Saturday 26th July 2003 - Brooklyn
Can I get a Philly Cheese Steak and a coffee regular?
OK, let's get the old priorities straight here... I'm in Union NJ and just around the corner is the very place where, last year, I discovered the Philly Cheese Steak for the very first time. I mean, how could I not pay The Lunch Box a visit? It would have been un-English! Well, how fortuitous was my timing? Very fortuitous, I'll tell you what!
OK, let's get the old priorities straight here... I'm in Union NJ and just around the corner is the very place where, last year, I discovered the Philly Cheese Steak for the very first time. I mean, how could I not pay The Lunch Box a visit? It would have been un-English! Well, how fortuitous was my timing? Very fortuitous, I'll tell you what!
The Lunch Box: Revisited
Terrence and Bill remembered me from my visits last year. What's more, they remembered my predilection for Philly Cheese Steaks and immediately put the heat to the meat, fixing me up with a coffee regular to keep me going. Now, that's what I call service. As we chatted, it became apparent that I had arrived just in the nick of time - a couple of hours later and they would have been closed for the week. How tragic would that have been? It would have been totally sucktitudinal, that's what it would have been.
Anyway, there's no need to go down that particular Nightmare on Elm St. as I got my cheese steak and some friendly chat. Although they wouldn't spill the beans on what was coming up in the next series of the Sopranos, it was nice to re-visit somewhere that you'd been on previous visit, where they remembered you and were pleased to see you again. It was a real Cheers moment and a total contrast to how you're treated in eateries in the homeland. In the UK, you're lucky if they acknowledge your presence, then treat you like crap, before doing unspeakable things to your meal, whilst out of your sight.
Anyway, there's no need to go down that particular Nightmare on Elm St. as I got my cheese steak and some friendly chat. Although they wouldn't spill the beans on what was coming up in the next series of the Sopranos, it was nice to re-visit somewhere that you'd been on previous visit, where they remembered you and were pleased to see you again. It was a real Cheers moment and a total contrast to how you're treated in eateries in the homeland. In the UK, you're lucky if they acknowledge your presence, then treat you like crap, before doing unspeakable things to your meal, whilst out of your sight.
Down And Out In Brooklyn
Ok. So we're in New Jersey, right. Unfortunately, all the band's merch is in Brooklyn. Now, some could say that it would have made more sense if someonehad arranged for the merch to be sent to Adi's to be waiting for us, rather than for us to have to go into Brooklyn, on a Saturday morning, when we've some drunken punks to pick up at Newark Liberty, not to mention a five hour drive to Baltimore. Some, may say that. But, not I. Oh no, not I. Actually, it didn't bother me a great deal. I was glad to have another look at New York and ride across the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a very impressive structure and distinctive landmark.
A Bridge Too Far?
The pride of the Roebling family and the world's first steel suspension bridge, with a span of 1596 feet. The building of the bridge is a tale in it's own right, taking the lives of its architect John Roebling and the man who carried on his late fathers work, Washington Roebling.
Click here to learn more about the construction of The Brooklyn Bridge
Click here to learn more about the construction of The Brooklyn Bridge
Dropping some NYC
Coming off the Brooklyn Bridge, heading uptown, we took Center St. up to Canal, straight through the heart of Chinatown, skirting the northern edge of the Tribeca, making for the Holland Tunnel, the New Jersey Turnpike and all-points south. The sights and sounds of a Saturday morning in Chinatown bombard the senses, providing a kaleidoscope of colour and sound sensations that cause you to look all around you constantly.
To an Englishman from a small northern town where the most exciting thing to happen in 40 years, is the building of a roundabout, all of this is just a total culture shock and, to some extent, complete sensual overload. The sheer volume of traffic, both motorised and pedestrian is overwhelming.
Looking back, I remember sitting in the van, absorbing as much as I could, just soaking it all up, like a sponge. It suddenly occurs to me that this is what it is must be like to be a child; seeing things for the very first time, viewing everything with wild-eyed wonder, wondering what it is and what it does.
I'm no stranger to large cities, but New York is in a league all by itself, a truly wonderful place that is not like anywhere else I've been.
To an Englishman from a small northern town where the most exciting thing to happen in 40 years, is the building of a roundabout, all of this is just a total culture shock and, to some extent, complete sensual overload. The sheer volume of traffic, both motorised and pedestrian is overwhelming.
Looking back, I remember sitting in the van, absorbing as much as I could, just soaking it all up, like a sponge. It suddenly occurs to me that this is what it is must be like to be a child; seeing things for the very first time, viewing everything with wild-eyed wonder, wondering what it is and what it does.
I'm no stranger to large cities, but New York is in a league all by itself, a truly wonderful place that is not like anywhere else I've been.
Pictures Of A City
One of the things I try to do when taking pictures, wherever possible, is NOT take the same picture as ten million other people. Even when it is the same thing that everyone else is snapping, I attempt to do something different. Of course, it doesn't always work and it isn't always possible, but the least I can do is try. Well, no, the least I can do is wave. (And if you understood that, you're just as sad as I am!) Anyway, digressions aside, I hate that: here's me with such and such; here's the missus with such and such; here are the kids with such and such. God, that sucks! So, my holiday snaps consist of lots of pictures off odd stuff - things that say New York to me, such as the 'New York Sightseeing' bus. It just happened to cross as I was focusing on the traffic jam. The HSBC sign just amused me because I bank with the Honkers and Shankers.
The Canal St. sign says New York as much as anything, but also acts as a landmark picture. I take pics of road signs every so often, then when I look back at the pictures, I know the order they were shot in and I can , so I can trace the route I took. As for the National City Bank? I just thought it was interesting.
I love American road signs. It's as though space is at a premium, even on road sign poles, so they shove as many on as they can. Raise Plow is one of my favourites; I had to ask what it meant. Then there's the no standing sign. I know this is David Blaine country bust what do they expect people to do? Float across the road?
The US Post Office was such a lovely deco building, I couldn't resist. The shot of the buildings with the water tower on the roof reminded me of when I saw Simon & Garfunkel back on their '80s reunion tour; their stage set was a roof top with a water tower - so New York skyline.
I thought that the advertising for cosmetic surgery was just so gross, but when I looked back at this sequence of pictures, I began to wonder if the plastic surgery reject bins have a deal going with the street-corner Hot Wiener vendors? NY City and Rhode Island are the only places where it is still legal to sell Hot Wieners. These wonderfully tasty creations are made from everything that is left over after they make a hot dog. No, I know, it doesn't bear thinking about but they do taste good. It's like chorizo, tastes wonderful but just don't read the list of contents...
The Canal St. sign says New York as much as anything, but also acts as a landmark picture. I take pics of road signs every so often, then when I look back at the pictures, I know the order they were shot in and I can , so I can trace the route I took. As for the National City Bank? I just thought it was interesting.
I love American road signs. It's as though space is at a premium, even on road sign poles, so they shove as many on as they can. Raise Plow is one of my favourites; I had to ask what it meant. Then there's the no standing sign. I know this is David Blaine country bust what do they expect people to do? Float across the road?
The US Post Office was such a lovely deco building, I couldn't resist. The shot of the buildings with the water tower on the roof reminded me of when I saw Simon & Garfunkel back on their '80s reunion tour; their stage set was a roof top with a water tower - so New York skyline.
I thought that the advertising for cosmetic surgery was just so gross, but when I looked back at this sequence of pictures, I began to wonder if the plastic surgery reject bins have a deal going with the street-corner Hot Wiener vendors? NY City and Rhode Island are the only places where it is still legal to sell Hot Wieners. These wonderfully tasty creations are made from everything that is left over after they make a hot dog. No, I know, it doesn't bear thinking about but they do taste good. It's like chorizo, tastes wonderful but just don't read the list of contents...
More Pictures Of A City
Part of the fascination of New York for anyone with a photographic eye is the variety of the skyline. Wherever you look there are great photo ops. Mind you, they still can't persuade people that 6th should be called Avenue of the Americas. "Come on, buddy, it's sixth and nuttin aint ganna change dat!"
The church is situated just before the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. At first I thought the it had the huge advertising billboard on it, then I realised that was attached to the building next door! I had visions of big screen TVs in church tuned to the sports channels to entice people to attend. Well, I guess I'll be going downstairs then...
The Holland Tunnel is basically this big, leaky pipe under the Hudson River. The two dark, blurred pictures are inside the tunnel and I just liked the colour and shape of the images. I can't say I feel very comfortable about the tunnel though; there was far too much water around for my liking.
The last shot is after you come out of the tunnel and head towards the Turnpike. Everywhere you go, you are faced with massive billboards, advertising something or other. It's as much part of the American scenery as anything else. In this case it's inviting to spend your hard-earned on lottery tickets and the possibility of winning $27 million! Now there's an American dream right there.
Click here for the next bit
The church is situated just before the entrance to the Holland Tunnel. At first I thought the it had the huge advertising billboard on it, then I realised that was attached to the building next door! I had visions of big screen TVs in church tuned to the sports channels to entice people to attend. Well, I guess I'll be going downstairs then...
The Holland Tunnel is basically this big, leaky pipe under the Hudson River. The two dark, blurred pictures are inside the tunnel and I just liked the colour and shape of the images. I can't say I feel very comfortable about the tunnel though; there was far too much water around for my liking.
The last shot is after you come out of the tunnel and head towards the Turnpike. Everywhere you go, you are faced with massive billboards, advertising something or other. It's as much part of the American scenery as anything else. In this case it's inviting to spend your hard-earned on lottery tickets and the possibility of winning $27 million! Now there's an American dream right there.
Click here for the next bit
