I'm in New York! - Pt. 2 [HUGE post]

Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that I'm safe and that I _have_ jet lag ... it definitely was too early to say that I didn't had it in the previous post. Love this city though and that I have the chance to catch it all up in a pretty calm pace, today I'm just sitting in the apartment, resting in front of the air condition feeling cool and tired and excited. So, thought I should summarize a bit of what I've been doing lately. Be warned though, this is the largest update I've ever done so far with A LOT of pictures, 86 pictures actually to be more specific.

The Saturday after I arrived, Shane brought me to Greenwich Village (a.k.a West Village/The Village) to meet up Dan. I really like The Village and it is, so far, my favourite area in this city. Everyone is just hanging around, there are great shops, cafes, people, whatever and this feels simply like home. Shane and Dan took me to _the_ bakery of all bakeries, 'Magnolia Bakery', where we got some cupcakes and wow, those were awesome, I especially enjoyed the cream on the cupcake. After that we went to the water and then I got introduced to Soho, I guess that area doesn't need any presentation, I were not in a mood for shopping so we just stayed there for around an hour. What I did feel for though, when we went pass the Apple Store, was to touch the iPhone and after playing around a bit with it I do understand why people want it so bad, yet I would wait to buy it until it has a greater space/hard drive and some more functions.

The picture shows a statue at the Christopher Park in The Village to remind us about the Stonewall riots during 1969. The Stonewall riots were a series of violent conflicts between New York City police officers and groups of gay and transgender people that began during the early morning of June 28, 1969, and lasted several days. Also called the Stonewall Rebellion or simply Stonewall, the clash was a watershed for the worldwide gay rights movement, as gay and transgender people had never before acted together in such large numbers to forcibly resist police. Byline text taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots.

The wonderful 'Magnolia bakery', obviously has more than just cupcakes.

This is one minute before we started eating the cupcakes. Still silence.

Cupcakes from the 'Magnolia Bakery'. Y to the U to the M to the M to the Y!

This is the Apple Store at 5th Ave./59th St. and not the one in Soho that I talked about earlier, still nice though!

Me in an iPhone.

My dear friend Johan in an iPhone.

Never thought that I actually would be able to say sometime during real life that I'm heading 'Downtown'.

This sign wanted to be in a picture and I though it was ok. Her name is Spring St.

Enough about the techie nerdy stuff and tell more about NYC. Shane had to work for the first week so I've been experiencing most of NYC on my own and I like that, going around wherever I want to go without feeling the need to satisfy anyone else. I went to Ground Zero one day, just by coincidence since I were about to meet up Helen and Shane, I did the same with the Times Square and I felt more excited about the thing that I got there by coincidence then actually feeling excited about Times Square nor Ground Zero, both of them are packed with people and 'I heart NY' t-shirts. ^^ So I've been moving around to all different kind of places and the greatest impact so far, when it comes to buildings and views, is the Brooklyn Bridge. Apart from escaping crazy people on bikes, birds that tried to hit me with their white not-so-fresh-things (one actually did) and avoid listening to my legs that begged me to stop walking (this city makes you walk a lot) I finally took some rest up on the bridge and the view is magnificent; I've seen a lot of pictures of it but to actually be there on the bridge was a totally different kind of experience.

This newspaper is what I read every morning, pretty good actually.

Central park in the background. Windows in the foreground. A statue in between.

Ground Zero. I wanted to go on a guide tour but didn't find any ... then again, what should the guide be about?

Some big buildings at Ground Zero.

Shane and Helen being stalked by me.

Don't ask me why but someone wanted the American flag to have these holes in it to include more states than the already 50/51 states.

A walking man.

Literally a silver tree in the Madison Square Park.

Is it just me who enjoy this sign?

Finally I've been in an American laundry room. Sometimes I can get as easy entertained as a three year old kid, I know.

Luckily, it didn't attacked me ... because it was already stocked in a tree, poor bastard!

An eye and a Japanese woman at Times Square.

At Times Square there are a lot of ... tall buildings.

And a lot of ... tall buildings.

And a lot of ... tall buildings ... and a Coca Cola sign.

Sometimes Spider-Man helps people carrying their bags.

I felt so good when I actually saw the Swedish flag. Hard to find it? It's in the middle of the picture.

I am taking a picture of ... me.

The almighty Brooklyn Bridge.

Now I'm on the almighty Brooklyn Bridge.

Taking pictures of heaven.

A giant spider's web.

Half-way through the bridge. Do I really have to mention that I wanted to take a shower 30 times during the time I spent on the bridge?

Another bridge, for me still unknown.

The end of the bridge, finally I see the light in the tunnel.

Not just Times Square has tall buildings.

A subway sign flirting with a bike.

A building on a building.

Helvetica is used everywhere in this city. This we like!

The famous LOVE sign that I thought used to be somewhere else on this planet.

Water, pure water and finally ... a shower!

After a few days I had the chance to leave NYC for a while and go to Connecticut and the town Cheshire - one of the hardest words to ever pronounce if you're supposed to pronounce it the American way. My mother has a friend she has been mailing since the 60's so I met her, her name is Judy, and her lovely family starring Laurie, Paul, Jay and last but not least all the cute doggies; Hairy, Frank, Boomer (that's the correct name right Judy?) and Charlie! Judy and Laurie showed me a lot of beautiful and cool places of Connecticut; Harkness Park, the Scandinavian shop in Mystic Village (I felt like I were home for 30 minutes) and a casino which I forgot the name of, Mohegan Dream or something like that. Missed the old ladies sitting in front of the slot machines with their paper cups though, today the slot machines are all too modern for that. Before I left Cheshire I introduced Swedish meatballs with potatoes, lingonberry jam and cream sauce for the family and it seems they are making a great success no matter where in the world you introduce them, they liked them here too. Thanks for a great time all of you, we will be meeting soon again!

Me sleeping on the Metro North Train on my way to New Haven.

A bridge.

The greatest breakfast I've had so far this year. Thanks Judy!

Judy, Charlie and me chatting during the breakfast.

Charlie chatting with my camera.

Judy's yard with a pool. For some dumb reason I never jumped into the pool, next time I will!

Judy and Laurie introduced me to Dunkin' Donuts, me like a lot!

Laurie and Judy standing at the place where Laurie got married three years ago. This is Harkness Park, one of me favourite spots of the U.S.

Letting my feet kiss the water ... or the other way around ... or ... whatever.

Laurie and I enjoying each other's company.

On our way from the beach to the big mansion. Still in Harkness Park.

This little boy guarded this big, big, big garden.

Pretending I'm a bee getting close to a flower.

Pretending I'm a bee flying back to my house.

Statue feeling a bit ... dry.

Laurie, Judy and me chilling in a shady place. This day was the hottest day I've experienced this year.

The garden reminded me a lot about the ancient Greece.

So much that I'm thinking about heading to Athen some day ... or to the Greek beach anyway.

Driving out from Harkness Park into the forest of eternity.

Don't remember this one more than I really liked the view and especially those old boats that you're not able to see in this picture. In other words, a pretty pointless picture.

The Casino.

The Indian Casino.

The Slot Machine that I hate.

Frank chatting with my camera.

Frank enjoying the warmest place in the car.

Finally I've got Hairy on a picture, not an easy task. He didn't want to chat with my camera.

At the New Haven Station. Old train, old font. Nice train, nice font.

So I got back to NYC last Friday and spent the weekend with going to a brunch, seeing a Blonde Redhead concert, experiencing f'uped taxi drivers in yellow cabs, having a nice sip of champagne at the 'Bubble Lounge', studying Japanese (yes, it is true!) and visiting the Guggenheim Museum. I actually went to the Guggenheim yesterday to see the beautiful building but all I saw were a big house being renovated, so I went inside and wow, the architecture is one of is kind, Frank Lloyd Wright did knew how to draw attention. In some way, someone thought that it was sad that I missed the exterior of the Guggenheim so instead I had the chance to find two pair of nice shoes for 50 dollars. In other words, one more thing I can tick off the check list.

So, I gotta go, will be leaving NYC for a few days in Philadelphia, til then ... have a great time all of you!

Love,
P.

This is for you my Deutsch lovely little sister.

Riley chatting with my camera in not even a half second.

The McCarren Pool Party. Preparation in progress.

The Swedish band 'I'm From Barcelona' playing.

'Blonde Redhead' playing some greeeeeeeeat songs!

Frank and Jules, great guys everyone should have the opportunity to meet.

This is what Williamsburg looks like while I'm eating a falafel.

Eyes watching me.

The interior of the Guggenheim Museum, pretty nice huh?!

The upper floor of the Guggenheim, black eating white.

People on a dance floor, no Madonna in sight.

Still no Madonna in sight.

Nope, no Madonna.

Yes, Madonna did arrive and I took a picture of a red square instead.

This is what the Guggenheim Museum looks like while being renovated.

Man showing his' legs.

One of the coolest things I've seen when it comes to paintings. No picture, just real paint. Well done Kylie and H&M ... and the painter/s of course!

When the Guggenheim Museum didn't want to show up, these did.

Always remember, love is good, love is free!