Recommended Baby Products in Year 0-1

Guys. Thought I’d share some of the things I’ve bought over the last year that I’ve found invaluable with the baby.

Balls
Bath Kneeler
Bath Mat
Beach Tent
Black Out Blind
Booster Hi Chair
Breathable Bumper
Car Seat Bag
Crib Rail
Drink Cup
Duck Thermometer
Feeder
Food Pouches
Floor Tiles
Hand Muffs
Humidifier
Inflatable Nursing Pillow
Latches
Mosquito Swatter
Mozart Music Cube
Noise Machine
Pacifier
Pouch Toppers
Snack Container
Splat Mat
Stroller Organizer
Table Topper
Thermometer

Tulum Tips

Tulum, part of the Rivieira Maya, is an easy 3.5 hr flight from New York and then a 1.5hr drive.

FLY direct to Cancun with a choice of airlines. We flew with American using miles.

TRANSFER to your hotel depending on how active you're going to be. Driving is very easy - the airport is right on the motorway and hugs the coast very close to all the resorts. And cars are very cheap at around $20 per day. If you don't plan on leaving your hotel, then take a cab.

STAY
In Tulum we stayed at The Mezzanine which is at the north end of the town. Nice accommodation with friendly staff and a cool vibe. We stayed in the nicest room with a balcony and view for $260 per night. The issue with Tulum is its pricey for what it is. Either stay cheap at around $100 per night for a non AC hut on the beach. Or pay up to $400 for somewhere like Be Tulum for swankier digs.

Further up the coast we stayed at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba.  Half way between the airport and Tulum. All are villas with private pools. Pure luxury but at a cost of $415 per night.  Top notch accommodations, staff, food etc. Highly recommend it.

EAT at Hartwood. Owned and run by the same team at Vinegar Hill House in Brooklyn, truly great food

DO snorkel in a cenote - an underwater cave. Also visit the Mayan ruins. But note it gets very hot

Nashville tips

Nashville, birthplace of a lot of the country music and rock and roll from back in the day, is a pretty easy trip from New York

FLY on a few different options. We used miles on American Airlines regional carrier American Eagle. Was pretty easy – 2.5hrs there and 2hrs back, to/from La Guardia. LGA is so much easier to get to than JFK or Newark, so I encourage to fly from there as much as possible. Also, we learnt about gate checking bags. These kind of planes are too small for some carry on so they gate-check them for free and then give them to you as you get off the plane

DRIVE a rental car. For some reason, I hadn’t rented one initially, but soon realized we’d need one. Everything is quite spread out into neighborhoods, so a car is vital. Avis standard car worked out at $25 per day

STAY either downtown or near Vanderbilt. We stayed at the Hutton Hotel for $200 per night. Looks average from the outside, but very nice inside and excellent service. Walkable to the Parthenon and Vanderbilt

AREAS
East Nashville: Very cool and trendy area, similar to Williamsburg
South 12th/Hilsboro/The Gulch/Vanderbilt: All west of downtown and each a pocket into themselves and worth taking the time to see
Downtown: Has a strip of music bars on Main St, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena
Germantown: Home to a couple of good restaurants
East: The Grand Ole Opry, and The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s house)

EAT at the Wild Cow (East Nashville) for some pretty great vegan food. City House (Germantown) has great reviews, but we didn’t get there. Catbird Seat (Vanderbilt) is supposed to be a cracker but you have to book a month in advance. Hattie Bs (Vanderbilt) for some of the best fried chicken you’ll ever taste. Jeni’s (East Nashville) for some of the most flavorful ice-cream you’ll ever taste. Frothy Monkey (South 12th) for a cool coffee shop. Fido (Hilsboro) for a good lunch. Marche Artsican Foods (East Nashville) for brunch

DRINK along the bars of Main St (Roberts is famous). And the “speakeasy” above Catbird Seat called Patterson House. Also recommended are Douglas Corner café, Stone Fox, Gold Rush, Wolfy’s, Flying Saucer, Boscos and F Scotts

DO go visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, Belle Meade plantation, Grand Ole Opry, The Hermitage, The Parthenon, Vanderbilt .

Wedding Info

HOTELS

1) Waldorf Astoria
301 Park Ave at 49th St
Great location and one of the old “Grand Dames” of New York.

We’ll be using this as a base for family and friends

Follow the link to book http://www.waldorfnewyork.com/

Use the code “HKW” to get rates of $249 (Deluxe) and $279 (Superior) (plus 14.5% tax)

If you are unsure about where to stay, we strongly encourage people to book here at least as an option. The rates are fantastic and you can cancel for free up to 24hrs before your stay

2) The Strand: TBC

3) The Verve: TBC

Bermuda Tips

Bermuda. Talk about a tropical destination. Thoroughly recommend it for a weekend away. So beautiful and yet so simple. Maybe we were lucky with the weather, but i've honestly never felt more amazed at seeing such pristine beaches and clear blue water. Describing the people as friendly would be an understatement!!

FLY out of JFK (JetBlue or American) or Newark (United) - we flew American out and JetBlue back for a total cost of $300 return. Flight time is a whopping 2hrs!!

STAY at a resort on the beach if you can afford it. We stayed at the Royal Palms. A really lovely hotel and we had a great deal at just under $200 per night. While it was great to walk into Hamilton, it was a taxi ride to the beaches. We spent the day at the Rosewood at Tucker's Point which was gorgeous. I also hear the Fairmont's are very nice.

EAT at Mickey's on Elbow Beach. Good food and a lovely beach to spend the day on. (Otherwise, we were at a wedding, so had everything else organised)

OTHER STUFF TO NOTE. It's a golfers paradise, so bring your clubs if you so desire. Taxis are needed everywhere and can really add up - the transfer from the airport to Hamilton takes about 20mins and costs $30.

Israel tips

Just came back from a wonderful visit to the holy-land!!   Here are my tips…

FLY direct with El Al. No better or worse than any of the other carriers, but they do fly direct and they were the cheapest ($1,100) – they tend to offer upgrades at the gate for a standard $700 if available

TRANSFER to Jerusalem for a shuttle bus outside the station for 62 shekels. Cabs are 4 times this price. If going to Tel Aviv, then cab is probably easiest and quickest at around 150 shekels

CAR RENTAL is quite cheap. Standard car is around $25 per day. Insurance is not usually covered by credit cards and will cost a further $20 per day. Gas is expensive. London prices, at 7.50 shekels per litre.

JERUSALEM

STAY at the Mount Zion. Pretty dated inside, but great views and lovely pool. Decent breakfast for around $260 per night. There are other hotels, but they all seemed to be a lot more expensive

EAT and hang out in the German Colony along Emek Refa’im. Also the restaurants around Nahalat Shiva and Feingold Courtyard, such as Adom. The Colony is also supposed to be a cool hangout

SEE the Old City, obviously. The Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian quarters. There is a very good free tour if you ask in the tourist office near the Jaffa gate. 

TOUR the tunnels by the wall – you need to book in advance. Dome of the Rock is only available for viewing at certain hours so check ahead. And a lot is closed on Shabbat (Friday night and Saturday daytime). 

VISIT Yad Vashem – the Holocaust memorial. Free access and very insightful

DEAD SEA

STAY nowhere!  Really tough, cause the hotels are all really poor. We used points to stay at Le Meridien, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You can probably visit over 2 days and one night

EATing is tough too. We actually went on a random 30min drive to Arad, to a football themed bar called Muza that had a fun atmosphere and good food

SEE the Dead Sea. Best to go to Mineral beach, where they have vats of the mud to cake yourself in – a lot of fun. 50 shekel entry and much nicer beach and amenities than elsewhere. 

CLIMB Mount Masada for sunrise. It takes an hour to get up and 40mins to come down. It gets very hot, so dress appropriately and bring lots of water. 25 shekels entry

HIKE to Ein Gedi. Not sure there is any need to do more than the 40min hike to the main waterfall which is fun and very refreshing

MITSPE RAMON

STAY at the Beershet. Simply amazing hotel with cracking views. A little on the pricey side. Another option is Chez Eugene. Ecletic and well designed hotel, but with no views. Cost is $180 for a basic room or $280 for a room with your own terrace and hot tub.

EAT at Chez Eugene. Unbelieveable restaurant

VISIT the crater. Some jaw dropping views and you can take a jeep tour into it or go star gazing at night. There’s also a llama farm which is fun to visit and you can go wine tasting and do archery if you so desire

ALSO go to Sde Boker to Ben Gurion’s house to learn about his vision for Israel – about a 20min drive north of Mitspe Ramon

TEL AVIV

STAY at the Hotel Gilgal if you want something basic but efficient. Some people call it a fancy youth hostel!!  For $170 per night, you can’t complain. Excellent location, simple but comfortable rooms, friendly staff, but poor breakfasts. The David Intercontinental is nice, but twice the price. Most of the other hotels in Tel Aviv are dated and overpriced

EAT at one of the many wonderful restaurants in Tel Aviv. So many to list. The Social Club is excellent. For more local food check out Dr Shakshuka in Jaffa. Old Man by the Sea is also a great experience

VISIT the beach!  Great sand and fun atmosphere. You can rent beds and umbrellas for 12 and 6 shekels respectively

PARTY either in the port (Namal) or Clara’s

Russia tips

IN ADVANCE sort out your Visa. Takes around 3-4 weeks and costs around $150. Highly beaurureucratic. Much easier to use a dedicated Visa company (CIBT) and pay the small premium for it. Otherwise, risk standing in long lines and stressing it won’t be done in time.

LEARN a bit of Russian. Or at least the Cyrillic alphabet. Will make life a lot easier

GET THERE by flying into Moscow with BA from Heathrow. Surprisingly quick flight (4hrs) and good times. Two airports. We landed into Domodevo. Custom lines are long, so get to front of plane and be prepared to wait. Easiest way into Moscow is with the Aero Express. Follow signs for it (the only ones in English). Buy your tickets for around RUB200 each and it takes 45mins. Once you arrive into xxx station, get used to the subway. Tickets are standard prices RUB28 per journey. It’s fun and very quick for getting around as traffic can be a nightmare and getting a cab is daunting. No official cab system unless you organize through your hotel. “Stab” cabs as they’re affectionately known are basically guys in their cars working for extra cash. No doubt they’ll try to rip you off, so agree the fare first - it’ll be expensive whatever happens so take cabs only when required and the subway more often

STAY somewhere central within walking distance of the Kremlin. Although it’s very very expensive. We used points and stayed at the Park Hyatt, which somehow crazily normally commands $800 per night

VISIT the Kremlin and go to the Armory. Buy your ticket for this on the west side of the Kremlin, but check in advance as there are set visiting hours. Particularly visit the Diamond fund – buy tickets for this in the Armory. Go visit Lenin’s tomb. Entry is free, but lines start early in the morning from 9:30am. We came back a bit later around 11:30am and hardly had to wait. St Basil’s cathedral is also here. That can all be done as part of one visit. For another visit go to the church the other side of Patriach’s Bridge and eat at Art Strelka (see below). The Pushkin museum is here too although we didn’t get a chance to go

SHOP at GUM. An amazing building next to the Kremlin but every designer under the sun. Although save actually buying anything until you come home. Stupidly expensive prices

EAT At Café Pushkin. Very traditional and expensive local restaurant (opening a restaurant in NYC in Fall 2011). Café Margarita. Another local place, but much smaller, cheaper and has local music students playing fun sing along tunes. Art Strelka. A trendy place on the river serving really nice dishes and great views. Drink at the top of the Ritz at O2 for great views of the Kremlin.

GET to St Petersburg by train. Most trains go from Leningradsky to Moscovsky station. We took a fast day train which took around 4hrs and cost $150 per person. Another option is to take the night train which will save on accommodation and take 8hrs.

STAY in similar fashion to Moscow. Somewhere central in walking distance to the Hermitage and Nevsky Prospect (main street). Again, very expensive. We used points to stay at the W which normally costs around $400 per night.

VISIT the Hermitage – ideally get a guide which will pass the lines and show you the most interesting bits. We paid RUB4,000 for 3hrs. Peterhof was the King’s old summer estate and you can get there on a 30min hydrofoil ride from in front of the Hermitage. Really pretty gardens and lovely to walk around and relax in. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral/Fortess was where Peter first landed and built his fort which is interesting to see. Yusupov mansion shows the decadence of the Russian elite – each room has a different theme and they even have their own theatre. The Vodka museum is a fun side thing to do to learn a short history about vodka and to try a few different brands. St Isaac’s Cathadral is huge and you can climb the 200 steps for great views while the Church of the Savior of Spilled Blood looks like it’s from a candy store

EAT at Idiot which is a cosy local place.

Every day i wake up and thank the Lord i'm Welsh

Hi All,

Well, it’s been a long old winter. Last week the temperature shot up to almost 70 degress…for a day…and now it’s back down to 35. For you Brits, that basically means that it went hotter than a British and then colder than a British winter within 24hrs!!! Crazy crazy!! At least the sun is shining and Em and I are taking a well deserved trip to Mexico in a couple of weeks. I just hope those drug lords keep their gun battles well away from our stretch of beach!!

Sorry to harp on about the cold here, but it really is a shock. I guess I arrived on the cusp of winter last year and so thought it was all exciting. The Boxing day blizzard here was fun, but now I’m simply over it. You’d have thought with all this body hair, that I’d be able to withstand a drop in temperatures, but in actual fact, I deal with it by throwing my toys out of the pram!!!

Thankfully the cold has at least brought on 2 of my favorite pastimes. Skiing and Driving.
Went on a couple of day trips to “Hunter mountain” just north of the city. Pretty fun, but too small a mountain so spend any more than a day there. Amusement was brought by a colleague drinking his way up on the bus, forgetting his ski jacket, wearing aviators, no helmet, push a guy over on his first run and then do a jump and smash up his collar bone on his second run. Fortune favors the brave hey?!
I’ve been lucky enough to take out a couple of Porsches this month. The first, a bright orange 1968 ‘911 was fun but tough. Kind of nuts to think it was 40 years old. The second was a much newer 911 Turbo. The fastest thing I’ve ever driven and makes this wooshing airplane noise when hit 4k revs. Suffice to say I felt like a kid in a toy car. Except that it wasn’t a toy!!!

Em and I drove up an hour north of the city to the Hudson valley region. Really is a beautiful part of the state, with pretty villages, restaurants, bridges etc. No doubt we put on a few kilos from the food and had a very interesting time in a place called Cold Spring – my mother would have loved it here with all the antique shops. I think we brought the average age down to about 65 and the locals were either extremely nice or extremely rude. On the nicer side was a Welsh lady called Leonora who got very excited to hear I was from just down the road from where she grew up! We spoke in our put on Welsh accents for at least 15mins!!!

Which brings me on to the subject line. March 1st is/was St David’s Day. A day for all to celebrate leeks, daffodils, rugby, sheep and anything else myself and my fellow brethren are proud of being Welsh. Or to paraphrase the great Josh “Shippo” Shipman – “It’s the only country where you can have a good meal, have sex and make a woolly jumper all from the same animal”!!!

So a Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant Hapus to all of you and I hope to hear from you soon!!
(And hopefully I’ll be seeing some of you too. A small chance I’ll be coming home in mid April)

Jamie

PS The first photo is from Burn's Night. After a few glasses of wine, i got up and did the William Wallace monologue!!
And if you hadn't worked out the second one, it's a picture of me holding a real life brain. It stank and was surprisingly heavy!!

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

Hudson Valley

Within a couple of hours drive/train of New York is the Hudson Valley. Lovely villages based along the river as it snakes up through New York state.

A lot of the villages are easily accessible by train. Or there are various routes one can drive. Here are some of my recommendations

Cold Spring
A very cosy one street village about an hour from the city. Heavy on the antiques and some interesting characters
STAY at the Pig Hill Inn – a bed and breakfast run by Vera. Prices are reasonable, location is excellent and breakfast is yum!
EAT at the the Riverview – website looks a bit naff, but the food is excellent
VISIT all the antiques stores on Main St. Particularly The Country Goose run by Leonora who’s Welsh and great fun!!

Milton
Didn’t see much in the town itself, but a great place because of where we stayed
STAY at the Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa – beautiful place on the river with cracking food, cosy rooms, a spa, gym and best of all – animals! Llamas, sheep, swans, ducks etc etc
EAT at the Artist’s Palate – a 10min drive into Poughkeepsie. Excellent new American style food

Other things to do/visit

Culinary Institute of America – one of the premier cooking schools with various onsite restaurants
FDR – Very interesting tour of the home, library and museum of FDR
Walkway over the Hudson – A purpose built footbridge giving excellent views of the river
Rhinebeck – Pretty town a couple of hours north where Chelsea Clinton got married
Storm King – Massive outdoor sculptures. Can either walk, ride a bike or take the internal bus. Take a picnic
Dia Beacon – Art gallery with some interesting exhibitions
Newburgh waterfront – Nice restaurants on the river, but little to see in the town
Dominion House B&B – Cute place to stay. Pretty reasonable price

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