Gem of New York

So.. this is my final post for this part of the blog, as I'm three months in! and it is time to head back to English shores.. and I have to say, I was just getting used to it!!
There are things about New York that are very cool, and not found anywhere else in the US, like the fact you can order delivery from ANY restaurant, including places like Cipriani's, and a slice of Pizza from Joe's!
They'll come to you rain or shine, and quite late at night.. eating like that is cheaper than eating in, and given all the heat the kitchen gives off in a small apartment, in the heatwave it's better to order in..
Or take their 'Subway' (i keep calling it the Tube) runs all night.. they have to write engineering works posters from 12am-5am... when most Londoners wouldn't expect the tube to run anyway..

During this trip I've been quite ill, and so haven't been able to enjoy as much of New York as I might have wished.. but for now my gem in New York has been Central park.. every time I step in there, I find another wonder. First time it was little turtles popping their heads out of the green alge water, the second a Hawk -no kidding just perched high up on a branch looking out, apparently Central Park is the place where you'll find the largest variety of birds in the whole of the US. Then there's just the enormity and beauty of the park, the rambles where you can quite literally get lost.
Yesterday I got caught in the rain with no umbrella, and in the humid heat the rain was welcome, I took shelter by a tree, and watched another woman do the same..
As I watched the joggers continue past I started to see steam coming off the tarmac.. I know it sounds insignificant, but it was almost mysterious, and a little bit of magic..

Now that we have an apartment and settled, I cant wait to have people visit.. I'm looking forward to returning.. and continuing this blog.. there's so much more to write about!!
Adios for now Big Apple!

thoughts on the people of NYC

Okay, so let me just start by saying that this is not an exhaustive list/post by any means.
I've been here for almost 3 months and my time here- for this part- is near an end.
But I have to say, being a tourist in New York and living here are really completely different things.

As a tourist, you mix with other tourists and rarely participate in the average New Yorker way of life, that said.
I have to say even coming from London, and having lived in California, I have found New York to be a particularly tough city.. perhaps because I'm getting used to so much here, but also the experiences I've had in a relatively short amount of time.
I am loathe to base my whole opinion of a whole city on just a few people, so am still being open.
But to give you an example...
When I arrived and taken aback with people- strangers- yelling,  (I'm sure thought they were simply 'talking with passion') on the street at each other, describing exactly why, with profanity, that they were angry with each other, I was constantly being issued a cliche line by my boyfriend and his friends 'welcome to New York' as they laughed it off.
I was adamant that not all New Yorkers, surely would be that way.
Then the guy who set up my cable/telephone and Internet, who is a born and bred New Yorker, told me himself, after we got talking.. that if I went to other parts of the US people will be much more polite, much kinder and life is that much nicer (this is my experience of California, Nantucket, Miami and Boston).. he said  "there's a reason why Frank Sinatra sings, 'If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere', it's because this city is so damn rude and people are so tough"... he wanted to move to San Diego, but his wife's family was here.
Since then I've had a very jumped up 'super' the maintenance man who manages my building, that I'd rather avoid than deal with the manners of the lazy urchin that he is, the stroppy unkind nurse who was supposed to understand people who are ill, and incredulously, the woman who pushed my back to get past me in the laundry room because I moved a second too slow for her to get the machine. (reminded me of the episode in friends- with Rachel having to get mean with that woman who was stealing her basket). Add to this extremely arsey sales people, pharmacists, waiters, etc..living here can feel like you have to have your guard up all the time.
I have met one very kind New Yorker too, who I talked with for the first time three hours non-stop, she's a fellow journalist and was introduced by another mutual friend/journalist, so perhaps this is why she seemed the exception.
I'll add more 'people' stories as we go.. 
But I'd be interested to hear other people's stories..as a local, rather than a tourist..

Boston for the 4th!

I was surprised by my lovely boyfriend with a trip to Boston, where, I am told is the best place to see the fireworks in America for Independence Day.  Its no surprise that Boston is a city steeped in Historical significance to the fight with the British for Independence and like London a river runs through it.

I loved Boston, a small walking city, that had a breeze even though it was mad hot.like  I was in for a treat this weekend to re-enactments of the 'Red coats' (the English) shooting at the out numbered looking for Freedom!

We did the 'thing' of picnic-ing all day to secure our place to see the fireworks, and I mean all day. It's like queuing for Wimbledon tickets, and instead of camping out from midnight we sat from 10am- till the fireworks began at 10.30! It being my birthday too, it was a fun day out in the sun, but not sure I'd repeat it.
After a nice tranquil beginning, the place filled up, till-honestly- not one patch of grass was left. People were stepping over people. We saw a family of 5 fill a patch the size of a large welcome mat, so we decided to schoch over on our big picnic blanket and offer them some room.

Turns out the 'Dad'- Dave worked for the FBI and gave me a badge, (that's a 'Pin' in American), for the FBI, which is a little smaller than a 10p coin, but I thought even at my age it's a pretty cool gift.



He told me they are impossible to get, which made it all the more unique! I'll admit it I was chuffed. He pointed out the irony of me being British, and my birthday is their Independence from my country and I was the butt of a lot of jokes this weekend, freedom from the British and all.
But they were all so lovely in Boston, and keep so many UK things around in their city, I cant help thinking that they love us really.
When I heard them play the opening of God Save the Queen to the incredulity of the FBI guy- Dave- and myself, I was sure they love us. Haha!

Hot, hot, hot with melting cables

Over heating on the tube/subway stations and water shortages and restrictions, are familiar in London.
Temperatures in NY today were  40degrees! (103F) - it gets hotter when you add the humidty into the mix.
It's so hot that electric cables are melting and the electric company have issued guidance on using less electricity, short showers and run the dishwasher only at night.

But more importantly they've advised people not to go outside into these temperatures unless you really need to - a 'Heat advisory' -I've only ever heard this about cold weather! Who knew..