There's only one thing harder than winning a pitch in NYC

And that's getting past security to meet the client to take the pitch brief in the first place.

Given ongoing security concerns post 9/11 you literally need an ID to take a piss.

Pee

New York circa 1960

Took the kiddies to Barnes & Noble to pick up a paperback or two.

I saw this beautiful old-school picture book featuring NYC street scenes.

While the City's dated some 49 years since the book was first published, seems nothing's really changed.

It's still busy, fast, noisy, colorful, smelly, exhilarating and surprising at every turn.

Pee

Vampires on acid

Everywhere you turn there's a new vampire series hitting the TV/cinemas/bookshelves.

Thanks to the success of Twilight the world's gone sharp-teeth crazy.

I still tell my daughter that all this stuff pales (like a good Count's skin) in comparison to Lost Boys and Buffy.

But she's having none of it.

Pee

Memorial Day Monday memories

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Sunday adventures East Village style

28 degrees Celsius.

People everywhere.

Just as we like it.

Pee

One of my favorite places in NYC

We headed up to Harlem this morning.

Hopped out of the cab on the corner of West 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard.

Have always been fascinated by this community.

As a kid I lapped up everything to do with the Harlem Globetrotters (as commercial as they were).

Their cartoon TV show was one of my favorites.

And as a real fan of 'Lady Day' (Billie Holiday) and James Brown I wanted to stand out front of the iconic Apollo Theater.

A very beautiful neighborhood.

Bathed in sunshine.

Special.

U2's song played in my head the whole time.

Pee

(Yes, that's my image reflected in the bottom left of the Malcolm X pic. Snapped it with my BlackBerry.)

Hay, look at us . . .

Last Sunday in Central Park.

Sunny.

Fun.

Pee

The Palm d'Or

Went for a quick bite with Matt and Bec last night at a very cool place - the Palm Restaurant, an iconic NYC arts/sports celebrity hangout.

The walls of each Palm are covered with caricatures of local notables and national celebrities. The tradition started in the Roaring Twenties when John and Pio (the owners) had no money to decorate. In a twist on the old saying "sing for your supper", local newspapermen and King Features Syndicate artists would draw a cartoon in exchange for a plate of spaghetti.

Pee