October 31, 2003

FRIDAY 31ST OCTOBER : LESS SHOCK MORE HORROR

Can't believe the week has flown past so fast already. And little to show for it too. Today is going to hit 70 they reckon which I am led to believe is about 20 degrees. This weekend is going to be even warmer! Think I might go to the only spot I haven't been yet in NYC: I've been to Brooklyn, I've been to Queen's, I've skipped the Bronx - yes, it's time to go to Harlem and hang with the homies.

If I get out of the house.

The only real problem about today is tonight. Yeah, I thought Halloween was celebrated with the sort of nonchalance that us Brits have for Guy Fawkes Day. Oh, no. The fuckers ALL dress up and parade around the streets and go to parties. Hedy has mentioned going out a few times but Steve Bonks told me that he has always stayed in with a decent bag of wine and a bottle of weed. Or is that the other way round. Might do the former - altho getting some 'School of Rock' suggestions by people and, after all, the ladies in NYC are pretty keen to show their gym-bunnie bodies off at any national event opportunity.

F it. I'll watch it on TV. No, I'll rewatch The Office.

Re. work: Slightly on the edge of packing it all in and spending the rest of my days watching TV here. Interviews are all with smoke and mirror outfits.

Now that's an idea for tonight.

Emotional rollercoaster. Later I'll regain my motivation.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

FRIDAY 31st OCTOBER

BEST NEWCASTLE BARS

Yes, yes. I know this is a blog about New York City Baby but I must publish an email regarding a stag do I'll be missing. It's in Newcastle (England) and one of the best men compiled a helpful list of bars to go to:

From Anton Lng (Newcastle Chap)
"
Offshore 44 - It might have a splattering of work types but cannot believe it will be too chocker early on. It does do cheap cocktails before 8 which might not interest you but does means that birds do tend to utilise it. One of the few bars that is a bit unique to Newcastle so worth a visit.

Red House / Bob Trollope's (linked by corridor at back) - same as Offshore 44 - oldie worldie but does cheap trebles at times - is a bit of a rabbit warren at the back. Older crowd.

Jimmy's - full of townie scum, great place, nightmare getting served at bar on far wall. Slightly older bint most times I have been there, but occasional youth does flourish. Could end up in a dodgy council pad if you pull a ropey old sort from here.

The Quayside (turn right on other side of road to Offshore) - was mint in summer as has large courtyard (with canopy and heaters for colder nights) and full of young tuckass, firm and loadsa flesh on show. A beaver's lodge etc. Might be worth a view then?

Pravda - decent enough, younger lot (a bit further down, turn right outside Offshore and walk past Julie's and Jimmy's)

Chase - you will end up here, I know it, everyone does. Glitzy, neon sharp-lined trend bar full of arseholes. Decent enough, also has outside bit and a downstairs - do former, avoid latter part unless want a secluded place to do a bit of Gianluca or Billy.

Bar 38 - like Chase but newer and clientele have more money on themselves than in Chase. Clientele are typical Geordie townies in expensive clobber.

Akenside Traders - seedier end of market, cheaper, with cheesy chart hits and old bints to left-hand side as you walk in, right-hand side hard blokes on low wages. Mirror readers will love it.

Crown Posada - narrow corridor bar full of old blokes - avoid. In all the beer guides but a crap-hole really.

Martha's - had enjoyed a renaissance with us lot recently. A poor man's Bar38; and downside is that it tends to be a bit male dominated with shaven headed lowlifes outside but bint inside (that was the summer anyway).

Casa - decent enough, nee character really. Bogs are downstairs.

Moving away from around the roundabout towards and past the Tyne Bridge:

Flynn's - used to be good, don't go there now. Small.

Pitcher and Piano - too far away from the main drag of bars so if it is raining avoid. Great views of Gateshead and all its culture from the glass waterside frontage. Re-known for being expensive but is not really too bad unless on shorts. Too far away for my liking. Is open till 1am if in b4 11 I think.

Stereo - used to be the Barley Mow for those who used to know Ncle. New trendy spot. I have only been there mid week but could be a pulling zone at w/e's some young trendy spiky haired lad told me. So unless you are young trendy and spiky haired then avoid??

Waterline - a old favourite, but not been there in a while. Probably now a
seedy dive - so great?

CLUBBERY:

All the decent clubs (two) are on the Gateshead side of the river. Walk over the swing bridge (the little one painted red and white next to Casa). Boat to left and Baja and Buffalo Joe's to right. Nowt else on Gateshead Quayside. Newcastle is chocker - expect queues after 10pm for all these places. If on hoi early then perhaps take in a club early??

The Boat (Tuxedo Princess / Royale / whatever) - I still like it but not
been there in a while. Always busy, plenty of different rooms and different music styles. Can be a little, how can I put this, lively. I mean it is whack pack full of scum from lowbrow parts of Newcastle and stag/hen do's from all over the country, all of them pissed up and some can be lairy at times. Apparently taxi's no longer pick up from outside due to United Nations trying to make it a demilitarised zone. A laugh and best chance of a low class scuttle.

Buffalo Joe's - a late bar really (till 1pm?). Packed and full of bint. Well worth a visit usually if can stand to queue and like busy bars. Poptastic music and a mechanical bucking bronco for f4nny and t1t flashes from drunken young fillies (I mean ratted slappers) who sat astride it.

Baja - pronounce 'Ba-ha' unless Geordie then 'Bad-ger'. Beach themed brotheladon used to be a good guarantee of a pull here. A bit of decent patter over the 60/70/80/90/00s music they loop-tape here to a bleary eyed sp5nkbucket should do the trick. Well-designed nightclub. A Langy favourite. Expect to queue after 10. Holds loads though.

Julie's - expensive and much smaller than the Boat. Last few times I have been there it has been a little exotic (i.e. a Caribbean clientele) and the music is always abysmal house / dance / r'n'b crap I have never heard (i.e. not 80s).

Sea - Chocker, full rammed busy. A nightmare as they let too many in.
Worth a visit though as the birds there are usually quality but unfortunately untouchable. If anyone gets a lay out of this joint on a w/e night they get the Freedom of the City. Music - modern trendy similar to Julie's. A posher trendier Julie's really.

BIGG MARKET (yes two 'g's' = GG)

All the same - young and loud. Except Blackie Boy - old and quieter and cheap trebles. Pig and Whistle is the pit of teenagery if you fancy remembering what things used to be like.

Blu Bambu (yes no 'e' and 'u' not 'oo')
A club on the Bigg Market - you get the picture already. If over 30 enter at your peril and leave the joint alone. Full of 20 year old dole-ites and factory workers. I quite like it.

OTHER CLUBS:

Grey's Club - the last refuge club of the desperate. Get a taxi there (it is off Grey Street if you want to find it yourself up 300 metres from Martha's on left down a dodgy alleyway). Full of 50+ birds (and older) and sketchier than Rolf Harris' Cartoon Time. Nicknamed Jurassic Park by taxi drivers - full of dinosaurs hunting young flesh. Avoid.

Quay Club - shut now and has had abortive attempts to turn into a lap dance
bar (not by me).

Stage Door - last time I was there on a Saturday it had 4 people in from 11.25 to 12.20am. Used to be the best pulling spot in town - now a wasteland. The saddest thing that has happened in my life is this place being as finished as I am.

Bar XS - on Percy Street. Only been once. A neon little pit which could have potential as a replacement Stage-y? Needs exploration.

If you need a lap dance bar - only one - For Your Eyes Only. Get a cab there from Quayside as it is round back of Worsick Street bus station and a faff to find. I have not been but expensive compared to continent - ie 10er in, 10er a dance and 5er a pint. Bint tends to be decent at w/e's I have heard.
"

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

October 30, 2003

THURSDAY 30th OCTOBER

WEST OF ROOSEVELT

After a fine day checking out Roosevelt Island on bike (and seeing the old Looney Bin) spent the evening eating simple but lovely food at the great Westville.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:22 PM | Comments (0)

THURSDAY 30th OCTOBER

RING DA BELLS

Ben and Janine have had a baby girl!!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:53 PM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2003

WEDNESDAY 29th OCTOBER : MAD HOUSE PARTY

Went to a party at Post Production Company 'MadHouse'.Was good to hang with film kids again - everyone so friendly and even offerd to help on any project I might be working on.

iTunes should take a leaf out of their book - their party last Friday could have been much better if they created the relaxed and friendly atmosphere MadHouse offered. The stunning view of the Empire State from their terrace with a cosy wood-pannelled room next door helped somewhat too.

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October 28, 2003

MONDAY 27th OCTOBER

IGBY GOES ISH

After spending a day with the Lady's Farsi-speaking grand-mother, decided to watch a video in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

The Lady chose Igby Goes Down and I must tell you all that it is the biggest non-event I have seen in years. Maybe the main actor isn't charismatic enough, maybe the female characters are poorly written sex objects, maybe there were no characters that you felt any emotional ties with, maybe it started off as a Ferris Buler's Day Off then tried to go to Requiem for a Dream via, um, Train Stopping. It was just souless.

I suppose I could look this up to check but I wonder if the film is a semi-autobiographical of the director's youth. Yeah, all these mad things may have happened to Burr Steers as a kid but it doesn't mean that stinging them all together makes a good story we want to watch.

You could always listen to someone else's point of view. Luckily the grandmother interupted frequently by impersonting her nephews and other Tehran neighbo(u)rs by calliung their names out as if they were on Opium! (as they, um, normally are...).

Maybe tomorrow I'll write about NYC. This column is becoming a film review.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:23 PM | Comments (0)

October 26, 2003

SUNDAY 26th OCTOBER

MYSTIC RIVER

Thought Clint's film was an impressive whodunnit. Tim Robbins deserves a slap on the back for his performance. A little bit disappointed about the end - I just thought it should end after the amazing 'beach scene' - and there were a few holes in the plot filled ex-machine (e.g. oh the mute boy can speak after all!, that explains... um). Lawrence Fishburns character was a little one dimensional - I reckon that in the book there is only one detective so Lawrence is put in there to let us know the doubts of the main detective. Then he just disappears.

Ignore what I just said - go watch it just to spend and hour winding up your partner by saying, "I know who did it".

Or you could listen to the Lady's pop:"Why do I want to go to spend all that time seeing something sad, all about killing children."

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:18 PM | Comments (0)

SAT/SUN 25th/26th OCT : HOT DOG TAIL


Got in a bit fight on Friday night with the Lady after some serious red wine drinking - beginning to wonder whether there is a connection with the stuff and red mist. If so - that won;t make me happy either: red wine is certainly in my top 40 drinks and I don't really want to stop drinking it now - but then again, went loopy so maybe I'll just turn to something easy, umm, like Gin....

So that took me to Philly with my tail between legs thingy.

The Lady actually went down to Phillly on Sat morning and I followed her Sunday
which allowed me to accidentally forget our woes and send off Steve Bonks with some other Brits and Irish in serious style. I actually think I made it close to 'blind drunk' stage. After a few in Von, an Irish bar, and Sweet and something I have no idea what happened after about 11am. Next thing I know it's 4.30am and I
have no money left and I don't know who my new friends are.

Woke up in panic to get a train on Sunday with the worst hangover - at 10.00 (couldn;t let the Lady down). Tore around the apartment drinking Vitamin Water and getting ready. As I was leaving my telephone alarm clock rings to say it'9.30! Fk - the clocks have gone back.

One hour back in bed - I don't recommend kiwi-banana flavour Vitamin Water with a hangover. It doesn't quite go down especially when you're horizontal.

Bought a hangover hot dog(!?) at NYC station but as the train was packed decided it would be rude to eat the smelly thing. As I get off the train at Philly I get on an escalator and expecting to see the Lady in the car park I open the hot dog bag and stuff the sausage in my mouth.

Of course as the escalator rises to the booking hall, the Lady is there glaring at
me with 2 inches of cold sausage hanging out of my mouth. She didn't want a
make up kiss for some reason ... - she looked at the hotdog bun in my hand and asked where the flowers had gone. Sht!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 25, 2003

ADVERTISING & MARKETING AGENCY HR CONTACTS

NYC BarFollowing my previous list of recruiter contacts in New York City - here is a personally investigated list of HR contacts and email addresses for a number of leading advertsing, direct marketing and interactive agencies in NYC.

Remember time changes everything and please use wisely.

Name / Dept / Email / Company / Info
kcaliolo@drumassociates.com / / kcaliolo@drumassociates.com / Drum Accoc / Ad Boutique
Elizabeth Talerman / MD / elizabeth.talerman@sohosq.com / Soho Sq / Ad Agency
Robert Fletcher / CEO / rfletcher@mcsaatchi-ny.com / MC Saatchi / Ad Agency
Susan Rusnack/ HR / srusnak@mnh.com / Merkley Newman Harty Partners / Ad Agency
Linda Pryor/ HR /lpryor@fcb.com / FCB / Ad Agency
Kate Stamford / HR / kate.stamford@interbrand.com / Interbrand / Branding Agency
heidi@rga.com / HR / heidi@rga.com / RGA / Interactive
resumes@organic.com / resumes@organic.com / Organic / Interactive
? ? ? Korey Kay Ad Boutique
Pat / paccardi@kprny.com / KPR / Ad Agency
jobs@kb.com / Kirshenbaum + Bond / Ad Agency
jobs@iconnicholson.com / jobs@iconnicholson.com / Icon Media Lab /Interactive
Adele / HR / adele.nicosia@hillandknowlton.com / Hill & Knowlton / Branding Agency
careers@grey.com / careers@grey.com / Grey Advertising / Ad Agency
jobs@ddb.com / jobs@ddb.com / DDB / Ad Agency
Liisa / HR / lchider@clifffreeman.com / Cliff Freeman / Ad Agency
Jennifer Johnson / MD / jjohnson@141xm.com / 141 XM / Interactive
Gloria / HR / gloriaw@clinedavis.com / Cline Davis Hall / Ad Agency
Carlos / GM / ctribino@brandarch.com / BrandArch / Branding Agency
Bill Fox / Director of Client Services / bill.fox@brouillard.com / Brouillard Ad Agency
info@lairdandpartners.com / info@lairdandpartners.com / Laird & Partners / Ad Agency
accountteam@aka-advertising.com / accountteam@aka-advertising.com / AKA / Ad Agency
info@maddogadv.com / info@maddogadv.com / Mad Dogs / Ad Agency
HR@batesww.com / HR@batesww.com / Bates / Ad Agency
careers@imc2.com / careers@imc2.com / IMC2 / Interactive
hr@datranmedia.com / hr@datranmedia.com / Datran Interactiver
hr@afg1.com / AFG1 / Interactive
hrdvc@dvc.com / hrdvc@dvc.com / DVC / Interactive
jobs@alloy.com / jobs@alloy.com / Alloy / Interactive
usjobs@messagelabs.com / Messagelabs / Interactive
info@nailadvertisinginc.com / Nail Advertising / Ad Boutique
opportunities@globalworks.com / GlobalWorks / DM
jobs@cheetahmail.com / Cheetah Mail / Interactive
PhilMcintyre / Head of Sales / Click 3x / Interactive
opportunities@icrossing.com / iCrossing / Search Engine
Ingrid / HR / ingrid@avenueanyc.com / Avenue A NYC / Interactive
Barbara Clinton / HR / barbara.clinton@loweworldwide.com / Lowe Worldwide / Ad Agency
ogilvyone.recruitment@ogilvy.COM / Ogilvy One / DM

New additions:

directjobs@grey.com / Grey Direct / DM (11/26/03)

Click on Job Hunt Advice under categories on the left hand bar for more advice.

Below are some books on the subject available on Amazon:

If your name appears on the above list and there is a more approporate person to contact at your agency please let me know via the comments box.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:18 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

FRIDAY 24th OCTOBER

'I-TIMES

After a very quiet week recovering from a cold and passing it on to the Lady to suffer we went out to dinner at the Lady's friends. On the way we dropped onto the 5th floor of the W Hotel on Broadway/Times Sq for an i-Tunes Windows launch part

I must say the party filled me with hope that the good times are on the way back. It was classic dot-com: based somewhere posh, fabulous free bar, lot of geeky people trying not to make eye contact, a couple of posters here and there and a few discreet flyers about the launch, no speech, no presentation, little networking, cliques, no idea who worked for iTunes.

As I was a blagger it allowed me to quaff anonymously without having to lie to a techie about a musical career. Perfect.

{RANT} ..about the posters they have made for the announcement. As you can imagine it's a pretty big step putting i-Tunes on Windows so they made the courageous step of putting on the middle of a blank poster a 'screengrab' of the software running on Windows with the title 'Hell just froze over' which I think refers to something Billy Gates said or Mr Jobs or whoever is the Apple guy. Is this their marketing concept? This must be such a huge business opportunity for Apple/i-Tunes and they imagine the mass market are going to get the in joke and be incontinence by a screengrab. I imagine that the big headed marketeers who launched iTunes thought we are so successful that we'll not splash out on any whizzy advertising agency concepts for this launch - word of mouth is sure to create sales this time round - (well NB - the success is down to the iPod design, not your marketing iTunes - and the iPod is fundamentally seen by the general PC using public as an Apple peripheral. How many people are you going to convince that it can now work for PC using this crap marketing campaign).
{/RANT}
Yes, I now ask myself - why did I bother writing all this about a poster .... where's my Walkman for a bit of piece and quiet.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:51 PM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2003

MONDAY 20th OCTOBER

GOTAN PROJECT II

Saw Gotan Project for the second time this year. This time at Irving Plaza and they blew me and the Lady away with their Tango Electronica.

Gig of the year I told The Lady but I think their one in Central Park in summer might have been better - more booze and more people doing the Tango.

SEE THEM!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)

October 20, 2003

SATURDAY 18th OCTOBER

PASSING ME BY

Celebrated another birthday for one of the Lady's friends. Started off sipping pink champagne at someone's place in West Village around 7 then a trip to a posh but empty bar at newly furbished Maritime. Met some Mancs and Scousers at the Maritime who were as drunk as me - they're putting on a week long festival called Transatlantic Express - music / fashion sort of thing - may go but won't take my wallet - even thought they're 3500 miles from home you still can't trust them, can you.

Ended up in lock-in in at the Passer By bar. A good underground and slightly hedonistic scene - everyone dancing and good times. The Lady was so pissed by 4.30am I had to pull her up a few times - verbally and literally.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 12:06 PM | Comments (0)

FRIDAY 17th OCTOBER

POOR TIKI

Spent the evening celebrating the birthday of a friend of the Lady's. Went to the dismal and overpriced top floor bar at Gramercy Park Hotel. Luckily the poor service and the fact that the lights were so bright that the 'tiki' wallpaper (and most of the furniture) would have fitted better in a children's bedroom - so this drove us to one of the best bars I have been here - called 'Old Town'.

Old Town: Imagine Coach & Horses crossed with the Warrington Hotel. The browned walls and ceiling show it's 111 years age and the gloom hid the staggering and swaying clientele. I plan to become a regular there.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

October 19, 2003

JOB SEARCH suggestion

Post a situations wanted on Media Posts weekly newsletter: http://www.mediapost.com/cls_main.cfm

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 17, 2003

Erm

http://www.malepregnancy.com/

(when I showed it to the Lady she said - what's wrong with that...)

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:46 AM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2003

TUESDAY 14th OCTOBER - EVG : SPIRTUALIZED AWAY

Saw a pretty impressive gig Tuesday night at Irving Plaza. Old Brit band called Spiritualized. Proper rock and roll band with a touch of Velvet Underground, Oasis's rockier parts and maybe the Verve. Got the crowd going which meant 99% did the usual and just stood there supping there first beers

When I emailed someone at the concert about all this lethargy she replied, ' i thought they rocked. new yorkers are too cool to jump and down, they are too busy feeling the music - but im with them on that note, its good just to take it all in....'

Hmmm

There were one or twoloons going crazy. I thought I'd impress the lady by popping down from the VIP section and rocking with them.

I approached on large blonde yeti of a man and gave him a nod. He gave me a cuddle then we started jumping up and down. He gave me his aviator glasses then he gave me his joint. Happy, I turned around to wave up at the Lady.

That's when I felt the jolt at the back of my next. It's the sort of jolt you know but never expect. The sort of jolt that makes you say ' what the fk', makes you foresee the grovelling that's about to occur and the manhandling you're about to receive.

When the Lady met me outside afterwards she told e she wasn't impressed: the sun glasses were too big to fit her.

whilst a few loons who were probably on acid spun out all over the place. Think the albums are smokers' music tho' but good show.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 8:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

NEW YORK RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

NYC BarHere are a number of recruitment agencies (recruiters) that deal with Marketing in New York City.

I have provided them to assist other job hunters. Don't make me responsible for the accuracy as time changes everything tho. If you have any others - please add to the comments box.

Format: Name / Dept / Email / Company

Dave / dave@adguysatlanta.com / Ad Guys
Merle / merle@srosenstein.com / S Rosenstein
Brunz Pillaz / bzpz@nyc.rr.com / Bruz Pillaz
orly@analyticrecruiting.com /Analytic Recruiting
John Karrel / MD / karrel@glocap.com / Glocap
Susan / susanm@mvcinternational.com / MVC International
SaM / sam@accessnyc.com / Access NYC
info@taylorsearchpartners.com
resume@seguesearch.com / Seque Search
search@searchlightny.com / Search Light
Sharon Spielman / sspielman@hsksearch.com /HSK Search
judy@redwoodpartners.com /Redwood
Susan / SVMerjos@aol.com
Chuck / czar4@msn.com
bphifer@verizon.net
dkaltman@agencysacks.com / AgencySacks
nyc.employ@venturipartners.com
Wendy / towneinteractive@aol.com
lshpilkus@aol.com /Trebor Weldon Lawrence,
careers@vintageresourcesinc.com / vintage Recources
Simon / simonoz@verizon.net
Louise / LGossCustard@RussellReynolds.com / Russell Reynolds
pros@theprofessionals-nyc.com
betsi@cuttingedgejobs.com / Cutting Edge
Jessica / jessica@rga-joblink.com / R GoldFarb

Click on Job Hunt Advice under categories on the left hand bar for more advice.

Below are some books on the subject available on Amazon:

** If your name appears on this list and you would like to amend the details please mail guy using the link in the left hand column **

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:40 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 13, 2003

MON 13th OCT : HAPPIER MONDAYS

Mondays always seem to start with a panic. Today was worse because half the country was taking a day off because of Columbus day. What about Raleigh??, I say. Where would we be without the humble potato, you say patarto?

Anyway had a good follow up from one of the interviews on Friday. Got a call from email agency in San Fran. Chap says that they think guy that they offered a senior job may blow them out - would I be interested in interviewing for it. I ask what it is and it's Head of Account Management East Coast (NY, Boston, Chicago, Miami). Musn't get too excited - all this takes time - but at least something's happened already this week.

Probably write a film about it one day.... hehe.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 12, 2003

SUNDAY 12th OCTOBER

KILL ALL

Saw Kill Bill. Well worth watching but a bit bloody. There's obviously loads of references which you don't know about but you just keep thinking - ok this is black and white so he's referencing some film. Oh, this bit's animation so....

Remember when they used to complain about the body counts in films like Rambo etc? I'm sure Uma Therman must have killed every Prada suit wearing male in Tokyo by the time she finished - and a school girl. Does anyone care anymore?

I wouldn't take your Lady tho....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:04 PM | Comments (0)

SAT 11th OCT: JACKSON 5: JAMES, JOHNNIE, JIM, JACK and JASON or JOSE!

Soccer - not much to report. Queued (again) for 45 minutes to get in the Red Lion - one of three pubs showing it in New York City. Paid twenty dollars to stand in the Turkey supporters corner. Lots of xenophobic shouting done by the English naturally. Met some good British lads - gave me angle on getting an artist visa.

Did see the Irish lad Jason Fobs on Saturday night in Solas in the East Village - was a good laugh and he has a good group of Irish level headed guys and girls who like to put away a few drinks. What makes me laugh is that when I turn round and say I have some British guys in New York all of The Lady's clean-ish living single friends aren't interested in meeting them (I assume there's a debauched reputation) - now, I say I know some Irish lads they all ask to meet them!!!!!!! I feel they may be a little disappointed - not so much in their looks but the Irish attention to the small details of drinking.

Why does everyone go home at 1?


Talking of detail. The one other thing that came out of the night was a new drink called the Jackson 5. Someone should market this. It's actually 5 seperate shots and sounds like a killer: Jameson, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, Jim Bean and damn I can't remember - what other whiskey begins with J? (Suggest in Comments please) The variation on the theme is to change one whiskey for a Jose Cuervo!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:16 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 10, 2003

FRIDAY 10th OCTOBER : BETH GIBBONS SWIMS


Went over to DUMBO on Friday night to see Beth Gibbons (ex. of Portishead) sing at a place on Water Street. Great venue, usual crowd of fans watching. I mean she sang great sensual chick music in a great venue with a lot of adoring fans watching but they were the usual sober bunch and I kept treading on people's feet as I tried to go to and return from the bar. And - ooh shock - she had a fag on stage.

Afterwards I did realise I found an American who can drink faster than I. Fiancé of The Lady's best friend: I caught him getting himself in a cheeky one in between rounds. Good drinking! Look forward to having a few with him soon. Ended up trying to meet an Irish lad, Jason Fobs, at Coral (girls swim around a fish tank as mermaids etc). Should have thought about it a bit more - huge queue of lots of early twenty something birds. Of course The Lady and her best mate are, like, hmmmm... it's a bit too busy and trashy - let's go somewhere else. Might have been a good call - have to save that place for a night out with the fiance!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 7, 2003

TUESDAY 7th OCTOBER

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

Re. recent Immigrant Rights marches in USA. Today's London's Evening Standard Headline: 'Send asylum seekers to remote land'

Just seen Evening Standard Headline " 'Send asylum seekers to remote land' - yes, that land is called England. Let the fckers in and flood the system, I say. Might get some cheaper cooking / cleaning staff and a better organized crime world - worked here in the States.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)

MONDAY 6th OCTOBER

S-COOL of ROCK
See! He doesn't look like me!Went and saw 'School of Rock' yesterday which literally melted my face (see the movie). Kids film about a failed rock musician who blags it in to a job as a substitute teacher and you guessed it.... silly fun but that Jack Black is great in it. First time I walked out of a cinema in ages where my cheeks ached from laughter.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 12:59 PM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2003

FRIDAY 3rd OCTOBER

SUPPER FURY
Super Furry Animals Lead Singer
Went and saw Super Furry Animals and Grandaddy at Irving Plaza. Wasn't too sure I wanted to go - couldn't remember any of their songs but the Lady got us VIP tickets and when a gig is free you've got to pop along. And I'm glad I did. Not only to see Tom Baker (of TARDIS fame) lead a cracking bunch of songs from the Supers but also hear a large number of Swansea accents screaming something phlemic in the audience. They blew Grandaddy away - they're good but they're don;t have the energy or cool showmanship of the Doctor.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 7:57 PM | Comments (0)

October 4, 2003

SATURDAY 4th OCTOBER: SOHO HOUSE NYC

/ SOHO LOUSE

Maybe I should have given up when I took the taxi. Maybe I should have realised that I shouldn't have left the house when I got out of the taxi.

It was a bad omen: I had spent 5 minutes in one of New York's finest yellow cabs and traveled only 15 yards and my throat already ached from the shouting. We had to go to an engagement party in Brooklyn Heights first but pick up a couple of people in West Village first. The driver told us that he didn't like to wait. Even tho' I was sober I questioned him about the description of his job then followed this with a few 'vamos'. Being called Abjulla, he questioned what I meant and then we started screaming at each other 'asshole' in competitive ranges of decibels. The Lady had stepped out of the cabby now and was racing across the street to another cab which wouldn't know the way. The small taxi driver glared at me but I had the last laugh. I got out of the rear left door and walked. He honked his horn but the door was left open. Yeah, sounds like a puerile and not very effective punishment - but hey, you make a taxi driver get out of his comfy seat and into the chilly street air and he's, what they call, pissed. Childish, the Lady knows...

The Lady didn't speak to me until we got to the Heights with her friends. I noted the party was only supposed to be 'open' from 6 to 8 and then noted the large volume of red wine at the bar. Surely, they're not going to get through all that. Oh yes they did.

The rest of the evening was a blur. I left the party at 10. Stopped in Bar & Books and pretended to listen to someone talk to me whilst I breathed hard to sober up. Then I glided into Soho House NY. I had always wanted a peak after the one time I ventured to the roof pool to play boggle with a film exec (don't ask). So there I was concentrating to hold my head up and trying to expand my tunnel vision to see my the Lady and her friends. Howard Stern sat close by with a blonde. The place was crowded with the sort of brash Americanos that I tend to avoid. What happened Soho House NYC? It's a great space but obviously got too popular for its own good. The stiff door policy hasn't worked and 18 year old girls stalked men in blue shirts and chinos. Hopefully these types with grow bored and go on to the next big thing and leave the place to the gentrified. As if I care - what did Groucho Marx once say about clubs?

Then somehow I got livelier and I spent the rest of the evening talking about how red wine makes me a little moody and yes- I'd love to read your script and really? you're in music sweetheart. At 4 we got chucked out. My clothes smelt of the cigarettes I had smoked in the dire games room (you can tell everthing about the crowd in the way some Bridge'n'Tunnel folks knocked drinks over the pool table and just abandoned them). I wanted to go home and The Lady wanted to party.

I left but phoned her and found myself back in shouting mode ala taxi driver. She got home at 8 and announced it was the best party she had seen in NYC and then promptly ignored me for 36 hours.

As the Persians say - if you sneeze on going out of your house - something bad may happen - stop and sit down for a minute - and let it pass. As the New Yorkers say - if you have an argument with a yellow cab driver - ask him to pull over and get out and get another one - life's too short.
The future?

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 2, 2003

THURSDAY 2nd OCTOBER : THUMB A LIFT TO ROCKAWAY BEACH

Night in on my tod tonight as The Lady is with the girls at one of her friends on West 4th. To be honest I believe they could just put a camera in the corner and tape their conversations for half an hour each week and they'd have a bigger hit than Sex and the City.

Must write about finding work as I don't seam to do enough of it and it's why I write this blog thing. Work situation now becoming a little worry as I have now passed the half way stage of this trip but after several weeks of no meetings, at least things are moving. I had a telephone interview on Monday with a LA company called SnailMail and I have a telephone interview with another company tomorrow at 9am called Digit Impact. Hopefully it won't be a poke in the eye for me (boom, boom). Wish me luck!

I started the preparation for the interview today by going for a relaxing ride down to the end of the A subway line to Rockaway by the seaside. It's all part of my adventure to see every neighbourhood at the end of each subway line (no, not Merton or Brockhurst Hill). I'll put a greater description and pics later.

... Of course I chose the coldest and windiest day since May to amble up the beach on the south side of the peninsula. It was quiet and beautiful and I recommend it to anyone on a sunny Fall day - just me and a few fishermen. I tried to reach the end and kept saying to myself - it must be just round this bend, it would be silly not to go back now. 3 miles up a lone police officer stopped me, shivering (me not him) and asked what I was doing. He told me I was crazy - I had miles to go - and then drove off - didn't even offer me a lift to on the back of his bike.

Mental note - next time trust your memory of the accuracy of subway maps and bring a bicycle/ SUV.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

WEDNESDAY 1st OCTOBER

LAST CHANCE TO SEE GREAT 'WHISKEY' FILM ON WEB

Watch 'It's OK to drink whiskey' via this link here.

And don't forget to leave a comment!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)