New York, New York

Well it's been a while since I last blog-ged!

Alost has happened, although I only have 14mins to explain it all.

So when I first got here I had to wait till 4.30pm from 2pm to get into my room. which was frustrating, sitting around waiting for a room. As you can imagine.

But once I was settled, at about 6pm I decided to do a twilight tour of Brooklyn which was free, only to find out it was cancelled. So I caught the subway (a big sandwhich they ride on underground) into what I thought was Rockerfeller Square. So I popped up from the whole I came from and took a look at my first glance of NYC with adult eyes.

Well the buildings are tall. Very tall. They crumple sydney. Plus theres dozens and dozens of them. Everywhere.

I just walked for about 40 blocks, down to Madison Square Garden, to see the Flat iron building. I had no idea where I was going. I was just soking it all up.

Anyway turns out i was like a block away from Times Square, Grand Central and the Empire State building on that walk, even though I didn't see them. lol

So i went back to the hostel wondering what I would do for the night (it was about 9pm now) when some guy asked me if i'd like to come to a comedy show. I was like 'Hell yeah I love IT Crowd'.

Oh man it was possibly THE worst/most awkward moment in my life. Picture this:

An American, standing up talking to 6 people, 2 don't understand any english, let alone the humour of some of it, 1 12 year old kid, 2 english girls (sitting up the back) and myself (who stupidly planted myself right up the front)

He got no laughs from us. He kept swearing. His jokes were so lame. His excuse for his lame jokes was that his usual crowd were people who could drink. So then he decided to rip on us. He started paying us out. I wanted to leave.

haha the funniest part was when 4 english guys (about 20 years old) came down and sat together and starting making jokes about guy up stage.

Now i'm not mean or anything...he just really sucked. one of his jokes went like this:

'I think parents should be able to have the right to have an abortion right up until the kids are teenagers. Right? so like when one of their kids comes home with a tatoo...*makes a gun with his fingers*...BANG! Problem solved right?'

No one laughed at that. haha. Then he said 'F*** it' and walked off stage. hahahaha LAMECORE!!!!!!!

Anyway so the next day I got up at 11am. Yeah sleep in. it was awesome. so I then went out with Ang from Jamberoo. We had a sick day. Just check my facebook pictures. She's uploaded some.

we walked through Central park, then down to madison square garden: 60 blocks. 3.5miles

then in the nightime i met the coolest Brits you could ever imagine. they had the best accents (alot better then the americans we agreed) we got along one of them invited me to stay with them in England. SWEET!)

So I got one of there numbers to call the following day (today) only to find out (today) that the no. doesnt work. So im stranded in the hostel while they're roaming NYC. it is a sad night for me. :(

oh well maybe I'll meet some more new people...for some reason we get along better with the brits.

BYE

First day in NYC

Well I have arrived in NYC. its great. so nice. everything the movies make it out to be...i think. cause I havn't actually seen that much of it. Oh well...

So my first solo experience at staying in a hostel with 7 other males in a dorm...wow. So far theres a Swiss, Aussie and Japanease. I look forward tos eeing what other cultures can enter the room.

So tonight I'm gonna be going on a tour. Even if it rains. Just cause it's something to do.

The trip here was horrible. leaving at 11pm is the worst. Flying AA is even worser. And having to detour to Boston first...words are not enough.

haha Anyway i havn't got that much time left. Just a quicky.

peace.x

I leave for NYC

So i leave for NYC in 5mins.

had a great time in San Francisco. Loved it.

Now I start my adventure in New York...alone!!!

farewell...

I'm a fan of a Christian

Well today was good. Went to the North Beach festival... where I applied sun screen 3x. and still got burnt...*sigh*

So it was good chilling out in the sun. relaxing. the bands that played where pretty good. although not really my taste of music. but I had a good time, until a bunch of 6 or 7 American jocks came and sat down right on top of us. No really. They were touching me. I felt all I had to do was nod, swear and talk about my muscles to join in. But honestly, it was really annoying. Oh well...We just walked away.

So we walked back to our hostel and prepared for a night.

We caught the BART to Oakland then walked to Yoshi's, via Starbucks, where we sat down and enjoyed some very light, refreshing (cool) salmon filled sushi. A desert followed which topped the meal. The only thing bigger then my stomach was the bill.

We made our way into our reserved seats (Booth 37) to see Christian McBride and Inside Straight play. What a great stage it was though. very clean and modern (plus the toilets had automatic hand basins and towel dispensers. No joke, you could wave your wet washed hands in front of the towel and it would automatically feed you some paper towel. Thanking Yoshi's)

So the music just blew my small mind out of the liquid that surrounds it. AMAZING!!

Topped any performance all week. Best bass player I've ever heard and seen. The drummer was amazing. At 25 playing with Christian Mcbride. Wow! And the piano player... it was like his fingers had turned to silk and the piano was his neck which it wrapped around. They just worked. He was so quick, yet so smooth, yet so abrupt. Ouch!

If anyone is San Francisco, they must (must must must must) go to Yoshi's. Easily best night in America so far...

Now im in bed soothing my burn...

Aight you aussies...see you in NYC.

An excuse to sleep in...

Well these last two days i've been sleeping in a bit. Not because I don't want to get up, just cause i'd like to sleep a little bit longer. Plus when there's someone sleeping just across from you, who at any moment could open there eyes, it kind of makes it interesting to get out of bed without being seen.

So tonight we went to see some girl (so lame i can't even remember her name, i'm trying to drown out her horrible dancing now with some underoath...im drowning in my sleep: repeat) with an awesome support band. We unfortunately got these seats so that wherever I were to look, i could at least see 40% of her dancing. Picture this: a lady on stage with enough make-up for an ensemble of dancers in Southern Stars, a fake flower in her hair representing Hawai, a dress so tight that i'm surprised her belly didn't implode and the wrong kind of confidence to dance non-stop for an entire hour awkwardly with not even enough rhythm to tap one toe. Okay maybe it doesn't sound that bad, but for an entire hour she sang and 'Danced'. Anyway -

Today we had our own thing, walked to the Guitar Centre in San Francisco (obviously) then walked back, avoiding the tender area known as the tenderloin (named such because back when meat was delicious and yummy, cops would get paid a lot for working in such a bad area, so they'd use their significantly higher pay checks to buy nice tender tenderloins. So they decided, I guess, to name the place after the meat they ate.) and skirting our way back to Union Square. Where I did a bit of roaming...

Apple Store

Levi Store

Nike Store

Vans Store

Sketchers Store

Panda Express for lunch

Americans really do have the take away down-pat.

So my nights here are nice and comfy, but very noisy, as i sleep right next to the window (no issue at all there, love the cool breeze) so I always hear trucks at 3am dumping, picking and dropping their load all over my face. mmm that sounds a bit off...twas metaphor of sound.

these are the things I'll remember.

Anyway I'm gonna watch a video of an awesome drummer we saw the other night...

peace.

Good Morning

Yes it is morning, too far into the morning in fact. I slept in till 10am today. oops. i know i should be outside seeing the sites, i think we were just so tired from walking up the 202 steps to our room every day sometimes twice a day, that my body overruled any decision i tried to make.

So yesterday we went to Berkely. It's a very nice place there. very hippie central. lots and lots of really cool shops. nice cafes, nice second hand clothing stores, skate stores, hat stores, music stores. Very nice district. Plus its only about half an hour on the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)

We walked through the University of Berkely's Library. hich is about 1000000000x better then Wollongongs. Sorry Wollongong.

then we came home and went and saw a movie 'The Brothers Bloom' which is a farely average movie i thought.

so that was yesterday, today we're planning on going to Golden Gate Park, to a museum and tonight to see a bit of theatre.

anyway...

Peace.x

Okay so I know I just posted a post inches ago...but tonight was so good it was worthy of another post.

So we decided to go to this free Jazz club, actually we didn't know it was free and I was skeptical because the website was so dodgy. Anyway, we got there after calling ahead three times to find ourselves horribbly underdressed. Not to worry, so we sat down and just minded our own business.

Then this massive group just starting posing for a photo right in front of us. I was like "Okay?" anyway, while they were posing they bumped our chair and said sorry, I being the polite young man said 'It's alright'. Then the man she was with turned around and said 'Are you from around here?' Then Dad said 'No, we're from Australia'.

Well, turns out the lady who bumped our chair, who was part of the big group, 's fiancee was Australian too. Convenient, yes!

So then we got talking, and he asked if Dad liked rugby. Of course, he said. The the guy said he's here with Jean-Pierre Rive, an old French rugby captain, whos the John Eals equivelent. Dad was chuffed. So we got a photo, then just sat there watching this absolutely breath taking band play with this french rugby player turned artist.

Then we walked down to Yoshis and saw this funk band play. Probably more like soul/R&B but so good either way.

Thats the night. Best ever...

So this is Myself, Dad and Jean-Pierre...

Well greetings to all followers and friends...

Tonight, going to see a band play at a venue on Filmore street, home of Jazz.

At Rasselles Jazz club. Don't ask about the name. I know nothing. Its a big band so hopefully we'll see some cool liks.

today we woke up and walked across the red line (eek you say, well eek I did) through the slums of SF, onto greater things (Filmore St.). And what a fantastic place it was. saw the newly developed Yoshis in SF (oppossed to Oakland) had a coffee. Then went back to SF via bus (much much safer, but if anyone of you plans on coming to SF, or America for that matter, I recommend that you never sit in a disabled, elderly or pregnant seat as they most often are always filled by crazies, well that was my experience) to head out to our tutorial on Logic Express. Very intense. I think my brain will explode, cause there is so much stuff you can do with it. Anyway...

Now I'm sitting on the floor waiting for my fingers to stop typing so I can go to this BIG BAND gig tonight...it's going to be BIG.

Also, last night we made our way down to this awesome place for gigs, only to be told at the door (after paying $3 for a tram ticket) that I wasn't allowed in because I wasn't at that age yet where I can drink...why 21 America, WHY???

So we went back to this Jazz bistro just down the road where we saw some arrogant pianoist play off his chops for a tough crowd of single tabled guests with no interest in Jazz. Sucks to be them...

Anyway I must leave...so goodbye...

New Lap

well today i woke up fairly late...around 9ish, me and dad had breakfast, then went down to the mac store to pick up his new computer, which i am on now.

Its sick. The keyboard is slick as oil, and smooth as satin. Plus there's free internet...so for a small fee of buying a laptop, we now have free internet.

Last night we went to Biscuits & Blues and saw s

ome pretty, actually very good music. Now that i can upload some photos I will, so I can show you.

So I'll also upload some photos from the past week to show you what i've gotten up too...

This is at the airport...

This is a wing. And a sun.

Chinese Theartre in LA on Hollywood BLVD

Number Plate

Airport Sign (as proof i thought)

Me in Blue

Universal Studios - best day in LA

Traditional Hulk
Venice Beach
Guitar Heaven
Traditional Hulk - cost me a dollar

http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=mcmclintock 

Only 10mins

Aight...wow thats so american.

Okay so I have 8 mins now to write a blog. lets see how I do.

So today we went to Fishermans Wharf. Again. But it was really nice. Pier 39 was seen again, for the third time, and we caught a fairy over to Sausalito...which is a community which thrives off of the pockets of rich gullable tourists...ie not me.
although it does house some of the great names...i don't know any of them, they all just drive really fancy cars and live in big doll houses.

i got severely burnt today also. i think my nose is so red that some car mistook me for a stop sign. lucky its america and he just kept driving.

so we ate lunch at the wharf where sourdough is made. its a bakery thats amazing. mum always buys San Francisco Sourdough...and today i saw where it originated. kind of cool.

also i forgot to put my jeans in the wash, so now i'm wearing the same jeans that i wore on the plane, a week ago. they do need a wash...but i'm gonna have to wait a couple more days. lawlstickers.

so dad bought something ver special today...he's just picking it up now. a new laptop. from the apple store. we've booked in for some lessons on how to use Logic Pro Express as well...so now when we come back, we can record some really good stuff...

tonight we're going to see some jazz at a place called Biscuits & Blues. its just up the street.

sorry i was wrong, dad didnt get the laptop that would be tommorrow (consider this a live feed, not me lieing, just telling you things as they happen)...anyway

just for people interest American Apparrell jumpers over here are a quarter of the price. I bought a hoodie for 44 bucks. amazing.

ummm so yeah biscuits and Blues tonight should be fun...we made our own dinner last night and tonight. food is so different overseas. you have no idea. bread is sweeter, toasts crunchier, and many more stuff which i can't afford (in time circumstances) to tell you about...

until my next blog....

peace.x

It's been a while, and a while has happened...

Okay, first of my apologise for three things.

1. Sorry about a delayed response. Internet was very expensive at the Sheriton...$5.95/half hour

2. No photos yet. i haven't found a computer yet that i can upload them onto.

3. Any spelling mistakes are made in the desire to write down as much as possible. plus the keyboard squeaks alot.

So last I left you i think I was still in LA at this rubbish of a hotel.

So dad was sick. had a flu. no not the swine flu. just the flu-flu. he got it from being practical and getting a flu shot to stop him from getting the flu, which gave him the flu. gargh!!
So he couldn't do much. not like theres much to do in LA anyway. let me describe for you LA.

There is no CBD. theres no place where everyone can hang (ie lee and me) theres no pitt street, george street or any thing similar. everything is spread out so you need a car to get around. but by using a car you'd be stuck in traffic for hours after hours because everyone has one to get around, which they need cause its so spread out. STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!

so i went on a tour with a crazy crazy american who i couldnt understand a word of what he said. i think he said something like LA gets 3 inches of rain a year. conveniently it rained on the tour. he said that was rare. bahaha as if. anyway...

i bought a guitar. not a guitar guitar...but a nice acoustic...mini. its so tiny and strong. its like an ant. small and mighty. its a Martin & CO. sounds good too. so my mission for LA was done after that...oh and universal studios.

i confeess im a big big skinny white kid when it comes to theme parks. after jamberoo i guess you could say i have taken a big interest intheme parks...and i tell you this, universal studios ate jamberoo up, then threw them back up, then ate them again. amazing metaphor. the entrance alone could compete with jamberoos entire shopping outlets. every ride had a souviner shop. they had the real marilon monroe...i think. hmmm...

it was nice.

So overall LA. in 5 words

Dirty.
Big.
Unfriendly.
Toursity.
Cheap/Nasty (i know thats two, but if i only did cheap, then you might think cheap in the wrong way)

oh one more thing we were forced to do valet parking. now some people might think it be nice. no it wasn't. sometimes you just want to park your car and walk to your room. instead we had to drive up to them and give them money to park our car for us. which we could have done. stupid tipping system.

So we took our hire care and drove to SF a day early. best decsion we've made all trip. we drove to a small inn called 'Sea Side Inn' very very dodgy. i thought i was entering a pyshcological thriller. i thought some killer would set his sights on me...they didn't.

we then took a drive along 'The Big Sur' a massive coastal road that went on for miles (i say miles not kms because it was measured in miles and it would be disarespectaful of the USA culture to say kms as they speant the time measuring it in miles)

there are some amazing little inns and places to stay along here. you know how people want ocean views because they're nice? well here i wouldn't be suprised if they DIDN"T want ocean views, just because the only thing these people who lived here saw, was ocean. it was almost like living on a boat, but on land.

so we arrive in SF (San Fransico) and took the B*************y car back (the car was lame). we then caught a train to Powell street where we walked to the hostel. now let me tell you this.
the hotel we stayed at in LA had no fridge, no free breakfast, no cheap internet and no option of buying your own food to save money. so the contrast between these places we stayed was so big i couldn't see the other side.

internet is so cheap now i love it. free wi-fi, laundry level 2, kitchen level 3, vending machine level 3, payphone level 4, information on live music, tours and free events lobby. it is amazing.

we have our own room with our own bathroom. soooo good.

anyway tonight we took a nice short walk down to fishermans wharf...hahah short. if short is long then it was short. it took us not long...but it was longer then we thought. which is okay. we walked around saw some cool things. profesional spray painters. saw the golden gate bridge in lights. saw pier 39. apparrantly its famous. there was nice stuff there too. got an ice cream. was freezing. i got told off for not have my ice-crea-drip-protector on. this is a small gadget that surrounds the icream cone (made of cheap disposable plastic) that captures all the dripping that tneds to happen on american ice cream cones.

now im sitting here trying to update this blog. wait i've finished. amazing. time for bed. my backs sore and my eyes are tired. have no idea how long this is. i have no idea how many mistakes. all i hope is that you can understand the gist.

well i will leavce you with one final word...





goodnight.

well im staying at a hotel in LA called teh Sheraton. its pretty funky. im just on the internet obviously atm...

dads sleeping. im on the computer. im not tired. i wish i could upload photos. but my camera is up in the room...
i just went on facebook.

the flight over was longer then i thought when iw as on the plane, then shorter now that im off. i think a principle of 'cant waiting to get somewhere else' might have applied in this situation.

tonight...actually it will be today it feels like the night though...weird...

today we're going to get some food, see some famous sites, then look at a music guitar shop...hopefully...

well right now im gonna let a man use the rest of my time, cause i dontr eally have that much to publish...he's having an issue with silly staff getting confused. haha. its kind of funny...it has such as imple solution...anywho...