Hi everyone. I know I haven't posted for a while now, so I thought I would just mention some of the highlights. Suppose that's better than telling you how I walked down "x Avenue", and walked along "West umpteenth Street", and ate in such and such a cafe, etc. etc.

I was going to check my e-mail for free at the Applestore on Friday, but when I got there, the entrance was cordoned off, there were TV crews everywhere, and there were people lined up all the way round the block. I had noticed some of them there the other day, but had never thought to ask what they were doing there. I found out that they were about to release the iPhone, and that these people had been waiting two days in line to get it. Hmm. So I guess that meant I couldn't check my e-mail. However, I returned later that night, after spending the day downtown. The place was still packed, and people were still queuing up to buy the iPhone. However, I still managed to find a free computer, AND I was able to use the restrooms there.

The same day, I came across a market in Union Square (I think it's in Madison Avenue). Lots of homemade, organic food there. I had a bran and raisin muffin, some mint, green tea and grape juice, and I sampled some apple cider and apple ice wine and peach ice wine from a cidery in Ithaca, NY. I ate dinner at "Cafe Mogador", a Moroccan restaurant in the East Village. The best meal I'd eaten since I arrived. It was expensive, but definitely worth it, and it went down well with a nice glass of Bordeaux blend.

It's hard to find a good coffee in New York. To be safe, I've been getting a double espresso most of the time. But even in a good restaurant - even the Italian one I ate at last night, they seem puzzled. Either I get a long black with some milk on the side,like I did at Cafe Mogador, or they're just not that good; no pretty patterns made on the foam like you get in Melbourne. I think the best coffee I've had here was at a restaurant in Thompson St in Greenwich Village. It wasn't espresso, but it was organic, and it was beautiful. Have to go back there sometime just for the coffee!!

I seem to find myself in Washington Square Park almost everyday. There always seems to be something happening, whether it's jazz musicians, jugglers, or the "NYC annual Dyke March". There always seems to be lots of people. Mostly students from NYU I think, so I feel quite at home. Last night I sat there for about an hour, just listening to this African playing his instrument and singing.

I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art yesterday. The place is absolutely HUGE!! There is no way you can appreciate everything there on one visit. I really liked the impressionist paintings, and I also saw about three Stradavari violins on display, and the oldest existing fortepiano in the world, made in 1720 by Bartolomeo Cristofori, the inventor of the piano.

Something I have thought about doing while I was here was to go along to some poetry readings. As an undergraduate with a lot more free time on my hands, I used to go to Bar Open in Fitzroy on Wednesdays nights to hear open mic poetry. I gradually lost the energy and interest to keep going there. So I figure while I'm here, where almost everything seems to be so conveniently located together on a single island, it would be good to see some poetry. I managed to find the Bowery Poetry Cafe on Bowery Lane in NoHo. I had just missed a book launch which had included live music and poetry readings, but I was handed a flyer about a jazz/hip-hop fusion performance later that night. So I came back later that night, and I wasn't disappointed! The musicians were absolutely amazing!! I don't think I have ever seen a performance like this in Melbourne before! It's hard to describe in words, but they blew me away, and I hope I never forget the experience.

'Till my next installment, take care everyone,
Dale