29th Oct - New York City

Our mode of transport is the subway. Living in Brooklyn means that we board the train on an elevated track about 4 or 5 stories high, and then goes down underground and beneath the East River (ears pop). It's your standard crowded stench ridden rat infested filthy underground. But it works like a charm. Christchurch should get one.










We finally make it to Central Park today in the late afternoon. This is us in the Sheepfield. Highlight: watching, from pretty close, a Red-tailed Hawk eat a bird in a tree, feathers raining down. Also Rach loves the squirrels and wants to smuggle some back to Hagley Park.









Terrible pun: Rach with a medium sized apple in The Big Apple.














This is Rach's little workspace. On the wall is a framed and signed letter from the NZ Prime Minister, Helen Clark, to Adam thanking him for a letter he wrote supporting NZ's position on the Iraq war.
















We went to a bar to watch the baseball (Suz is a big fan). Rach knows all about baseball now. She still needs work on her manners though...

28 Oct - Manhatten

Relaxing day today (trying to get Alex fully over his cold *sniff sniff*), so we went into Manhatten for a wander ....Oooooooo.

First stop was B&H, a big photography store run by Hassidic (sp?) Jews* that Alex has been itching to go to since we arrived. (I itch mossie bites, Alex itches for B&H...). The camera he was wanting we will have to wait for. Don't ask me details....um...it was black, with a round thing on the front.

Then we did the garment district. It's not what you think - clothing - but fabrics & findings etc. OOoooooooo. I spent ages fossicking in all the little trays and bought some lovely bits and pieces to use in the future. I know, that doesn't sound very exciting, but I can never get exactly what I want in Chch, so it was groovy looking at such a huge range.

We are off to the movies tonight - Blade Runner something - I'm quite confused though, up until a minute ago I thought that was the vampire one with Wesley Snipes, & when I asked what it was then, Alex just gave me a "where have you been" look. Oh well, popular culture never was my strong point. It had better not be a zombie movie....

Take care,
Love Rach.

PS: So proud of my subway skills. Mesoclever.

* The dudes with the funny hats, long beards & twiddley curls down each side of their faces.

27th Oct - New York City

Just finished a long day - yawn.... We got up this morning, had breakfast (bagels) at our usual time, 2 pm, and then settled in to some reading and relaxing. Around 8pm Rach, Adam and I set forth to the bowels of Manhattan to set up for a photo opp with yet another a female popstar, 'Ciara'. Not as famous as Mariah Carey, but I suspect my Dunedin based niece may have heard of her... It was a fairly simple exercise, only complicated by the crazy Friday night traffic we encountered, and the inevitable lateness of the star's arrival.

The really wonderful thing was the weather - it was raining and the clouds were low enough for the skyscrapers to disappear into the gloom. From the bridge the whole city looked amazing - very dark and gothic (more so than usual).

We only return to our base in Brooklyn at 1.30 am and then spend the next 3 hours testing and packing the truck for tomorrows gig, a wedding. I finally get to bed at 4.30am.... Fortunately there are enough hands on deck for the wedding that Rach and I are not needed. So we're going shopping and wandering through New York - when we get out of bed, which probably won't be until mid afternoon...


The Empire State Building vanishes into the clouds. Rachel had fun releasing helium balloons into the sky and watching them get sucked into the murk.

















The setup team in front of the banner for the Ciara.

25 Oct - Shopping!!!

Ok, so it's a Rach kind of shopping story....

Alex told me last night over dinner that we are to be helping at a Hallowe'en party, and that we need to be in costume. Very cool for me you might think, but 'Aghhhhh'...I have with me like 5 items of clothing, no sewing gear & no idea where to procure a decent costume that isn't a) hired (all gone) b) trashy pvc street-walker outfit that the local girls' excuse for dress-up and c) good enough so that at this glam party I won't look like a half eaten cat toy.

So off I trotted today, sans Alex, on a new subway line all on my own to 'Beacons Closet', New Yorks top voted vintage 2nd hand store. Oh it was fun. Not exeptionally huge, but everything there was interesting. Thought I'd dig for goth/vampire look stuff as my hair can do punk easily & I've only really got my 14 hole Doc's to wear. Found a couple of cool items: A tartan dress with belty things criss crossing it- not the real deal as it's just fashion cotton fake - but I can punk it - & an amazingly well made corset, that was such a beautiful shape that I couldnt leave it behind. Being black it will hopefully dramatise up the dress & afterwards I think I'll turn it inside-out as its a lovely grey with seams (Just between you & me I have to add about 3 inches in the back as I am a little bigger than the starved whippet I think it was made to for) (No I have not got really fat over here.) (Yet.)

Anyway, I will hopefully get something passable together & post a pic.

Back to annoying the cats, as everyone is out playing/working & it's just me here.

Night all,
Rach.

24 Oct - New York City

Been doing the hard graft here in Noo Yawk City. Adam's company has been contracted to install and operate lighting in Macy's Department Store for the release of a new perfume range for the popstar Mariah Carey. Mariah, being the special person that she is, has special requirements which include movie lights that follow her wherever she goes and make sure she looks glamorous at every moment she's in the public eye. That meant we had to go to a rental outfit that caters to the movie industry. The place we went to was the size of an aircraft hangar, covered in stands with hundreds of lights, from tiny handheld lights to enormous beasts that output 20,000 watts and have to be moved with forklifts. All we took was one trolley filled with just a couple of lights, not the biggest setup in the world.

The next stop was getting a mugshot at the Macy's Office for our security passes. The two places we set up were some 14th floor office rooms and also a vast and somewhat acrid smelling cosmetics section of the store. Sparing expense was not on the mind of the people organising this event. In the upstairs area they had put down brand new white carpet in the rooms (to be ripped up and thrown away after the event of course). Downstairs, in the cosmetics department, the new carpeting was somewhat more extensive. A corridor through the department store, about 6o metres long, was carpeted in vivid purple, as well a big area that was sectioned off as a stage for Mariah Carey. The purple carpet was destined for the trashbin as well. I knew I should've invested in the flooring markets, dammit.

Seeing Macy's, the biggest store in the world, from behind the scenes was very cool. The 'customer' side of Macy's is immaculately presented, shiny and cleaner than Kojak's head. And crawling with thousands of determined customers, awash with cash and eager to spend it on yet another piece of garbage they don't need. But these folk are reassured by the vast quantities of cash that has been poured into manufacturing the illusion of need and desire. However, once you go down the service corridors you see eighty years of accumulated grime and grunge, antique grafitti and worn down fittings. Let's just say I didn't buy anything. I wasn't fooled. But give me time...

We got the system almost set up. Trouble with belligerent union electricians kept us from completing our task. The next day was the 'Big Day' - Mariah was to appear at 5pm. We went back and, now that the electricians were willing to play ball, we finalised the setup. I had the job of holding a 'Sungun', a small portable light source, to light up Mariah as she stepped from her car. A couple of hundred people had gathered for her arrival and the security contingent assigned to her, about twenty or thirty big guys in suits, had their hands full dealing with the crowds. Mariah pulled up in a zillion dollar Rolls Royce convertible, gets outs and security hustles her into the store, where the purple carpet has been laid and fifty drum majors play a defeaning musical accompaniment to her entrance.

People are going nuts to get a glance at the star. The store has to have minimum disruption to its schedule - so despite all the security customers are still shopping in their throngs and most of them are not all that interested in any Celebrity. They have real business - shopping - to do.

I get a front row seat at a gaggle of photographers taking gazillions (yes, gazillions - even more than zillions) of photographs during a set up photo opportunity. There are so many strobes going off that Mariah seems to flicker.

The deal is that you have to buy $100 of perfume to get a chance to get Mariah's signature, and $300 to get a chance of a photo with her. There are a lot of desperate people in America so they have no problems getting the requisite number of applicants.

Well that was my first few days in New York.... The band is about to start practising again so we going to a bar.


Adious for now, Alex

24 Oct - NYC

Three pics from the last few days...

This is The Chief.

The playful one that escapes outside and comes back really dirty.
(will send pics of 'outside' soon & you'll see why...)



This is Cleo.

The tiny, slightly stand-offish one.







This is Alex holding a bloody bright light up for Mariah Carey's grand enterance to Macy's to promote her new perfume.

(that's her in the shades)

Everyone was taking pics of Mariah - I was taking pics of my Alex....awwww.




Love to all,
Rach.

21 Oct - NYC

Did our first bit of 'helping' today. We started organising gear in a new storage room - you all know how much I love that knid of stuff. It's like 3D tetris - woohoo! Aside from that, it was nice to start making myself useful.

This evening Adam & Suz took us to a Broadway show. I had never heard of it, the set was a street with houses - I assumed it would be a RENT / Westside Story thing...... ... .. then the puppets came on.... .. . . then the totally inappropriate songs began ... .. .. .. then the puppet lovin' . .. . just hysterical. We were all in stitches. It was like Sesame Street characters 15 years on. Was called Avenue Q. Quite 'Meet the Feebles'.

Pretty cool being out on Times Square. Insane lights. Brilliant. I had a NY moment when we ran out at intermission (on Broadway!) and bought some pizza slices.

Love to all, (still laughing from show...gotta find the CD!)
Rach

21 Oct - NYC

We went to the birthday party of a friend of Suz' last night. It was really interesting to talk to heaps of lovely locals - none of whom seemed to originally come from New York.

A charming coincidence was spending most of the evening yakking with a woman, Christie, who not only turned out to be a graphic designer....she did the tacky NZ posters for 'Flight of the Conchords' !! Classic.

This is her with the claws up, next to Kim, who was zombie-d up for a Hallowe'en bicycle ride starting in a cemetery later that night!





On the way home we saw this patriotic-as-all-hell truck.

Someone is sooooo proud!!!

20 Oct - New York City

We spent our first day in NY sleeping in, having delicious bagels for breakfast, going on a tour of Coney Island, and then midtown Manhattan. The weather is unseasonably warm for this time of year and autumn, sorry Fall, has yet to kick in.



I had to put in a pretty pic from yesterdays flight. This is a shot from somewhere over the midwest USA. Lotsa room for them cowboys down there.











On the boardwalk, checking out Coney Island














One of the attractions at Coney Island was 'Shoot the Freak', where you paid $5 to get a paintball gun and fire at a live target. We couldn't resist. Although all four of us were shooting at the same time I don't think we scored many hits - he was one fast freak...








Adam and myself on the subway. And yes, he does appear to be wearing welding goggles. Must be a New York thing.













Suz, Adam, and Rach on our way to the farmers market in midtown Manhattan.














This is Suz and Adams pad in Brooklyn. Our wonderful hosts are putting together a cheese board for a party that we're going to later on. In the background, on the right hand side of the picture, there is a rock band practising. It's a big apartment...

New York - finally

After a nuts day of delayed flights and landing sideways into zero visibility at JFK, we have finally arrived in New York.

Adam & Suz gave us a fab welcome with champange and a Limo ride around the city. Poor wee Alex didn't enjoy it as much as I did as he was puking his guts out from the plane trip.

They have a fab place in Brooklyn, half storage / half built in rooms. We are currently sleeping in the walk in wardrobe.

More later...out for breakkie.

Love Rach.

19 Oct - San Fran

Well, after the hard yakka I did yesterday on the bike, I refused to do anything vaguely challenging today. After our free brekkie & obligitory stolen lunch pack, we headed out to get Alex a 'real' coffee (what is with coffee drinkers??) from what turned out to be a rather historical cafe in little italy. Their hot chocolate wasn't bad either.

We cruised down to the Embarcadero (Tourist Central) and after Alex flatly refused to go on a cruise that had a commentry, I booked us on a catameran (sp?) sailing cruise. Had a few hours to kill so we got a crab salad & I annoyed Alex by looking in all the touristy crap stores. Oooh, they had so many pretty tins...

Anyway

The cruise was fab. Most of it purely under sail, and only a dozen passengers. Amazing. Cruised around Alcatraz & under the Golden gate bridge, which looked stunning with the sun on it. Spent most of the cruise lying on the nets (as a kid I always thought these were trampolines). So back at the Hostel now, cleaning up for our last dinner in San Fran before we depart for New York tomorrow morning.

Happy trails & love to all,
Rach.

Me & sideshow bob down on the Embarcadero.













Alex checks out the flicks.


















On the boat.












Alex helping the crew with navigation.


















Alex once again managing to get my best side.

17th Oct, San Francisco

Our 2nd full day in San Francisco. Yesterday we took things easy and checked out a few parts of downtown 'Frisco on our skateboards. Today however we went hard out and hired a tandem to get around. I don't recommend tandems - they are a profoundly uncomfortable way of getting around and manage to make difficult hill climbing a near impossibility - but Rachel was adamant that we try one out. Her aching bum (I know all) is making her know that it was a decision to be regretted...
We did however endure the bike for 6 hours, long enough to cross over the Golden Gate Bridge and back, check out Golden Gate Park, and hang out in the legendary hippie district near the corner of Haight and Ashbury Sts, and almost get killed on several occassions trying to control a tandem up and down hills riding on the wrong side of the road in busy traffic. Rachel dragged me into every alternative and second hand clothing store in the hippie district, looking at everything (slowly), but buying nothing, wasting both the retailers and my time. Poor hippies. If it weren't for the prospect of missing our free dinner at the hostel I would never have been able to prise Rachel away from the racks of corsets and drindels ( whatever they are...).
We're now recuperating in our room, with bellies full of nachos. Shortly we'll go out to the Italian District and try to hunt down a gelato bar for some dessert.
Love to all, Alex and Rachel.



The corner of Haight and Ashbury, hippieville - or at least it was some forty years ago - now it's a groovy alternative area.


















Alex on Broadway, right beside some choice stripclubs.






On the waterfront with Alcatraz in the background.














Looking out over downtown San Francisco. Our hostel is the yellow building on the left with the awning.













On the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge.
















Rach piloting the tandem over Golden Gate Bridge.












Rach with the bridge in the background.














The green haired kiwi and San Francisco.

We saw a bunch of fantastic clouds on the way over... and the air hostesses weren't bad either...

And just to prove we made if here's Rachel with Alcatraz in the background

15 Oct 07 - SF

Brillant flight over from Auckland, economy class was nearly empty, everyone got to lie down in their own row. Fabulous!

We have arrived all safe & well in SF. The 'Tortise Hostel is just as I remember it - rough, but great hospitality - so that's good. Had a wee wander through Chinatown & Pier 39, but are back at the hostel now awaiting dinner & and early night as we are both pretty tired - I write to the smooth tones of Alex snoring!

Now lets see if I can actually get this message up without Alex’s help…....ooo, me so clever!!

Love Rach ( & sleeping beauty)