Hibernation

No posting other the past weeks have not been due to lack of occasion. There has been very few noteworthy things have happened. I did move of apartments from George Washington 703 to George Washington 1103. My new flat offers the luxury of my own room but extra responsibilities as a Mountbatten RA, meaning I have to look out for the new interns that live in my flat. Poor them! Other than that, a weekend and a Monday feeling ill, watching movies and the onset of the New York winter have lead me to go into mini-hibernation.

It was getting boring so watch this space for the pro-activity and New York amusements galore!

Martin Luther King, Jr Day

Another holiday and another new camera! However this time it didn't arrive until after I'd spent the afternoon at Madison Square Garden, so no chance to lose it this time!

I watched the Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings 102-97 and played American pool in SoHo on my last day off work for at least a month. Happy MLK day!

Atlantic City, NJ

Atlantic City is the east coast's version of Las Vegas. Located in the south of New Jersey it is only a fraction of the size of its Nevada cousin and doesn't have the glamour associated it with it that a night in Vegas's casinos would. But alas for a lowly intern such as myself the $31 bus journey with $20 cashback on arrival was too much tempation to resist.

At 3pm in unseasonably mild January weather we arrived in AC and took a walk along the Boardwalk, where the majority of casinos are located and the rumour was confirmed. It isn't the most spectacular city to behold but if you like neon lights, cringe worthy music and slot machines then you're in heaven.

I elected, after some food and drinks of course, to play a bit of High Limit Texas Hold 'Em - the best type of poker there is. I wasn't feeling hugely confident and hoped my $10 games back in my apartment would stand me in good stead for this game that had a minimum $40 buy in. As I sat down and bought my chips I resigned myself to losing my money pretty quickly given how short stacked I was already. The first hand teased me as I was dealt two spades and flopped a flush - an almost guaranteed winning hand given what was on the board - it was not to be as someone else caught a flush but with an ace kicker. This started an unfortunate downward trend as even with a few good hands (ace king being one) my chips dwindled away. Then the tide turned. After being put all in and coming through with a pair of queens I stamped a little bit of authority on the game.

I regained my $40 stack and added a few more to boot. I won a few hands with straights and a few more with flushes. I was really enjoying myself and when I talked to some of my fellow Mountbattens who were set to join a table themselves they noted that I seemed 'buzzing' with excitement. I won't bore you with any more poker chat but I ended up walking away from the table three and a half hours later, $100 better off!

I throughly enjoyed the night on the AC poker table and was even happier as I had made a profit from my time away.

Benjamin Franklin!

Professional Bull Riding

Another Saturday night in New York but tonight's festivities were more like a night out in Texas...

After a meal and some drinks at the Rodeo Bar on 3rd Avenue we headed to watch the Professional Bull Riding event being held at Madison Square Garden. Its first time in New York and probably the first time for most of the audience but what a spectacle. With an American flag stretching from the ceiling to the floor of the arena, an indoor fireworks display and U S A spelt out in flames on the mud the opening ceremony kicked off everything will a bang. The only thing I found strange was the prayer said before the national anthem was sung.

Eight seconds each bull rider had to stay on the bull holding with only one hand. I have no idea who won but the "toughest sport on dirt" was a great way to spend an evening.

Steve and Roddy

A week tormented by these crazy fools was an enjoyable one if you factor in all the fun stuff we got up to. The Nets and the New Year were accompanied by a dander into Brooklyn and across the Brooklyn Bridge, dinner at Sea in Brooklyn (amazing Thai food!), an uneventful jaunt to the Bronx, Dim Sum in Chinatown (where we spotted Rachel Weiss), a new years day walk in a misty Central Park, ice skating at the Bryant Park ice rink and Steve and Roddy foolishly ordering and drinking Manhattans. We ended the week with a breakfast of pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs and maple syrup in a diner - how American!

Photos....

The fools themselves

NYC!

Christopher Street Station

Ice Skating

Christopher ummm Rath!

Central Park on January 1st

On the Brooklyn Bridge

Two thousand (and) seven!

Times Square, New York City for New Years Eve 2007. Need I say more?
Well actually I better in case you ever think of going along. Don't! One million people spend their evening standing in pens along Broadway or 7th Avenue not being entertained waiting for a number to change. The usual new year anticlimax I suppose. Next year I have promised myself that I'll do something really simple like having a nice meal and spending the midnight hour toasting the new year with friends.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though. We entertained ourselves as best we could and check out the top quality accessories!

Make it you new years resolution to read my blog more.......happy new year everyone!

2007!

Roddy, Steve and Me

Woooo - it's Times Square

When the new year rang in they played Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York", with everyone singing along, ticker tape fell from the sky and it made it seem worth it (sort of).

New Jersey Nets

One of the first things the guys and I did together in New York, excluding the hangover after too many beers in Greenwich Village, was leave. With the Knicks on the road and Rangers tickets difficult to get around the festive period we headed to the Continental Airlines Arena to watch the New Jersey Nets host the Minnesota Timberwolves. An enjoyable game with the Nets controlling much of the game and not allowing the NBA's 03/04 MVP Kevin Garnett play the fantastic basketball he is widely known for.

Even with a Nets win the atmosphere wasn't the quite same magic you get at Madison Square Garden. Luckily though no cameras were lost prior to this sporting event so here are a few pictures for you to enjoy.

Knackered

Four airports in four days, three timezones in three days, too many delicious meals to count and one fantastic Christmas later I was back in New York. I was tired but there was no time to rest as I was back at work (Dec 28th) and awaiting the arrival of Messers Boyd and Harkin for another week of NYC visiting madness. Watch it unfold in the next few postings and marvel at the photographic pilfering I accomplished in the week the guys where here.