Party Like it's 1999

Well, firstly, let me say – Happy New Year!!! Pretty strange that its midday here and it’s already 2010 in Australia and Singapore….and everyone in Europe is starting to get their glad rags on quaff a few glasses of champagne! Also strange to think I’m in New York…and it’s snowing!! Check out the pics attached I took outside my office this morning.

I’ve had a few visitors over the last week and can’t sleep at the excitement for “The Harv” to arrive this time tomorrow!! All my gear is arriving from Singapore next week, I move into my new apartment on Monday and I have just signed up for gas, electricity, doctor, dentist, psychic, back-hair remover etc etc. New York is well and truly becoming home!!! And despite it being frickin cold here and all I want to do is stay inside, watch DVDs and eat copious amounts of food, i’ve pulled my finger out, hit the gym and just managed to get into my first pair of 33inch waist jeans since I was 14!!! This was a very fun experience with the gay assistant in Diesel where we talked about how my “ass” and my “package” fitted in the different styles of jeans!!

Despite moving to a country where the majority of people don’t have passports and have never been abroad (I just made that up, maybe I should post it on wikipedia?!), I still have the travel bug and hit the “beach” in Miami 2 weeks ago (although it rained and was miserable for half the trip) and am heading to the greatest city on earth in a couple of weeks, where grown men become like little boys in a playground…fondly known as “Vegas”…ahhhhh!!! Want me to put a bet on for you?

And I’ve met a girl!! Her name is Emily (but I call her Frankie cause she speaks French and is a Yankee). She’s a native New Yorker, 25, works at the NYC ballet is great fun. She laughs at my jokes, likes to cook me dinner and puts up with my strange bathroom habits – she must be a keeper!!

Xmas Day, I cooked a 15lb turkey (the smallest I could find in this obese nation) for originally 4 people and finally 10. We barely dented it, but all the food and drink went down very well.

NYE will be spent eating and getting very very drunk at a friend of Emily’s who owns a restaurant in the very trendy Chelsea Market.

If you ever want to call me, you can catch me on +1 646 269 3323

And if you want to send me a moving in card/present, or just tell me that you love me via the ancient form of snail mail, you can send to my new apartment

55 West 11th St
Apartment 7c
New York
NY, 10011

All my best from 2009 and into 2010

J x

Empire State of Mind

Howdy partners!! (Well, that’s how they speak in America isn’t it!?!?!)

So I’m here, finally, and despite my head being somewhere between Singapore, London and New York, I’m getting settled and excited at my new life

Had a great week in London which involved a few days in the office, intermixed with some big nights out, a lot of food and a yummy afternoon tea put on by my sis. However, this was lacking one key element – that being, tea!! It was great to catch up with everybody and sorry if we missed one another.

I arrived just over 2 weeks ago and thankfully the weather has been gorgeous….absolutely frickin freezing though (or as my mum likes to say, “chucking filly”!!!), but barely a cloud in the sky. Had a week off when I arrived. Went a little bit crazy in some of the shops in Soho – it’s so much cheaper than London or Singapore, it’d be wrong not to! Then headed to the west coast, picked up a snazzy mini convertible and headed to Carmel for a romantic relaxing trip….on my own!!! Chilled for couple of days before heading to San Fran to see some old friends and go the “Big Game” and see Cal give Stanfurd a good kicking at football (of the American sissy variety)

Sadly the clouds spoilt 2 of my plans that week. I went to New Jersey in the middle of the night to watch a meteor shower - all great at midnight and then clouded over by 3am (should have stayed home in bed)….and took a drive over the Golden Gate bridge to get some nice pics and views and came across rain that I have never seen the likes of before.

Shock to the system to come back to work after 2 weeks off. Really fun friendly office. My desk is right near a window with a view of the Flatiron building which is pretty cool. Staying in an apartment for the month closeby and having a shocker dealing with agents/brokers to find my own place more permanently. Not my favourite kind of people in London or Singapore and sadly they’re no different here!!

Spent thanksgiving with Michelle Marks from Cardiff and her family of 3 very cute, half Israeli, half Welsh kids. Think Dan and Guy Helman but much better looking and much less obnoxious!!!

Already had some visitors. Some expected and some unexpected(!) and with more to come. Of course, any of you are very welcome – a 7hr flight from London is nothing like the 13hrs to Singapore, so no excuses!!

You’ll be pleased to know I’m not speaking like an American yet….although sadly I think it’s just a matter of time!!

Keep me updated/posted with news from “across the pond”

J x