The lunch 'run'

If you think that dodging speeding cabs on 3rd Avenue is the biggest stress at peak-hour lunchtime, you'd be wrong.

Entering a packed sandwich bar to create a custom-made treat is way worse.

'Order up or stand down!' scream the staff.

Yikes.

Pee

(The Jack Morton office is on the 14th floor of the black building at back left.)

Early morning on my block

Taken at 7.30am looking towards the East River on 44th Street.

Olympia House is where I'm staying - the doorman's just out of frame (as are the students and their bong pipes).

Those garbage bags are going to get mighty stinky when the summer months arrive.

Bright lights, big city.

Pee

These books are doing crazy business

Best-selling doodle fun.

Great work from an online game designer who turned his hand to writing for little ones.

Pretty hilarious stuff.

They remind me a little of Erik Moe's classic 'Tales of a Young Urban Failure'.

Pee

The boys in (NYPD) blue

I feel super safe knowing that the local heat are sitting inside snacking on donuts.

I thought it was a cliche. But it's true. They actually, actually, actually had donuts.

Made my day.

Pee

Shrek hits Broadway

Believe it or not, Shrek's now treading the boards.

Sure, it's always been full of belting tunes, but it's now officially a 'musical'.

One to take the family to in coming months.

Och aye the noo!

Pee

King Candy

LOVE this electronic billboard in Times Square.

Those adventurous candies taking over the city.

With me kinda like the planes that shot Kong off the Empire State Building.

I'm an anti-sugar crusader.

For obvious health-related reasons.

Pee

Might steal this sign for the office

Pee

Pop culture heaven

Stumbled on this wicked wee store just off Broadway.

Went weak at the knees upon spying the collection of old TV/film/music memorabilia.

Collapsed even further when I saw the prices.

Still, what a great way to waste away a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Pee

Gospel to go

Heard the sweet sounds of gospel choirs spilling onto the street this morning.

Stood outside this eatery and pretended I was in the most beautiful southern church.

Pee

Madagascar started here

Popped into the Central Park Zoo for a scout around (so I know the deal for when the family arrives).

What a special place it is.

Couldn't spot Marty, though.

Maybe next time.

But them penguins were certainly as shifty as the ones in the animated flick.

Pee

You're fired!

For the messy entrance to your building, Mr. Trump.

Pee

A horse is a horse, of course, of course

Snapped this guy in Central Park this afternoon.

Romantic action ahoy.

With the strong smell of dung as an ever-present contraceptive.

Pee

A special name

Pee

The sun's out

This little store on Lexington Avenue delivers a great big ray of sunshine.

Flowers, fruit and freshness.

A nice change from the concrete jungle creeping all around it.

Pee

I'm doing my laundry this weekend

Um, actually that's a lie.

I'm only walking it next door to the team at 'Symphony Dry Cleaners'.

For $1.25 a pound they'll wash and fold everything for me.

As I've said before, everyone is just trying to make a buck in this town.

Which basically means you can outsource everything in your life.

Pee

Hip-hop and you don't stop

Best place to get my weekly rap sheet.

Yesireeeee.

With a copy of Hip-Hop Weekly in my hot little hands I'm good to go.

And the guy running this newsstand on Third Avenue always has a little bit of wisdom to share.

Something for absolutely nothing. That's a rare thing in this city.

Pee

The local rag

I grab one of these freebies every morning to check out what's happening in the neighbourhood.

Cinema listings. Theatre schedules. Street market timings. Local politics and issues.

It also makes a great jacket liner when you're not entirely prepared for the icy wind that blows up Third Avenue.

Roll on summer.

Pee

Move along, nothing to be seen here

Yep, the good old street cart.

Loaded with candy, fat, and gas fumes.

Once upon a time I might have strayed its way.

Pee

The victim? A thirty-year-old mail . . .

Saw this dusty Ford parked outside the office this morning.

Hmmmmm. Envelope crime is a new one to me.

Pee

The 'walking man' is your friend

As you scurry up the avenues in NYC, it gets a bit painful to stop at every crosstown block to let the traffic rip by.

So when the walking man icon illuminates you leg it to save yourself a painful wait.

Pee

(This piccie was taken on my new BlackBerry about 20 minutes ago. Will be using it to snap life on the streets. Who'd have thought I'd willingly embrace digital technology? Hee hee.)

Our foyer lies

This funky little front-of-office installation suggests 'Spring has sprung'.

Given we're expecting freezing wet weather this weekend I'd have to disagree.

Very cool display, though.

Pee

It's an awesome L-Pee

This afternoon the most brilliant box was delivered all the way from Sydney.

It had a bunch of love and well-wishes from the gang in William Street.

An amazing photo of the same said street from days gone by.

And a brilliant card that in a curious case of coincidence mirrored part of a creative we'd been working on during the week.

Great minds must think alike. Hee hee.

Mind you, the track listings on the back are not fit for consumer eyes.

Big hugs to all who crafted and scribbled.

Love it!!!

Pee

A bit of Gossip . . .

These guys are filming around here most of the time.

Upper East Side action.

Streets closed. Sidewalks blocked.

Frustrating for locals.

Good star-spotting stuff for an NYC newbie.

Pee

My favourite lunch break treat

It's an 'Alice' sandwich.

Turkey breast, brie, salad AND granny smith apple slices.

Sounds odd. Tastes great.

And yes, it's got a very cool name.

Pee

PS - I'm posting so many stories about food you'd be forgiven for thinking this was Matt Jones' blog.

Getting Mee some noodles

Also loving this joint on 2nd Ave (the Mee Noodle Shop & Grill).

Picked up some roast chicken noodles there last night on the way home.

A busy, busy little place filled with energy and steam and chatter and the rattling of woks.

Think I'll do a roast duck cantonese noodle dish tonight.

Pee

Comic cool

One of my favourite places in town.

And one that 'little man' is just going to love when he gets here.

Plan on spending a few lazy hours there this weekend.

Pee

Diesel spill

I know we've all talked about the cool Diesel window on Fifth Avenue.

The latest incarnation is ace - a massive Diesel mohawk-guy-sculpted-head dropped through the roof.

Looks really anarchic.

Lotsa people stop by and stare. And stare a little more.

Nice.

Pee

Yum yum yum

Tal Bagels serves super bagels.

One of the five wonders of 1st Avenue (not far from the office).

Am getting hooked on these NYC cliches.

Yes. Everything here's just like it is in the movies.

Pee

'Just like a Sunday in New York'

That's the belting chorus from one of my favourite Bobby Darin songs.

And what a beautiful Sunday it was.

Walking through Central Park. Watching lovers (not as dodgy as it sounds) ice skate. Watching families play ball.

Drifting down Park Avenue. Staring in absolute wonder.

Lazing at Rockefeller Plaza.

And doing my own personal 'analog GPS mapping' of all the stores my family are just gonna love.

Toys R Us Times Square. Check. Tiffany & Co. Check. American Girl Place. Check. Fendi. Gap. Juicy Couture. FAO Schwarz. Abercrombie & Fitch. World of Disney. Banana Republic. Diesel. H&M. Saks. Check, check, check and check.

Kept my energy up with an awesome bag of cashews from Dean De Luca.

Not a bad first Sunday in the Big Apple.

It'll be a perfect one when the family are here to share it.

Can't wait.

Pee

LAX(ative) . . .

Yes. Got the metaphorical shits at Los Angeles airport yesterday as we were delayed on the tarmac for 2 hours ahead of our 5-hour flight to NYC.

Had about as much fun as tennis great Novak Djokovic who was struggling with his self-service electronic ticket.

That was all as far as the celebrity sightings went while in Tom Bradley International.

But did meet a funny guy in line at Starbucks - a tattooed rocker who was 'packing in the music dream' and heading back to Iowa.

I told him I was on my way to New York. He wished me well.

Pee

I'm in a New York state of (flux)

I'm writing this from an internet kiosk at Auckland Airport - with still another three hours until my flight leaves for Los Angeles and onwards to our new home, the Big Apple.

I'm the advance party, if you like. My family follow in five weeks. Will miss them so. (But was super lovely to have them with me at Wellington Airport this morning as I flew out. And also very neat to have Mum, Dad, Sarah, Craig, Rod and Gina - and offspring - for a farewell meal last night.)

This afternoon's flight to Auckland was pretty amazing - crystal clear blue skies the whole way. As we left I looked down on Scots College (where I spent 7 fun-filled school years), had a last long look at the lovely Hutt Valley, and then kept my face glued to the window as we shadowed the west coast of the North Island. As we flew over Kapiti Island I was reminded of all the times I spent in a boat with Dad (terrified a Great White was lurking below) and all the time we spent on the grey sandy Paraparaumu beaches. Saw Otaki and for some odd reason remembered buying an E.T. book there in the early 80's. Spied Wanganui and affectionately recalled both a family holiday and a pipe band championship. Spotted Mt Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngaruhoe and vividly played back all the winter fun we had skiing over the years. Taupo. Ditto. Rotorua. Ditto ditto. What a wonderful snapshot to be left with as I head to the other side of the world.

Can't wait to share daily stories (and piccies) from the streets of Manhattan. I'm loosely calling my adventures 'Ex(pat) And The City'. Will be fun times (squared), for sure.

Till tomorrow (and another free net kiosk at LAX, no doubt).

Pee

Wow, it's been a while

Gang

Have been busy. Working. Yay.

In case there are still people checking in, just wanted to update you all on my health and well-being and all that stuff.

Well, had my 3-month post-chemotherapy oncology catch-up yesterday.

The exciting thing is that my blood tests are still all clear - no odd things at all. Happy with that.

(It's likely that if anything 'curiously still cancerous' happens it'll be picked up first in my bloods.)

So, thus far, looks like the treatment is successfully taking its course. Again, happy happy happy.

Staying as positive as I have been since day one.

Pee