The view from my hotel in San Telmo

Well here I am in Buenos Aires - and despite the Sun in the pictures taken from the rooftop of my hotel. it is winter here. I would describe that it is colder than Sydney - warmer than melbourne by comparison - Though I am thankful that it has not been raining like those storms back home!!!!!

My first five days have been spent in San Telmo - one of the older parts of Buenos Aires. Its a great place and I have been continually discovering new places of interest. I highly recommend a visit to this city!!!

Dinner and more drinks Sunday night

Ashley has only just moved to New York - to take a post at Columbia University, but his sister Amelia has been living here for a while already and she works at the New Yorker magazine. The last time i caught up with Amelia was around 2001. (correct me if im wrong on this).

Ash says Amelia knows her food so we took her advice and went to Bar Pitti - a great Italian restaurant in West Village/Soho area. Amelia and Ash were great company for dinner.
Dinner was then followed by some drinks at a bar in Soho called "the room" and then it was off to a rooftop bar on 5th Av and 27th St. The view is spectacular from up there - looking North to the New York city skyline- though some of the decor such as the stuffed leopard (see pic) and zebra didnt quiet match the ambience of the venue.

Tour of the West Side

The last few nights in New York, Im staying with my mate Ashley who I have known since about 1993/94 from my days in Young Labor. He too had had a big night on the lower east side sat night - so a late start on Sunday was a good move !!!! We went wandering from Chelsea (after a cleansing ale or two) to the meat packing district and then through West Village Im pictured at ash's fave intersection (4th and 11th street - work out how that grid works) and even saw a basketball match too as we walked by.

Drinks anyone ????

As for my Saturday - it ended up quite busy. I went to see the musical wicked in the afternoon - a very powerful but fun show. Then one of my friends in NY, Mark came out to the Hell's Kitchen area for drinks then dinner at a great Mexican place (- note the frozen margaritas above). As Mark had to work Sunday - he left me at a vodka bar called vlada- dangerous for me i know !!!!! - may i recommend the pineapple infused vodka martini. After this I went with some locals i had met at the bar to sample the New York nightlife on a Saturday - the music was great but not such a big crowd i have to say.

More pics from the MOMA

At the MOMA there was a major sculpture exhibit at the moment. Behind the sculpture is a wall filled with comedic commentary of recent world events - over a 5 storey wall .

Also I really liked some of the Warhol and Mondrian pieces so I threw in some pics from those too.

Some ideas for the lounge room

This morning I caught up for brunch with Nicholas's good friend Antoni - He said to say hello to everyone back in Sydney including Kent and Eliza. He was having a well earned week off of work (and had already been pampering himself).


I then went for my first visit to a New York museum. I went to the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art), I have always liked contemporary art. So I took a few pictures above are some design ideas for the lounge room. There were some groovy lamps on display - though I am not sure about the ones shaped as giant capsules ????

Day 2 in New York

If it wasnt for the desert called a "blintz" which was certain to soak up a lot of the alcohol I had consumed last night I am sure that I would have been broken today. I got up late and didnt do too much.

Tried to look at some shops but didnt find much of interest.

After a few drinks, I ended up at a charming old italian restaurant just off eighth avenue in Chelsea for dinner. It even had Frank Sinatra songs playing - If I hadnt realised already- I was definitely in New York and three weeks into my trip feeling a bit homesick. (a big hello to everyone at home)