Today was exhausting...I woke up at 7am, took a shower, and grabbed the subway into SoHo. I knew that everything would be closed but I didn't have a whole lot of time to explore so I mostly just wanted to check things out. I had breakfast at a coffee and pastry joint and walked up Broadway all the way to Times Square. Even in day time it was amazing - a magnificent tribute to capitalism. I found myself excited to see the spot where they film TRL and then found myself wondering why I cared. A girl asked me if I'd like to try out for a new reality show called The Billionaire. I would like a billion dollars but the line was three blocks long so I said no thanks.
I bummed around the Village for a while and hit a few shops before I had to head back. My tour was a bit overwhelming and certainly incomplete but I got a good feel for the places I'd like to check out next time I'm back. Fantastic. Consider me an expert on the number six train line.
After meetings this afternoon I headed back to the village with my boss and a colleague who lives here. We bummed around for a bit and managed to check out a punk rock store called 99X at Seth's behest which was kinda fun but a little bit awkward with a couple of middle-age guys in suits in tow. Unfortunately they didn't have the shirts I was looking for but it was fun to get to see the area anyway. We walked a few blocks over and had a couple of Brooklyn Brewery beers before dinner - not bad.
We ate at the Time Cafe on Lafayette...I had a pretty good salmon steak. After that we went downstairs to the Fez lounge to see the Mingus band. Mingus died some time ago but his wife was there which was kind of cool. The band was awesome - a 14-piece group in a tiny basement bar that shook every time the subway passed.
Today's observations:
1. People are extraordinarily friendly on subways. This is not well represented on TV.
2. Cigarettes cost $6.85 on average. I congratulated myself for planning ahead.
3. No one cards for alcohol sales.
4. The streets are a constant war between taxis and pedestrians. Jay walking is rampant and there are no speed limits enforced. Oddly enough, this makes getting around quite efficient.
5. A "first aid kit" costs $3 in my hotel room minibar. A "intimacy kit" costs $10. Unlike smoking policies, this is not public health friendly.
My feet are blistered and sore. My legs are exhausted. New York has been fun but I'm ready to head home.
Posted by sarah at May 20, 2004 10:49 PM | TrackBack