a little something for our foreign friends

i work in rockefeller center. there are lots of tourists in rockefeller center.

yesterday while chatting with my friend kayte in the concourse level (i.e. the shopping/eating area of rock center) we were approached by a lovely couple. they kept asking us a question that neither kayte nor i could grasp. finally it dawned on us that they needed a bathroom.

sidenote - i have always made it a point to try to learn how to ask for a restroom in the native language of the country i'm visiting. its come in handy. trust me.

after we sent them to the "toilets" i compared the tourist arenas in new york to those in foreign lands i visited. i realized that the united states is not very foreign traveler friendly. we don't provide our friends from other lands with menus that are translated in their language and signs are not posted with multiple languages to help them to important places, like bathrooms.

whenever i'm in europe almost everyone in the tourism industry speaks english. i believe new york city has the most individuals able to throw down a conversation in spanish, french, german, polish, portugese, cantonese, russian, hebrew, etc; which is why i don't get why the new york city government doesn't do more to help our foreign friends feel a little more comfortable in the vastness that is the big apple. maybe the public leaders from paris, berlin, moscow, madrid, etc. can give them some pointers.

a little something to decorate a wall

two of my bedroom walls have been bare since i moved in. it wouldn't be a big deal except for the fact that the paint is a bright yellow. about a month ago i decided that something needed to be done otherwise my eyes were going to be affected.

my new photography fascination came to the rescue. i decided to take some of my favorite shots from my world travels and convert them to black and white. i bought numerous styles and sizes of black picture frames and put them on the wall in a collage type style.

i think it came out really well and the nice thing is that i'm able to interchange the photos to keep the wall feeling vibrant and current.

here are some shots to show you the wall and it's new found black and white photo collage glory.



a very big thank you to my brother flex for graciously permitting me to use his shots of monument valley, SLC temple and arches national park

a little something from Rock Center Mngmt

today is the day i got the annual memo from rock center management detailing the holiday events taking place this year. it's not only about the tree folks.

with this information in bold black ink it seems that my brain has finally turned on to the fact that the holidays are imminent. bring on the amy grant & 'nsync christmas tunes!

i'll try to keep those who have left our city of holiday enchantment up to date with all of the new holiday decor developments (aka ornaments on 6th avenue, saks & macys windows shrouded in mystery, giant snowflake high above 57th & 5th, etc.)

former new yorkers - if there is anything you remember as quintesentially new york holiday please let me know and i'll add it to my "here come the holidays" watch list.

less than six weeks until NEW YORK FUN DAY! hooray!

a little something about TKTS

i'm going to see Hamlet starring Jude Law this Saturday with gooch. the show is generating serious accolades. should be fantastic! i love broadway ever since i saw les miserables for my 12th birthday in san francisco.

right now there are some really good options on broadway. i want to see after miss julie, oleanna, rock of ages, west side story, the royal family, next to normal, god of carnage, lion king, white christmas, ragtime & wishful drinking. only problem is that to see these shows costs money. (i know, Duh!) with the holidays coming up and my january trek to the magic kingdom i'm trying to conserve my resources so i kept telling myself that i REALLY couldn't afford to see these shows...let alone one of them. enter TKTS.

TKTS is a Times Square/South Street Seaport discount ticket booth that sells seats to shows. you have to pay cash and can only get tickets for that day/evening performance (in other words no advance sales). for most tourists and/or fiscally responsible people, TKTS is a gem of a way to save money and enjoy that rare broadway show treat. my only problem with TKTS is that it gives me a false sense that i can "afford" to see all the shows i want because they are discounted.

so which option is better...deprive myself from fantastic entertainment at discounts provided by TKTS or continue to save, save and save some more? seems to be the epitome of a conundrum...

a little something from PoP

watching television on a sunday always means cheesy rom-coms. this week's was music & lyrics on TBS. the movie is not a prize winner but it makes up for it's segway into lame with the opening to the movie...it puts a smile on my face everytime...

a little something is in the air

the end of daylight savings always seems to equal the beginning of the holiday season. just so happened that this year it fell on the exact date after halloween.

there is always a magic that comes to new york when the holidays (aka thanksgiving & christmas) are imminent. i love this time of year! not such a fan of going to and coming home from work in the dark...but the chill, lights, and overall excitement makes up for it.

this year i've decided to do things i've never done in the city and repeat traditions that have been part of my celebrations the past few years.

hope you all enjoyed the fun of halloween and are able to have the holiday magic in your homes throughout the season!