Yes, a bit of Dylan, from before he went weird/wired. “Grabbed hold of a subway car And after a rocking, reeling, rolling ride I landed up on the downtown side Greenwich Village“ From the Staten ferry I walked to Greenwich Village via Tribeca, an area that accounts for 62% of total New York coffee… Continue reading TALKIN’ NEW YORK

Loads of songs about Staten Island, apparently, but the Wu-Tang Clan miss out to XTC in today’s song title shoot off.  Not Andy Partridge’s greatest moment, but then neither was Tower of London. Thanks for all those advising me to take the free ferry to Staten.  The chances of us missing out on a freebie… Continue reading STATUE OF LIBERTY

On that 4th evening I was left to explore Williamsburg on my own. To be fair, my answer to their question; “What’s Williamsburg got, anyway” was “Hispsters and craft beer”. Oh, and it’s been called “the most toxic place to live in America“. Oddly, it reminded me of the Northern Quarter, minus the Victorian pubs… Continue reading A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE (WELL, WILLIAMSBURG)

Sorry for only managing one post yesterday.  The internet ran out in Durham, which was completed to the backdrop of High Force waterfall.  I know how to live. I also knew that because the Guardianista writers at the New York Rough Guide are so sniffy about Coney Island was all the more reason to spend… Continue reading CONEY ISLAND BABY

Yes, my attempt to blog the American trip entirely by New York musical references continues apace.  Look out for future classics from Kajagoogoo, the Wu-Tang Clan and Anton Bruckner, possibly. We walked off the hummus and chimichangas on a stroll alongside the Hudson to the Lincoln Center, a place best known for the quality of… Continue reading EMPIRE STATE HUMAN

Another arty waffle breakfast, and then Day 3 was the “Big Tourist Day“. Yes, we were headed for Sugar Hill, an historic district of Harlem. I could have used the obvious U2 reference, but we all know “Rapper’s Delight” beats “Angel of Harlem” hands down. Actually, we were headed there by accident, having inadvertently got… Continue reading THE SUGARHILL GANG

“Enough of that Nu Yawk already“ shout readers Dave and Dick from the States. (They really do talk like that, though these days with a distinct Bewdley rather than Brooklyn twang). Sorry, loads more. Back in Brooklyn, 3/4 of our family were wiped out by 6pm, so I had to do the hard yards myself.… Continue reading NO SLEEP ‘TILL BROOKLYN

Just to prove I’m not that obvious, this one isn’t called Breakfast In America. Day 2 dawned, the breakfast bar opened at 7am, and we quickly realised that this was to be the weakest aspect of The Brooklyn’s offer (the rooms were great, i.e. the WiFi was). Stale coffee, Do-It-Yourself waffles in the shape of… Continue reading WOKE UP, IT WAS A CHELSEA MORNING

Day 1 in America, stuffed full of brisket beef and slopped with sun screen that I’d rushed out to get from the “drug store” in Crown Heights. So, where do you start with New York ? Yes, Wall Street, of course. Only 3 stops on what we came to know and love as the “A”… Continue reading HEY, MANHATTAN