Blarney Stone

Finally had a cheesecake at Juniors (originally in Brooklyn but nowdays also in the basement of Grand Central Station. Had the Devil's Food Cheesecake. Worth waiting a life time for. Imagine a cheesecake attached to a Devil's Food Cake and you have this creation. 30 cm high or so. Couldn't even finish it. Will never make it at home!! (I will update with photo later).

We had a late dinner at a (for us) new Indian restaurant, not far away from the hotel. It's called Maharaja (133 East 45th Street) and didn't look much. But it was good and cheap. They didn't have the beer J wanted so they went out to buy it for him. Now that's what I call service. Eaten far too much and not ready to go back we found a Blarney Stone around the corner.
Now, last time we were in the City we went to the Blarney around the corner off Madison Square Garden for Long Island Ice Tea. Didn't take us many days this time around to go back there. There are Blarney's all over the City and I sure recommend them. It a piece of Ireland mixed with a student bar, including the good music (3 Doors Down, say no more). Drinks are cheap (2 Long Island Ice Tea for 11 dollars, or as the summer offer says; 3 frozen Margaritas for 10 dollars, being only two of us that meant we got 2 really large ones for 10! Top service!!).

Unfortunately the drinks means we're off for an early night :-) Only 3 more days now ... and fashion weeks is about to start, meaning NYC's transforming...

'Missing' by Karin Alvtegen

Finished reading 'Missing' by Karin Alvtegen this morning, at 5 am. Just couldn't put it down!! It was good, liked the twist in the end. Didn't see that coming.
Odd though with a Swedish book translated into English. Kungsträdgårdsgatan became Kung Garden Street (instead of King's Garden Street) and a whole bunch of similar translations. If I didn't know Stockholm that well, I would be clueless!!

Anyone reading this??

I saw Julie & Julia yesterday, at the AMC at 42nd Street.

Loved the movie and it got me thinking. The impact of blogging.
I know I have visitors here, and I guess someone's reading. But I don't know who you are and why you're reading... :-(
It would have been cool to know who you are... I made some updates, changed the labels around, so there wouldn't be too many. Tried to sort them all into groups. Guess the everything/nothing group is 'life' but that's what it's like, isn't it?

Off to bed, it's passed 2 am now!

Oh, and I made a silly poll about John Sykes - please take it!

Tuesday

Ah, yet another wonderful day in New York City. Today was the day when I finally was going to see Columbia University. And I almost didn't.
I walked from the hotel on 45th street (east) to 116th street (west), going thru Central Park, it was wonderful.The weather was at it best, 25 degrees and cloudy. Once I got off 5th Avenue the tourists were lost. I love the feeling of blending in, to be able to pretend belonging here. Today at least 4 people asked me for directions. Loving every second (and yes, I could help).

Walking up Amsterdam Avenue I came to St John The Divine's Church. On an earlier sightseeing I was told this church was more beatiful that St Patrick's (the church no-one miss on their visits to NYC). Apparantly no-one visit St John's. I don't know why (apart from Amsterdam Avenue not being a street mentioned in large print in most guide books), cause it was absolutely stunning. An enormous cathedral, lacking the murals and icons so popular in catholic churches. St John's is a master piece on it's own.
But what made it so special, that I would mention it here, is the altar of aids victims (with a rainbow banner) and the Poet's Corner. The Poet's Corner includes Walt Whitman, the guy who's books once were banned and burned.
St John's felt like a haven of peace.
I loved it. And I never loved churches.

From St John's to Columbia. Of course I arrived past office hours (I didn't know normal office hours applied here in NYC, but now I found THE place where it does) so I didn't get on a tour. But I got the mug from the bookstore. However, what's worth mentioning is that Manhattan is big and today I think I for the first time I realized just how big it is. The University took up one block. Just one block, but it was enormous - and the courtyard was huge - and I never knew it was there, before this trip.

On my way back I stopped for ice-tea at Starbuck's and dinner at Nanoosh - great food, totally recommend it. Funnily enough I wasn't the only one having dinner on my own. For a second I thought they'd pair us off together, but fortunately they didn't (I wanted to read my book!!).

It felt like an early night, but it's passed midnight already... Better hit my book again!

This week...

...just realised Alice In Chains are playing tomorrow, Motörhead on Wednesday and both Down and the Cult on Friday (but not at the same venue)!!
Wish I'd known before, so I could have gotten tickets!

New York City

It's a love story. Wherever I go it's like home. I am in love with this city. I read that John Lennon loved NYC because the city never sleeps. Whenever he was done in the studio (usually early in the morning) the city was there waiting for him. The City never sleeps. It's true. Even though it felt like it had a sleep in this morning. Labour day.
Don't ask me what I was doing up and about at 8 am but yes, I was.
I had a bagel and tea in a park. Reading my book, enjoying the slow pace of the morning trafic.

It's been a good day.

Nirvana & Ghandi Café

Been to Ghandi Cafe (283 Bleecker Street), the best Indian restaurant in NYC in my opinion. Ate too much as usual. Free starters and desserts. They're just the nicest people you can imagine. And the food's great. I think I have had the same dish every time, the Vegetarian thali - 3 different veg curries, rice and naan bread. Yummy.

BUT we also tried a new Indian restaurant, near our hotel. It's called Nirvana and the food certainly was that good. While Ghandi has the more cozy atmosphere and it feels like you're in someone's home, actually eating from their kitchen - Nirvana feels like a top notch restaurant. It's on Lexington and 40th Street (check the menu here).