Coney Island of the Mind

Guess what I did...

I went to Coney Island and ate a Nathan's hotdog, and watched beach volleyball and went on the Wonder Wheel.

I paid 99c to go to the Coney Island Museum and used the penny left over to watch a film Thomas Edison made about electrocuting an elephant.

We went to a freak show where a man hammered a nail into his head, a woman danced with a really large albino python and a woman who had tattooed almost her entire body and breathed fire. The tiniest girl in the world swallowed an exceptionally large sword.

We queued for pizza at what is meant to be one of the best pizzerias in Brooklyn, where you ended up eating off plastic plates and drinking from plastic cups, but whatever. I read an article about it in the NYT about 2 years ago. The pizza was ace. And you know, you meet interesting people when you're forced to line up for ages.

I went to the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue where we joined a queue we assumed was going to get us into the vuilding. Half an hour later we realised that it was the line for the new iPhone and there was, in fact, a much shorter line for entrance to the store and all its free internetty goodness.

I saw the UN building and then went to the Museum for Democracy where I looked at Presidential campaigning memorabilia and talked to a woman who seemed to be more active and interested in her retirement than I am now.

I saw an off-braodway production about a Christian Rock Band and went to the Comedy Club where Jerry Seinfeld filmed the beginning of each show.

So that was New York. I am in Chicago now, where it is less warm. Not entirely sure what I want to do yet! I'm sure something will come up.

I'll Always Love You New York

In New York. Think it is fabulous so far. Brief summary below. Will blog about Washington when I have more internet time.

Yankees v Red Socks
Oh yes, a baseball game at Yankee styadium where the Yankess clutched victory from the jaws of a draw at the bottom of the tenth with Gardner on 2 strikes. People threw crackerjacks through the air, light beer cost $8, people carried crates of hotdogs on their heads AND during the 7th inning stretch we got to sing 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame'. Americana at its best.

Did anyone know how much stuff BoA sponsors in the USA? I keep thinking that if I was still an employee there may be some kind of discount I would be eligible for.

Guggenheim
Louise Bourgeois exhibition was amazing. Loved it. Didn't matter that all the 'famous; paintings were unavailable to the public. Bourgeois is about to go down as one of my favourite artists of all time.

Broadway
Went and saw 'Young Frankenstein' which was hilarious, as well as blatantly being a Mel Brooks creation. He lvoes his hot blonde girls making out with slightly gormless men. He also loves his anatomy jokes. Set was amazing. Totally redeemed my last musicals experience which was 'Gone With The Wind'. I don't think anyone who saw that would be sorry that it had closed.

The Empire State Building

Queues. Americans love queues. They are good at queuing. You waited in line for security, then you waited in line for a ticket, then you waited in line for the first lot of elevators then you waited in line for the second lot of elevators.

I was publicly called out by a ticket man for rolling my eyes at the couple making out in front of me. I mean, seriously people, the 'romantic' bit is at the top of the tower, not when you're less than half way through the queuing experience.

Things I Like About the NY Subway
1. It is airconditioned (are you listening London?!??!).
2. The cars are massive.
3. It is cheap(ish)

Things I Do Not Like
1. Smelliness
2. Subway maps ar enot great and stations are not imaginatively named.