Guy Brighton: January 2004 Archives

January 31, 2004

FRI 30th JANUARY: BOILER SUITS THE VOLUME

The Lady's friend Lisa invited us to the launch party of a new Williamsburg venue called Volume at 99 N 13th and Whythe. We got there around 10.30 to find a line, not really a line, a crush to get in. At least it was warm.

When we burst through the entrance we found out why the wait: everybody had to put on white protective suits. The effect was crazy - about 800 people walking around, dancing, queuing for the toilet all wearing the same. Was it art? Was it a 1989 warehouse rave? It seemed either a very clever idea, a statement about fashion or just an up-its-arse prank. Come to think of it, there was a camera crew there - so up its art prank it must have been.

At first all the people in white freaked me but after a good few Heinekens at the free bar I soon got into it and danced to the dub in one room and the funky to techno beats in the other. I staggered later to the toilet where I lined for the cubicles behind a German with a camera. 'Professional?' I asked. 'Addict,' he replied and then promptly started to taking photos. Why me? I look just like everyone else, mate. And talk about stage fright when I finally got into a cubicle. After a few breaths I relaxed and thought about finding another beer downstairs. I opened the cubicle door and there he was - snap, snap, snap and screaming 'I am un addikt!" Hope my pic doesn't end up in some German techno magazine.

It must have done something to me - on the way home I pointed out my white boiler suit to the taxi driver and claimed (fairly convincingly) that Lisa and The Lady had just stolen me from the hospital. The taxi driver asked me what I was in for - I told him I was an addict.

Anyway - the pic above is from this guy's site (William Abraham Blazé) - he has an alternative review of the night.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:49 PM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2004

FRI 30th JANUARY: WINTER PICS

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:29 PM | Comments (0)

FRI 30th JAN: SNOW ENDS PLAY IN LONDON

Giggling at the stories about the 1 inch of snow that came down on England on Wednesday night.

From Davo:
none of the roads gritted...the underground stopped...even the Victoria line
and that isn't even over ground! then they close the station at Oxford
Circus so many people waiting outside that they blocked the exits so the
people they wanted to clear from the station couldn't leave ..grid lock
man!!

then no buses on the way home for any route out of Finsbury park. And the
same this morning - 1 hr 45mins to get in and not a gritted road in sight.
Visions of people in Africa watching it on tv saying 'those poor people in
that third world country'...

From Mother:
It was a surprise as everybody seems to
have stopped work because of a bit of snow. I drove to Godstone to play
duplicate bridge and the roads were very quiet. Heaven knows what would
have happened if we had four inches of snow. The supermarkets sold out of
longlife milk and soup at the beginning of this week.

Huh? This is a pic of me walking on Hudson the morning after 9 inches of snow fell Tuesday night!

Note the sidewalks and street..... come on London, pull your socks up!

But on the other hand, don't these pictures make you want to take advantage of the BA sale and jump on a flight to London this afternoon.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

THUR 29th JAN: NEW YORK TEST (cont..)

So New York came through!!!!I get a call from the restaurant and I get a number for the guy who walked out of Bivio with my coat. The guy was very humble about it but I still had to go to HIS gym to pick up my kit. When I get there, I go 'where's the coat' and he says, 'oh, I thought we'd just swap'. I see his point but there's something about wearing someone else's kit. So tomorrow I have to go up to 51st Street to pick up the coat.

Luckily planned a burger lunch up at Le Monde near 110th at 1pm to celebrate!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2004

THUR 29th JAN: DID YOU KEN THAT?

Wow - I have a Barbie Blog!!!
From 2hrlunch:
A Barbie Blog is supposedly a blog where the author just goes on and on about whatever is on his or her tiny mind at that very moment. Otherwise the page suffers from a lack of rhyme and/or reason.

So no-one has called about my coat - time to phone Bivio, the restaurant.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:07 PM | Comments (0)

THUR 29th JAN: TESTING TIME FOR NEW YORK (cont...)

So I spoke to David Bers the guy on the card. Very helpful and said that anybody he would have given his card to would be the sort of person to return the coat. Here's hoping.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)

Looking for photos on this blog?

Check 'Vans' below and December

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:05 AM | Comments (0)

THUR 29th JAN: TESTING TIME FOR NEW YORK

So this is the test for New York. I've been here 6 months and I've taken the rough with the smooth - and I'm still struggling but I'm still fighting. This is going to make or break the old camel's back:

So I went for a drink with boss and his missus and the Lady to a new bar / restaurant on Hudon & Horatio called Bivio last night at a bar/restaurant and some chap walks out with my coat - probably accidentally because he left his identical one there - identical, except for the fact it didn't have the Lady's digital camera, the expensive scarf she got me and her apartment keys in it, like the one I left. Sht, I thought to myself when I took the coat off - no one's going to rifle thru my pockets in a place like this.

Have a business card an architect found in the pocket. Give him a call later and lie that I found a coat with loads of money / something valuable in it - does he know who's it is?

So you can guess who's in the dog house. Bllx - and I have to go to the dentist at noon.

New York come through for me and give me my stuff back - PLEASE

Posted by Guy Brighton at 9:49 AM | Comments (0)

THUR 29th JANUARY: BBC AND THEIR MATES GOING DOWN FIGHTING

Oh, this is fun to watch: http://belgraviadispatch.blogspot.com/

Any one want to tender for a UK public information service licence?

Posted by Guy Brighton at 9:44 AM | Comments (0)

THURS 29th JANUARY: VANS OF NEW YORK

Near the five point turn....

More Vans of New York here.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 3:43 AM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2004

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH MAGAZINE SITE

GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

I open the British newspaper The Telegraph site to read some news (catch up on the BBC crisis) and on every page I have some Rich Media Ad blocking my view - AOL, then some clock. Has anybody told their sales team about frequency capping? has anybody told their marketing/creative department about user experience?

(must stop using this blog as a forum for ranting)

Posted by Guy Brighton at 3:09 PM | Comments (0)

ROBOT EXPO

http://www.vudumedia.com/zooilogico/

Ahh - so cute....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:23 PM | Comments (0)

WEDS 28th JANUARY: BBC Management "Almost in Meltdown" After Inquiry

http://dailyablution.blogs.com

About time. Being a Brit in New York I have been stuck for finding a decent news service - I got so tired of BBCs anti everything reporting (esp. anti-Americans) I gave up and started watching New York 1 on TV - I know everything that's happening in the 5 boroughs now. What happens beyond, I dunno..

(Good old Pat Kiernan, eh?)

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:01 PM | Comments (0)

WEDS 28th JANUARY: CHAV ABOUT IT

This whole Chav thing is getting huge: http://news.independent.co.uk

Love the debate....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)

WEDS 28th JANUARY: NEWS LEAVES LONDON

A message from Davo....

cold and frosty with scary trees...Ken Livingston has banned leaves in London
now..

'they make a terrible mess and I don't like the way they change colour and
fall on you' - said like Red Ken

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)

WEDS 28th JANUARY: GOOD MORNING

So the Lady wakes up and asks why I talked about her all night to Justin. And where's the breakfast I promised.

Must watch what I say when I get home in future. Erm.... maybe I implied that darling but are you sure I actually said so. Oh I did.

6 beers is apparently far too much for me to drink also....

Mental note: keep mouth shut - but not when drinking

Posted by Guy Brighton at 9:19 AM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2004

TUES 27th JANUARY: SNOW WAY

9 inches of snow! A good night out with Justin - husband to be to one of the Ladies friends. Went to the Blind Tiger - a dive bar on Hudson. Maybe not my choice of bar before I got there, especially towards the weekends (loud, brash NYers). But when I got there, it was a perfect refuge from the wall of snow coming down outside. Probably the biggest row of beer taps I've seen this side of the Hudson River. You know it's a good bar when you get a 'this one's on us' - second time it's happened to me in the US. Maybe I should get out more often....

Got a call from Andrew about 11- there's some party. I'm thinking there's no one out. Get to a warehouse space on the 18th floor of a building on 26th and 11th and a room the size of a football/soccer pitch is full with all of New Yorks
trendies, wannabies and rude boys. And there's a free bar.....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:10 PM | Comments (0)

MY DOOM VIRUS WARNING

The virus spreads in an e-mail message that looks like it was corrupted in transmission. The message text urges the recipient to click on an attached file if the contents are damaged or unreadable. A computer becomes infected with Mydoom only after the attachment is opened.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53096-2004Jan27.html

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:02 PM | Comments (0)

TUESDAY 27th JANUARY

JEFF BEZOS RUINED MY CHRISTMAS 3

It continues... see Amazon's reply and my response in the comments of the previous Amazon blog.

Comment below if you think I am over-reacting.... I fear I maybe but on the other had....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:30 PM | Comments (0)

TUESDAY 27th JANUARY

AMAZON DOES FOOD

(Thanks to Seth Godin's blog for this info:) My favorite web site(???) Amazon now does restaurants. If they can't even get the book service to deliver on time (see previous blogs) I imagine that the food will be served cold.

Interesting enough - if you look at Moonstruck in New York you get the following recommendations:

Customers who looked at this menu were also interested in these items:

Riva Yamaha Honda.com - 2002
Lord Of The Rings Trivial Pursuit by Hasbro
Alco Complete Parts Sourcebook Catalog #910 - 2003
Crown Galleries - 2002-2003

Posted by Guy Brighton at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

TUESDAY 27th JANUARY

IRONY IN THE USA

Good little article discussing the difference between USA and UK Comedy: click here. My favorite comment to this article is as follows:

Favourite irony from the US? A line in Third Rock From the Sun, when the aliens are sitting an exam to try to get their driving licences. One says: "If it is this difficult to get a driving licence here, imagine how difficult it must be to get a gun licence."
Peter, UK

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:48 AM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2004

MONDAY 26th JANUARY

MODERN HUMORIST

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/pingpong.php

warning. might offend some individuals. ....
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/video/punchie.php

Posted by Guy Brighton at 2:19 PM | Comments (0)

MONDAY 26th JANUARY

TARROFING

Writing this on the Philadelphia - New York express on Monday morning. Has been a good weekend at the Lady's parents house in the 'burbs of Philly.

Adapting to an Iranian-American household isn't too difficult. Luckily the Persians like to have a nice cup of tea fairly frequently - how very civilized. On the other hand they have this notion called 'Tarrof' which is like an ultra polite no-thanks when you mean yes. It goes as far as offering stuff you don't want to out of courtesy. And when you offer to help, they say no when they really want to.

It sounds very nicebut what actually happens is that I return with a very large belly, having done sweet f all, all weekend - leaving the Lady's parent's house empty of all food goods and spare cash.

I'm sure they get their own back tho' - the tea keeps me up all night...

Posted by Guy Brighton at 12:47 PM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2004

SUNDAY 25th JANUARY

OK, SO I'M A LITTLE FED UP WITH AMAZON.COM

To: Amazon.com Customer Service
Date: 25th January 2004

Subject - How Amazon Ruined My Christmas 2

HOW AMAZON RUINED MY CHRISTMAS II

PLEASE REFER TO MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT ABOUT ORDERS OVER CHRISTMAS WHICH WASN'T HANDLED TO MY SATISFACTION. I WANT THIS COMPLAINT TO BE HANDLED BY A MANAGER.

1. TODAY - ONE MONTH AFTER CHRISTMAS I RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM YOU SAYING THAT THE CHRISTMAS GIFT I WAS SENDING MY BROTHER IN THE UK WASN'T READY - AND IT WON'T BE FOR ANOTHER 6 WEEKS. I WAS LIKE - YOU WHAT???!!! I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SENT ALREADY OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD. ONE MONTH LATER AND I FIND THIS OUT. I HATE AMAZON WITH A PASSION THESE DAYS. YOU RUIN THE RECEIPT OF MY GIFTS OVER CHRISTMAS NOW YOU RUIN MY FAMILIES' GIFTS. JEFF BEZOS IS ONE GREEDY GUY WHO SITS GETTING FAT WHILST HIS CUSTOMERS SUFFER. I DEMAND COMPENSATION!

2. REGARDING YOUR PREVIOUS SMUG EMAIL ABOUT UPS SERVICES. I WOULDN;T HAVE TO GO TO THE UPS DEPOT IF YOUR PACKING BOYS DIDN'T DECIDE TO PUT ONE FLORIDA TRAVEL BOOK IN A BOX ONE FOOT BY TEN INCHES. EVER HEARD OF AN ENVELOPE. I DEMAND COMPENSATION!

I AM PREPARED TO TAKE THIS FURTHER AND AWAIT YOUR REPLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH A NAME AND POSTAL ADDRESS WITH WHOM I CAN SEND FORMAL CORRESPONDENCE.

I HATE AMAZON. I HATE AMAZON.JEFF BEZOS STOLE MY CHRISTMAS.

See my previous rant

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2004

FRIDAY 23rd JANUARY : BAM CONCERT

Had a great night at St John the Divine's cathedral where we went to a concert for the Bam Earthquake. Amazing -- especially considering the 2 weeks it took to be put together. I will write more and also the calamity in the Ethiopian Restaurant afterwards....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

FRI 23rd JAN : OUT OF HERE

So... won't get above 22F today but the office we are sub-letting is full of the gentler sex so all the layers you put on to walk the cold streets of West Village have to be removed. Instead i have to display a small but proud belly under a unironed T Shirt.

Going to Philly this weekend - request is already in for a Philly Cheesesteak pizza etc.

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

THURSDAY 22nd JANUARY

CLICK YOUR LEGS TOGETHER

So went for a pint with the boss at the Ear Bar (I'm trying to be a recognised regular) and he flaked after one beer - you could see it in his eyes - he just wasn't interested in discussing the pitch for the Electronics Reseller programme any further ;)

Luckily got last minute note from Andrew and we met in Meatpacking - th Gaslight. Not the best boozer in the world but the only one Andrew remembers to get to (even after all this time). I was late, and we scratched our heads as to where to go (most bars round there don;t get too busy until late).

So we did the usual, sauntered around and said, 'don't know where to really go but there's a pub down there' - at which point we see a crowd outside a bar waiting to get in. We approach and stop a few yards away - it must be a private party. The young lady with the guest list says, 'Hey - you looking for Cielo?' I reply, 'Is there a Private party here?' and she says, 'Yes, this is the place - what are your names'. Andrew shows his sign-in pass for Tommy and we enter this packed photography party - drinks, suits selling some digital technology swish camera-jocks and models. Oh - and an open bar. Fun - and by the time it ended (10pm) I'm sure every man and me were semi-circled around the dance floor watching these semi-clad models dance their booty off - for the attention of a photographer chap.

Andrew got Phil and his gang through the door and they grabbed a last drink before we went to APT round the corner. Downstairs was empty - so we start dancing to DJ we are and suddenly we're surrounded by these amazon women - think oversized models with Jersey attitude (no, not the Island...) before we know it, there's a crowd in a semi-circle around us watching these bizarre idiots (us) mucking about with these strange women. Then they circled us - we were trapped. They looked down on us and smiled. Andrew feined a move for the bar, they looked at each other, I ducked under one of them's legs and we ran for it. Poor Phil - he didn;t make it - we still haven't heard from him.

The Lady got home after me and when I told her that I had had a quiet night she told me she had had one also - now I'm worried.....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:06 PM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2004

WEDNESDAY 21st JANUARY

MORE LAUGHTER ABOUT SLOUGH

Cos I is guns.... Can you believe 'Fass' is really the sort of chap to carry guns... maybe one of the fat idiots lower down the page.

HAYEZSQUAD

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

ULTIMATE CHAV

Re. recent blog on Chavs.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:37 PM | Comments (0)

WEDNESDAY 21st JANUARY

THIS EMAIL HAS GIVEN ME AN IDEA

From: Ian Mc
Date 012105
Subject: Brilliant Offer

An offer of a lifetime. This is not a pyramid sales pitch, nor is it a chain letter.

This really works. !!

INSTRUCTIONS

Anaesthetise your wife/girlfriend, put her in a large carton, (don't forget some ventilation holes), and send it to the person who is at the top of your list.

Soon, your name will be at the top of the list, and you will receive 823,542 women through the post. Statistically, among those women, will be at least: 0.5 miss worlds 2.5 models 463 wild nymphos 3,234 good-looking nymphos 20,198 who enjoy multiple orgasms 40,198 bi-sexual women. In total, that is 64,294 women who are simply hornier, less inhibited, and tastier than the grumpy old bag you posted off. And, best of all, your original package is guaranteed not to be one of those that come back to you.

DO NOT BREAK THIS CHAIN LETTER

One bloke for example who sent the letter to only 5 instead of 9 of his friends got his original bird back, still in the old dressing gown he sent her off in, with the same old migraine attac k, and the accusatorial expression on her face. On the same day, the international supermodel he'd been living with since he sent off his old girlfriend moved out to live with his best friend (to whom he had not sent the chain letter).

While I am sending this letter, the bloke that is in 6th place above me has already
received 837 women and is lying in hospital suffering from exhaustion. Outside his ward are 452 more packages.

YOU MUST BELIEVE THIS E-MAIL

This is a unique opportunity to achieve a totally satisfying sex life. No expensive meals out, no lengthy conversations about trivialities (that only interest women) just so that you can screw her. No obligations, no grumpy mother-in-law, and no unpleasant surprises like marriage or engagement. Do not hesitate........send this letter today to 9 of your best friends.

PS. -
Even when you have no girlfriend, you can send your vacuum cleaner (one that sucks of course).

PPS. - This le tter can also be copied to women you know so that they can prepare themselves for the great adventure that they may soon undertake.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 2:38 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2004

MONDAY 19th JANUARY : BLUE TOOTH

Went and saw the specialist about my tooth. After several minutes of dismissing British dentistry (who was I to argue - I think he even mentioned Austin powers) we talked about motorbikes as he showed me the computer generated images of my molar. 'See what a bad job they did?' he asked. Technology who needs it....

He then gave me a running commentary of the operation - you can't say a thing can you. By the end of it though i felt like I had the best dentist appointment ever. Then the lady on reception handed me a bill for $1365 bucks.... It's all now just numbers, gone beyond the point of caring about debt.

I celebrated with a cup of tea with Andrew at Le Gamin in East Village (very nice and French: 536 E5th). Then we wandered down to the Lower East Side. Most the shops were closed so Andrew showed me his latest discovery: the Economy Candy store (108 Rivington Street)... that's where the tooth trouble started, I thought. Fantastic place full of (whhat appears to be) last of line candy. Had to have a couple of Andrew's candy worms tho- helped sweeten the earlier credit card bashing.

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

SUNDAY 18th JANUARY

BABY NAMING

Our friends got their baby named in a glorious Soho Appartment. It was lovely. Couldn't drink as I am now afraid of the prescription drugs. Therefore didn't drop baby on its head like my sister did to me at my christening...

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

SATURDAY 17th JANUARY

QUALITY TIME

I'm not too sure the Lady got the quality time she expected: In between rushing to the bathroom, I lay in bed all day, holding my head, claiming to be poisoned.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:01 PM | Comments (0)

FRIDAY 16th JANUARY: DOG HOUSE FOR SALE

Lady a bit fed up with me at the mo so I popped out with Andrew for a quick one. I came back a little tipsy, was ill and I blamed the prescription the dentist had given me.... (cont.)

Have also tried to use the Thai food I ate with Andrew as an excuse for chucking up too... i don't know what happened. One moment, calm: a few drinks in the Broome Street Bar, then one on the corner of Spring and Thomson, then a wonderful Thia meal at Kin Khao. The meal starts, we finish the chickensatay - and then I drop my cocktail into a plate of peanut sauce and the bloke on the table next to me is going mad wiping his head. Luckily my glass landed perfectly and I told him that it must have been some lime juice and I won't do it again. Andrew and I giggle like kids for the rest of the meal.

next thing I know I'm in a basement bar (151 Rivington) with no name playing rock music then I am rolling around in another bar with a pool table and quite possible on the pool table itself. Andrew and I can't remember saying goodbye to each other.

All money spent. The Lady wasn't impressed when I returned. The dog house is now more like a mesh fence thing with no shelter now sitting in a wind tunnel.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 16, 2004

THURSDAY 15th JANUARY

MENTAL DENTAL

So I went to the dentist near Gramercy Park - the tooth has been aching since I got it half fixed in London in November. - hey you have to wait 2 hours here too - Was seen by Dr Doscreme Amen - and she tells me that I have an infection in a route canal and I need to be sorted out in 5-7 days otherwise I get to look like elephant man. (Maybe the Lady would find that kinda cute?)

Ta love - I feel like muck now - 125 bucks well spent. The drugs she gave me is going to cost another 100 and then she referred me to another dentist for the treatment and it's going to take a few weeks and cost another 1000 at least (it costs250 just for the consultation) Fk. And the pathetic Lloyds TSB bank account insurance doesn't even cover it.

Weighing up whether to go home in the next 24 hours.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2004

THURSDAY 15th JANUARY

RITE AID?

So you can't smoke in a NY bar but you can buy a pack of cigarettes (and beer) from a pharmacist - eh?

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

January 14, 2004

WEDNESDAY 14th JANUARY

NEW WEBLINKS

http://www.boreme.com/bm/JAN04/a/m_spitfire/fr.htm

Collaboration Blogging Writing Project

New York Blog

And now: http://bunchofpants.blogspot.com/

Posted by Guy Brighton at 5:26 PM | Comments (0)

NEW COMMENTING SOFTWARE

So blogspeak seemed to fall off the cliff - and so i changed to Halo and lost all my old comments. Oh well. Anybody else used Halo? (comment below)
P

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:46 PM | Comments (0)

January 13, 2004

TUESDAY 13th JANUARY

OLD SEA DOGS

Just got back from a really decent boozer called 'Ear Bar' by the Hudson River on Spring St by work - another of the oldest pubs in New York. 1817 this one. When it was built it was onlt 5 feet from the river now it's 300 but it's still dark and dingy, full of old-sea-dog type characters and after the guy I was having a pint with left (I stayed to finish my third) I was approached by a canrivalesque French guy asking if I fancied a job doing some painting and decorating. For a moment I felt like hanging and having a chat with a classic pub-freak but as I heard about his life story and the 20 or so cities he had lived in (and he's still only 30) he reminded me of that scallywag who guided me around the city of Taroudant in the mountains in Morocco and I started to check where my wallet is and promptly left ze pub.

Guy leaving the bar

Posted by Guy Brighton at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)

MONDAY 12th JANUARY : GIVE ME LAUGHTER, GIVE ME...

Finally made it to see the epic LOTR last night. The story as I see it is a bunch of hobbits leave home, have a few drinks and dance about then everyone has a fight. It all ends up with one of them getting his girlfriend pregnant....

The interesting thing about watching films in cinemas in the States is the audience interaction with the screen. Whilst an English audiience may watch a three and a half hour movie in silence - the American audience clap and cheer as the story goes along. All that emotion, eh? They're worse than bolody hobbits!

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2004

MONDAY 12th JANUARY

NEVER SAY NEVER

I'd love to say life in New york will never get like this (but I have a sneaky suspicion it could...):

"This story ... embodies a lot of what makes New York New York: impatience, self-absorption, aggression and the search for a better deal -- all wrapped up in the paranoid conclusion that if someone can take advantage of you, he will...."

READ THIS GREAT STORY BY CHRISTY CONKLIN HERE: http://www.nd.edu/~ndmag/w0304/mom1.html

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:05 PM | Comments (0)

SUNDAY 11th JANUARY

OH HECKO! EL GRECO!

It finally realised the trouble I was in when the Lady's father called me to say, 'Hey Guy! I hear you're in the dog house! It's OK - I have been in the dog house [with the Lady's mother] for four years!' That's something to look forward to, i suppose.

Later the Lady agreed (after nagging for the last 3 months) to finally go to see the El Greco exhib at the Met. I have always loved his work since I went to Toledo during a visit to Spain (The Lady was living in Madrid then). the art feels so modern even though it's nearly 500 years old - so visionary.

I think most of New York decided they better go see the show during the last hour of the last day too. Packed. I wonder if they were all late after having a massive row too....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 3:48 PM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2004

WHICH CHARACTER OF THE OFFICE ARE YOU?

Somehow I'm Finchy - like it or not: http://homepage.mac.com/elliottday/theoffice/

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2004

SATURDAY 10th JANUARY : STRIKING ROCK BOTTOM

After spending much of Saturday listening to the lady's requests for change we/she decided maybe it would be good to spend an evening apart. She went to Soho House NY to meet her friends Amelia and Stace. I jump in a yellow cab to go to Smith Street, Brooklyn. I look out over at the Salvation Army Watchtower neon display to see that it's -11 degrees centigrade and it's 9pm - it felt colder in the apartment....

I met Andrew at Halcyon whose DJs must play some of the best House music to some of the fewest people. The funky vintage furniture they were trying to sell didn't cope well with our big jackets and fake-fur hoods so we shuffled out and down to the Boat where we got accused of being a couple of mods by a Scottish couple.

the Boat proved to be a good drinking den with no name on the door (the door is metal with three slant windows in it - that's all i can say). I suggest you avoid the crowd of Brit designer girls in the back corner by the fire. Yeah, they're fun, yeah, they're friendly but note the NYC uncommon chunky midrift on each and every one and you know these girls have been in training and can drink as much as you. The New York girls are more svelt but that night all I didn't want to make intelligent conversation with anyone - I just wanted to talk good old crap about nothing in particular - and you need a Brit (or maybe Irish) crowd to really do this well. Now that's what I call therapy!

After several pints, catching frost-bite smoking in the cold and a little bit of a sing song, Andrew wanted to go on to shake his booty at a 'locals' club and at this point I declined. I froze on the subway platform but soon found my angel in Bar and Books.

Perfect evening.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 3:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 9, 2004

FRIDAY 9th JANUARY

MAKING UP

Went for a curry in East Village with the Lady - after several pints, popadoms and CT Masala, I thought the Lady must have been satisfied - as she was so quiet. Finished by meeting her brother and having a few cheeky ones at a great dive bar. How was I to know that it wasn't the romantic escape the Lady was looking for?? I had to agree, you were supposed to drink 6 pints BEFORE the curry....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 10:54 PM | Comments (0)

FRIDAY 9th JANUARY

LINK UP

Blimmin' 'eck someone's linked to me: Check out this lady sometime: http://pjgach.blogspot.com

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:04 PM | Comments (0)

FRIDAY 9th JANUARY

TALKING ABOUT CHAV BEHAVIOUR.....

Just argued with the Lady. I get up early to spend some time online before going in for a meeting at 11am and she gets up later and spends about a lifetime choosing and rechoosing her outfit for her review today. Then once ready she screams at me that I haven't spent anytime talking about her review then storms out and then comes back and forth a few times acusing me of being a heartless bastard. My blood 'simmers' and I throw the nearest thing to the ground I can get my hands on - the xmas present I bought for my sister that I haven't sent yet and I f it up enough that I can't send it anymore. Sht. Now I am a heartless bastard with an anger problem. She forgives me.... if I agree to go to therapy.....

(help)

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

FRIDAY 9th JANUARY

CHAV UK

Why I is here, ain't it: http://www.chavscum.co.uk/

Posted by Guy Brighton at 9:58 AM | Comments (0)

NEW YORK BAR GUIDE

Here's a basic run down on the bars I rate since I've been here. I was hoping to make it more in-depth but haven't find the time...

BARS :

Cafe Doma (Greenwich Village) - Actually a coffee bar rather than a drinking den. A relaxed crowd of out of work actors and dreaming one-day entrepreneurs hang out over the iMac laptops making that coffee last an hour. Good are on the wall too. East end of Perry Street.

Angel Share (East Village) - I've only been once but cool Japanese jazz bar tucked behind crazy Asian fast food place in East Village. Worth an early evening drink there Details

Passer-By (Meatpacking) - cool bar with 70s lit-up style floor. Really hits its peak about 4am on Fridays and Saturdays when they shut the doors and turn up the sound. Details

APT (Meatpacking) - great looking two level bar. Sometimes has great nights, sometimes full of Japanese cool hunters, sometimes full of monied New Yorkers. Anonymous doorway but look for the line Details

Halcyon (Smith Street, Brooklyn) - just discovered this bar/cafe/record shop/ vintage furniture store in cool part of Brooklyn. Worth a visit day or night. If you visit at night - try Bar Tabac for food. Details

Old Town, (Union Sq-ish) - Great 111 year old boozer. Maybe for discerning tastes / people who like old gothic bars. Beautiful to me. Worth a pint just to see the place. Details

VON (East Village) - Hip and cool hang dark bar. Well worth starting an adventure around East Village from here. Details

Bar & Books (Meatpacking/West Village) - It's a bit up it's arse but this small cubby hole looks like a gents club, still has a smoking license and plays Bond films on the TV. Details

151 Decent dark and happening basement bar on rivington that packs out about midnight.

Pianos - The Lady recommends this but I can't remember what it's like

Bongo (Chelsea) - Seemed to be a good bar to go to with great Lobster rolls especially when you can;t get into the Coral nightclub around the corner at 2am. My memory of this place is a bit blurred but the Lady loves it. http://newyork.citysearch.com/

Cafe Noir (Soho) - Good stop during the day and night. Lady recommends the food too. Details

Southpaw (Park Slope, Brooklyn) - Good gig venue in trendy part of Brooklyn. Look out for what's going on there. Details

Ear One of the oldest pubs in the city - found on Spring St and Greenwich close to the river. Cosy, warm and good grub. Details

HOTEL BARS

Tribeca Grand (Tribeca) - On a party night it rocks. Have been to my most 'New York' parties here. (May need guest list). Other night's it's still cool. http://tribeca-grand-hotel.

Maritime Hotel (Chelsea) - It's new, looks great and it's the bar of one of the hippest hotels apparently and in the summer I reckon it will be great. However, not too busy. Don't go out of your way. http://www.wguides.com/Details

Thom Bar (Soho) - The upstairs bar int he Thompson Hotel is a good stop by and I've been to some great nights there. http://www.worldsbestbars.com

Hey! See also Guy's Restaurant Guide.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 1:15 AM | Comments (0)

January 8, 2004

THURSDAY 8th JANUARY

WESTVILLE

Went out with the Lady and saw her friends Lisa and Al. Ate at Westville on West 10th(?) which surprisingly turned out to be a disappointment - after some great meals here, they decided to serve me cold and tough sliced steak. The Lady's turkey burger was dry and arrived after I finished my meal... the boss guy wasn't there so I imagine the kitchen staff were having a laugh.... luckily hid the disappointment in a couple of great glasses of Cabernet.

Lisa later came up with a great idea for a blog. But I have forgotten it ;)

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

THINGS TO DO WHEN VISITING NEW YORK IN THE WINTER

I just emailed this to Davo who's coming over with his girlfriend in February. Brrrr:

Stuff to do with your girlfriend: horse and buggy ride around the park, a revolving restaurant or tower, Mid-Townshopping - ha, sky-lift to Roosevelt Island and back, walk along Brooklyn Bridge, checking out the Chelsea Hotel, Empire State, Grand Central (inc. looking up at the Chrysler building next door), Century 21 (shop next to Ground Zero).
Stuff to do with the people who live here already: finding the old speakeasy boozers in Greenwih Village, doing the round of 'oldest pubs in New York' downtown, wander around Soho, Tribeca, NoLIta stopping off in cosy bars, Jimmy's bar off Times Square and maybe the revolving bar there and there's a great steak place next to Jimmy's, bars and restaurants up Smith Street Brooklyn, bars and clubs in Williamsburg - just heard about one called Pete's Candy Store in a disused train, late night drinking in Meatpacking, ancient bars and eateries in Seaport, cuban food from Pedro's shack after watching live music in Dumbo, oh and the warship museum.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 7:24 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

THURDAY 8th JANUARY

UPS

So I walk in from meeting with Adam and the guy from UPS is there. 'Hey, you Brig-ton?' He swears he's been leaving my boxes and then picking them up when I didn't collect them from the lobby....

I don't know where but he was such a nice chap I kind of believe him. Hmmmm, shall I write to Amazon.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 6:59 PM | Comments (0)

January 7, 2004

HOW AMAZON RUINED MY CHRISTMAS

Below are details of my complaint today to Amazon. I will post their response - don;t hold your breath...

(a)102-4216876-xxxxxxx : Gifts to me from my Wish List
(b)103-6048262-xxxxxxx : Gifts from Wish List
(c)104-4044257-xxxxxxx : Items I bought

HOW AMAZON RUINED MY CHRISTMAS!!!

PLEASE MAY THIS BE HANDLED MY A SENIOR MEMBER OF STAFF

I cannot express in words my anger towards Amazon I have at the moment. Three times you guys failed to deliver items - (two of these failed to reach me before Christmas) and I can't understand why.

I finally received (a) yesterday (1/7/04) after you failed to deliver before Christmas. You emailed my sister twice saying fist that the items were lost and then a second time - it was returned due to 'customer refusal' - you what??? Are you saying I refused my gifts??? I work from home - no-one rang on the doors on any dates mentioned. And I certainly didn't refuse any items. Why wasn't any card left like UPS or FEDEX would.

When my brother queried the delivery for (b) he got a response 'COMPANY OR PERSON UNKNOWN, NOT DELIVERED;POSTCARD HAS BEEN SENT' - What does that mean?? Where's this postcard?? What do I do then? You have now told my brother that my gifts will not be with me until 21st Jan - THAT'S ONE MONTH AFTER CHRISTMAS!

For the delivery of (c) I had to walk a mile to the post office to collect my (crunched) gifts becuase USPS had failed to deliver. Why couldn't it have been left in the mail box of my apartment building???

I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER OF AMAZON.COM AND CO.UK FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW AND ALL I NOTICE IS YOUR SERVICE FALLIGN APART - BEZOS AND THE BOYS UPSTAIRS OBVIOUSLY DON'T CARE ANYMORE AND ARE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR PROFITABLE 'EXIT STRATEGY'.

BEING 3500 MILES AWAY FROM HOME, YOU RUINED MY CHRISTMAS - AS I USED YOUR WISH LIST. NEVER AGAIN.

I KNOW YOU OUTSOURCE YOUR DELIVERY -MAY I SUGGEST THAT SOMEONE WITH A BRAIN (PROBABLY FROM OUTSIDE AMAZON) TAKES A GOOD LOOK AT CUSTOMER DELIVERIES.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:26 PM | Comments (0)

WEDENSDAY 7th JANUARY

MOVING IN - MOVING UP

So the job at the ad agency / boutique is moving fast: yes, no pay yet - but today we looked at office space at a dotcom survivor on the corner of Hudson and Spring. It was interesting to visit one of those 'new media' offices designed by entrepreneuiral-boom dreamers: the big open spaces is now only a quarter full, the communal dining table that sits thirty today sat three, the think-tank rooms are stored full of PCs and their monitors (like a graveyard) and the company they sublet space in the corner (our new corner) has gone bust.

Walking the corridors reminds you of the dreams we all had, the effort we all put in and the disappointment we all felt. The Internet Revolution will come round again, I promise you (it may already be here!) and this time many of those buisness ideas that were pooh-poohed when the bubble burst will actually work.

On that note, I must send an email of complaint to one of the dot-com stars.....

Posted by Guy Brighton at 12:13 PM | Comments (0)

January 6, 2004

TUESDAY 6th JANUARY

CAFE DOMA DOS

New year and we're back down Cafe Doma on Perry Street for a kick off meeting. The place has a good attitude but I don't know how it survives with a bunch of out-of-work potential entrepreneurs and one-time actors drinking one coffee and hanging around for an hour.

Today the actors from Y Tu Mama Tambien were hanging on the next table. not too sure whether I'm going to tell the Lady yet - she'll drag me down to hang around until she can eye one of them up.... hmmmm.

Posted by Guy Brighton at 4:23 PM | Comments (0)

January 5, 2004

BAM EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

Dear Readers.

In Philadelphia on Boxing Day I woke up to the sad news about the earthqake in the Iranian town of Bam. I had been spending Christmas with my girlfriend's family (who are Iranian-Americans) and they were utterly devestated by the news. Her father's hometown was Bam - thankfully his brother and nephew survived as they lived there in a new house. Many of the other people her father knew lived in ancient clay built buildings and 80-90% of these collapsed whilst the city slept. At least 30,000 died that morning.

My girlfriend writes: 'I have visited Bam and have loved it so much -- its absolutely magical in its simplicity and charm. I would stay at my uncle's orange orchard and sleep under grand mosquito nets and millions of stars. It was beautiful!'

The international support for the 80,000 homeless survivors in the immediate aftermath has been pretty amazing. Even the Persian community in Philly gathered together and literally sent people with bags of dollars and suitcases of drugs in an attempt to help the people in the region.

I feel that the least I can do whilst we still feel the last echoes of Christmas spirit is ask my friends if they would care to donate towards the ongoing care of its people. I hope you don't mind me asking.

The link below is for The Children of Persia fund which I think seems appropriate.
http://www.guidestar.org/<< Don't delay this - click to donate today please <<

Other Relief funds:
http://www.niacouncil.org/

IRCRCS --you can click on donations online and
specificy "Disaster Relief Emergency Fund"
http://www.ifrc.org/what/disasters/response/iran.asp

Donate directly to the Red Crescent Society of the
Islamic Republic of Iran (IRCS).
http://www.rcs.ir/

PLEASE PASS ON

Many thanks and Happy New Year!