday afternoon because it was so sunny, and in doing so meant we could go downtown in the evening and do a bit of Chinatown (which was nothing but little markets and shops) en route to GZ. It was overwhelming just how high the towers were that once stood there, I felt a loss of balance just by looking towards the top of the light beams.

[mathare]

It was overwhelming just how high the towers were that once stood there, I felt a loss of balance just by looking towards the top of the light beams.I went when I was a kid (about 10 or so I guess) we went up the WTC. Awesome view, from what I can remember. I just wish I had been old enough to remember it more clearly

[John]

Aww, I would imagine it was a fantastic view, nevertheless. :)

[jonahjones]

Glad you enjoyed yourself John.

Subway train photo reminds me of the opening titles from "The Equalizer". :)

[John]

Have not seen that film JJ, but it sounds interesting just from the title!

[samantha1303]

Sounds like you had a great time John.
Hope you enjoyed snow patrol, Ive got 2 dates booked to see them later in the year.
Heres a photo I took from the ferry when the towers were still standing -
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b139/samantha1303/thAMERICA002-1.jpg

[John]

Nice pic Sam, though I can't click it for the full sizer! :wink Not to worry though.

When did you go to NY then, and when abouts you going to see Snow Patrol?

[scaaty]

Great pics - did a double take when I got to the one of you in Central Park, you're the spitting image of my best friend's son ! Excellent timing to be there for Snow Patrol and the blues bar sounds really good - glad you enjoyed yourself :)

[samantha1303]

Nice pic Sam, though I can't click it for the full sizer! :wink Not to worry though.

When did you go to NY then, and when abouts you going to see Snow Patrol?

Not sure how to do that.
Its on flick in my sig for full size.
I went in 1999.
Going to see Snow Patrol in December in Belfast and Dublin

[John]

Great pics - did a double take when I got to the one of you in Central Park, you're the spitting image of my best friend's son !

Haha, that's interesting, have you got a picture?!


Excellent timing to be there for Snow Patrol and the blues bar sounds really good - glad you enjoyed yourself :)

Certainly was! I'm not sure which one out of those two I enjoyed the most actually. :D

[John]

Cheers Sam, I'll have a look on your Flickr gallery.

Snow Patrolling twice eh, that should be great!

[samantha1303]

Straight before xmas too.
I love Belfast I was there last xmas and in the summer
I think the pics of NY are in a set titled America I popped them all in together as it was just a few I scanned from proper photos I didn't have digital in them days :hearty

[scaaty]

Haha, that's interesting, have you got a picture?!

Just had a quick look but can't find one - I'm sure I've got one somewhere, if not I'll try to get one next time they visit :)

[presto]

nice one john - glad you enjoyed it.

[John]

Cheers Scaaty and Presto :)

[markwales]

Nice one John - glad you had a good time...

I'll get to New York one day.... but I guess it'll be Disney and Waterparks for me from now on :yikes:

[John]

Cheers Mark, I really fancy going to Vegas..... :D

[mathare]

Cheers Mark, I really fancy going to Vegas..... :DEveryone should go there at least once. I adored the place and can't wait to go back :hearty

[Win2Win]

Can't beat Blackpool :ooo .....or Vegas or Millennium Dome....no contest eh!!! :yikes:

[John]

Mark and Mat...

When you went to Vegas, where did you fly from, and was it a direct flight?

[markwales]

Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic and Yes it was direct

[John]

Thanksly

[mathare]

Yep, same as Mark on that one.

We had some friends that had to catch connecting flights rather then going direct. Don't do it - it's a massive waste of time and a lot of hassle.

[Win2Win]

Pity you weren't in NY this weekend John, you could have reset the server for me :)

[John]

Exactly Mat, if I go somewhere I'll do it direct, it's a total hassle stopping off somewhere to have to connect.

I wonder where abouts in NY it actually is Keith...! :)

[Win2Win]

New Jersey, so nowhere posh :) ...but there address is New York....

[John]

Apparently there's nothing particularly attractive about New Jersey, but Newark airport is there and that's the only reason I was in New Jersey... twice!

[bigcumba]

You didn't happen to see this clever bloke while you were there John?


http://uk.rd.yahoo.com/oa/*http://uk.download.yahoo.com/pr/fu/oa/busker.wmv

[John]

I'd tell you if I could Campbell, but my computer is too rubbish to even play the file. :(

[bigcumba]

Ah, bummer mate, it's a guy skating down the middle of a NY street, with attachments sticking out of the side of his skates... he has hundreds of wine bottles fixed either side of him on the road and as he skates down between them his 'attachments' hit the bottles and play a neat bit of classical music - obviously the bottles are filled with different amounts of liquid.

[MattR]

Apparently there's nothing particularly attractive about New Jersey, but Newark airport is there and that's the only reason I was in New Jersey... twice!


Actually New Jersey's not bad at all. Well apart from Newark which is a dive and not the safest place around. Atlantic City's great and there are some fantastic beaches with miles of sand and barely anyone there. Unlike the 500 people per square metre on ours!