New York Diary: Part III.

New York Diary: Part III.
Impossible In New York.

I didn’t exactly get up with a ping this morning on account of the 5 glasses of Wild Turkey I sank last night but I’m really excited about today.

Today we’re gonna take a cab over to Brooklyn, get some pizza at Grimmaldi’s, have some ice cream and walk back across the Brooklyn Bridge.
Taxi’s in New York.
What can I say about taxi’s in New York?

You pretty much risk your life every time you get into a cab here.
Today was no exception.
This guy didn’t know how to get to Brooklyn and we had to direct him a little bit.
But for a guy who didn’t know where he was going, he drove like a suicide!
With his palm constantly slamming the horn, we got to Brooklyn in lightning time!
Heh heh.

Grimmaldi’s Pizzeria is almost under the bridge.
It has one of those “Best Pizza In New York!” signs outside.
Every pizza joint in New York has a sign like that but with Grimmald’s, It might just be true!

I wish I could eat pizza from Grimmaldi’s for the rest of my life.

I hardly ever eat ice cream.
I like it but I don’t have a sweet tooth.
However…When in New York!

The Brooklyn Bridge is so impressive.

It’s a great experience to walk across it and it had a great effect on me.

I thought of the people who built it and the work they put into it.
Looking across the Manhattan skyline in perfect sunshine is one of the best things anyone can do!
You realise that, although Manhattan Island is only 14 miles long and 2 miles wide, it really is the biggest place on Earth.
Understand?

After crossing the bridge we found ourselves at the site where the Trade Centre buildings came down.
The new structure is looking good and so far as I know, They’re gonna make it even taller this time.
Know why?
Because New York has balls.

I had a lot of time to sit and look at that building because my Sister and Mother disappeared into a store for (Wait for it) 5 HOURS!
Is this a record Ladies?

I didn’t mind because that was 5 hours of wandering time for me which took in St. Paul’s Cathedral, a graveyard, some deli’s and the big rusted iron cross salvaged from The Twin Towers.
Seeing a thing like that really hits you like a sledgehammer in the face.

Night fell and after more walking we went back to the hotel afterwards and took in some ridiculously funny TV.

If we had shows back home with titles like “Police Women Take Down” and “Hoarders: Buried Alive” I don’t think I’d ever leave the house ever again!

I maybe should’ve stayed in the hotel because tonight something scary happened to me.
Later on, as ever, I’m out on the street looking around and taking photos.
I spent some time in a comic book store below The Empire State building and drank some coffee in a couple of deli’s.
I’m walking along when I feel the need to pee.
Bad.

There are bars I could go to but I need to pee RIGHT NOW!
I spy TGI Friday’s on 34th Street.
I run in through the side doors and up the stairwell.
Apart from the stairwell I’m on, this building is deserted and all the doors to the bars are locked.
I look through the glass doors on every level of the building and see upside-down stools on top of dark, closed bar tops.
I run back down the stairs to leave through the doors I came in but they’re locked.
LOCKED!
I think it’s about 11.30pm now.

Typical.
I go to New York and end up locked inside of a building.
My first thought was to pee in the stairwell bin but I didn’t really want to do that.
What to do?
Easy.
I’ll just set the buildings alarms off and wait ‘till the NYPD show up!
I didn’t fancy doing that either.
I ran up the building again feeling hopeless when I saw a figure in the dark bar.
I rattled the locked door between us and said:
“HEY! I’m locked in here man!”
The guy said:
“Buddy we’re closed!”
Me: “Yeah I know that but I’m locked in this stairwell!”
Him: “You ain’t. Only one of the doors you came through is locked. The other one is open”

So I was back out on the street again feeling like an absolute idiot.
Ha Ha!
But there was no time to laugh at my own foolishness – I had to pee!
I raced up to The Tempest Bar and things were okay again.

Outside The Tempest that night, I met Kevin.
Kevin is about 46, homeless and tells stories for money.
He’d rob you blind if you turned your back but that aside, good conversation.

I also met Abbie and Brian that night.
– Pretty good people.

Abbey travels around and writes a great travel blog which you can find right HERE.
Take a look because she knows what she’s talking about.

I’m trying to think of tomorrow because tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day and coming from Glasgow where every weekend is like St. Patrick’s Day, I’m trying to avoid it all as best as I can.

Apparently,
That’s impossible in New York.

World Trade Centre Rising.

As ceremonies take place around the world to remember victims of the 9/11 attacks, around 2,000 workers are building a huge development at Ground Zero in New York.

Six skyscrapers, a museum, two massive waterfalls where the twin towers once stood, a performance centre and a rail terminal are gradually taking shape nine years after the attacks.

Work at the 17-acre site has been delayed by disputes over whether the essence of the buildings should be commercial or commemorative. Finally there has been a compromise, with a mix of both retail, office and memorial space known as One World Trade Center.

Responsibility for the site is divided between the governors of the states of New York and New Jersey, who own the land through the Port Authority and Larry A Silverstein, the leaseholder who holds the right to redevelop the office space.

Tower 1: The centrepiece, formerly known as Freedom Tower and now as One World Trade Center. Its planned height is 1,776ft (540m) echoing the date of the founding of the republic. It will be America’s tallest building, housing offices, an observation deck, restaurants and broadcast facilities. The project architect is David Childs of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Estimated completion date is 2013.

Tower 2: Also known as 200 Greenwich St. At 79 storeys high with a diamond shaped top and an 80-foot antenna, it will be the second-tallest skyscraper in NYC.

Tower 3: Also known as 175 Greenwich St, it will be the third-tallest building on the site and include shops, offices, trading floors. It’s scheduled for completion in 2014.

Tower 4: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the City of New York will take two-thirds of the office space at 150 Greenwich St. It is due for completion in 2013. Towers 3 and 4 were designed by architects Richard Rogers and Fumihiko Maki.

Tower 5: 130 Liberty Street will stand on the site currently occupied by the remains of the Deutsche Bank building, which was badly damaged by the 9/11 attacks. New York University has expressed an interest in leasing the building.

Plans for a Tower 6 were abandoned.

Tower 7: Or 7 World Trade Center, opened in May 2006 and is two-thirds leased. It includes a park and central plaza with 30ft-wide fountain. Tenants include its owner Silverstein Properties and Moody’s Corporation, WestLB, Ameriprise Financial, Dutch bank ABN AMRO, and Mansueto Ventures, publisher of Fast Company and Inc magazines.

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum comprises a museum, waterfalls and a park.

The museum is being constructed underground and will boast interactive displays explaining the 9/11 and 1993 terrorist attacks, as well as the part of the huge slurry wall that held back the Hudson River during the attacks.

At the twin towers there will be two massive waterfalls over illuminated pools. Names of the 9/11 victims and those of the February 1993 World trade Centre attacks will be inscribed around the edge of the memorial called Reflecting Absence and designed by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker.

The 1,000-seat performance arts centre to be designed by Frank Gehry will be home to the Joyce Theater which specialises in modern dance. Film festivals will also be held there.

The transportation hub will house a state-of-the-art rail terminal featuring retractable 150ft (46m) high “wings” made of glass and steel will let natural light to pass through to platforms 60ft (18m) below street level.

From BBC News.