New York (USA) - Work Train Fight

NEW YORK (USA)
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

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.

New York (USA) - La Manzana Grande

NEW YORK (USA)
13 February - 18 February 2017

We arrived in New York City on the 13^th of February, meaning that the next day was a whole 24hrs dedicated to the Feast of St. Valentine.  

So you’re in New York in Valentines’ Day, what do you do? Well, I’ll tell you what my plan was, I was going to Ted Mosby the crap out of it. This  day wasn’t even going to be in the super date or mega date league, this was a going to be a date supreme,  that one SUPREME date to be had in a city that could allow you to deliver everything, all at once! To steal a few words from Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, These big lights will inspire you.

I always had my reservations about New York, for all the hype, all that's been written about the City that Never Sleeps,like all of that was somehow unwarranted hyperbole extolled by over enthusiastic Americans that feel compelled to inspire overt red, white and blue patriotism at every moment. New York, the city that acts as the cornerstone of capitalism and freedom, which in the hearts and minds of all Americans and is thought of as one in the same, is imbued in this city of high rise fantasia. That was the New York that I was up against, the one of my mind where American enthusiasm for their own grand exploits and their love of themselves does nothing for me personally and also, nothing for their status in the global community.

US Customs & Border Protection does nothing to endear themselves to anyone either. As a first impression of the US I'm always in dismay as to their rudeness and sheer arrogance. They may argue that it’s part of their job description, and I would argue right back that they stand at the front door of the US and are the first impression for all arrivals. They’re arrogant, nasty and somehow feel that belittling arrivals is their duty. Like their $55K jobs and powers of detainment actually mean something!? To them I say ‘get stuffed’, your arrogance is disgusting and you would be better served doing your job rather than taking out your angst on people for your own failings in life.

You can tell, right away, New York was starting from way back in the field.

BUT….IT CAUGHT UP…IN A MAJOR WAY

As you drive through Brooklyn there’s a point where Manhattan just rises out of nowhere. It catches you off guard and it simply inspires awe. Of course you expect the skyscrapers but it’s not like their focused in one spot, New York to any other city is like the difference of taking a snapshot or to its taking a panoramic.  You start viewing the city at the lower end of Manhattan and scan from left to right, all the way up to the Upper East Side. Big, bold and brash, it remains unapologetic for what it is.

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Carving through Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by yellow taxis, traffic abounding, flashing street lights, bright lights, tall residential buildings. It kind of felt like a movie set, like every single New York scene that you’ve ever seen, which meant that there had to be something authentic about it, right? The look and feel captured on screen was here, it was real and tangible. And maybe it was the perceived aura of this city but the movement and mass immediately creates an energy. You see the vibrancy and you feel the difference immediately. 

This was it, time to attack with all the vigour that it would allow.

WELCOME ST. VALENTINE

Valentines’ Day in New York had to be big, there was no other way to allow a day a city like this to get past us. So I themed our Valentines' Day as Let’s Rock.

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Rockefeller Ice Ring - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Our morning started at Rockefeller Centre, perfectly aligning with our established theme. The Rockefeller us a national historic landmark and was a great place to start the day with breakfast and a glass of champagne, all before doing one of the most iconic activities in NYC, taking to the ice ring at Rockefeller Plaza Ice Skating Ring.

It’s literally been years since I’d skated previously, more than 30 yrs from memory. For Inga, I know, the time between skates had been a lot less than that,  made easier by the fact that she used to roller blade too. So when we took to the ice my initial few mins were hyper tentative, but with a little assistance from my lovely wife I got back into the groove and managed to stay upright for the whole sessions. I’m sure that outcome would have been at long odds very early on.

Ice skating outdoors in the centre of New York is just cool, plain and simple, and again, felt somewhat like we were taking part in an elaborate movie set. So often do you see the ice skating ring as a backdrop to well known movies, being here felt a little surreal, but hell, I’m not going to ‘return it’ now.

Next stop on our Lets Rock supreme VDAY date was to head to the Top of the Rock, that being the viewing deck floors at the top of Rockefeller centre for some of the best views out over Manhattan. The 360 degree views from the Observation deck floors are breathtaking.  Standing nearly 250 mtrs off the pavement below, the views to downtown take in the iconic Empire State, World Trade 1 at the southern tip of the island and Lady Liberty beyond. The alternate side brings to you the mighty Central Park, both the East & West side neighbourhoods, as well as Harlem.

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Gliding back town to terra firms our Lets Rock date continued with the theme, utilising a drinks and lunch stop at the Hard Rock Café  to keep the day going. On both sides of our Hard Rock stop we took in the jungle of Broadway with its megatron billboards, dedication to commercialism, bright lights, billboards, tourists and all things theatre related. Actually, the better term for this location on Broadway is Times Square, which is at the heart of the theatre district and effectively is a collection of pedestrian plazas that teems with tourists, ticket touts, flashing neon signs, noise, sound and energy. It pulsates at all hours, both day and night.

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

'Top of the Rock' - Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

 Rockefeller Centre - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Next stop on our Lets Rock date was the musical production of the movie, School of Rock. This ‘rocking’ musical production by Andrew Lloyd Webber follows the path of failed wannabe rockstar, Dewey Finn, whose need for earning extra cash has him posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. Through his own inspiration he turns the ‘goodie-goodie’ kiddies into a rocking primary school outfit that prepares for a Battle of the Bands  competition.

Broadway - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

Hard Rock Cafe - New York City - New York - USA

Hard Rock Cafe - New York City - New York - USA

Hard Rock Cafe - New York City - New York - USA

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

In all honesty, not the most challenging of storylines to follow but I have to say, the kids, they were impressive. There was no smoke and mirrors when it came to them playing their instruments, all of them knew their stuff and were more than competent in rocking out when they needed to. Considering these kids were 10-12 yrs of age it just made me thing, what the hell was I doing with my life back then?

Times Square - New York City - New York - USA

School of Rock - Broadway - New York City - New York - USA

Post Broadway we headed up to Central Park and of course had ourselves a horse drawn carriage ride. A really nice, relaxing way to see the park and wind down the afternoon before the onset of evening.

Central Park - New York City - New York - USA

Central Park - New York City - New York - USA

Central Park - New York City - New York - USA

Central Park - New York City - New York - USA

Central Park - New York City - New York - USA

To finish the might I’d organised for us to take a dinner cruise of Manhattan island. Commencing at Pier 62 we cruised down the Hudson taken on the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan before passing out by Ellis Island and directly in front of the Statue of Liberty. The cruise then went up the East River, going under the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge and then heading up to the Williamsburg bridge before turning around and making its way back to the piers in Chelsea. And then, just to top the night off, because we needed more of course, the stars aligned as Chinese New Year and Valentines’ Day were brought together to inspire a fireworks display over the Hudson River.

River Cruise - New York City - New York - USA

River Cruise - New York City - New York - USA

Statue of Liberty - New York City - New York - USA

River Cruise - New York City - New York - USA

One World Trade Center - Lower Manhattan - New York City - New York - USA

Statue of Liberty - New York City - New York - USA

One World Trade Center - Lower Manhattan - New York City - New York - USA

 Lower Manhattan - New York City - New York - USA

Chinese New Year celebrations - New York City - New York - USA

And there you have it, with the inspiration of Ted Mosby and a Valentines’ in New York we absolutely swung for the fences and excelled in pulling off the Valentines’ Day  Supreme Date.  Watcha gonna do? New York, Valentines’s Day – go big or go home. So we went big!