A fate worse than death

We had promised the little one a visit to Toys R Us. Don't ever do that unless you reallllllly have to. And before you go, visit Ellen's Diner. Not for the food, definitely not for that. Go there to a) gather your strength for that toy shop visit and b) to remind yourself that there are in fact worse things in life than visiting Toys R Us in Times Square.

Cabaret is simply my least favourite thing in life. And this Diner was full of Broadway wannabees who hadn't yet achieved full time employment in any chorus line so doubled as waiters and waitresses whilst auditioning for the big show that would change their lives....

Enjoy (i certainly did not)

MOMA

We hurried over to the MOMA today. Oddly it is shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We learnt this last year when we went on Tuesday, saw that it was obviously shut, and went back on wednesday only to find that it was closed again! Madness. Don't they want our money?

The MOMA is so very worth a visit. They have an incredible collection. We were so taken by it all that we could only do two floors on this viewing and we will have to go back next week to absorb the other two floors. Though obviously not on Tuesday or Wednesday.

breakfast on 7th & Perry

Lovely morning light poured into this cafe. It had a Polish influence apparently but the only evidence we saw of this was a few of the things on the menu that were in Polish and thus unpronounceable. They turned out to be pancakes.

warship

The Intrepid

Shots from early this morn.

I'm going to miss the Hudson. But the consolation is that i get to swap it for the Mediterranean soon.

spent

I have noticed that i have been using the word 'spent' far too much. Shall stop that right now.

It has stopped raining and the temperature has gone up today. This meant i was able to run in my shorts this morning and not in my 'man tights'. I bought those man tights about a year ago and once you run in them its impossible not to wear them whenever you sense it is a bit cold outside.

Did not purchase coffee this morning from starbucks. normally wander back into the house with a couple of takeaways from there but am now boycotting it because when i go in the (same) girl behind the counter always shouts 'keep on running Trent'. its too early for this kind of humiliation - especially when you are wearing man tights.

Rudys Birthday

Spent Monday night with Rudy in some dodgy Argentinian bar on the Lower East side. I foolishly thought it would be him and a few mates having a few beers but it was an industry party for all those visiting reps over for the Boards Summit (the NY version of Cannes). I spent the evening with reps from Stillking and an editing house in London, some US agency types and a producer from Motel in Spain. I narrowly missed Anna from Camp David, who arrived just after i left. Small world. Rudy - big mouth, lovely boy.

WWW.CMANY.ORG

Spent 2 hours at the end of another very long day of eating & shopping at the Children's museum of the arts in soho. A great place where they taught Carlotta how to make a stop frame animation film with some ghosts.

In my day it was finger painting or making shapes with half potatoes dunked in paint.

working hard

We have spent several days shopping hard & trying to increase our celebrity spots. Thus far we have crossed paths with Sienna Miller (& her dog), Stephen Daldry (director), Michelle Williams, Joel Schulmacher & a couple of others whose names we can't recall.

Another classic

Breakfast in Soho

Lovely

Jog Blog - Day 8

A crisp sunny morning in the city. I head for the Hudson.

When i run early in the morning in Palma i see, maybe, five other people in my 40 minute round trip. Today i must have seen 35. Plus, 6 different people playing tennis. This is 07.30 on a monday morning. Start the week with a bit of healthy competition... sounds like a good plan to adopt.

Neighbours

Attached is the view out of our bedroom window as the sun sets on another fantastic day in NYC.

The other thing i capture from the bedroom is wifi coverage. I can see that our neighbours are called Jedi, Bolt Hole, Butternutsquash & Boom. We are looking forward to Halloween....

A walk in the park

Found our favourite park, at the end of W12th street, out on the Hudson River. Spent several hours there, reading the papers and watching Miss C make sandcastles with the other kids.

Perhaps she is missing home?

(views out from the park)

Bowling

Yesterday we went Bowling and ate the worst cheesy Nachos one could ever hope not to buy. All part of our big American adventure. We played 3 games - we only would have played two had we known beforehand that each game cost a FORTUNE - Anna won once (beginner's luck i say) and i won twice. Carlotta was the loser all three times. A fact i reminded her of all day long. Nothing like destroying an eight year old. Loser.

The Job Blog continues

Two lovely treks have taken me down 5th Avenue to Washington Square and along Houston Street respectively.

A lot of people have been staring at me. I am not sure why? Is it because of my gleaming new white running shoes? Or perhaps they can hear the incredible sound pumping into my ears from my new headphones? Or perhaps they are just wondering who the weirdo is running down the street filming his journey.

Our favourite sign

Still having trouble working out what this sign means, posted outside a church on the Upper West Side

Vertigo

We have kept the pace up over the past few days.

Breakfast out every day, our favourite meal.

We have been to various galleries in our Chelsea neighbourhood area, the American Natural History Museum, the Childrens Museum of Manhattan, a Swedish cafe that we stumbled across - twice - ice-skating in the Rockefeller Centre, up to the Top of the Rock to see a view over the city, the Conran Store (mmm) and the Museum of Art & Design where we saw a delightful collection of pins hoarded over 25 years by the ex-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. This should not be missed.......

Starbucks moment

I order.

"A tall latte & a tall soy (they don't say soya here i have learnt) latte"

I am understood. I'm a Blogger, i'm thinking, i have got this whole jogging blogging starbucks- ordering thing all sewn up.

The woman behind me is a consummate pro.

"A grande, decaf, non-fat, pumpkin-spiced latte" she shouts, literally through my head.

Then, a reminder, of just how far we have come in our seven days of being native New Yorkers. A couple of women, British (northern), early fifties, generous girth, sheepishly whisper their order over the counter:

"2 white coffees please"

There is total silence. In a coffee shop, part of a chain of coffee shops that has an outlet on nearly every street corner in the world, two women have simply asked for a coffee each - and their request has been met with complete silence. This absolute failure to understand one another continues.

"Latte or cappucino?"

"No, no, just the coffees please"

"Tall, or grande?"

"Just a splash of milk. White".

Fantastic.

Cloudy with a chance of meatballs

Crazy title to a crazy film, the latest animated offering from Sony Pictures. We went to see it in 3D. I haven't watched a film in 3D for about 25 years. Incredible process. And now they have VERY cool glasses in a kind of classic Ray-Ban style. Obviously we did not hand ours in at the end.

BIG

With a sharp intake of breath we went to FAO Schwarz, made famous by the Tom Hanks movie BIG. You can see Miss C in action here. Unfortunately you won't see footage of me although i must assure you that i did take to the keys.

Action

Us trailing through the park.... Well...

Central Park

I got told off twice today. New Yorkers are very friendly but dare to cycle on the wrong path and hell awaits you.

A beautiful day in Central Park. We rented bikes from some dingy basement parking lot, paid way too much money. But they did give us a map. Which was useful. Which of course we ignored.

I taught Carlota how to ride with no hands. And i bought her a huge doughnut. Anna was very proud.

Brooklyn

The first & last store that we visited yesterday was Whole Foods. Its a wonder that anybody goes out in this city with such good supermarkets on your doorstep. Boy, how quickly our lives have changed!

Somehow we managed to drag ourselves away from there and headed for Brooklyn via the Brooklyn Bridge. It took us about 2 hours to cross it as Carlota has worked out how to use the camera and literally took a picture every 2 metres.

Its supposed to be a bit warmer today so off to Central Park for biking. Yes Alex - in my running shorts of course. Yes Ramon - via many stores which i am quite sure would fill you with envy.

Jogging - Day 4

Hit a new low in my fledgling career as a camera operator. Recorded particularly wobbly footage as i ran around Gramercy Park this morning.

Enjoy.

Barack

Ran into Barack in Times Square. Carlota showed him what she thought.

Wild Things

Went to see the new Spike Jonze film "Where the wild things are". Despite a cold reception from the critics we actually really enjoyed it. Mother & daughter were both in tears at the end.

Highline

We went for a walk with the girls along the Highline. It was packed. Watched the world go by.

Tom Waits

Breakfast in a Diner, as seen on the Tom Waits album cover - Asylum Hours. Open 24 hours. Ate more than our bodyweights in eggs and gritz. Again.

Skype

I have noticed that on the local news they conduct live links with their roving reporters via Skype and not via a live satellite link. Scary. Don't think i will be investing in an outside broadcasting truck any time soon.

Jogging - Day 3

The sun came out today, first time since we arrived. I ran 10th Avenue and the Hudson River, scouted the Chelsea Market. Ran past a film crew shooting a TV show and later saw two guys loading a Dolly into the back of a track. Just like being at home. Not.

The Met

Spent the afternoon at The Metropolitan Museum. There was way too much to see, like any good museum. We hurried over to the modern art wing and got ourselves lost in European furniture. Fantastic.

The rest of yesterday

Brunch at The Cluny in the West Village. This is no greasy spoon cafe, littered with people struggling from a big saturday night out. These people get dressed up for breakfast. We were lucky to get in there just before the crowds and downed lattes before Ben, Simon & Tom managed to drag themselves out of bed and join us.

Think this picture shows that they had a good night.

Off for Brunch & a museum

Our blog is beginning to feel a bit like a Runners Facebook post. Off for brunch with the Barrel. Will be publishing drunken debauched stories from their night out a little later, in an attempt to make our Blog be a lot more readable and gather way more Followers.

Tweet you later then.

(there's a lot of pressure on a blogger i have discovered)

Jogging - Day 2

Shitting it down today, cold & windy. Love it.

Ran down 8th Avenue, which turns into Hudson Street, and stumbled across a very familiar sight. The Saatchi & Saatchi building.

Jogging - Day 1

Being part jet-lagged, part insomniac, jogging in the morning seems like the right thing to do. You often see such great things when you run but you are always on your own. I'll try and take my camera with me and share it with you guys every day. I can't promise it will be great viewing but at least we can share the experience.

Day 1: The Meatpacking District

Food & Ferry

We consume the mother of all breakfasts at The Coffee Shop on Union Square. Brother Ben meets us there, in town visiting his friend for a couple of days. He has slept for 1 hour in the past 48 - but doesn't look too bad.

We decide we should take to the water and clear our heads. The free ferry ride from Manhattan to Staten Island provides bracing air and photo opportunities.

Anna is wondering when the shopping will begin. She doesn't have to wait long. Lunch and store hopping in Soho occupies most of our afternoon.

There is only one thing to do. Head to Whole Foods and settle in for the night.

Arrived

Arrived in Chelsea NYC in a very white, very long stretch limo. Carlota now thinks one should only travel by limo and that taking taxis should not be the norm.

The Apartment is 5 floors up. Dragging our heavy suitcases up pretty much finishes us off. Its been a very long day.

First couple of days