Home sweet home

Landed back on Friday morning after a flight that was delayed by two and a half hours, and contained two screaming babies.  Not fun. 

Just about over the jet lag and, big surprise, already thinking about next year.  Haven’t quite decided yet, but we’re thinking of Boston or Canada.  Boston is edging ahead, based on flights and baggage allowance, but watch this space.

Most holiday pics are now up in the picasa album here.  I might have a few of Chris’s to add, but that’s most of them.

Back to reality tomorrow!

Almost home

An early post for anyone checking in the evening. For those of you checking at work in the morning, we'll be back on British soil by the time you read this.

Had one last look round FAO Schwartz this morning - I so love the Tonner dolls, but there's no easy way to get them home and our cases are already bursting at the seams. Lunch at Lindys, then headed to JFK. After last year, when it was packed, we left plenty of time, but we got here and it was so quiet! We were through security in no time.

We're now sat in a rainy JFK departures lounge waiting to fly.

See you all when we get home!

Last Day

Most of today was spent packing, discovering we'd bought more than we realised, and finishing last minute odds and ends. Wandered down 8th Ave for a late lunch before heading to Coney for the baseball. Let's just say the Cyclones are having a bas season, and leave it at that...

Little bit of excitement of sorts on the subway home when the train came to a complete halt most of the way out the station. There's something spooky about being in a subway carriage without the noise of the engines. We had to walk through the train - all those doors between carriages that you're told not to use - to get to the platform for another train. We're still trying to find out if the official line about equipment failure is true, rather that the muttered rumours that they were checking under the train for a body. We may never know!

I can't believe we're flying home tomorrow, it's come round too fast!

On the waterfront

Headed downtown today, and after a wander round Battery Park, took a ferry over to Staten Island for the rest of the day.

Battery Park is named for the cannons that used to form part of the defenses in colonial times, and like a lot of the downtown area, is built on reclaimed land - look up a map of the NY coastline today, against a couple hundred years ago!  It's amazing how much of it didn't exist!

It also contains one of several memorials to Sept 11th, in this case, the mangled remains of one of the statues that stood at the WTC. Ground Zero itself is simply a building site now, but it's impressive how fast the new tower is going up.

The Staten Island ferry is a great way to do some free sightseeing - the views as you cross the harbour are fab.

The island itself is mostly residential - it's the closest we've seen to the movie idea of US suburia. We headed down to the mall and discovered that the island is a LOT bigger that we realised. In fact, it took about an hour on the bus!  We'll go back next time, but plan to spend the day, as the mall it huge.

Back on Manhattan we wandered round the South Street Seaport, and had a late dinner at Johnny Rockets diner.

Last full day tomorrow, I can't believe how fast it's gone!

Happy 4th of July

A bank holiday is a bank holiday, wherever you are. Public transport on a limited service, some shops closed, others on limited hours and sales galore. Scored some crafty bargains, and mainly just mooched about. People watched in Times Square in the evening and watched Macy's fire works on TV - much better view than crowding in with several hundred thousand people on the bank of the river!

Take me out to the ballgame

What a day, started and finished with loud bangs and flashes.

Woke up to a New York thunder storm, with rain for most of the day.  Mooched about, trying to stay dry, and ended up with a late lunch at Hard Rock Cafe. Mid afternoon, we headed to Money for the baseball. At one point, it looked like the game would be rained off, but in the end it went ahead with just a short delay.

Unfortunately the Cyclones lost to the SI Yankees but hopefully they'll turn the tables tomorrow! We're back for their next home game on Wednesday.

End of the game they had a pre-4th July fireworks display. If the video turns out ok, I'll upload it once we get home.

Independence Day tomorrow. Be fun to see the Macy's fireworks from the Hudson.

This little piggy went to market

Again, we had no fixed plans today, except for a bot of shopping. So, we left the hotel, turned left onto 6th Avenue - and walked into a huge market.  They'd closed off a 3/4 of a mile stretch of on of the busiest avenues, just for a street fair for the USO. Can you imagine them doing that on Oxford Street!?  Made for an unexpected but interesting diversion for the morning.

In the afternoon we headed to Union Square and had a look round the farmers' market, before replacing my Sony e-reader, which had just died on me. The staff in Best Buy were less than helpful, so we headed to Barnes and Noble, where a very helpful young man called Bryce set up my new Nook for me, and rescued what he could from my Sony reader. He has ensured that any time we're over, we'll be shopping there.

Next, was a walk up Broadway towards the Flatiron building and Madison Square park. We thought about grabbing a burger from Shake Shack for a late lunch, but no matter how good their burgers are rumoured to be, the can't be worth the queue that snaked halfway round the park. Finished off the afternoon with some clothes shopping and after some people watching in Times Square, we are enjoying a lazy evening.

Off to the baseball tomorrow night - hometown derby again the Staten Island Yankee. Back to Coney, so I must remember my sunscreen!!

Lazy Day

First day we haven't had anything planned, so we pretty much just mooched. Headed down to Brooklyn and ended up at Coney Island. Warning, impromptu trip to the seaside when you don't have extra sunscreen? Bad idea! A walk down the boardwalk eating ice cream has left my shoulders a lovely shade of pink.  Ouch.

The evening was spent people watching at Times Square including a look round ToysRus with their 60ft ferris wheel.

Been a lazy day, but just what we needed.

Have some random pics, including Big Daddy Cane and his moll at Times Square.

It's only taken us four years...

After four years of trying, we finally got tickets for a filming of the Daily Show.  Now, given the blank looks I got when I went into work squeeing about tickets, I'd better explain.  The Daily Show is one of Comedy Central's headline shows, and offers a satirical look at the news.  It's also recognised as a more reliable news source than Fox News!  As with Richard Cheese, YouTube is your friend, but again, NSFW!

So, the day involved a lot of queueing and hanging around.  As with any show, they over subscribe the tickets to prevent empty seats.

We turned up at the studio around 1pm, for tickets being issued at 2.30.  This put us pretty much head of the line.  We were then told to come back for 4.45, when you're split into seating groups.  The rules about what you can and can't do in the studio are straightforward and well explained but it's amazing how many people had iphones confiscated!

Once we're seated, the warm up guy comes out and explains how loudly we need to cheer for the mics - very - and gives us some practice.  Then Jon Stewart, the host of the show, takes some q&as before filming begins.

The actual taping seemed to be over really quickly. Basically, what you see on screen is pretty much as filmed. As ever, the show was funny, my only moan would be that we missed Tom Hanks as a guest by one day.

Seeing the set was weird, looking at the, I guess, optical illusions used to create what we see on screen.  A lot of what looks like 3d sets are flat matt backdrops but work really well on screen.

We're now watching back the show on tv, just to see what, if anything was edited!

Not sure what we've got planned for tomorrow - first day we haven't got anything booked.

Lunchtime break, so let's recap

So, yesterday, headed to Queens in the morning, for some odd shopping.  They have a Costco and an Aldi, and we wondered how the American ones would differ from the UK ones. Very strange! So familiar and at the same time so different!

Found a fab place for lunch as part of out quest to find the ultimate burger - Five Guys, Burger and Fries. Everything is cooked to order, just the way you want it, and the fries are delish!  will definitely be going back there!

In the evening, Chris finally got his birthday present - he got tickets to see Richard Cheese on a paddle steamer.  The review is mixed. The music was fab, and we'd see the band again in a heartbeat. On dry land. The facilities and organisation on the other hand left a lot to be desired, with too many people crammed into too small a space, and the rest of the floors not utilised as well as they could be. Still, it was an exerience and the views of the skyline are impressive as ever.

This morning we wandered round Times Square, and we're now heading off for the Daily Show tickets.

All cheesed out

Totally knackered, shopping this morning, and just got back from seeing Richard Cheese, on a paddle steamer. He'll be on youtube if you haven't heard of him, but be warned, it's VERY NSFW!!!

Details tomorrow when I'm a bit more awake.

Been a long, fab day

Don't you love jet lag? Woke up by half four this morning. And I am NOT a morning person! Went out for breakfast, followed by a long, leisurely walk up to Central Park for some people watching, before heading shopping, first to Herald Square, then down to Union Square. By now it was time for a late lunch, and then a chill out, before heading back out for the evening. We had a few drinks in Hard Rock Cafe, before heading off to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Fab-u-lous. I even got a pink feather boa, although Chris isn't too keen on it! Few changes from the London show, but it was a really great night!

Lazy day tomorrow, and then Richard Cheese in the evening!

Oh, and for thosecwho complain we never post pics of ourselves, have a where's wally, from the photo billboard in Times Square!

Big yellow teddy

I found a new friend! It's being auctioned later in the summer, but is currently on display on Park Avenue. Just what you need on your bedside table!

Big yellow teddy

I found a new friend! It's being auctioned later in the summer, but is currently on display on Park Avenue. Just what you need on your bedside table!

Smoothest trip ever.

Early start, and we were the first through check in at Manchester. Got fast tracked through security, too, and all told took just 45 minutes to get through it all.

Economy upgrade on the plane was worth it for the extra room.  The food was the best airline meal I've had - yeah, I know what they say about damning with faint praise, but it's meant as a genuine compliment!

Once landed, we got through American security and got our bags and out in a similar time.  Of course, paying attention to how many custom forms we needed, and checking signs helps!

We're up on the 11th floor this year, and have as close to a room with a view as we've had. Ok, so it's just a view across the street, but it's not an air shaft!

Had dinner, did some people watching, and are now giving into jetlag!  Clock says half eight, the body says 1.30am.

Shopping tomorrow, then we're getting in touch with our inner divas (Chris edit-"we"?  bollocks) at Priscilla!  Fabulous!

Almost there

Checked in at the Raddisson hotel at the airport, then wandered over to the Crowne Plaza, where we've stayed previously. They've got an Irish pub, which does some of the best pub grub you've tried!

Chill out tonight, ready for an early start for check in tomorrow.

All packed and ready to go!

The big day is almost here!  After a slight wobble last night, involving me knocking a crown out and having to find an emergency weekend dentist, we are packed and ready for our holiday!

Manchester airport tomorrow, staying over and an early start on Monday to get through security and ready to fly!

New York, here we come!

Two weeks to go!

The final countdown is upon is.  Bags are as packed as possible, hotels in Manchester and New York are booked - unless Chris finds anything better between now and then, we're back to Radio City Apartments - and most of our evenings are booked. Priscilla, Queen if the Desert, Richard Cheese on a boat, twi nights at the baseball and, after trying every year we've been, FINALLY we scored tickets for a filming of The Daily Show!  Won't know til closer to the time who the guests are, but really, who cares!

This is a well deserved break this year!

Quick Test

This is a test post for the blogger android app.

Almost Ready

Less than two months to go, and I think that's everything booked!

Flights, hotels, train to and from Manchester, baseball games, Priscilla on Broadway and Richard Cheese on a paddle ship!

The plan for the first night is Famous Dave's for dinner then Top of The Rock - hopefully get our body clocks onto New York time.

One of the baseball games is a home derby against the Staten Island Yankees, with post game fireworks.

All that's left now is to figure out where to watch the 4th July fireworks from!