new york, usa

1-8 October, 2014

Hello there Wally watchers!

The road trip has finished, the yoga course successfully completed, and now Damo and Kath have reunited to continue the rest of the adventure!

And what better way to reunite and recommence our trip than with a week in NYC?! Whilst it's not our first time here, we still did a whole bunch of new things.

The highlights

• Of course catching up with each other after spending the last 2 months apart. Yay! Won't be doing that again anytime soon.
• Our place in Williamsburg had an incredible roof top where we would drink coffee or champagne (depending on the time of day, sort of) and enjoy the jaw dropping views. 
• Living like a couple of locals in Williamsburg (sort of like Surry Hills), sleeping in (turns out Brooklyn doesn't start until midday), wandering markets, and taking things nice and slow.
• The hidden bars! Each night we would stumble across new hidden speakeasies and hidden lane ways, discovering uber cool spots. One spot, called Back Room, is one of only 2 remaining original prohibition bars, including swing dancing and drinking out of tea cups! It's so hidden that the are no signs and (although a little gimmicky) you need to obtain a password just to get in. Also a trip to an old fave from last time, La Esqunia (the bar inside a diner, down some stairs and behind a kitchen) and a groovy new one in Williamsburg called Maison where the bar tenders wear ties. Fun.
• Food, food and food. There is a population of about 22m people in New York, and with that comes a variety of food that is incredible! Coffee (they're getting better), bagels, Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, burgers at a Michelin star restaurant, date night steaks, the usual poached eggs a la Damo, and catching up with old friends from home (g'day Rees, Allie and Georgie) at a restaurant where we had Bill Murray's son cook for us!
• And of course the touristy stuff, including the 9/11 memorial, a Brooklyn Nets basketball game, riding bikes around Central Park, walking the streets of financial district, wandering the High Line, enjoying the coolness of Meatpcking and lower east side, checking out Chelsea Market and of course a broadway show with Dalbs and Brita! Oh, and a weisbeer and pretzel at nycs take on Oktoberfest. Can't forget that one.

The Summary

Weather: Getting cold! We even had to buy new jackets. 
Surf/yoga: DIY yoga (sometimes on said rooftop!) but unfortunately no surf
Food: Seriously, Bill Murray's son cooked for us (River Styx)! We also ate at Gramercy Tavern, and a bunch of other places. And Damo made some rad healthy smoothies.

Beverages: We found the last day of Oktoberfest and enjoyed a pretzel and some Weis beer! 

People: Shows with Dalbs and Brita, dinners with Rees, Allie and Georgie, and great chat with plenty of locals! 
Accommodation: Despite the hosts deciding to have a full on 45th birthday party in the tiny apartment without notice, the accommodation was quite good! To be fair, airbnb did a good job (in the end) of helping us out and even shouting us a fancy dinner! 
Budget: Surprisingly about 5% under
Overall: Who can hate NYC? Certainly not us. However next time you're there, check out Williamsburg. If/when we're back, this is where we'll stay again! 

Until next time,
Damo and Kath

Reunited at last! On a new york city rooftop no less :)

Check us gypsy travelers out having a Michelin star meal! Gramercy Tavern, yum. 

We went to alllll the speakeasys. This is one of the originals, with a live jazz band,  swing dancing, chandeliers and booze served in tea and coffee cups to boot! It's also accessed via password. Yep. Back Room. Check it out. 

Me, a little too excited about our all time fave speakeasy, La Esquina. We visited it in 2011. We came back for more. It's groovy.

We did so many fun things in nyc. This is us at the basketball! The Brooklyn Nets vs Tel Aviv. The Nets won, just. 

The high line! A mustfor the wondering traveler. We walked, we drank beers, and we thoroughly enjoyed the views. 

We are still not sure why, but there are pumpkins here, and they are everywhere. Thanksgiving? Halloween? We don't know, but they are BIG. And expensive. Here are a couple of specimens from Chelsea Markets.  

We levitated in art galleries. 

We celebrated Oktoberfest in NYCs financial district.  With pretzels...

And weis beers. Of course. 

We spent a morning at Williamsburg markets, they have so many groovy things there! 

And an afternoon peddling push bikes around Central Park. 

It wasa joyous ride! And the trees at this time of year are super pretty. 

We sulked around Times Squar and its neon lights. 

Saw a broadway show.

And caught up with these two! 

Damo made some friends in Brooklyn. Ha. He was actually a very cute puppy, and also belonged to a fellow Australian. 

In fact we speny a lot of time in Brooklyn. It's super cool with its people watching and cute streets (I loved Bedford Ave the most), and of course their glam views of Manhatten. 

Check out the Hudson. 

We were pretty excited by it. 

We went to the 9/11 memorial. These pools are incredible. 

And no NYC visit is complete without a Katz sanga! It's where Harry met Sally. And where salty cured meats met pickles and cheese. However be warned,  the sandwiches are HUGE (and for $25 a pop, you'd want them to be big)! 

Woah. Get excited. You know your arteries are! 

Damo does the metro. 

Me and my Brooklyn roadie outside one of our locals, Barcade, where you can drink beers AND play pinball! 

Our other local, a frenchie spot with live music. 

Turns out Obama was visiting NYC too! We were less than 200m from the guy. Apparently he is kind of a big deal. 

Our Williamsburg apartment rooftop!! Best! 

We ate homemade brekkies up there,  drank bubbles up there, and even did yoga up there! 

And this is inside our Williamsburg pad. Cat included. 

Oh, and one more pic of us to say farewell before we venture into Canada! We have Toronto,  the Laurentines,  Montreal, Quebec City and more ahead of us. Excited. Will write again soon. Au revoir! Xx