Thursday, November 08, 2007
My Ever-So-Brief Tale of New York
So I arrived on Monday night after a hellaciously long (12.5 hour) train ride from Montreal. Pat and Mike met me at Penn Station just after a Rangers game had let out. Since Penn Station is below Madison Square Garden, that meant it was busy and noisy. This being New York, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
We walked until we found a Vietnamese restaurant, where I had an excellent summer roll and then chicken pho. And then we made our way to the subway and on to Pat and Mike's studio apartment which, it turned out, I was to have to myself for the next three nights. And then we bid goodnight.
Pat came and met me the next morning, and we had breakfast at Gracie's Diner in the Upper East Side and then headed over to the Museum of Natural History, where we spent the morning and should have spent much longer. It was amazing, and everything I ever wished it could be. And let me tell you, although the students eventually rolled in, I'd highly recommend a weekday morning in the fall as the right time to be there. Much easier to see things.
After that, Pat and I went for lunch (just a simple bagel with cream cheese), and then Pat headed out for a job interview. I walked over to Central Park and poked around for awhile, and then met Bill Wadman for my portrait session. After that I headed up to the top of Rockefeller Plaza to view the city from on high. Lineups here are shorter than at the Empire State Building, and while it's not as high, you do get to see that building and, I suspect, a better view of Uptown, including the immense expanse of green that is Central Park.
Afterwards, I went back to the apartment and ironed clothes, and then went to the Australian consulate for a party in honour of the Aussie contingent that had come up for World Fantasy. We were on the 34th floor of a building across the street from the Chrysler Building, and there were plenty of people drinking plenty of free Australian wine and beer. Included in that group of people were Ellen Datlow, Jay Lake, Liza Groen Trombi, Daniel Abraham, Christopher Roden (newly-met), and, a wonderful surprise, Jae Brim. Afterwards, Jae and Daniel and Jae's roomie Rajjan and I went out for Italian food, joined along the way by a friend of Jae's. Another tremendous meal of portobello mushroom soup and goat cheese bruschetta.
Next morning Mike and Pat came to meet me and we again went to Gracie's for breakfast. And then Pat headed out for errands while Mike and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Again, a remarkable place to visit, and again, first thing in the morning is absolutely the right time to visit. From there we headed downtown and took the Staten Island Ferry, then off to B&H Photo just for the experience of what is the most amazing camera store I've ever seen, then wandered around by foot some more before meeting Pat and 4 others (me and 5 librarians) for dinner at Live Bait, where I had a chicken sandwich whose title escapes me but which was excellent cajun-style fare.
After dinner we all walked to Greenwich Village to watch the Halloween parade, and then walked through Chelsea, slowly shedding group members, until Pat and Mike and I made out way to Time Square. And then we said goodnight, I headed back to the apartment, and then early the next morning took the subway back to Grand Central Station, and then walked to Penn Station to take my train to Saratoga Springs for WFC.
Oh, did I mention I also wrote and submitted a short story in the middle of all this?
Picture links will soon follow.
Addendum: Here are some pix.
So I arrived on Monday night after a hellaciously long (12.5 hour) train ride from Montreal. Pat and Mike met me at Penn Station just after a Rangers game had let out. Since Penn Station is below Madison Square Garden, that meant it was busy and noisy. This being New York, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
We walked until we found a Vietnamese restaurant, where I had an excellent summer roll and then chicken pho. And then we made our way to the subway and on to Pat and Mike's studio apartment which, it turned out, I was to have to myself for the next three nights. And then we bid goodnight.
Pat came and met me the next morning, and we had breakfast at Gracie's Diner in the Upper East Side and then headed over to the Museum of Natural History, where we spent the morning and should have spent much longer. It was amazing, and everything I ever wished it could be. And let me tell you, although the students eventually rolled in, I'd highly recommend a weekday morning in the fall as the right time to be there. Much easier to see things.
After that, Pat and I went for lunch (just a simple bagel with cream cheese), and then Pat headed out for a job interview. I walked over to Central Park and poked around for awhile, and then met Bill Wadman for my portrait session. After that I headed up to the top of Rockefeller Plaza to view the city from on high. Lineups here are shorter than at the Empire State Building, and while it's not as high, you do get to see that building and, I suspect, a better view of Uptown, including the immense expanse of green that is Central Park.
Afterwards, I went back to the apartment and ironed clothes, and then went to the Australian consulate for a party in honour of the Aussie contingent that had come up for World Fantasy. We were on the 34th floor of a building across the street from the Chrysler Building, and there were plenty of people drinking plenty of free Australian wine and beer. Included in that group of people were Ellen Datlow, Jay Lake, Liza Groen Trombi, Daniel Abraham, Christopher Roden (newly-met), and, a wonderful surprise, Jae Brim. Afterwards, Jae and Daniel and Jae's roomie Rajjan and I went out for Italian food, joined along the way by a friend of Jae's. Another tremendous meal of portobello mushroom soup and goat cheese bruschetta.
Next morning Mike and Pat came to meet me and we again went to Gracie's for breakfast. And then Pat headed out for errands while Mike and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Again, a remarkable place to visit, and again, first thing in the morning is absolutely the right time to visit. From there we headed downtown and took the Staten Island Ferry, then off to B&H Photo just for the experience of what is the most amazing camera store I've ever seen, then wandered around by foot some more before meeting Pat and 4 others (me and 5 librarians) for dinner at Live Bait, where I had a chicken sandwich whose title escapes me but which was excellent cajun-style fare.
After dinner we all walked to Greenwich Village to watch the Halloween parade, and then walked through Chelsea, slowly shedding group members, until Pat and Mike and I made out way to Time Square. And then we said goodnight, I headed back to the apartment, and then early the next morning took the subway back to Grand Central Station, and then walked to Penn Station to take my train to Saratoga Springs for WFC.
Oh, did I mention I also wrote and submitted a short story in the middle of all this?
Picture links will soon follow.
Addendum: Here are some pix.
Labels: vacation
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Some Photos From the Trip
I've taken these shots over to Picasa's web album instead of Flickr, partly as a test to see what the site is capable of. So far I'm fairly satisfied. Have a boo and tell me what you think.
More pictures will come, as I pick through the 530+ I took over the past 12 days.
Addendum: I've added three shots that were taken with the camera's stitch mode. It allows me to take multiple pictures side by side and then puts them together into a panorama. Not perfect, but pretty damned good considering how automated it is.
I've taken these shots over to Picasa's web album instead of Flickr, partly as a test to see what the site is capable of. So far I'm fairly satisfied. Have a boo and tell me what you think.
More pictures will come, as I pick through the 530+ I took over the past 12 days.
Addendum: I've added three shots that were taken with the camera's stitch mode. It allows me to take multiple pictures side by side and then puts them together into a panorama. Not perfect, but pretty damned good considering how automated it is.
Labels: photography, vacation
Saturday, July 21, 2007
4388 Kilometers
From PG to Surrey to Portland, then along the Columbia Gorge, to Cannon Beach via Tillamook and Cape Meares, to Seattle, and then to Edmonton via Dry Falls Gorge to Cranbrook, then the next day through Turner Valley (where I was pulled over and warned about excessive speed by a police officer - oops). Some photos will soon follow, along with more details.
From PG to Surrey to Portland, then along the Columbia Gorge, to Cannon Beach via Tillamook and Cape Meares, to Seattle, and then to Edmonton via Dry Falls Gorge to Cranbrook, then the next day through Turner Valley (where I was pulled over and warned about excessive speed by a police officer - oops). Some photos will soon follow, along with more details.
Labels: vacation
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land... the common clay of the New West. You know: morons.*
Still on vacation, although we're attempting to relax in Edmonton for a few days rather than drive madly from one location to the other through Oregon and Washington (although it was fun, and I will post more about that part of the trip anon). But I just thought I'd mention that there is almost nothing more infuriating than sitting down for a nice meal in a pleasant little town in Washington and finding yourself trapped beside a table hosting a Republican Hen Party. Somehow, though, Jo managed to convince me to keep my trap shut.
* Blazing Saddles, of course
Still on vacation, although we're attempting to relax in Edmonton for a few days rather than drive madly from one location to the other through Oregon and Washington (although it was fun, and I will post more about that part of the trip anon). But I just thought I'd mention that there is almost nothing more infuriating than sitting down for a nice meal in a pleasant little town in Washington and finding yourself trapped beside a table hosting a Republican Hen Party. Somehow, though, Jo managed to convince me to keep my trap shut.
* Blazing Saddles, of course
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Disappearing
We're off tomorrow for a week in Washington and Oregon, and then on to Edmonton for close to another week. I may post from out on the road, perhaps even a picture or two. Or, I may not.
We're off tomorrow for a week in Washington and Oregon, and then on to Edmonton for close to another week. I may post from out on the road, perhaps even a picture or two. Or, I may not.
Labels: vacation
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