NuYorkican Soul

Since being here I've realised that, for me, cities are not about famous landmarks, big museums and parks. It's all about the people of the city. I've found myself taking loads of snaps of oddballs (not just me), winos, weirdos, commuters and randoms.

For example the other morning on the Metro, a slightly shady-looking Hispanic guy (he was shady-looking and Hispanic, not shady-looking because he was Hispanic - I'm not a racialist fool) was standing with his girlfriend. The train braked harshly and a large knife fell out of his coat pocket and CLUNK'd on the floor.

So, I got my camera out and started snapping right in his face as he fished around on the floor, trying not to look dodgy as fuck.

Not really, I gazed down at my shoes like everyone else on the carriage, pretending to be fascinated in nothing =o]

Anyway, to end this prattling, check out the new NuYoricanSoul photos at pedrffynnon's photos .
- check the guy with the laptop. This was in the lecture theatre in the Apple store. All these guys wi-fi'd up to the max, tapping away during the lecture.
- check the guy in the pink hoodie. I had to run past him and wait to get snaps. He was cool as fuck! Look at his styles!
- and look at the old lady checking out that oven on the street. She gave it a good inspection, like she was going to take it home or something. Weird.

Wales week

Yes, would you believe it, next week is Wales week here. Poetry readings, parties, Welsh cheese (I'VE GOT CHEESE!), the lot. They're even turning the Empire State green, red and white...

There's also a swanky-sounding party (see swsuk ) where that bint Catherine Zeta Jones once went. Not sure I'll go on mi tod though!

That's all great but where's the fucking sheep?

Super-Sweet America

Everything here is super-sweet. Last week I had Pumpkin and Sweet Potatoe stew - which came with marshmallows on the top (???). Today I had a Hawaiian pizza which came with Glace cherry on the top (!!!).

The "healthy choice" Raisin Bran (TM) I have at home has sugar coated raisins. I saw a Danish pastry in the vending machine at work and couldn't resist. It's expiry date was March 2006 (God knows what E numbers afford that kind of half-life!), had 30g of fat and over 600 calories. Genius!

And today, after serving me my tasty Glace cherry-topped pizza, the chef said "It's been an absolute delight serving you today, sir". At least their Super-sweetness is consistent, I suppose.

One for Tony and SKT

Went out for food on Sat night and directly opposite was the restaurant that Seinfeld frequents (in the show), it's called TOM'S RESTAURANT (yes, it's in capitals).

Tonight went to a Thai (restaurant) in Brooklyn that is the very one that Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff's character in Garden State) is working at at the beginning of the film. I think we were sitting where those gits that he's serving sit. BTW it's really swish but cheap, with ace 6% beer - a good place to visit!

Apparently gits (yuppies, more accurately) are called "hipsters" over here. Could be messy if you didn't know that and asked to try on some hipsters in Gap or something. Hmm.

These boots are made for Russian, gay walking

Yest (Sat) I headed out to the coast to see Brighton Beach - a Russian enclave (!). It was cool. With seconds of arriving all you hear is Russian. Spoken by Russians, in big fur Russian hats and coats. But in America. Weird. All the shops sell stuff in Russian so you've not much idea what you're buying (apart from the Russian beer I bought, I knew what I was doing there).

I got chatting to a veteran of the Korean War called Sam. I knew he was a vet since it was plastered across the back of his jacket... He was a cool old giffer though and complained that his kids (who are 45, hardly kids I thought) say he's a dinosaur since he has no DVD or PC. He also noted that they don't think he's such a dinosaur when they need to borrow cash... "you're a dinosaur with a big wallet then" I proferred, to which he agreed. Our scintillating chat was cut short by the appearance of a helicopter, which utterly transfixed him. Must have been having flashbacks of incoming fire or something...

Via an abortive ice-skating attempt in Central Park, ended up going for a drink with a Spanish lass I know. After a couple of beers, I noticed there were no other lasses in the bar. Then she goes "I think that guy likes you". Then I realised there were gay pride flags all over the place - I hadn't even noticed and had been in there for an hour or so. Doh. She'd realised it the instant we walking in there, ha ha.

Then it was snowing. So, in reference to the title of this post, my boots got mud, sand and snow on them all in one day. Go boots!

Photos of Helicopter Sam and Brighton Beach at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pedrffynnon8/my_photos as usual. And of a bloke in a pink coat and red trousers. I had to run to catch a shot of him.

Fucking brain theft

You, being people I know, know I'm a total mong at times. Well I've done myself proud.

I returned to the appartment, had a shower, opened the drawer to get some pants and caught a glimpse of green. No, not green pants but greenbacks - dollars, cash-money, dead presidents. Yes, the missing $200 was in my pants drawer.

I am a plonker AND a cretin. But a happy one!

Fucking wallet theft

I took out $300 last night, since taking out big chunks of cash saves on fees. Just now, I looked in my wallet and there was $90. Some c_nt has stolen $200, almost certainly at work, since I [foolishly] leave my wallet on my desk sometimes.

Crafty, thieving motherf_cking c_nt f_ckers. I have no-one to blame but myself, but I am well f_cked off. No smilies in this tw_tting post...

Photos

OK, the first batch of photies are at :
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pedrffynnon8/my_photos

Check em!

David Shapiro

So, last night I headed out with Michele (yes, one 'l') for some drinks at "davidshapiro.net". Who's David Shapiro? Exactly.

Anyway, after taking several wrong turns I got there and there's a woman going "have you been to the house at all?", "have you been out there at all?". In a nutshell, this was an evening funded by a company (davidshapiro.net) that sells timeshares on exclusive houses in the Hamptons - the summer retreat for all aspiring Manhattanites. Obviously I just blagged it, got let in and gained access to the 2 for 1 bar ...

Anyway, it was rather tame but they wanted to make it look "crazy" for the website. So I ended up in about 5 photos with 3 women (Michele and friends) sprawled across me. Me looking decreasingly embarrassed and increasingly happy in each shot, ha ha. I will forward the URL if they post them.

As for the "legendary" David himself? He was a bit of a slimeball, as was his chum, who harassed Michele and friends in a slightly sleazy way. Fair do's though, he used to be a banker, thought "sod this" and is now a full-time socialite/property owner. Living the American dream...

First post!

Hoi hoi,
this is Pete's NYC Blog. Live long and prosper.