NYC

We're back after spending Christmas in New York. This is my second X'mas away from home. The first time was when I was in Palembang covering the Silkair crash. I remember our friends from the office sent all of us (we had quite a large team there) a box of goodies from home, including coke and such!
Anyway, NYC was great...we did as much as we could with a 4-yr-old in tow, who wanted to be carried much of the time, and would throw a tantrum and refuse to budge if we didn't. Despite that, we did manage to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, one-way from Brooklyn to Manhattan; visit the Apple Store on 5th Ave on X'mas day (it was SUPER crowded cos it was one of the few stores open that day) go to Times Square several times; visit Rockefeller Center to see the famous X'mas tree and the skating rink just past midnite on Christmas morning; go to church on Christmas day; eat at Grimaldi's pizza; step into the New York Times building; go to B&H; Chelsea market, amongst other things.
My last visit to NYC was in 1999 so it was a long overdue revisit. New York is always nice. There really isn't any other city like it. It's so vibrant and crowded, just being there gets one excited (well me at least) and as our Chinatown bus was approaching Manhattan, we could see the skyline from Brooklyn and it was just very pretty, even on a gloomy day. I hardly shot but MJ got some nice pix. At one point he said he felt like Joel Meyerowitz, shooting the beautiful light which one can find only in places off the equator. The light back home is nice some of the time, but generally just too hard. A sea of heads emerging from the white smoke emitted by the hotdog/kebab stands outside the Apple Store was simply a photographer's dream to shoot. However, realistically, only one of us can shoot at a time, cos the other person's gotta keep an eye on Meg. I wonder if my days of street photography are over?
We met up with our friends Ginnie and Alfie, who've moved to NY and lived there for 4 yrs. They kindly let us stay with them for a night, after which we moved to Milford Plaza hotel, just a block away from Times Square. We went for a good dim sum lunch, desserts at Max Brennar, cup cakes at Burgers and Cupcakes, Southern food at Soul Fixins and BBQ ribs at Virgil's BBQ.
Needless to say, I've put on a few pounds! (actually, that's an understatement!)

If you take the Fung Wah Chinatown bus, you will pass this area along the highway, as you approach Manhattan. It's a beautiful sight, with the cemetary in the foreground and the craggy outlines of the city skyline in the background.
MJ's Joel Meyerowitz moment. This is a view of 5th Ave, between 58th and 58th St, where the 24/7/365 Apple Store is.
Dazzling lights at Times Square and where the most important shop for Meg is, Toys "R" Us.
Mummy, will you stop taking pictures already so I can eat them?!
The Apple Store by night. The place is cool, reflecting the apple brand, and FAO Schwatz is right beside it. In fact, they share the same address! (but different zip code)
One of the numerous moments where Meg decided to show her temper when her demand to be carried was not met. We didn't dare walk off too far even though we wanted to teach her a lesson, for fear that someone might just swoop her away.

For more pix, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/12384386@N02/sets/72157603577940531/