Going Solo

Its the timeout weekend for the travelling crew, which really means let's-split-up-before-we-kill-each-other day. So on saturday, we trio headed off separately to rediscover parts of the city we want to revisit. As for me, i slept in, lounged around the apartment and finally picked a spot to go wandering. This would also be the first day i can do guilt-free shopping, guilt-free from boys waiting around.

My choice of destination was the East Village - i heard it was my scene from travel guy #1 so off i went. I loved walking alone, discovering new places, not worrying about being too fast or too slow. It was a good day. East Village had lots of op shops so of course, i went into those and picked up a few vintage pieces. I watched a music festival at Tompkins Square, drank frappacino at Starbucks, walked thru Noho and Soho, and spotted my first celeb tho i don't really know who she was behind those big sunnies. It could be Alyssa Milano ... but i could be wrong. Honestly, i was more excited spotting the paparazzi guy than her ... crazy, i know.

So here i am on a sunday evening, nursing a sudden flu attack, while the travel guys head off to the Intrepid Museum, i sit here resting my tired legs from walking up and down 5th Ave and i shall leave you with what i overheard in new york today :

"And her second husband was a phedophile, and some kind of cult leader too."

New York is dull? Never

Leave it to the experts

Finally a decent cup of cappacino ... in Little Italy.

Italians rule.

While You Were Sleeping

I haven't been able to sleep in since we got to new york, every morning i wake with the the CBS, NBC, CNN, WB2 news team, i say hello and hop into the shower and while Travel Guys are still fast asleep, and i sit by the window and watch the morning folks scurry on to work with Starbucks in one hand.








Today i decided to step out for a morning stroll, walk past the CBS studios (hi guys! *waves*) and go to a familar place - my longtime pal, the internet cafe. I got my ham, egg and cheese muffin on one hand, and an orange juice in the other ... nothing beats eating carbs in the morning!















A quickie rundown on places my feet have taken me thus far - Central Park, 7th, 6th and 5th Ave, Times Square, MOMA, American Museum of Natural History, Rockefeller Center, Hayden Planetarium, J.Crew, Urban Outfitters, Gap, Macys, Bloomingdales, Sephora ... So you see my feet have seen better days right now but my tummy says, bring it on!, guilt-free carbs everyday!

The Thing About Times Square

- I can't tell the streets apart in the glare of neon lights.

- I can't stop colliding into tourists becos there's nicer things to look upwards.

- I think i might have found the best pizza place in the world.

- I still can't find good coffee within the midtown area (I've stopped drinking capps and started on black 'cos my taste buds needs recovering).

- I paid $5.80 for a cappacino last night, now that's desperation. And it still tasted like shit.

- I can't help myself, i got 'em I Love NY tees today.

- Life outside times square is normal and pretty, and can function without neons. Love it.

Hello New York

I've finally made it in one piece.

One thing i brought with me to new york ... a very very sore bum. Surviving the 18 hour flight was rough, i barely made it but its all good now.

New york is massive ... its supersize everything. The weather ain't rock'in (hot and sticky) but the vibe is pretty darn electrifying. So far everything feels surreal ... its like i know the place 'cos you've seen it in movies, on tv, read it in books your whole life. And one thing i didn't expect was how huge it really is .... yeah yeah you hear it all the time but to be in the city and walking for hours only to discover when you rub your sore feet at the end of the day and map it out that you did nothing but to walk in a small circle ... now that is humiliating.

One thing i learnt about new york after 2 days - its hard to find good coffee ... now that is heart-wrenching. But i promise i will not stop looking.

Back soon for more updates.

See You In New York

It's time peeps. My bags are packed (almost) , i said 'seeya in the big apple' to my travel guys, recovered from celebratory drinks at the Queens last night, a few pitstops at the shopping center this arvo for last minute necessities, pre-paid all my credit debt (woot!), recharging my batteries for the long haul and making sure all my jeans are packed.

The excitement hasn't kicked in just yet. I'm busy trying to find the perfect pen to take with me and throwing out (and putting back) stuff in the bag. I strive for a light luggage, i hate overdosing on packing, and i'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms with my fave clothes as i won't be seeing them for a bloody long and insecure 23 hours.

So talk soon from the Big Apple. Remember, no news is good news as well ..... its not you, its me.

It's Not Starbucks

The celebrations have started! In honour of my big apple trip starting this weekend (okay, and a few other less pressing reasons as well), the boss proclaimed that it was reason enough to splurge on his talented pool of staff and dip into our petty cash money box to buy everyone a morning coffee. Woot! Not just any 'ol coffee, its the best of the best on our street and i happily skipped down in my jolly stripey socks to the cafe, breathing in the fresh aroma and thinking, this is a great start to many many coffee experiences for the next 13 days.

I Pledge My Allegiance

This the the 100% commitment i am giving to this trip because here at 11:25pm, i'm tired, cold and cranky and i'm soooo ready for bed ... but i am keeping awake to i can check myself in online 48 hours before flight time.

Oh my goodness .... 48 hours to flight time. That's one happy thought.

thursday 9:45am

** DUUUHHHH ... this is embarrassing. I realized while trying to check-in online at 1:30am this morning (after many MANY frustrated failed attempts) that i was trying to check-in 72 hours before flight, not 48 hours. I'm soooo not gonna hear the end of this.

Little Black Book

Could this be pre-hols nerves? It's 2:15am and i sitting here thinking next week this time, i'll be on my way. Hanging out at Travel Guy #2 pad tonight eating pizza and watching the never-ending extended saga Return of the King, it struck us three that the next time we see each other would be in our apartment in times square. Now that's a thought i can't get my head around!

I got my travel journal today. It's little, black and downright ugly ('cos the uglier the book, the more comfortable i am writing in it) and i am excited at the prospect of filling it up with stories and memories to read for a long time.

Fix Me

I know when it come time to leave new york, one more reason to add to my reluctance of parting ways with the city will be :

Reason #182 : missing out on TWO Coldplay concerts at Madison Square Garden the weekend after i go. Boo-hoo.

Slackarses

i was chatting with Travel Guy 2 to other day over coffee and it has come to my attention that not only has given himself a couple of days to recupperate after the trip, but also taken 2 days off before leaving the country. Now this is not fair becos i currently have zip/nada/zero days off left to my name, and i've also promised to be back sitting at my desk 18 hours after i touchdown.

To complete this story, Travel Guy 1 runs his own business so i don't even need to eleborate on that further. And now i summarise how i feel ....

I'm travelling with slackarses.

Daydream'in

I'm having a busy week at work and stress'in, and all i wanna think about is "it's only 11 days to go!" ... hallelujah!

New York Is Beautiful

New York Magazine had named their most beautiful ordinary new yorkers. And i'm looking forward to the eye candy ...

The Geek In Me

While surfing through my fave online store (urbanoutfitters.com) to check out what's new for fall, i also googled to see where the internet cafes are in new york. Now this is my 'lightbulb' moment where i say to myself, 'step away slowly from the internet and put the wireless mouse down'.

Addicted? Moi?









On a separate note, would it be too outrageous to buy one of these in every primary colour? I lurve 'em! And they only cost US$6.99!

Cosmoplitans Or Not?

I'm spending alot of tv time watching my sex and the city dvds to help me decide if i wanna go on the tv tour in nyc. i love the series and will keep on watching it repeatedly, but the reviews of the tour have been mixed and i could always get my own cosmo without a guide. Travel Guys have insisted i should get tickets and go (funnily enough, they rather be somewhere else) and joked i may meet the man of my dreams on that tour, to which i reply, "yeah the gayman of my dreams more likely!"

Decisions, decisions ...

In-flight Entertainment

Anticipating a 5+18 hour flight, with a 6 hour stopover, i am gonna need all the entertainment i can get without going crazy with boredom or suffering a DVT episode. I got my stopover covered. I got free lounge passes at changi (handy for a shower and some internet surfing, perhaps a blogger update?) and skipping out of the holding area for a early morning coffee fix with local pals and catching up on goss.

It's the next 18 hour leg that i have trouble filling up. Thank goodness for SQ's sophisticated inflight moviefest, i wouldn't know how i will survive with you. Checking out in advance the listings online, i discovered this :

Monster-In-Law - seen it
The Interpreter - seen it
Madagascar - hmmm ... eh
Sin City - too violent, didn't like it
Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - seen it
Kingdom Of Heaven - maybe
Kicking And Screaming - maybe
XXX, The Next Level - bloke movie, nup
A Lot Like Love - seen it

Goodness, I'm in trouble, aren't i? And for emergencies, i have also prepared myself to carrying on-board a new book, and my 2 favourite magazines.

Technicolour Eye Candy

I'll take one of these, these, and these. Thank you. Here's my card.

My new york wishlist is starting to look very impressive, and expensive. Counting down to the day of departure (19 days to go!) i will share ya'll some 'retail research' i have been doing for the past few weeks.









When i get back from my trip, i'm gonna be all decked out in technicolour and ready for summer lov'in.