We finally have the keys and bought the basic furniture for our new home, and we move in officially on Friday :) happy days! We will move from the very noisy neighbourhood of the Lower East side, and up by the park in the Upper West!!
Though I will need to live without my creature comforts like a dishwasher (I guess I am spoiled) and even a washing machine in the house. I'm gonna have to go to the base of our building to get it done... feels a bit like a student. So instead of boring you with my week of waiting for furniture to arrive and buying mattresses and other such exciting events I thought I'd include some of the things I've noticed that are culturally different, sometimes traffic conscious, sometimes funny, sometimes fashion focused....
Crossing the street
London-
Wait on the pavement for the green man to show when it's time to cross.
Or leg it quickly with a decent gap in the traffic.
New York-
Walk into a road, where traffic is coming thick and fast, straight past you one option is to wait for the 'white man' signal (I've no idea what else to call it -we call it red and green man!) and cross safely.
Another is to stand in the road- literally the road- even if the flashing red hand is going-walk across anyway, and if there is a car coming then wave it away with your hand (as if this is going to stop a hunk of metal crashing into you) whilst finishing with a run- I saw someone do this- the shock stopped me from getting my camera out in time.
But it has to be said with the traffic rule of it being 'OK to turn right on a red', Car's will not always adhere to giving way to the pedestrians, so you need to kinda stand in their way- I saw a man get nudged by a van the other day..
Messages on the Tube/Subway
London-We have posters that say please mind the gap between the train and the platform or announce 'Mind the gap'
New York- Have a poster that says 'Stay stylish, stay aware.. no matter what your footwear is, step over the gap' such a fashion conscious city, not really warning you of getting mangeled between the train and the platform, but first order of the day is to 'stay stylish ;)'
Bars
London- You sit with you mates and have a few Beers enjoy the evening bantering with your group, get hammered, you go home.
New York- You might start sitting with your mates, then start chatting to the table next to you, then perhaps the whole bar (if right layout) and have a great laugh with total strangers. You'll also add a dollar to every drink you buy to 'tip' the barman to kinda do his job, but on the plus side he'll buy you drinks back if you're at the bar long enough, and that's a nice few free beers..you get hammered, you go home.
I'm sure I'll be adding to this! more pictures to follow..
