Day 128 - Christmas Eve

This has been a tricky one for me today. Christmas Eve back home is one of the best times, if not the best time, of my year. Being away from family and friends has been tough.

So that I could get those home comforts, I went with a few guys to Jones Wood Foundry on 76th and 1st. JWF is a British style pub that serves all types of food from bangers and mash all the way through to fish and chips.

I chose the Steak and Kidney pie and then the Apple Crumble to finish. However, when I asked for Gravy I was brought a bottle of HP sauce and some caramelised onions!

It was great food but looks like they are lacking the knowledge in the condiments section.

Day 127 - Thank you Skype

I thought I would dedicate a post to Skype! The brilliant application that connects my voice and below average face to all my friends and family, for FREE! This is my first Christmas away from home and regardless of the fact that I am in New York, it doesn't stop you missing them.

I guess one negative of a virtual me, is that I am portrayed as a Zombie Elf!

Day 126 - Ski Bar @ Times Square

At Haven Rooftop at Times Square there is now a Ski Chalet. This cozy hideaway, that gazes over Manhattan was a perfect way of celebrating a Birthday.

Happy Birthday James!

Day 125 - Ryan's Daughter

To celebrate Mad Friday and the weekend before Christmas, a few of us went to Ryan's Daughter on 85th between 1st and 2nd.

This is one of the friendliest bars I have been to in New York. The booze is fairly cheap, there are free 'chips', the bartenders give you a free round if you drink more than 6 pints (rude not too then)' there is a pool table, a basket ball net and boggle!

Being a Welshman, with three Englishman in an Irish pub all we needed was a Scotsman and we would of had the full gang!

Day 124 - Brief spell of normality

After a week of living the NY dream, I was brought back down to earth with a hefty splash of Dunkin Donuts coffee! 

Spilling coffee, catching up on work and writing up absent blog posts is pretty much how this day has gone. 

Normality has resumed. At least for a few hours!

Day 123 - Volunteering @ Midnight Run

Tonight I volunteered for the Midnight Run charity. An organisation whose aim is to provide the bare essentials to the homeless within NYC. We prepared the food, organised the clothes and went to various stops around midtown manhattan. Out of respect, I didn't want to take any pictures while I was out and about.

On the way to our first stop, I did not really know what to expect. I certainly wasn't expecting an extremely polite group of people who were very grateful and curious as to why we were doing this. I didn't really know what to say to that question, other than "because I can and because I want to."

At our last stop, there was one lady that got to our van later than the others. Unfortunately, we had ran out of most of the clothes and she was looking for anything to keep her warm. Having searched all around our van, I had nothing to give her. I decided that I would give her my scarf and gloves and just pretended that I had not seen them in the van so not to cause a fuss. 

I will definitely be doing this again. It is without a doubt the best thing I have done since I have arrived in New York.

Day 122 - American Natural History Museum

To celebrate Dad's birthday, we went to my flat (more of a tribulation than a treat), visited one of the top ten burger joints in New York, strolled around Central Park and then finished off at The American Natural History Museum. A suitable place to reflect on your history as well as that of a Triceratops!

It was unfortunately Dad and Helen's last day out here today. I am extremely grateful for them coming out and seeing 'my' New York. I had an amazing time with them and can't thank them enough for all that they did to help me get out here. 

Fittingly, I am a third of the way through my time in NY as of today! Crazy quick.

My brother models his haircut on this bloke!

Day 121 - The Rockettes

This is a New York institution that I have been really looking forward to watching, The Rockettes at Radio City.

This leg kicking, jazz hand waving, synchronised dancing, Santa multiplying performance was unbelievable. I was completely engrossed!

Sneaky camera shot.

Day 120 - Saks Christmas Window

I took my VIP guests to see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and the Saks Christmas light show display today. The Rockefeller building was covered in cloud at its peak, providing an amazing backdrop to the gorgeous Rockefeller Christmas tree. We then turned around and watched the world famous Saks light display. If you are not in a Christmas mood yet, go on youtube and watch this light show.

Yottoy Senior and Yottoy Junior.

Day 119 - Greenwich Village, SantaCon & The Knicks

We had a self guided walking tour of Greenwich village today to take in the beautiful buildings and their proud Christmas decorations.

While we were walking around, you couldn't help but notice the thousands of Santa's everywhere. It was in fact SantaCon. The day in which people dress up as the beloved white bearded man in red and start drinking at around 10am and go until they turn into an angry elf. Around 1pm they are all loving life and spreading Christmas cheer, by around 6-7pm, the Santa's have already begun the transformation into buckled legged, angry elfs.


After our tour and day of being harrassed by Santa's, Dad and I went to watch the New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden. This was the best game I have seen out here, especially as the Knicks had not lost a home game all season. A stat that they were not willing to relinquish. The Cleveland Cavaliers, pushed them right to the buzzer, getting two free throws, If they sunk them both, they would have salvaged a draw and sent the game into extra time...

The first went in.

There was a grimace and gulp from the pro-Knicks crowd.

The player sporting a 1980s mullet, stepped up.

He squared himself.

He shot.

He...

MISSED!

The Knicks win 103 - 102.

What. A. Game!

Day 118 - Eleven Madison Park

Now this was a treat. We paid a four hour visit to Eleven Madison Park, the three Michelin star restaurant that tucks in next to Madison Square Park.

The 16 course menu, with locally sourced foods was outstanding. Exquisite in fact.

Each dish had an essence of angelic, simplicity owned to it. This was due to the basic titles; Cheddar, Cranberry, Beef, Pretzel for example. However, this was the end of basic. Each dish was presented as if it was a show piece in an art gallery; tasted as if your tongue had never experienced food in any form and smelt of brilliance.

This may be an over enthusiastic analogy of what we experienced, but believe me, it really was that good!

Afterwards we had a wander round the park and looked up at New Yorks first sky scraper, the Flat Iron building. Amazing night.

Day 117 - Spiderman Turn Off The Dark

I was treated to my first Broadway show tonight, Spiderman Turn Off The Dark. The best way to describe it is by referring to my description of American chocolate (see previous blog post for clarification).

After reading up on the show, I was pretty psyched. It was the most expensive broadway show ever; had (emphasise had) the director from the hugely successful Lion King and contains music and lyrics from Bono and The Edge. Perfect combination you would think. To be fair to it though, I am a big fan of the blockbuster movies, so it was going to have to be something special to be on the same level as these.

Admittedly the air acrobatics were pretty cool but the rest left you somewhat desiring for more. During each neck cranking, air walking scene, I was trying to work out why it was so expensive. For example, the props would not look out of place at a primary school nativity, the acting was ok and Spiderman was clearly not using a gym. At the half time interval, when we went to get Spiderman some food to bulk up for Act II, it suddenly clicked why it was the most expensive broadway show ever; they are paying for empty seats. The six or seven empty rows behind us, did not have one person in. Even the usher chose to stand up and stare at the wall!

Nevertheless, I am happy that I have been to my first broadway show and keep up a Lee Christmas tradition of going to see a pantomime!

Day 116 - Family + Chocolate + Deodorant + Steak

Today I welcomed two very special guests to New York. My Dad and Helen made the cross Atlantic trip over to the United States to come and see ‘my’ New York and do a bit of Christmas Shopping.

I was like an excitable kid at the arrival lounge while waiting with all the Chauffer drivers to meet and greet our relevant VIPs’. As the drivers were looking depressed and impatient in their ill fitting suits and un-polished shoes, I was stood their beaming and fidgety.

After they had settled in the hotel, Dad pulled one of the suitcases onto the bed. You may remember a few weeks ago that I wrote a blog post on the ‘average to poor’ standard of American chocolate. To rectify this issue, they bought Tesco’s 2013 stock of the good stuff and made sure that I would not be without! I am also not really getting on with America’s ‘roll-on’ deodorant affixation and so asked them to buy me a few cans of SPRAY deodorant. To avoid inconsistency with their previous buying behaviors, they followed suit and bought me sixteen cans of the stuff. SIXTEEN! Either I stink or they are extremely generous. I came to the conclusion that both statements are in fact correct.

To ensure that they got the best impression of ‘my’ New York, I took them to a New York institution; Keens Steakhouse. Dating back to the late 1800s, Keens Steakhouse was once a place where people could come and smoke their churchwarden pipes. Einstein, Teddy Roosevelt and J.P.Morgan are a few of the names to have graced this fine establishment.

Although you can no longer smoke your churchwarden pipe (if you do happen to be one of the six people who own one) you can eat one of their unbelievably good steaks! I went for the T-bone steak and although it did its damndest to put me in a meat coma, I trudged through and devoured the lot.

Day 115 - Christmas Lounge

As you walk into the entrance at one of the office's that I work at, you are greeted by a dozen, 4 foot, sparkling Christmas trees. They stand proudly, at even intervals on the banister rail leading up the sixth floor.

In addition to the Christmas trees, they have set up a full sitting room and how it would look on Christmas morning. One thing that really stood out for me, is that the Santa Claus that rests on the seat in front of the Christmas Tree, has an advent calendar on his belly. What I can only presume is the workings of a secret elf (the obvious conclusion) changes the date each morning on this advent calendar.  I love this attention to detail!

Day 114 - Grand Central Christmas Market

As you would expect, Christmas Markets are in abundance in New York.

The one within Grand Central, has an aura of elegance about it. This may have something to do with the HUGEnormous chandeliers that hang above the stalls but nevertheless, it is surprisingly not that busy. You would think that because this market is inside, warm and within the countries busiest station, it would be heaving.

Day 113 - #MBAFwends

I have been thinking that I never really post about University work that much. So, to prove that I am actually studying towards an MBA, I hired this classroom out and actors to stand and take a picture with me...

Seriously though, having class on a weekend (in New York) really isn't that bad, especially when the level of teaching is as good as it is and the class is so interactive. 

End of soppy message. I promise there will be no more for at least another 100 days.

First assessed presentation.

August 2012 - December 2013 Mountbatten Institute MBA Students