End of Week One - Three More To Go

Sorry yesterdays entry was kind of short, walking for four of five hours a day in 80+ plus heat and oppressive humidity gets tiring. So far Ive not investigated any night life, as I've been too busy or too tired, but I'm going to start to redress the balance tonight with Norah Jones in Concert at Prospect Park, to kick off the 'Celebrate Brooklyn' festival.

Next on my hit list is the NewFest, the LGBT Film festival, closely followed by the Bryant Park summer of open air movies, and rounded off nicely by the Tribeca Film Festival .......oh yes and not forgetting Shakespeare in the Park, which will this year include Al Pacino in The Merchant Of Venice. Links to all of the events are at the bottom of the page. Suncream and Popcorn are optional extras.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? - No it's Event Horizon in Madison Square

The link at the bottom of the page will give you all the details of the 'Event Horizon' in Madison Square Park.

As some of you know I'm a great fan of Anthony Gormley's figures, I love the Angel of the North, the figures on Crosby Beach and admire greatly his figure Sound II in Winchester Cathedral. Going on a walk through New York to spot the 31 figures was something of a treat for me, although given the height of the buildings here compared to London I was wishing I'd brought a longer lens.....ah well I live and learn.

Another day begins

I love the sunrises here. Step out onto the terrace and look up 3rd Avenue and its as if someone has set the edge of the island on fire each day. Took this at 4.13 this morning.

Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions. - Coco Chanel

After weeding the garden earlier this morning and watering and feeding all of the plants i set off for a walk in an northerly direction. No real set idea, just that general direction and see what happens. Within a few blocks I reach Chrysler Building - "ah so that's what it looks like from ground level. Shiney, smooth, glistening, expensive, oozing a seductive timeless style. It draws my eye from ground level up to the tip of the Art Deco Gem. Today was a day for admiring the buildings, their shape, age and intricacies, looking not at street level, but well above and a whole plethora or golden details made themselves known to me, be it with scuplture, inscription, age, style, shape, reflection. I lost myself in a sea of buildings, some pretty, some tired, some sad, some splendid, but all speaking to me throughout the afternoon. Here are three of my favourite views.

Sunday afternoon stroll back to East 34th, just a good stretch of the legs

Following lunch, in what must be one of the few Peruvian/Chinese restaurants in the world, let alone New York, we all go our seperate ways. I decide to walk home, as i could do with some fresh air, and it's the first time the temperature has been reasonable at around 80 deg. my first stop off is at the Lincoln centre and Metropolitan Opera House. It's not opera season, as the ballet is in town, afraid I've never really got into that. I like some of the music, and I sort of get the dance thing and can appreciate the expertise of the performers, but it never holds my imagination long enough.I can get completely lost in a opera, but ballet just loses me.

I continue down to the southern tip of the Park, and decide to walk south down 5th Avenue. It's well after 4pm and the street and stores are still as crowded as they would be on a Saturday. The who's who of consumerism bristles with action, the Apple store has a queue, FAO Schwartz is overflowing with cuddly toys, Tiffany's is dripping with security guards, Bergdorf Goodman's has better dressed windows than most museum exhibits, and Louis Vuitton has wannabe WAGS droolling. Yet inbetween each of the big names there's a reality check, to show that the 'Yellow Brick Road' isn't paved with gold for everyone, there's a undertow of loneliness and unhappiness and then I spot her, defiant, black, loud, 'the statue of poverty' a much more fitting symbol to the modern world.

Saving the Rain-forests at 50c a time

On leaving Japan day and crossing over to the west side of the park we pass all manner of action, runners, power-walkers, teams playing baseball, dog walkers, cyclists, frisbee players and then as we approach the west side exit we find the family saving rain-forests, by selling cookies at 50c a pop, which you are encouraged to eat while listening to a young man named David, who can play a mean violin, and his sister Kate can pass you some little known facts to read once you start on your way again. Mom guards the money of their good deeds, and to be fair they were doing some good buisness, not harming anyone, providing something different and putting the likes of BP to shame.

Japan Day 2010, Central Park

The event was designed by the Japanese community of New York with three missions in mind: 1) to promote deeper understanding of Japanese Culture, 2) to say "Thank you, New York!" for providing such a nurturing home to America's largest Japanese Community, and 3) to strengthen relationships within the Japanese grassroots community. 2010 also marks the 150th anniversary of the First Japanese Diplomatic Mission to New York.

We were treated to all things Japanese - Hello Kitty, Caligraphy, Fighting Robots, Kimono wearing, drumming, ninja training, Origami, Animee, food samples etc etc.