Manhattan is barking!

A blog posting on the canines of New York City, as requested by Isla, for Lenny, the Jack Russell.

NYC is crawling with dogs; they really love their dogs here. Apparently there are over 1 million dog owners in the city. The most popular dog of choice appears to be a poodle, or those small, yappy handbag dogs.

A lot people tend to carry their dogs, while crossing the streets or at the end of a walk (I don’t really blame them, Central Park is massive, I sometimes wish I could get a piggy back home). I haven’t seen a dog bigger than a poodle being carried though; I hope to see someone carrying a German Sheppard before we go!

Is he wearing denim?

If you thought carrying a dog around the park is bizarre, nothing is a mad as the doggy fashion they adopt. There is an abundance of dog clothes shops here!

Gold body warmers are this seasons must have.

All the parks we have visited so far have specific walking arenas and ‘gyms’ for dogs. Apparently there is even a classification of New Yorkers called ‘doglers’ – those people who love dogs and would like to own one but can’t due to their lifestyle, so they get their dog fix by hanging out in dog parks now and again...

And if all this wasn’t barking enough, I even came across a specific blog for dogs this afternoon: http://ablogfordogs.tumblr.com/ ...woof!

Seriously?

Emily

No Trouble in Little China

Started our day in China Town. A very busy area of New York, with good shops and lots of interesting places to eat...although there was a dinstinct smell of wet dog in the air yesterday, which cut our visit a little short.
China town like Greenwich, doesn't follow the same city layout as uptown Manhattan, so is a little more difficult to navigate. But after a little walking around we managed to find Bret and Jemaine's apartment from Flight of the Conchords.

Bret and Jemaine's Apartment

Had lunch at the "five points" (which is now known as Columbus Park), whilst watching a basketball game. We then headed over to SoHo for some shopping and some ice cold beers.

Arran

A Day at the Museum

Went to the American Museum of Natural History today. It has a suggested entrance fee of $19, but you can grit your teeth and pay what you wish...so we did.
Took around 4 hours to see most of it, with the exception of a few closed exhibits. These were closed due to a special baquet for the Joint Chiefs of Staff later that evening. Not sure we should of overheard that.

Cheetahs in the African Savanna exhibition

The museum is well worth a visit and some of the exhibitions are exceptional.

Arran

Messing around on the river!

When the weather is fine then you know it's a sign...for messing about on the river!

The weather was fit fine (for the Aberdonian audience) on Tuesday, so we decided to take a row boat out on Central Park Lake.  Arran did most of the rowing - it was all I could to do to stay steady at some points (nearly fell out, getting into the boat!), but once I found my sea legs I paddled for a bit. Great way to see more of the Park; would definitely recommend it and at $12 it’s an absolute steal for an hour’s worth of entertainment!

Emily on Central Park Lake

Just before our boat ride, we settled down for some lunch under a tree. A word of warning for anyone looking to visit the Park in the autumn (actually, this could apply to any autumnal park), don’t sit under a tree...within seconds of us getting settled we heard a huge crashing noise. A massive football sized, acorn type thing, fell from the tree, inches from our heads. We nearly got taken out! It was honestly about the size of Arran’s head. We promptly moved from that spot and moved closer to the centre of the lawn with all the wise local New Yorkers. Shortly afterwards another mammoth acorn fell from the tree!

Can anyone tell us what the hell this is?

Finished our afternoon in the sun with some lovely cold beers in the Boathouse in the Park – so far, it’s the cheapest beer in town at $3.25!

Emily

New York City Marathon

Went down to Central Park today to watch some of the 46,000 runners of the New York City Marathon complete their ordeal of 26.2 miles through the five boroughs of New York.

Haven't seen so many sweaty americans struggling to breathe, since I was in McDonalds yesterday.

Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya won in a record breaking time claiming a cool $130,000.

Arran

 

Friends of the Hi Line

Had a bit of a lazy start today and caught up on our laundry. It was funny getting the lift down to the basement to the laundry room, it felt very American!
After lunch in the apartment we decided to head over to see the High Line. We read about the High Line  before arriving in New York - It's a project funded  by donations and organised by two local architects; they completely transformed a former elevated freight railroad called the West Side Line (In lower west side of Manhattan), its now a public park.  Pretty cool park to have in your area! They also had these “viewing decks” where you can sit on benches and look down at the road and all the busy traffic whizzing by.

High Line in Chelsea

We then headed back over to Washington Square Gardens. I think it is quickly becoming one of our favourite chilling out spots. We went to the University Cafe for a couple of slices of pizzas and coffee, before settling on a bench to listen to the amazing piano man busker. I don’t think there is any tune this man can't play!

Washington Square Arch

Headed along Fifth Avenue and did a bit of shopping before heading back to the apartment for an early night – up early tomorrow to watch the New York Marathon!

Emily

You can always go...Downtown!

Took the Subway Downtown this morning (where all the lights are bright and the neon signs are pretty).

It felt like the coldest day in New York so far, so we decided to take a chilly one hour round trip to Staten Island! It was well worth it, to see the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan Skyline on the way back. Got some great photos and a short video (Arran’s hand nearly fell off, it was so cold up on deck!).

Had lunch in Hope Park before heading along Wall Street to see the Occupy Wall Street Demonstration. Not really sure what I was expecting, but it seemed a little small and unassuming in comparison to all the media coverage. Must have been around 40 people there, some with signs, others just sitting outside tents in silver Kit Kat wrappers keeping warm. We had a quick look round the camp, quite an impressive set up, they had a press & information tent with two guys typing away furiously on apple notebooks, i’m guessing churning out press releases (I don’t know if I could write press releases in those conditions!).

It certainly is!

We then headed over to Ground Zero and had a look at the new building in progress – One World Trade Center. Also had a quick look around St Pauls Chapel while we were there. It was used predominantly by the volunteers as a rest place during rescue shifts after 9/11.

The One World Trade Centre in progress.

Looking forward to heading back Downtown and visiting Brooklyn, sometime next week.

Emily

Spent some time in TIme Square

Did a bit of sightseeing today, mainly around Times Square. Bought some comedy tickets to a show at the Comic Strip, the ticket seller asked us if we had heard of a comedian called "Billy Connelly", apparently he was spotted by Woopi Glodberg in Comic Strip and it launched his career in the US. Looking forward to using those tickets sometime next week.

Found a  nice little Japanese bar in the East village last night, pretty cheap. Nice Japanese beer called Sapporo.

Catching the Staten Island ferry tomorrow and will have a look at the One World Trade Centre, and maybe see a bit of the Occupy Wall Street demo on the way back.

First day in the Big Apple!

Had a busy first day in NY, exploring the city and getting to grips with the blocks/streets/avenue system and zebra crossings (cars can still turn left onto crossings, even when you are mid crossing - hey I'm walking here!)

Took in an exhibition at the public library (beautiful building, amazing inside, see our pics!) and wandered around part of Central Park, before getting a quick bite to eat (one of the biggest cookies I have ever seen!).

Planning on heading to Greenwich Village tomorrow and hopefully trying a restaurant recommended to us by a new, New York friend! :)

One way both ways, means two ways.

 

 

 

Emily

Halloween in New York

Arrived safe and sound in New York and it's Halloween night. Oooooohhh!

It's been a very long 30 hour day and we've been awake for most of it, but the parade was too spooktacular to miss.

Scooby Doo gang at the New York Halloween Parade.

Arran