The weather outside is frightful….

I must sincerely apologize. No excuses for being too busy at work or not getting internet access!! It’s been a 3 month hiatus and I’ve had enough of people stopping me in the street asking when my next update is coming. So here it is...

Autumn (or “Fall” as they like to call it in this part of the world) has been a fun season. In my 2010 ranking of Seasons, I’d say it comes second behind Spring but ahead of Summer (too hot) and Winter (too cold).

September really was lovely and if you’re planning a trip out here, then come then. Em and I took a drive in a cracking replica of a 1957 Porsche Spyder – the same car that James Dean sadly met his demise in. His car was nicknamed “The Little B@stard” which was fitting for the current driver!!

I was supposed to head out to Asia with work, but frustratingly it got cancelled last minute. Instead we took a well deserved trip out to California. Got soaked in San Francisco and saw my alma mater – UC Berkeley (or the California Golden Bears) get crushed by Stanfurd. Then we spent a few days wine-tasting, eating and riding bikes in Napa – Em was a great sport when our leisurely bike ride turned into a 3hr slog and a race against the wind and our bladders to get home!! And then Thanksgiving in LA and a few days in San Diego where the one hit wonder “The Polar Bear song” got invented – if you’d like the lyrics or a rendition, I’m sure one will be up on YouTube soon!!

Soccer has gone well but is annoyingly taking a break until March. We’re sitting in second position having won 7 out of our 10 games. I took a nice crack on my ankle in training a few weeks ago so have been out for a bit. This, from the same guy who, 2 weeks earlier, kicked the ball at my meat and 2 veg - i think he has it in for me!

Channukah and Xmas has now been and gone. Some fun presents and parties – plus a cracking Xmas dinner made me feel like I wasn’t missing home too much. Hope everyone else had a good time

I was lucky enough this weekend to take out my all time favourite car – the BMW Z8, made famous by Pierce Brosnan in “The World Is Not Enough”
Such a great drive and a real classic of its time. However, this is what brings me to present day – New York and the whole of the east coast has been engulfed by a snow storm. It really is a sight to see and felt like I was on a ski slope rather than a city. So sadly, the Z8 went back to the shop, doing an average of 5mph and with the hazards on – I aquaplaned a couple of times and was a nervous wreck driving the 2 miles!! 24hrs later and the sun is shining without a cloud in the sky – look up outside the window and you would have no idea that on the ground are abandoned cars and people struggling their way to and from home

Well, that’s my sign off for 2010. A great year all round and looking forward to seeing and keeping in touch with as many of you as I can

As always, don’t hesitate to call, write or email

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 917 225 9177

California....here we come....

Oh California. We’ve had a mixed relationship where I leave you for months on end for my mistress on the East Coast. But you’ll always be my one true love!!

FLY into San Francisco with various different carriers. Last time I flew Delta with no complaints. Easiest is to get a flight that lands you early evening so you can get settled. And if you’re planning on heading down the coast, I’d recommend starting in San Francisco. That way, you’re driving on the right (correct) side of the road to get the better view

DRIVE as you need. If you’re just staying in San Francisco then a car is irrelevant as it’s small and parking is tough and expensive. But if you go up to Napa, down the coast or spend any time in LA or San Diego, then a car is a must. Renting from SFO is easy, from a central location. My advice is to pre-book without paying in advance. And then see if you can negotiate a better car with the rental agencies. I’ve used Thrifty twice with no complaints. If renting from LAX, my favorite to use is Midway cars. They have Mercedes C300s for $75 a day. And be aware. The extra costs always come from insurance (check your credit card – you’re probably covered) and gas/petrol (don’t accept what they’re offering – get gas from a station)

SAN FRANCISCO
STAY somewhere trendy like The Clift. Great location just off Union Sq and we managed to get a deal for $140 per night

EAT/DRINK as a locavore, farm to table style. Check out the Ferry building on Embarcadero. And Chez Panisse in Berkeley (but book well ahead) Didn't get to the Mission this time but up-and-coming restaurants abound, worth a look.

SHOP around Union Sq for your standards and Chestnut and Filmore for your boutiques

DO the obvious. Get yourself somehow across Golden Gate bridge and up into the hills for a great view of the bridge and the city. Ride a cable car down to Fisherman’s wharf, check out Ghirardelli Sq and then do the “dusk” tour of Alcatraz for some interesting extras

NAPA
STAY somewhere cute. We stayed at Hotel Luca. Tripadvisor raves. We thought it was good, but a little overpriced. Cute and cosy and in a nice spot near some good restaurants in Yountville

EAT/DRINK at some of the best restaurants per square mile the world has to offer. We went to Ubuntu (Vegetarian), Bottega (Italian) and Solage (American) that were all very impressive. Plus you have Bouchon, French Laundry etc etc. You’ll be leaving with a full stomach and an empty wallet! For lunch, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is worthwhile, resto is owned by same guys as Mustard's.

DO go to vineyards, vineyards and more vineyards. We liked Cliff Lede. Also checked out Cakebread which was rather commercial in comparison. Opus One leads the way with some of the most famous California wine. V.Sattui has a market in the vineyard which is rare. On a nice day, friends recommended a picnic there. Not much else to do. Oh, except maybe yoga at Ubuntu and a massage. We got from the very reasonably priced Lavender Hill. And if the weather is good, rent bicycles and go for a ride and a picnic. If there is time, take a spin to Sonoma and check out the vineyards and food there as well.

CARMEL
STAY in the Carmel Valley Ranch. Gorgeous golf course style ranch just above Carmel

EAT/DRINK in the town. Can’t remember any specific places

DO the 17 mile drive and stop along the way, especially at Pebble Beach. Check out the Monterey Bay aquarium


LA
STAY in Santa Monica. Welcome resbite from the busy-ness of LA. We like the Fairmont Miramar

EAT/DRINK all over. Koi is pretty fancy and not overly expensive and serves good Asian fusion. Colin Farrell was falling out of there last time I visited. Katsuya is another option for good Asian. Lunch at Cecconi's and the Ivy will ensure a celeb sighting. Toast is packed for brunch but worth the wait and great boutiques around while you wait. Similarly for Blue Plate in Santa Monica. Fig in the Fairmont Miramar has gotten rave reviews for their local innovative cuisine. People rave about Sprinkles, for cupcakes. Haven't taste tested yet. For a drink, stop at Chateau Marmont. It's featured in Sofia Coppola's latest movie

SHOP on Rodeo drive, Robertson Blvd, Santa Monica etc etc. Plenty of shopping to be done here. Worth a drive up to the Malibu country mart for some true SoCal shopping. Kitson, James Perse, Tory Burch, Intermix, RL to name a few....Nobu tucked away at the edge of this shopping mall. Woody Harrelson spotted there a couple months ago...

DO lots or nothing at all. Time goes quickly in LA. Various theme parks such as Disney, Universal Studios etc. Hollywood is fun to see the theater and hand-prints. Beaches are nice. Santa Monica pier. Venice for muscle beach and medicinal marijuana. If you're into art, LA has one of the most inspiring contemporary art scenes in the world. Make stops at Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). There are three locations with a smaller gallery in West Hollywood at the Pacific Design Center. If you want a quick fix of culture, this spot is a 30 minute visit, FREE admission and close to shopping on Robertson. The LA Country Museum of Art (LACMA) and Getty are notable and worth trips.


SAN DIEGO
STAY somewhere. We stayed in an apartment building, so no real help here. But La Jolla is a pretty nice part of town

EAT/DRINK Mexican food. So close to the border, you’ll find the best Mexican food here

SHOP if you have to. Was really unimpressed with what was on offer

DO go to Sea World. Fantastic (albeit expensive) animal park. The famous Zoo is pretty impressive too. Walk along the beaches of La Jolla and check out the seals on their semi-private beach. Check out Torrey Pines for hiking and/or the golf course. There's the Hotel del Coronado, opened in 1888 and a historic landmark. A spot for many American presidents, worth a trip for lunch or a tea. North of San Diego, you'll find quaint towns of Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach and non other than Cardiff by the Sea. Del Mar is the swankiest with cute boutiques and beautiful beachs for people and dogs. Encinitas hails for its crafts and design shops. Solana Beach is hippy central and a funky spot.

Please don't let the summer end...

…there is no way it has been 3 months – it has literally flown by. Although still sunny, I had to wear this thing called a jumper last night. What’s that all about?!

I really honestly tried to limit the number of trips and actually enjoy the city…so there were only a handful in the couple of months. I did, as most New Yorkers do, and went to the Hamptons – fun trip, but very over-rated in my book. The exact opposite for me was Chicago. One of my new favourite cities. Clean, great architecture, easy to get around, good food, weather etc etc – highly recommended. Oh, and I managed to squeeze a trip in to Vegas…we had 2 great Hangover moments – the first, when one of the guys turned up with a “man-bag” – that wasn’t seen again for the remainder of the trip. And the second, when I could have sworn that I left the club before we moved from vodka to champagne, only to see a picture of myself drinking from the bottle!!!

I’ve been having fun with the car club. Oli came to visit and we took out a 1988 Ferrari 328 – Magnum PI style!!! All I was missing was the wig, moustache and white trousers!

Magnum PI

There have been lots of fun events. Good ol’ Keane came to town and Tom Chaplin, (still off the drugs and food), but passionate as ever outside in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. Outdoor movies – I caught classics such as The Holy Grail and the Hangover. And food. Why is it the New Yorkers love their food so much? They talk about it more than we do the weather! But fair to say, I ate my way through the city this summer and without some serious running and football, I’d be the size of an Elephant. And don’t get me started about cupcakes…

Thanks to all of you who sent cards, presents or messages for my birthday. Sadly, my birthday ended on Monday night after a 4 day marathon!! From drinks on Thursday where I ended up doing rum shots and eating a dodgy pie, to dinner with some of my good mates here on Saturday night and then tickets to the US open on Monday night. But credit, where credit’s due and Emily came up nothing short of amazing, with her scavenger hunt around New York. It took me to the Met, a boutique, some shops and finally, the Ace hotel where we had a “staycation” (her word, not mine!) on Sunday night!

Hit reality with a serious bang on Tuesday – not only did I have to go back to work, but I had to wear a suit and tie for the first time since May. I refused to shave though – think I’ll keep my beard going til Christmas!

Facebook pics 1

Facebook pics 2

Back home ever so briefly next week for Yom Kippur, so will try and catch up with as many of you as possible.

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to email, write or call

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 646 269 3323
BB Pin: 2559be92

NYC Hotels List

Midtown/Village/Gramercy/Flatiron
- Ace Hotel
- Gramercy Park Hotel
- Eventi Hotel
- W Union Square
- Marcel Hotel

Soho
- 60 Thompson
- Crosby Street Hotel
- Soho Grand
- Trump Soho
- Mercer Hotel

Lower East Side
- Thompson Lower East Side
- Hotel on Rivington
- Bowery Hotel

Meatpacking
- Standard Hotel
- Gansevoort Hotel
- The Jane

Tribeca
- Tribeca Grand
- Smyth
- The James

Manhattan User Guide Hotels recommended hotels under $200

NYC Shopping List

Uptown
- Columbus Circle
- FAO Schwartz
- Uggs

Midtown
- Fifth Avenue
- Department Stores (Henri Bendels, Bloomingdales, Macys, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys)
- Abercrombie

Downtown
- Union Square
- Soho
- Vintage stores (Stanton and Rivington, Bedford St (Williamsburg))

NYC Bars List

Uptown
- Boat Basin (79th and West)

Midtown
- Me Bar (32nd and 5th)
- Ace Hotel (29th and Broadway)
- 230 Fifth (27th and 5th)
- Frying Pan (26th and West)
- Rose Bar (in Gramercy Park Hotel, 21st and Lex)

West Village/Meatpacking
- Spotted Pig (11th and Greenwich St)
- Employees Only (Christopher and Hudson)
- Jane Hotel (Jane and Washington)
- Kingswood (10th and 6th)
- Gottino (Perry St and Greenwich Ave)
- Standard Hotel (13th and Washington)
- Gansevoort Hotel (13th and 9th Ave)
- STK (12th and Washington)
- Ten June (12th and Washington)
- Brass Monkey (Little W 12th and 10th)

East Village
- Terroir Wine Bar (12th and 1st)
- Desnuda (7th and 1st)
- The Bourgois Pig (7th and 1st)
- Ten Degrees (St Marks and Ave A)
- Bua (St Marks and Ave A)
- Summit Bar (8th and Ave C)
- Porch (8th and Ave C)
- PDT (St Marks and A)
- Bowery Hotel (Bowery and 3rd st)

Soho
- MercBar (Prince and Mercer)
- Pravda (Prince and Lafayette)

Lower East Side
- Milk and Honey (Broome and Eldridge)
- Rivington Hotel (Rivington and Ludlow)
- Back Room (Delancy and Norfolk)
- Chloe 81 (Broome and Ludlow)

NYC Restaurants List

Uptown
- Beyoglu (80th and 3rd)
- 3 Guys Diner (75th and Mad)

Midtown
- Nobu (57th and 6th)
- Norma's in the Parker Meridien hotel (56th and 6th)

Gramercy
- Maialino (21st and Lexington)
- Gramercy Tavern (20th and Broadway)
- Friend of a Farmer (19th St and Irving Pl)

West Village/Meatpacking
- Gotham Bar and Grill (12th and 5th)
- Morandi (Waverly and 7th Ave South)
- Joseph Leonard (Christopher and Waverly)
- Corner Bistro (Jane St and West 4th)
- The Little Owl (Grove and Bedford)
- Cafe Cluny (12th and W4th)
- The Mermaid Oyster Bar (Bleecker and MacDougal)
- Minetta Tavern (Minetta Lane and MacDougal)
- Bar Pitti (Bleecker and 6th)
- The Lion (9th and 6th)
- Hotel Griffou (9th and 6th)
- Babbo (Waverly and 6th)
- Faustina (5th and Bowery)
- Yerba Buena (Perry St and Greenwich Ave)
- Waverly Inn (Bank St and Waverly)

Meatpacking
- Buddakan (16th and 9th)
- Tia Pol (22nd and 10th)
- Cookshop (20th and 10th)
- Matsuri (16th and 9th)
- Sarabeth's (16th and 9th)
- Pastis (Little W 12th St and 9th Ave)
- Bagatelle (13th and 9th)
- Barbuto (12th and Washington Street)
- Scarpetta (14th and 9th)

East Village
- Motorino (12th and 1st)
- Mercadito (11th and Ave B)
- Veloce Pizzeria (7th and 1st)
- Momofuku (10th and 1st)
- Esperanto (9th and Ave C)
- Cafe Mogador (St Marks and A)
- Pylos (7th and A)
- Casimir (7th and Ave B)
- Perbacco (4th and B)
- Gemma in the Bowery Hotel (3rd and Bowery)
- DBGB Bistro (1st and Bowery)
- Prune (1st St and 1st Ave)
- Pulino's (Bowery and Houston)
- Hecho en Dumbo (Bowery and Great Jones)
- Lil' Frankie (1st and 1st)

Soho
- Mercer Kitchen (Prince and Mercer)
- Delicatessen (Prince and LaFayette)

Lower East Side
- Clinton Street Bakery (E Houston and Clinton)
- Freeman's (Rivington and Bowery)
- Inoteca (Rivington and Ludlow)
- Kuma Inn (Rivington and Ludlow)
- Sorella (Rivington and Allen)
- Essex Restaurant (Rivington and Essex)
- Schillers (Rivington and Norfolk)
- L'Esquina (Kenmare and Lafayette)
- The Meatball Shop (Stanton and Allen)
- Le French Diner (Houston and Orchard)
- Kenmare (Kenmare and Layfayette)

Tribeca
- Matsugen (Leonard and Church)
- Tribeca Grill (Greenwich and N Moore)
- Megu (Thomas and Church)

Brooklyn
- Peter Lugers (Broadway and Driggs, Brooklyn)
- Egg (Williamsburg)

NYC Sights List

Uptown
- Bronx Zoo (2,300 Southern Boulevard)
- Gospel Choir (138th and 7th)
- Central Park (SW corner is 59th and 5th)

Midtown
- Rockefeller Centre (50th and 5th)
- Top of the Rock (50th and 5th)
- The UN (45th and 2nd)
- Chrysler Building (42nd and Lex)
- Times Square (42nd and Broadway)
- Broadway Show (42nd and Broadway)
- Grand Central Station (42nd and Park)
- Empire State Building (34th and 5th)

Downtown
- Statue of Liberty (Liberty Island)
- Ellis Island (From Battery Park)
- Brooklyn Bridge (From City Hall)
- South Street Seaport (South St and Fulton)
- Chinatown (Canal and Bowery)
- Battery Park (State St and Battery Place)
- High Line (13th and 10th)
- Staten Island ferry (South St)
- DUMBO area of Brooklyn (Brooklyn side of Manhattan bridge)
- Brooklyn Flea Market (Lafayette and Vanderbilt (Sat) or Flatbush and Hanson (Sun))
- Coney Island (Brooklyn)
- Governor's Island (Governor's Island)
- Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Prospect Park
- Sandy Hook beach

Sports (Knicks, Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Islanders, Jets, Giants, Flushing Meadow)
Tour (Gossip Girl, Sopranos, Sex in the City, Seinfeld)
Restaurants (Serendipity, Katz, Magnolia Bakery)

NYC Culture List

Uptown
- Cloisters annex of Met Museum (Fort Tryon Park)
- The Jewish Museum (92nd and 5th)
- Cooper Hewitt Design Museum (91st and 5th)
- Guggenheim (89th and 5th)
- Neue Galerie (86th and 5th)
- The Met (82nd and 5th)
- Natural History Museum (81st and CPW)
- The Whitney Museum (75th and Madison)
- The Frick Collection (70th and 5th)
- Lincoln Center (64th and Broadway)
- Museum of Art and Design (Columbus Circle)

Midtown
- Carnegie Hall (57th and 7th)
- MOMA (53rd and 6th)

Downtown
- Chelsea Art galleries (24-26th St between 10th-11th Ave)
- Chelsea Art Museum (22nd and 11th)
- New Museum (Stanton and Bowery)
- Tenement Museum (Orchard and Broome)
- Museum of Jewish History (36 Battery Place)
- Soho and Lower East Side galleries

What Would Life Be Like Without The World Cup?

Hi All,

Well, what a great 2 weeks it’s been so far. Whilst there’s no sign of Wales, there’s fewer more beautiful scenes than watching an England goalkeeper flap at a slowly rolling ball….or a French team argue with one another and then get sent home in Economy class… I don’t want the World Cup to end!!

My last update came towards the end of April and it’s been an enjoyable Spring since then. My resolution was to spend more time in NYC and I’m grateful for it – it’s now really feeling like a proper home.

I saw the sense of my idiotic ways and got back together with Emily. Kind of a weak moment for me as a hit a major piece of culture shock 6 months into my time here but I’m pleased to say things are going really well. Having a lot of fun together, doing lots of cool activities and have some exciting trips planned…and I even took her back to meet everyone…and despite all the advice, she even met my Dad…!!!

The mighty Bluebirds made it to the play off final for a chance to play in the Premiership and I made a very very late decision to come back for it. The trip worked perfectly with Emily’s holiday to France so she spent that weekend with me and her first ever football game. Sadly the Bluebirds got knocked off their perch by the lucky seasiders of Blackpool and we’ll be staying in the Championship for another season. But apart from the 90 minutes of disappointment, the weekend was a truly excellent one involving a lovely Friday night dinner, a cracking weekend of sun, some booze, dancing and a couple of BBQs.

Since then, I’ve been back to my old tricks of organsing stuff. Saw Bill Gates talk about Microsoft, Ace Greenberg about the Bear Sterns fall-out and went to a charity do with Em hosted by Maggie Gyllenhall.

The next few weekends are all about the Hamptons – never been before and heard lots about it. Some friends have places out there and it really is supposed to be a respite from the manic-ness that is New York…and I need the break!!!

As always, keep in touch with news, stories and gossip

Missing you all

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 646 269 3323
BB Pin: 2559be92

Farmer's tan, wellington boots and an unpronounceable volcano

Hi All,

So you may be pleased to know that I have archived all my emails since I left the sunny shores of the UK onto a central repository…

“Repository” (a receptacle or place where things are deposited, stored, or offered for sale)
…not to be confused with…
“Suppository” (a solid, conical mass of medicinal substance that melts upon insertion into the…)

You can find it all here, in the aptly named “The Hammertime” – feedback welcome
http://jamiefromwales.blogspot.com/

So….onto the real news…

It’s been 6 weeks since my last foray into updating you all on the challenging life I lead!! It has been an interesting few weeks to say the least.

I made a trip down to Princeton to watch girl’s lacrosse (don’t ask!!) – I actually spent most of the time on some dodgy internet channel watching the Bluebirds stick it to the Jack’s in the South Wales derby. Beautiful beautiful campus however and definitely worth a trip if you’re ever nearby.
Also visited Boston which has a lot of charm and most importantly - a Wagamamas!! And went to Philadelphia (aka Philly) which is a really fun city. Lots to do and the highlight, without a doubt, was not the Liberty Bell, or Independence Hall…but running up the Rocky steps, humming the music and shadow boxing at the top!!!

I managed to wangle a work trip home, which coincidentally enough coincided with Harv having a baby girl called Mia Rose. Amazing to see, but just a shame that she looks more like him than his much more attractive wife!!
Finally bought some Hunter wellington boots which I had been looking for everywhere…just in time for the summer!! Had to schlep them to the football and got lots of odd looks from the crowd
Saw the family, threw a brunch, ate way too much food, got drunk a couple of times and generally had a great time catching up with everyone
Then, the stupid volcano left me “stranded” for 3 extra days…not the end of the world to be stranded in London…although it could have been the Maldives...

Talking of stranded, I had Chris and his girlfriend Chloe stay with me for a few days. Excellent house guests and we made the most out of the weekend, walking the Brooklyn bridge, checking out the Botanical Gardens and Prospect Park. Had a proper farmers tan to show for it!! And the strange weather that exists in this city meant that the following day, it p1ssed down…all day long. However, that wouldn’t stop us discovering the Lower East side - a very cool part of Manhattan…those new wellies sure came in handy as I splashed though puddles with a chilidsh abandon!!

My latest treat to myself was joining a Classic Car Club. Soooooooo much fun!! Since I joined, I took out a 1969 MGC (red, convertible), a 1972 BMX Tii2002 (maroon, boxy and the kind of car you used to hate getting dropped off to school in by your parents) and the club’s pride a joy, a 1957 Jaguar XK150 (a masterpiece of mechanical engineering). Lots more cars for me to try and lots more fun to be had!!

My plan for the next few months is to really immerse myself into the city and become a real New Yorker. I realized I have only been in the city 6 weekends since the beginning of the year so it’s time to see why this place has the reputation it does

Keep in touch

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 646 269 3323
BB Pin: 2559be92

The Long and Winding Road

Hi All,

It’s been a 2 month hiatus, but there’s a very good reason for it. I’ve been back up to my old tricks and creating my very own carbon footprint travelling to wonderful places like Australia and New Zealand. It’s ok though. I’ve now started recycling my plastic bottles (otherwise I’d be fined/prosecuted) so feel like it’s now a fair balance!!

It’s been a whirlwind start to the year…

I moved into my new apartment on the 5th Jan (see address below for any postcards, presents, dirty underwear etc) and have been having a lot of fun doing it up. It’s now equipped with all the mod cons an irresponsible 28 year old would need, including the latest addition – a fancy surround sound system – episodes of Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy have never sounded so good!!

Sport-wise I’ve been a bit lame. Joined a gym, but my appearances have tailed off recently. I had a few free personal training sessions, but can’t justify the 100 bucks an hour they want to charge for anything more permanent. Cool guy though – his name’s Lemar, he’s built like a house!!. The downfall started when I turned up to a kickboxing class and found I was the only guy in there. Just as Lemar walked past and gave me this look of disdain as to what I was doing!!!

Also struggling to find a football team. From playing 3 times a week in Singapore, I’m down to once every 2 weeks here. Either they don’t like the cold or they don’t like outsiders here. Anyone got any bright ideas?

And 2 memorable trips…

The first was to my favourite source of culture….Vegas!! A crowd of my Berkeley friends descended on the city of sin for a long weekend in January and had a cracking time. Highlights were boozing in Pure, coming out evens on the tables, being spanked at a German beerhall and using all 3 of the bathrooms in the suite we got upgraded to at the Bellagio!

And then the big trip of the year – to Australia and New Zealand. 6 of us (which quickly turned to 4 as Paul and Nicole decided they couldn’t hack 2 weeks with 4 immature boys!) rented a car and toured the south island of New Zealand (cue “long and winding road” reference!). A truly wonderful country with so much to see and do. The first few days involved a lot of driving, intermixed with swimming with dolphins, kayaking in the national park and hiking through the Franz Josef glacier. After a minor speeding fine, we off-loaded the car and chilled out for 5 days in Queenstown. When I say we chilled out, we went on the luge, white water rafting, sky-dived, and of course…bungy jumped!! The 3rd highest in the world and safe to say, a pants soiler!! But so so much fun. Check out the pics and video on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=154432&id=512991087&l=28e0ca26bb

Then, what feeled like the whole Cardiff jewish community landed in Sydney for Shippo’s wedding. The snob in me couldn’t hack the hostel we booked into so I went in search of finer digs for the weekend. Was great to see everyone – the Saturday was gorgeous and 30 of us went to Manly for lunch and to the beach. We made a “Bring It On” style human pyramid which came crashing down when my old man put sand down Shippo’s shorts!! The wedding on Sunday was gorgeous and the one with the long hair looked very pretty in his suit – as did his wife!!!

Long flight back on the Monday, 21 hours in total, was made a little easier when I got a partial upgrade. However it was to a middle seat and next to one of the fattest guys I’ve ever seen in my life!! I gulped, but for some crazy reason the guy in the window wanted me to swap with his daughter a few rows in front so they could sit together. I happily obliged!!

And back to reality…

Check out this article Emily found…a few too many similarities for my liking!!!

http://www.observer.com/2010/wall-street/portrait-banker-29-year-old

Keep in touch

Jamie

55 West 11th St, Apt 7c
New York, NY 10011
Tel: +1 646 269 3323
BB Pin: 2559be92