2007 -New York

December: Monday...I caught the gypsy van with Jo and Sarah from outside Ramona's apartment in New Jersey, blasted through the Lincoln Tunnel and nudged our way through to Port Authority. They were going shopping. I had other things I wanted to do. We arranged to meet at 5Pm at Ramona's work place.

Last time I went to NYC (back in 2002) it was more of a convenient hub whilst Jo, Kelvin, Ramona, David and I travelled to far corners of America, and I recall thinking back then that I was a bit bored with the city. Now, five years on, I've rediscovered the joy of simply being there. I must have walked over a hundred miles in the days I spent in Manhattan. No headphones. No distractions. Just me and my thoughts and the freezing winter biting at my face (loved it). I strolled past my old haunt of Zidos cafe (now called Push) on 23rd and 3rd... and found a new haunt, down in Soho, on the corner of West Broadway and Houston. I didn't get very much writing done, but I was able to get a lot of deep thinking done for Shadows of the Quantinex, the major campaign I'm writing for Yellow Dawn.

2007 -New York

December: I pushed West, treading new streets and avenues. I wanted to know what the "edge of Manhattan" actually looked like. The stereotype of New York is all skyscrapers and a visage of modernity... but I knew there was a much older and gritty New York beneath the surface.

I found my way to the industrial piers that used to bring so much wealth into the city... you can see Brooklyn Bridge to the left, a helicopter (black speck) in mid distance heading towards the Statue of Liberty (right side) and the shores of New Jersey (far right).

2007 -New York

December: one of the numerous choppers flying back and forth to the Statue of Liberty and other sights to see.

2007 -New York

December: the edge of Manhattan...away from the stereotype skyscrapers and bright lights.

2007 -New York

December: the edge of Manhattan...fragments of forgotten times.

2007 -New York

December: the edge of Manhattan...fragments of forgotten times.

2007 -New York

December: I had by now found my new cafe of choice, on the corner of West Broadway and Houston; I'd spent a couple hours there and was now striding back uptown towards 41st and Park Avenue as the light began to fade.

2007 -New York - Floyd H

December: I grabbed a bite to eat with the girls then headed back downtown to meet up with my ex-pat Geordie mate Floyd. A top night with him in the Ear Bar, on Spring, out on the Westside.

2007 -New York - Floyd H, x

December.

2007 -New York

December: Tuesday... another van ride back into the city. Another day of striding around on my own whilst the girls shopped.

2007 -New York - Oj

December: this was also the girls birthday. We all met up with Ramona and grabbed a meal at an amaaaaazing pan-asian restuarant near Times Square...the bill was close to 300 for the four of us, but worth it...

2007 -New York - Sarah

December: birthday food.

2007 -New York - Sarah

December: demur.

2007 -New York - Oj

December: the table server treated us really well, and even brought out an extra big portion of sweet delights for Jo and Sarah when he discovered it was their birthday.

2007 -New York

December.

2007 -New York

December.

2007 -New York - Oj, Sarah

December.

2007 -New York

December.

2007 -New York - Oj

December: Wednesday...

2007 -New York

December: one of the few memories I have of New York from the 2002 trip, which was mainly a place of recovering from jet leg from the non-stop rebounds from various corners of America and Canada...was a cold grey day when we went to a small eating place and I had the most incredible Macaroni Cheese. The meal left a lingering impression in my brain. In fact, when this current trip was being planned one of the first things I thought of was, "fantastic, I'll be able to have that macaroni cheese again".

So this is the place. Chat 'n Chew. Nothing fancy but really special and a host of great american home-cooking style food to chow down on, perfect for a freezing and windy day in the city. I had the macaroni cheese, and I didn't need to eat again until the following lunchtime.

2007 -New York

December.

2007 -New York - Djr

December: Times Square.

2007 -New York

December: Thursday... the first morning we woke up the view was concealed by a wall of snowy fog. Today was a glorious clear day. I went up onto the roof of Ramona's apartment and took this shot, overlooking the edges of Weehawken, the Hudson river, with Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance.

2007 -New York

December: I grabbed the gypsy van and rode into the city solo. Another day of striding around the city, with a couple hours interlude in my cafe.

Recognise this place? Ironically only a stones throw from Spring, where I'd been a couple times previously... down on Westside, North Moore Street...

...it's the Ghostbusters Headquarters.

It was really great to be there. I know it's only a fictional representation of a place used in a film made over 20 years ago, but it holds a special place in my heart and my brain. I sent a text message to my sister right after I took this photo...it would have been around 5Pm for her, telling her where I was standing.

What I found really interesting is the fact there's a great cafe on the opposite side of this building... right over the laser containtment grid.

2007 -New York

December: walking across Brooklyn Bridge.

2007 -New York

December: view from Brooklyn Bridge.

2007 -New York

December: random guy crashed out on the subway.

2007 -New York

December: we met up with old friends, Jim Morgan, Linda and Tracy, and went to a fantastic little eating house on the Lower East side.

2007 -New York - Jim

December

2007 -New York

December: you wouldn't suspect such a fantastic place to eat existed down this alleyway.

2007 -New York

December: after the fantastic meal, we all trudged through the bitter cold, and edgy streets of Lower East side...through an area where people have been shot recently...to a place that only serves chocolate and wine, and presents a weird dichotomy between the people sitting inside, paying $15 for a glass of wine and a couple of divine chocolate, and the people walking past outside.

2007 -New York - Linda, Ramona, Oj

December: Cocoa Bar, all the walls of the place are chocolate brown, the lights are low with moody candlepots creating a Rembrandt glow across faces and furniture. Fantastic.

2007 -New York - Oj

December: Cocoa Bar, I had to use a really slow exposure because of the lighting...created some interesting effects...like the three faces of Jo.

2007 -New York - Tracey

December: I've not seen Tracey since 2000, when Kelvin and Tony and myself sat in his lounge with several others who were not so drunk as us. A lovely bloke.

2007 -New York - Linda

December: Cocoa Bar, Linda is the other half of the Linda & Tracey duo... fab couple, fab people. It was lovely to see them again after so many years.

2007 -New York

December: this is the view from the road outside Ramona's apartment, same as before but without the snowy clouds drifting around the towers. It is such a jaw-dropping awe-inspiring and emotive view...to stand there and just see it stretching off for miles in both directions...

2007 -New York - Oj, Sarah

December: After many nights of effort, Ramona finally finshed decorating her tree. It made her apartment even more delightful and cosey to spend time in.

2007 -New York - Ramona

December: she looks so happy she looks like a teenager at Christmas.