NEW YORK (USA)
13 February - 18 February 2018
13 February - 18 February 2018
There is literally an abundance of everything in New York, so much so that you can easily get confused as to what you should see, where you should go, when to eat, the cool places to drink, it's mind bending.
New York City - New York - USA
Grand Central Station - New York City - New York - USA
Grand Central Station - New York City - New York - USA
Grand Central Station - New York City - New York - USA
New York City - New York - USA
Lower West Side - New York City - New York - USA
Lower West Side - New York City - New York - USA
Lower West Side - New York City - New York - USA
Caviar, champagne and NYC
We would start our days on Broadway, in a boxing gym that had the banner Work Train Fight. I'd booked us in for personal training sessions for four (4) days of our stay which I think levelled our mindset and allowed us to deal with the pitfalls of travel. I say 'pitfalls' because they are to us, but they wouldn't be to your normal couple. As you may know, Inga & I have a fairly consistent gym regime, and when we're at home base maintaining the rage is easy within our established daily routine. The difficulties come when travelling. Being out of routine, not having gym access, wanting to eat and drink but feeling the guilt of overdoing things, it's a constant peril. If you've never been in that mindset then of course even thinking about this as being an issue would be nonsense, at the most you would probably say, 'oh come on, you're on holiday, get over it', but that line of reasoning would be like saying to a smoker, 'hey, you're on holiday, just forget about smoking for now'. The pull to do, to train and to be active is just that instilled in our psyche that when we have an opportunity like this, to actually get workouts done early in the day then our anxiety is sufficiently decreased for the rest of the day for us to enjoy whatever it brings.
Aside from Valentine's Day, which was a major day out, our next three days were still full of things to do and see. Here's a few more of our highlights during our time there.
Sleep No More - Located in the McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th, this is a site specific work of theatre based upon Shakespeares MacBeth. It's actually an immersive style theatre in that the performance takes place all around you. The site, set across six floors, allows you to walk through each of the rooms/floors and have your own unique experience in the manner of your choosing.
Gallow Green - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
Sleep No More - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
Sleep No More - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
Being set in a dimly lit, moody, 1930's style establishment warehouse in Chelsea, each guest is required to wear a masquerade style mask as they progress through the rooms and take part in their own individual experience. It very much feels a little Eyes Wide Shut in terms of the entire escapade, both voyeuristic & intriguing. The rooms all have their own style and the audience takes it in at their own pace, in their own manner, investigating and accepting their on singular experience.
For me personally I felt this was probably the highlight in New York, typifying what New York is about, engaging, stimulating, confronting, wonderful.
Sleep No More - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
Sleep No More - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
Sleep No More - McKittrick Hotel - New York City - New York - USA
The Accomplice - The Accomplice is Sleep No More except out on the streets of Lower Manhattan where you actually engage with the performers in formulating the experience. Part theatre, part walking tour, part treasure hunt, New York becomes the stage for this interactive theatre to play out.
Lower Manhattan - New York City - New York - USA
Lower Manhattan - New York City - New York - USA
On a certain day, at a certain location you're asked to meet a person. From there you're asked to follow a set of several clues, finding your way to bars, op shops, well known areas of SoHo, in a alternate universe in which anyone feels like they could be part of the set-up. In some ways it feels like the Michael Douglas movie, The Game. It's a pretty cool experience and a unique way to be guided around the city.
The Ride - Another interactive, immersive experience, this time led by drag queens. You gain access to a bus where you sit in a glass cabin, looking out onto the street. The bus then takes you on a 75 min interactive musical highlights tour of mid-town Manhattan, around Times Square but under Central Park. Stopping at several street locations street artists perform on the streets whilst the captive audience drinks away on the bus, enjoying the fun, frivolity and good humour of all that's going on around them
Of course New York was more than just the activities that we undertook, we also did a bit of walking around downtown and midtown, especially in the really cool areas of SoHo, East Village and West Village. For me, these areas were real highlights, cool, artsy, vibrant and bursting with funky bars that I'm certain would have so many speakeasies just waiting to be discovered. The city is just relentless when it comes to either doing things, having something to eat or drink, discovering, whatever the hell it may be. It really is a city that's switched on 24/7, which just makes for a completely engaging and at times exhausting town. And really, why should anyone confine themselves by the minutes or seconds on a clock, if people are about then why not service their wants and needs at whatever time they desire!?
Additionally we did do the standard Red double decker bus tour, taking in a lot of Central Park and a bit of Harlem, where we took some time to have a few drinks and stick our head into the famous Apollo theatre.
The problem with New York is that there is just way too much to see, experience and discover. We had four full days and felt like we hadn't even arrived. You would need to spend weeks here to get any sort of feel for a pocket of this place, to get into the swing of what it means to be a New Yorker. There's attitude, there's a collective vibe and it's 'full-time'. It's not even a place I'd like to come back to for a longer time, even though we probably will, its more a place that you need to live in to experience.
To you New York I say wow, you are indeed a very special place, unique and unchallenged in the space you occupy. Respect.
The Ride - Another interactive, immersive experience, this time led by drag queens. You gain access to a bus where you sit in a glass cabin, looking out onto the street. The bus then takes you on a 75 min interactive musical highlights tour of mid-town Manhattan, around Times Square but under Central Park. Stopping at several street locations street artists perform on the streets whilst the captive audience drinks away on the bus, enjoying the fun, frivolity and good humour of all that's going on around them
Midtown - New York City - New York - USA
'The Ride' - New York City - New York - USA
'The Ride' - New York City - New York - USA
'The Ride' - New York City - New York - USA
'The Ride' - New York City - New York - USA
'The Ride' - New York City - New York - USA
Of course New York was more than just the activities that we undertook, we also did a bit of walking around downtown and midtown, especially in the really cool areas of SoHo, East Village and West Village. For me, these areas were real highlights, cool, artsy, vibrant and bursting with funky bars that I'm certain would have so many speakeasies just waiting to be discovered. The city is just relentless when it comes to either doing things, having something to eat or drink, discovering, whatever the hell it may be. It really is a city that's switched on 24/7, which just makes for a completely engaging and at times exhausting town. And really, why should anyone confine themselves by the minutes or seconds on a clock, if people are about then why not service their wants and needs at whatever time they desire!?
Additionally we did do the standard Red double decker bus tour, taking in a lot of Central Park and a bit of Harlem, where we took some time to have a few drinks and stick our head into the famous Apollo theatre.
All that you can leave behind
Thank you New York!
The problem with New York is that there is just way too much to see, experience and discover. We had four full days and felt like we hadn't even arrived. You would need to spend weeks here to get any sort of feel for a pocket of this place, to get into the swing of what it means to be a New Yorker. There's attitude, there's a collective vibe and it's 'full-time'. It's not even a place I'd like to come back to for a longer time, even though we probably will, its more a place that you need to live in to experience.
To you New York I say wow, you are indeed a very special place, unique and unchallenged in the space you occupy. Respect.
