The Blog-A-Day Project

Lorde - Gelatos

2013-05-12T13:21:00.001+12:00

I have seen a lot of concerts.

I have seen heroes and icons. I've seen dingy neighbourhood bands and pub bands, I've seen church bands and latin bands. I've seen artists from all over the world ranging from 15 to well past 70.

But I've never seen anything like Lorde.

Last night I was privileged (and I don't use that word lightly) to see 16 year old Ella Yelich O’Connor in one of her first public concerts.

I missed out on tickets to Thursday's R18 gig (it sold out in minutes), so I went to the All Ages instead (which also sold out in minutes, I was just more organised this time). The venue was barely bigger than my bedroom, and the bar was all non-alcoholic, but it didn't matter. Once Lorde was on stage, nothing much did.

Singing hits from her debut EP as well as some new ones from her upcoming album, Lorde had the audience in the palm of her hand from the very beginning.

Opening with Bravado, she was captivating. Her voice has perhaps matured a little from the recording, but it's even better live.

Between songs, she let her character down, once admitting that because the audience was filled with her peers, they were 'less intimidating'. Her banter was friendly and excited, seeming to enjoy the experience as much as the audience was.

Her new tracks were a real treat to hear. They are more mature than the EP. The sound seemed heavily influenced by Lana Del Rey, but in a good way. She flips the mirror on Del Rey's consumer driven, sex-laden style and looks at things which matter to her in a honest way.

This girl is going to blow up. In the past few weeks her Facebook page has gone from 6,000 fans to 30,000. She's been picked up Buzzfeed and Perez Hilton. She has record deals in the US and UK. She's often compared to Kimbra, but having seen them both - Kimbra has nothing on the presence Lorde has. I fully expect the next time I see her will be in a venue like the Powerstation, with a pricetag much higher than the $25 I paid this time.

In the end, Lorde left us wanting more (it was a 45 minute set), but she didn't leave us wanting. I saw something very special last night, and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.

Related links
The Love Club EP on Spotify

Moment of Awesome

2013-03-17T21:42:00.000+13:00

After that post about YouTube, I began looking around for more channels. Long story short, I found this concert.

This is incredible to me because I was there. In New York. At that gig.

The YouTube clips are actually a way better view than we had, but it's so awesome to think that I was there, at that time, and I can always go back and experience it again.

I just thought that was cool.

My Favourite YouTube Channels

2013-03-16T13:18:00.000+13:00

I love YouTube. I've been a small part of the community for 5 or 6 years now and over that time I've collected a wide range of channels in my subscriptions list.

YouTube is a place that entertains me, educates me and changes me for the better. My feelings about YouTube can be expanded on another day, but today I watched an interesting video about YouTube from my favourite channel, Vlogbrothers.

Inspired by this, I've decided to write a post about some of my favourite channels in the hope that it might expose you to something new, and help good content creators continue to create amazing content. This is far from an exhaustive list. I could easily make another one, so if you like it and you want to see another one, let me know. In no particular order...

1. Vlogbrothers
These guys are the reason I am a part of the YouTube community. They are smart, funny and big supporters of social responsibility. They are the inventors of the annual YouTube charity drive 'The Project for Awesome' which last year resulted in giving over $400,000 away to charity. Hank Green also runs the annual YouTube conference VidCon. A number of the channels you'll see below are their brain childs. If anyone I know on YouTube is working hard to create a sustainable business model on YouTube as well as creating good content, it's these guys.

2. Baracksdubs
Ever wanted to see Barack Obama sing pop songs? Probably not, but this channel takes video from official White House archives, mixes in a liberal amount of autotune and produces what are often the funniest thing you've seen all day. A brilliant little gem to have in your subscriptions, if only to be the first one of your friends to put it on Facebook.

3. C. G. P Grey
For some of the most innovative, simple and interesting educational videos on YouTube, you cannot go past C. G. P. Grey. Of special note are his videos on electorial systems and how one would go about being elected to a particular office (like the Pope, see the video below). He makes complicated systems simple.

Each C. G. P. Grey video takes months of research, but he manages to upload one or two videos a month, and they are always one of the first things I'll watch.

4. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
This is one for those who love Jane Austen.

Imagine Elizabeth Bennet lived today, and imagine she was broadcasting her story to the world via video blogs. Well, that's the general idea behind The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. This channel is the brainchild of Hank Green of the Vlogbrothers and it's another must-watch for me. The series is almost at an end (no word on if they're planning to do another classic any time soon), but you can start with the video below, and if you like it, there's a handy playlist with all the episodes here.

5. Epic Rap Battles
Every fortnight, two personalities from history take each other on in an epic rap battle. Sometimes geeky, sometimes political, always funny and well written. I can't even tell you how many times I've watched the video below.

6. Crash Course
Another brainchild of the Vlogbrothers (I did warn you). Crash Course is an educational channel which has so far run series' on World History (a personal favourite), Biology, Literature and Ecology. They are currently running American History and Chemistry.

Crash Course manage to make learning interesting and fun. They are aimed to integrate with the American syllabus, but you'll definitely learn something if you subscribe to this channel.

7. charlieissocoolllike
Charlie McDonnell was an early success on YouTube. He was the right age and the right amount of cute to get the girls swooning, but he's also the right amount of thoughtful and funny to keep the older audience entertained. Charlie tends to approach his videos from a more personal point of view and sticks mainly to a vlog-style.

8. CDZA
CDZA (or Collective Cadenza) make musical video experiments. I discovered them of the back of this amazing Fresh Prince-Google Translate video and proceeded to watch everything they'd ever made and then tell all my friends about them. As a music geek, I adore this channel, and I really did struggle to work out which video to embed below, but I settled with the one that made me cry.

9. The Most Popular Girls in School
I'm relatively new to this channel, but I watched the entire first season, and the first two episodes of the second season last week and completely fell in love with it. There is probably a lot of thoughtful societal commentary within the videos themselves, but mostly I just thought they were freaking hilarious.

10. Nerimon
Alex Day is a bit of an internet phenomenon. He's the kind of guy that has an interesting idea, then follows through. His internet following has meant he's sat in the top 10 of the UK charts at Christmas two years in a row without a record company. He's a little bit odd, but in a good way. He's not afraid to be himself, and he's not afraid to tell the audience who he is, and why.

The video below is the first in a series. If you want to find out what Alex thinks of the rest of Twilight, the playlist is here.

Laneway 2013

2013-02-24T12:49:00.000+13:00

Laneway is consistent for providing some of the most memorable musical images I have ever been privileged to witness. In 2010, Florence Welch set the bar by wailing into the wind from the top of a speaker stack. In 2013, Natasha Kahn (Bat For Lashes) took to an abandoned stage in a red dress under the spotlight and surrounded by billowing smoke to perform her melancholic love song to her best friend, Laura.

I'm always in two minds about publishing my experiences at Laneway. I usually find that (with the exception of one or two acts each year) the music is beyond me. The fact that it's effectively held in a carpark in the middle of Summer means it's always a sweltering day and the threat of sunburn is never too far away.

Laneway make huge improvements to the venue each year. They add shade and they clearly put a lot of thought into the food vendors (the food at this festival is always amazing). There are more than enough toilets for everyone and the expansion to include a beautiful waterfront view was to be commended. Unfortunately, even with all the improvements, it never quite feels like enough.

The lines for booze were still very long, and like every year I have been, they ran out before the liquor licence was up. While I don't tend to drink at concerts or festivals, my friends do, and the lines impact me as well. I get the feeling that the lines might be part of forcing the festival goers into a little bit of moderation. You're forced to wait, so you're forced to pace yourself. Given the amount of drinking going on, it's probably not a bad idea.

All of these things make me hesitate to write this blog each year (and explain why this one is coming a month late). Ultimately, the worst of our experiences from the first Laneway are fixed. There's plenty of food and the only lines are for booze. There is a whole heap more shade and there are markets (although the lack of festival staples like hats, sunglasses and sunblock in the markets did frustrate me). It really does get better every year, and yet, I'm still left thinking, maybe I shouldn't go back next year?

And maybe, next year I shouldn't. This year Laneway was my filler for the Big Day Out. If we'd had the BDO, I probably wouldn't have bothered with Laneway this year. Next year, maybe I should look at going to Splore - a biennial festival held in one of our regional parks which, despite having always wanted to, I've never actually attended.

That all said, the music I got to see was top quality. Of Monsters and Men were note-perfect and worth standing in the harsh January sun for. Bat for Lashes was resplendent and sealed her place as my favourite female artist of the moment, and on our way out at the end of the night we caught an amazing performance of We Only Go Backwards from Tame Impala.

I was unfortunate enough to smash my phone just prior to Laneway, so unfortunately I don't have any photos of the day, but an ex-workmate has put this video of a few performances on YouTube, feel free to enjoy it from the comfort of wherever you are.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

2013-02-23T01:06:00.001+13:00

Walking into Vector Arena tonight, I was a little dismayed to discover exactly who Macklemore's primary audience seems to be. Overwhelmingly, the majority of the audience was under 20. In the bathroom, the wait to get to the sinks was longer than the wait for the loos themselves because of all the young ladies checking and reapplying their make-up in the mirror.

While I'm going to blame that audience on his catchy 1 worldwide #1 hit, Thrift Shop, it was his other more serious tunes that caught my ears a few months ago, just after his concert was announced.

I bought my Macklemore ticket the day it went on sale. I was a holder of an original Powerstation ticket. Since then, however, the venue was bumped not once, but twice, and tonight I caught Ben Haggerty (better known as Macklemore) and Ryan Lewis at Vector Arena.

Despite that, Thrift Shop's recent popularity left me dubious about what I might expect. I shouldn't have been worried. You don't get to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' level of popularity without a record label unless you can pull off an amazing show.

I've never seen anything like what I witnessed tonight. I have seen some great concerts in the last few years. I've seen acts from all kinds of genres, and levels of success, but I have never seen an artist really turn a concert into the kind of conversation we, as his fans in "Auckland New Zealand", had with Macklemore tonight.

Yes, he played songs. Yes, he played the ones we knew - and some I didn't. He introduced me to his Vs. EP and played many others I already knew from The Heist - but he also shared himself... and I feel like we shared ourselves with him too, in a way.

It sounds corny, but that's how I left feeling. I left feeling like he got as much of a kick out of that experience as we did.

Audience participation during Starting Over. When was the last time you saw lighters in the air?

But feelings aside, the man knows how to craft a show. The songs were spliced with stories, introductions, audience participation and one rather memorable moment with some New Zealand possum fur.

Before launching into Thrift Shop, Haggerty called for someone in the audience with a fur coat to throw it to the stage. (If this makes no sense to you, then I strongly recommend this video, no matter how annoying you might find the song).

One (actually two) duly appeared, and what would you know - the one he chooses to perform in is made of New Zealand possum. A real thrift-shop winner, he announced it to smell like a grandmother who "liked whisky and marijuana".

Needless to say the audience loved Thrift Shop, performed with Wanz, who sings the hook. Afterward, Macklemore justified his fur coat by saying the possum was probably having a more exciting life in death, than it did while it was alive. To chants of "crowd-surf the possum", the coat was duly returned to the owner. I got the feeling that if it hadn't, the show would not have continued.

I will admit, tears were at my eyes during the equality anthem Same Love. I had a giggle that he'd done enough research to discover we are close to passing marriage equality into law, but not enough to know that NZ was a world leader when it comes to issues of equality and that in this case, compared to our track record, we're actually a little behind the 8-ball.

But nonetheless, I love that song, and the audience 'vote' at the end of it spoke obviously of young sentiment on the issue.

I had a great time. As amazing as it would have been to see him at a more intimate venue like the Powerstation with an older audience, he still killed it at Vector.

Don't judge Macklemore on Thrift Shop, judge him by the rest of his songs, his amazing videos, and for all he has achieved outside of the mainstream music system. He has well and truly earned everything he's getting.

Pretty Lights

2013-02-02T23:34:00.001+13:00

I've just got home from a night at Studio where I saw Pretty Lights. To say I had one of the best nights I've had in a long time is to understate. I am sitting here in a very sweaty (and I'll be honest here, stinky) top, guzzling water, listening to my Pretty Lights list on Spotify and thinking of how I could describe the magic that happened tonight.

I guess I'll start at the beginning. We rolled up 10 minutes before Pretty Lights was due to hit the stage. We were in time to grab drinks and get warmed up by Nick D, who was into the tail-end of his set. I like Nick D - he's never failed to make me dance the few times I've seen him and tonight was no exception.

Nick kept the place going for a good 20 minutes after we got there, and it looked like he was having a great time. Soon his set was at an end, and he left one a great note - playing Lorde's Royals while the crew set up for the main attraction (click that link. You probably won't regret listening to that song).

More drinks were procured and Pretty Lights lit up the stage. From the moment he hit the decks, he had the audience in the palm of his hand. Big beats were mixed with fat pace at a tempo which practically forced you to move your feet.

He occasionally hit the mic to say "hello New Zealand!" but mostly stuck to making his trademark blends of rock, hip hop and soul.

While I did my white girl shuffle the whole gig, some of my favourite moments coming from recognising my favourite artists blended into the layers of music. The absolute highlight of the night was when he played Finally Moving. The lyrical component of this song (many of Pretty Lights' songs lack any meaningful vocal threads) had the audience singing along, hands and bottles in the air. It's his top-rated song on Spotify and there's a good reason for that.

We left Studio at about 2am - exhausted, sweaty, smiling and exhilerated. This was my favourite gig so far this year, and I have every intention of seeing Pretty Lights whenever he is back.

If you're interested in finding out what the fuss was about, head over to his Website and get downloading - his work is available free of charge or on a donation basis if you feel like it.

Related links
Photoset from Cheese on Toast

Alabama Shakes

2013-01-16T18:50:00.001+13:00

As part of my preparations for my trip to New York last year, I went looking for a gig. I wanted something awesome, and when I found Alabama Shakes playing with Jack White at the Roseland Ballroom, I knew I'd found it. Unfortunately, that gig was sold out, and I ended up seeing something else instead.

All of this served, however, for me to fall in love with Alabama Shakes. I rate their Boys and Girls album as one of the best of 2012. When they were announced for the Big Day Out in Australia, I was ready to pack my bags and go, but then an Auckland show was announced.

I have chased this band all over the world and finally, they came to me.

The thing that will forever stand out about Alabama Shakes is lead singer Brittany Howard. Her voice is the kind you expect to hear from someone much older. Live, it is as flawless as it is on the album. The band slowed down most of their tracks - probably out of necessity given the 90 minute set time - but it only served to show exactly how much control and depth Howard has.

Auckland was treated to a couple of new songs, and I'm pretty sure every song off the album. There were several crowd favourites, but the main sing-a-long moment came with their debut single Hold On.

As much as I love the band, the album and the concert, I feel like Howard is destined for greater things. I'll be very surprised if she isn't proved one of the greatest voices of her generation in years to come.

Check out the videos below to see them in action.

Weezer

2013-01-12T14:14:00.006+13:00

Lat night I had the pleasure of seeing Weezer perform their 'Memories' show. It was probably the most crowd-pleasing show I have ever seen.

Beginning in 2009 with (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To from the Radditude album, Weezer played all the hits - moving back through time via Pork and Beans, Troublemaker (including a rousing chorus from the top of the bar after Rivers got off the stage and ran around Vector Arena in the same way Billy Joe from Green Day did a few years ago), Beverly Hills, Hash Pipe, Island in the Sun, El Scorcho and Tired of Sex.

The second half concert began with a slightly corny slideshow. It was sweet and built for the fans. It gave us a look back at who Weezer were and what made them the act they are today. How the members came together and how they were received in the early days ("blatant Nirvana wanna-bes") complete wiht all the nightmarish haircuts and fashion choices of the early 90's.

And then, The Blue Album. I have never been so satisfied with a performance. Songs like Say it Ain't So, Buddy Holly and Undone (The Sweater Song) were performed practically note-perfect.

And then it was over. It felt short, but incredibly satisfying. Weezer were worth the wait, and completely aware of it, they gave the audience exactly what they wanted.

An excellent show by consummate performers.

If you want to hear the set list and re-live the concert (or to pretend you were there), I've put it onto Spotify. You can listen to it here.

Other Reviews
Cheese on Toast
Libel.co.nz

101 Wishes

2012-12-26T09:00:00.000+13:00

This year I managed to cross off 7 wishes. It has definitely been a good year.

I joined the Green Party, saw both Radiohead and Gossip live. I visited New York and got to see some of the Terracotta Army while I was there.

As is usual practice, I have revised my list for 2013. Boxing Day is the only day I'm allowed to make changes, and I can't change anything I've already crossed off. Not many changes this year, but I still think it's good practive to revise the list each year.

Items in blue were achieved in 2012. Items in red were achieved in 2013.

Art / Art History

Have a painting on public display
See the Mona Lisa
~~Own a really nice piece of art by someone other than me~~
See a piece of art by each of the Teenage Mutant Turtles’ namesakes (Mona Lisa OK for Leonardo, Sistine Chapel OK for Michelangelo)

Charity/Politics

~~Donate to charity regularly~~
~~Volunteer~~
~~Donate blood~~ (regularly)
~~Join the Green Party~~

Concerts / Music

~~See Radiohead live~~
See Kings of Leon live
~~See Green Day live~~
~~See Gossip Live~~
~~See Foo Fighters live~~
~~See Portishead live~~

Education

Learn Maori
Learn to dive
~~Learn to drive~~ (and get my full drivers license)
~~Get a degree~~
Get my Masters
Get my PhD

Experiences

~~Order room service~~
Empty a mini bar
Fly first class
Go to Glastonbury
Tour the Whitehouse
Go to Easter Island
Build a snowman
Experience a white Christmas
Go to Disneyland
Wear a diamond necklace
~~Pat an elephant~~
~~Drink French Champagne~~
Go to the Olympic Games
~~Take part in a protest~~
Go to the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida
~~Wear a designer dress~~
Spend a year in another country
~~Witness a historic event~~
~~Move out of Rocklands~~
~~Go out dancing all night~~

Friends and Family

Meet and marry my soul mate
~~Visit my grandparents~~
~~Find Steven More~~
~~Make friends with someone I don't like~~
~~Be able to recognise a liar~~

Health

Quit Smoking
~~Join a gym~~
Get down to size 14
Fix my teeth

Material

~~Buy a bookcase~~
Buy a house
~~Buy a new computer~~
Be debt-free
Be 'comfortable' money-wise
Own a yellow drum set
Own my own land
Be mostly self-sufficient

Music – See Concerts

Random

Write my novel
Go drinking with a celebrity
See all the movies on the IMDB Top 250
Bake and decorate a tiered cake
~~Remember to buy fireworks before 5 November~~
Get a tattoo
Sew a shirt
Join a tramping club

Russia – See Travel – Russia

Travel - Asia

Explore China
Go to the Geisha Districts in Japan
~~See the Terracotta Army~~
See Tiananmen Square

Travel – Australia

Go diving at the Great Barrier Reef
See Adelaide
~~Go shopping in Sydney for a day~~
See Perth

Travel – Europe

Explore London
See Stonehenge
Go up the Eiffel Tower
Visit Amsterdam

Travel – Italy

Explore Italy
See the Sistine Chapel
See the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Travel – New York

~~See a Broadway musical~~
~~Go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art~~
~~Have a picnic in Central Park~~

Travel – New Zealand

See the South Island
~~Go snorkelling at Leigh Marine Reserve~~
Do the Tongariro Crossing
Go to Milford Sound
~~Take the Auckland-Wellington train~~
Walk the entire length of the Te Araroa track (although perhaps not in one go!)
Take the Greymouth-Christchurch train

Travel – Other

Drink tequila in Mexico
Holiday on a Pacific Island
Gamble in Vegas
Walk down Hollywood Boulevard
See the Amazon
Look at Russia from Alaska
Go to Emily Dickinson's birthplace

Travel – Russia / Russia

Read War and Peace
Read Anna Karenina
See Lenin's Mausoleum
Drink vodka in Russia

Robyn at The Powerstation

2012-10-05T11:13:00.000+13:00

I see a lot of gigs. I have begun calling this Summer the 'Summer of concerts' because I currently have tickets to six of them.

Blurry photo is blurry

I saw the first of the six last night at The Powerstation when I got to see Sweedish songstress, Robyn.

I can't say I was much of a Robyn fan until recently, when I sat down and began listening to her Body Talk albums. I quickly fell in love with what I found to be some of the most upbeat, meaningful, interesting pop currently available.

Rather than relying on high-stakes theatricality like Lady Gaga or choreographed dance routines like many of her contemporaries, Robyn is a serious burst of fresh air.

Her music is varied but nearly always upbeat. Her catalogue goes back of 15 years, and her dancing makes you realise just how very fit she is.

Unlike most pop concerts I have been to, there were no costume changes. Robyn simply danced, jumped, shimmied and spun for an hour and a half in her trademark off-beat tights and body suit.

She had some impressive dance moves. Anyone who has seen the 'Call Your Girlfriend' video can attest to her talent, and she bought those to the stage during her first encore.

I went into the show knowing I was going to see one of the most inventive and interesting pop artists currently touring, but I had no idea just how good it was going to be. I danced the whole time, which despite seeing a lot of live music, is something I rarely do. Robyn's music begs you to dance and is difficult to resist.

Ultimately I had high expectations, and Robyn outperformed them by a long shot. She is a brilliant performer and one every music fan should see. I hope she returns to our shores again soon.

Agree/Disagree

2012-09-11T15:26:00.001+12:00

An interesting campaign has been running recently in New Zealand by the British American Tobacco (BAT) Company. I say interesting because I have actually found my response - as a smoker - very interesting.

The ads themselves are awful. They basically say that smoking will probably kill you, but BAT want to retain their ability to market their death sticks. They come as a response to legislation put forth in New Zealand that all cigarettes should be sold in plain packs.

As a smoker, plain packs would be a serious pain in the ass. Non-smokers will have very little idea of the annoyance that is buying cigarettes. As time goes on, very few cashiers smoke, and getting them to find the correct pack is really, really frustrating. It's sad that it matters to us, but it does.

Essentially, plain packaging would just make the experience of holding up a queue in a supermarket while the cashier finds the right pack, then waits for their supervisor to approve the purchase all the more embarrassing for the smoker. That is to say the legislation is doing exactly what it is meant to do. If the disgusting images and high prices won't make us quit, the embarrassment we face while buying them probably will.

But I digress. Tobacco advertising was banned in New Zealand in 1990. I would have been about 7 or 8. While I vaguely remember a world which included tobacco advertising and sponsorship, I don't remember it well.

I began smoking because it was what those around me did. I'm not saying it was a good decision, but it was the one I made at age 17, having moved out of home and recently gained freedom. Over the years smoking has made me some very good friends, usually near dumpsters, over thousands of cigarettes. I have spent tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of killing myself slowly.

But not once, over a single cigarette, have I ever actually heard the voice of the tobacco industry.

It has never even occurred to me to really think about the companies that make them. I was aware of their existence, but I had never before heard them speak.

Well, now they are speaking, and I completely disagree with their scare tactics. They are literally saying that they agree their product kills their customers, but they want the right to keep marketing to them using the only avenue they have left - their shiny packs.

Well, despite the fact that I have bought their products religiously for 12 years, I am not a stupid person, and all these ads make me want to do is to give them the middle finger. All the publicly funded anti-smoking ads in the world have failed to make me do what the voice of BAT has managed to do in less than a month.

Last week I went to the doctor and got a prescription for Zyban. I am quitting: once and for all. I completely disagree with BAT. Ban cigarettes outright for all I care. I'm done. The love affair is over.

Equal Rights Marriage Bill

2012-07-29T18:06:00.000+12:00

I'm in the middle of an email blitz. For the last couple of days I have been sending a letter to every single Member of Parliament.

I've had a few replies, and I thought it might be interesting to categorise the replies and what they have told me, a regular taxpayer, about how they intend to vote as the bill comes through.

For extra value, I've sorted them by party with a nice easy colour code.

I'll update this as replies come in. If an MP isn't there, they haven't replied at this point in time. A reply is defined as a personal response to my email. Many have sent acknowledgement of my email, but unless they have specifically mentioned the way they're leaning, these general acknowledgements are not shown in the list.

Update: The Greens have iterated that this issue is a matter of policy, not conscience. I have had a few individual replies, but they will all support the bill. They are listed individually below to show overall support, more than anything.

These politicians have told me they intend to support the bill:
Jackie Blue (National, MP for Mt Roskill)
Nikki Kaye (National, MP for Auckland Central)
John Key (Leader National Party, Prime Minister and MP for Helensville) - Mr Key has specified he will support it through the first reading to hear public submissions
Charles Chauvel (Labour list MP)
David Clark (Labour MP for Dunedin North)
Maryan Street (Labour list MP)
Lianne Dalziel (Labour MP for Christchurch East)
Annette King (Labour MP for Rongotai)
Megan Woods (Labour MP for Wigram)
Peter Dunne (Leader United Future, MP for Ohariu) - Mr Dunne has specified he will support it through the first reading to hear public submissions
Julie-Anne Genter (Green Party list MP)
Russel Normal (Co-Leader Green Party, list MP)
Metiria Turei (Co-Leader Green Party, list MP)
Catherine Delahunty (Green Party list MP)
David Clendon (Green Party list MP)
Denise Roche (Green Party list MP)
Euginie Sage (Green Party list MP)
Gareth Hughes (Green Party list MP)
Holly Walker (Green Party list MP)
Jan Logie (Green Party list MP)
Kevin Hague (Green Party list MP)
Kennedy Graham (Green Party list MP)
Mojo Matthers (Green Party list MP)
Steffan Browning (Green Party list MP)
Tariana Turia (Co-Leader Maori Party, MP for Te Tai Hauauru)

Undecided
John Banks (Leader ACT, MP for Epsom)
Paul Goldsmith (National list MP)
Michael Woodhouse (National list MP)
Ross Robertson (Labour MP for Manukau East) - Mr Robertson specified he is very open to the opinions of his constituent, but this may be tempered by his own beliefs.

No Comment, but replied
Chris Auchinvole (National list MP)
Jo Goodhew (National, MP for Rangitata)
Tim Macindoe (National, MP for Hamilton West)
Todd McClay (National MP for Rotorua)
Phil Twyford (Labour, MP for Te Atatu)

Probably Not
Simon O'Connor (National MP for Tamaki) - Before we all jump up and down, Mr O'Connor sent a very considered reply, which I respect. He is open to hearing the debate from all sides. If you have something thoughtful, insightful or interesting to say, I would highly recommend you send your thoughts his way. Please do not send abuse to Mr O'Connor. I genuinely respect the fact that he did reply, and what he had to say.
Richard Prosser (NZ First list MP) - Richard wrote me a very respectful, thoughtful reply. It was very long. He is not anti-gay community, but believes in "preserving the institution of marriage". I respect his opinion, even if I strongly disagree with it. Mr Prosser's opinions do not come from religious dogma but from personal feeling.
Damien O'Connor (Labour MP for West-Coast-Tasman) - Mr O'Connor has stated he will vote against the bill, as he believes in keeping the tradition of marriage, as long as the legal rights of same-sex couples are recognised.

Get Travelling

2012-07-10T17:30:00.000+12:00

Before I left, and since I've been back from New York, I've had a lot of people tell me I'm lucky.

In many ways, that's not true. Travel is not a matter of luck. The luck fairy did not come and tap me on the head with her magical want and instantly transport me to the other side of the world. It happened because I decided I wanted to go.

Many might argue I am lucky to be in a position to make that decision, but that's not luck either. Travel is something I have always wanted to do. I made a decision to go to university, a decision to work hard, a decision not to have children and a decision to apply for, and take a job which gave me the income to travel. I am in the position I am in because I worked hard for it, I made the right decisions and sacrifices along the way.

It's about priorities, not luck.

While I don't argue that there are people out there who can't afford to travel, I would say that many of the people who want to, could. The only thing they have to do is decide it's what they want to do.

Seriously, it's that easy. Just decide.

For years I watched my friends jet-set around the world and I was so jealous. I thought they were lucky too. It never occurred to me that all I had to do was decide to go.

The turning point for me came when we went to Sydney last year. I was given my tickets for my birthday. The decision was made for me. All I had to do was save my money for the accommodation and spending. I did that in three months.

I decided to go to New York in December, after Caine asked me if I'd like to go. Within five months I was there.

I cannot stress this enough, it really is that easy. The money arrives almost by magic.

After you decide to go, everything else about your life starts falling into a list of priorities. Do you really need that coffee on Monday morning, or would you rather have a bagel from a New York street cart? Do you really need those jeans, or would you rather spend the money at Macy's? Do you want to go drinking at the Auckland Viaduct or Darling Harbour?

The turning point comes when you buy the ticket. Up until that point your commitment can waiver, but once you've bought the ticket, you're going. Do whatever you need to do to buy the ticket as soon as possible - max your credit card, save like a mofo - get it where you can.

After that, it's all downhill. You're definitely going, so your life becomes a lot about what you're going to do while you're there, how you can afford it, where you're going to stay. The budget works itself out, the savings automatically accumulate. I managed to save and acquire a good $1500 more than I originally thought I could. Some was donated, some was from unexpected savings. If you can't save as much as you'd like, you just have to be frugal on your trip.

I decided on my next trip before I'd even left for New York. In June next year I'm heading to Europe for around 6 weeks. I've set a budget and I'm already saving more than I thought I could. My credit cards are locked up and being paid off.

It's not luck, you're going. Just don't miss your flights!

12 Year Old Me

2012-07-06T11:00:00.000+12:00

My attention was just drawn to this video. I think it's adorable.

I love the idea of having a conversation with my 12 year old self.

A few years ago, while I was working in a supermarket deli (cleaning the spikes the chickens are roasted on, which is an awful job), I had the realisation that my 12 year old self would be horrified with who I was and what I was doing with my life.

Two hours later I applied to begin my degree.

While my 12 year old self never recorded a video for me, she has had a profound impact on who I am today. I hope she continues to keep me in check.

New York Stories: Chelsea and the High Line

2012-07-03T14:00:00.000+12:00

Me on the Chelsea High Line

The Chelsea High Line is an amazing use of space in the city. Originally, the High Line was a train track built in 1930. It used to deliver products to and from the industrial area of Manhattan. The tracks were built 10 meters above the ground to remove the trains from the pedestrian area, which had previously caused numerous accidents.

The trains were in use until 1980, when trucks took over. For 20 years it lay unused - growing a wide range of wild plants and grasses, and rusting. Over those years as land values grew, many residents called for it's removal, but around 1999, the idea was floated to repurpose the area.

A section of the unrenovated High Line on W30th St

It's taken a few years to get going, and it's still unfinished, but the Chelsea High Line is wonderful. I went quite early in the morning, before all the tourists and had a great time looking at the hundreds of American wild plants that I'd never seen before.

You can see the old tracks in this one.

This one I did recognise, even if I'd never seen it in real life before - Mistletoe!

It has some beautiful views of the city - every one of which has seating so you can stop to enjoy the view, and has some awesome public art including sculpture and installation work.

The park runs through Chelsea and the Meat Packing District - meaning that wherever you get on, or leave the High Line, you will be surrounded by two of Manhattan's most interesting areas which include some of the best galleries, designer shopping and food in the city.

I'd highly recommend you pop down onto 23rd St for two reasons. The first would be for the beer and conversation at The Half King. The food's pretty great too - the burger menu features both antelope and buffalo (among other more traditional) varieties. We spent most of an afternoon chatting to a couple of locals outside, drinking beer and eating burgers.

The other reason is another block up but worth it for any Kiwi looking for a decent coffee in America. Joe the Art of Coffee was a lifesaver. I was staying in Chelsea so they became my first stop each morning. I soon discovered you had to ask for an extra shot to get a decent antipodean strength, but it was good coffee, and good coffee is important to me.

Chelsea is the gay-hub of New York. This meant that (among other things) I felt completely safe walking the streets at night. I absolutely enjoyed it as a place to stay - it was close to some incredible galleries, parks, and the Hudson. It was historic and really quite beautiful. But even if you're not staying here, make sure you put Chelsea - and the High Line - on your itinerary

The Details
Chelsea High Line

Open from 7am to 11pm daily
Currently runs from Gansefort St in the Meatpacking District to W30th St in Chelsea (there is still another section yet to open).
There are various on/off points along the route - check the website for details.

The Half King

Come down the stairs off the High Line at 23rd St and The Half King will be right infront of you.
Open 11am Mon-Fri and 9am on the weekends. Closes 4am each night.
Tip: Sit on the street and watch the people go by.

Joe the Art of Coffee

Head up a block from The Half King to 405 W23rd St for a decent coffee.
Open from 7am Mon-Sat, and 8am on Sundays. Closes 8pm each night.
Tip: Get an extra shot for a normal NZ strength coffee.
You should tip the barista. Your coin-based change is fine. Maybe add a single if you are particularly grateful for good coffee that morning.

New York Stories: Broadway and Times Square

2012-07-01T11:40:00.000+12:00

My ultimate, most favourite place in New York was Broadway.

Researching the shows was one of the first things I did after booking my flights. I had been given a tip to subscribe to Playbill. I did, and was soon in-the-loop with New York's best shows, the best prices and what was coming up. In fact if you only take one thing away from this blog it's this: if you want to see a show on Broadway, subscribe to (and read) the Playbill emails.

On my first 'Broadway Day' I left the hostel for Broadway ridiculously early. I think I got there between 7:30 and 8am. I located the theatre and decided to have a look around (because my first show wasn't until 2pm). A couple of blocks away I found myself in the middle of the most overwhelming place I have ever been.

Fish eye from the red steps

Times Square.

I mean wow.

No photograph or video footage I have ever seen quite prepared me for that place.

In fact I had to sit down and just look like a tourist for about 30 minutes. I made a video, but for fear of it becoming a meme I've left it unlisted. You can check it out here though.

Once I got over Times Square and did some shopping, it was around 11am. The tourists were starting to pour in and the day was beginning to heat up, so I wandered a couple of blocks over to 30 Rockerfeller Plaza, otherwise known as '30 Rock'. I broke in my New York pass with a trip to the top. Top of the Rock is definitely worth doing. On a clear day you can see the whole of Manhattan, and the lines are considerably shorter than the Empire State Building.

I came down, grabbed some lunch and headed to the Music Box Theater for my first show - One Man, Two Guvnors. I'd booked it because it was cheap (thank you Playbill) and it had had great reviews on the West End. I didn't really know much about it going, but I ended up enjoying it immensely. It's a very funny show. It relies heavily on physical humour and, when I walked out my lungs hurt from laughing so hard. James Cordon, who plays the 'One Man' in the show's title won a Tony for best actor this year which I am happy to say, was very well deserved.

Just a few hours later I found myself up the road at Studio-freaking-54 to see Jim-freaking-Parsons in Harvey. Harvey is a play about a man who has an imaginary 6 foot tall rabbit named Harvey for a best friend. It was really wonderful, but it did leave me wondering about Jim Parsons' range. Don't get me wrong, he was wonderful in the play, but it was basically less-nerdy Sheldon crossed with Jimmy Stewart (who played the role of Harvey in the movie). Parsons is supported by a wonderful cast including Jessica Hecht (who played Ross's first ex-wive's wife, Susan, in Friends) and Rich Sommer (who plays Harry Crane in Mad Men). I really enjoyed the play, but it was certainly a change of pace from One Man, Two Guvnors.

My favourite thing about Harvey was the effects and set. Maybe I'm boring, but I always love theatre sets. Always. Or more to the point, I really love the way the set designer has designed the set to make the action of the play come alive. The set rotated in three sections to create the two main settings for the play - in a home, and in a mental health facility. It regularly took chairs and actors around with it. They also had a cool set of 'moving prop' effects which turned 'Harvey' into a character so real I felt like I could see him myself.

The next day, I went to Wicked at the Gershwin Theater. I picked up a program and a Winter jersey at the merch shop, then went to the bathroom where I encountered my first ever bathroom attendant.... if you can call a woman who points at toilets as they're being vacated and managing the 'traffic' towards them an 'attendant'.

I had a bit of a rage in my head at this point. Really, America? You can't go to the toilet without someone pointing out which bathroom is being vacated and pointing it out to you? They weren't even that clean (they were in decent condition, but I would have thought it might be a little nicer if there's a person whose job it was to sit in the bathroom)! When I came out, I noticed some women had tipped. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sure she's very nice, and she certainly speedily pointed me to the next available bathroom - but honestly I saw the door open and was making my way toward it before she barked out 'there!'

Anyway, I found my way up (and I mean UP) to my door. It was 3 floors up. I had a nosebleed ticket. At that point I realised just how big the Gershwin is. The set itself was HUGE, with a big mechanical dragon hovering over top. I will admit, I wasn't sure at the beginning if I would like it or not (which would have sucked because I have wanted to see this musical for years), but by the end I was completely in love with it. If you loved Wizard of Oz, this musical will completely change your perspective on it. It was everything I could want my first big On-Broadway musical to be.

All in all, if I am ever lucky enough to go to New York again, I will be spending a considerable amount of time seeing plays and musicals on Broadway. I am definitely looking forward to West End when I get to London as well. While we don't lack for quality productions in New Zealand, the sheer number of options available in the big theatre cities is incredible. I would have happily seen (or tried to see) at least a dozen more shows currently on Broadway. I recommend everyone to go see one big huge musical and one play. I loved every minute.

Broadway Tips

If you plan to do theatre in New York, subscribe to the Playbill emails for a couple of weeks/months before you go. Easily the best way to find out what's worth seeing, who's in what, and what's about to open.
Preview shows are still good, but are slightly cheaper than the main season. You may not see many reviews during the preview period, however, so no-one can really tell you if it's worth seeing.
For cheap tickets, you can also go to the TKTS booth, or rush them. I didn't do either of these options, but I definitely saw others doing them.
The TKTS booth is in Times Square, under the red staircase. The lines are long, and not all shows are available. You can only buy tickets for that day's performance.
To rush a theatre is to wait for it to open early in the morning and try to get the last-minute tickets for a performance that day. There is usually a limit of 1 ticket per person. I saw lots of lines for this there, each one was about 40-50 people long from 8am.

The Details
One Man, Two Guvnors

Runs until 2 September 2012 at the Music Box Theater
Tickets $67 to $142 from the website.

Harvey

Runs until 5 August 2012 at Studio 54
Tickets US$47 to $140 from Roundabout Theater Company

Wicked

Runs for the indefinite future at the Gershwin Theater
Tickets $65 to $238 from Ticketmaster

Top of the Rock

Open daily from 8am to midnight.
Free, with a New York Pass or $25 to $38 without it
Tip: Whenever you go, try and go on a clear day. On the day I went it had been clear and sunny for 2-3 days prior. We discovered that NYC is not as clear a day or two after it has been raining.

New York Stories: Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2012-06-26T14:00:00.000+12:00

I was pretty dubious when Caine suggested we go see baseball while we were in New York. In general, I don't really enjoy watching sports. However, he'd been good about the million emails I'd sent trying to organise the whole thing, he agreed to see Gossip with me and, ultimately, baseball is the 'great American pass time', so why not?

Our game was at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. Given The Bronx's reputation, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when we got off the subway. What we found was Yankee memorabilia in every direction. We had a look at a couple of stores to pick up baseball caps and big foam hands, got some photos, then headed in to pick up our tickets.

Giant hand, Yankee Stadium

The tickets cost the whopping sum of $11 each. That's not a typo. They were good seats too. We were sitting in the bleachers - where the real fans sit (we're told). They weren't even the cheapest seats! I suspect the stadiums can afford to sell the seats so cheaply because they make a absolute killing on advertising.

But I digress.

Our game was the same day I smashed my face into Central Park, so I wasn't feeling so flash. I had trouble eating and drinking due to the damage to my teeth, and my face was slowly swelling. Despite this, I loved the game.

Caine gave me an overview of the rules, and I watched as - in my estimation - Kansas sucked and the Yankees kicked ass.

Baseball isn't just a game. It's a machine. A well oiled, brightly coloured machine. Yankee Stadium includes a Yankee museum, several Yankee stores, and a whole ton of food and beer stalls. The whole stadium glitters with advertising. The big screen scrolls between player stats, the score, advertisements and giveaways.

Half way through the game we are asked to stand for a song about American patriotism. Caine and I quickly decided to stand, but not to sing. For one thing, we didn't know the words. For another, we are not American. We pledge allegiance to a different flag, and different ideals. We don't join in with the patriotic rubbish (and there is a lot). We watch, we absorb, we discover what it's actually like to be American.

By the seventh inning, it's clear the Yankees are going to win. Plenty of fans around us had already disappeared. We decided we'd had enough and we wanted to beat the crush back into town. We get on a (still crowded) train, swap to a completely empty one and head back to the hostel.

As it turned out, baseball was one of my favourite things about America. While I often found myself rolling my eyes at the overtness of it all, this is the sort of thing travel is all about - discovering what makes a country tick. While we weren't the only tourists in the crowd, the sport is aimed at the real fans. We sat amongst real fans, cheered for the homeruns, and saw the great American pass time in all its glory.

The Details

Yankee Stadium is super easy to get to on the Subway. You will work it out with no worries at all.
Want tickets? Literally all you have to do is Google 'Baseball New York' - Google will give you recent scores, tell you what the upcoming games are and give you a link to buy tickets.
If the Yankees aren't playing while you're there, you can check out The Mets.
Sit in the bleachers. You get great seats starting at around US$8.

New York Stories: Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo

2012-06-22T14:00:00.000+12:00

While over 1.5 million people live in Manhattan, the great majority of New Yorkers live in the other four boroughs - Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island, and Brooklyn.

Brooklyn is really easy to get to from Manhattan. A five minute subway ride or a 30 minute walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and you're there.

On a hot, sunny morning, we decided to check out Brooklyn. We did it in one go, but it involved a four mile walk. I'd highly suggest anyone who chooses to check out Brooklyn do it in two parts, so this post is going to be split into two.

The Brooklyn Bridge from the Circle Line Cruise

We began by walking over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was the first bridge to be built between Manhattan and the mainland (there are 4 now), and was a huge feat of engineering at the time. It took 13 years to complete, beginning construction in 1870, and opening in 1883.

It was designed by John Augustus Roebling, who died soon after construction began as a result of an injury received on-site. Roebling's son, Washington, took over the construction but while diving to lay foundations of the bridge, Washington got The Bends and was left incapacitated. This left Washington's wife, Emily, to take over the job. She delivered orders from Washington's bed to the work crew and oversaw the project through to completion. She soon learned the kinds of things you would expect an engineer to know (higher mathematics, material strengths and so on), and became very knowledgeable about the project. Hooray for female engineers!

Engineering on the bridge, with Brooklyn in the background

The bridge has a pedestrian and cyclist walkway down the middle of it. The cyclists are quite aggressive - but I guess you'd need to be with all the tourists bulging out from their lane and over into the bike lane!

It's an easy walk, with people selling drinks along the way. There are a few great spots for photos back over the bridge to Manhattan. Even taking it slow and stopping for photos you can get over in about 45 minutes.

On the Brooklyn Bridge, overlooking Manhattan.

Once we got over the bridge, we went down to Brooklyn Bridge Park. I mentioned before that New York has some awesome parks, and this was yet another one of them. Our main reason for heading down this way, however, was to visit the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory.

The Icecream Factory is a tiny little building (it's an old fire boat house) and it serves GIANT icecreams. Well deserved after a hot trip over the bridge.

From here we walked around to Williamsburg. I really wouldn't recommend any one else do it - there are better ways to get there. But that's a story for another post.

The Details
Booklyn Bridge

Entry: Free.
Begins by City Hall on Park Street. Follow the cyclist signs.

Brooklyn Icecream Factory

Opens at 12pm daily
Follow Old Fulton Road down to the river
Cost: US$4-7

New York Stories: When all Goes Wrong

2012-06-19T14:00:00.000+12:00

One thing I learned on my trip is that things rarely go to plan. I learned this the hard way on my first night, and I continued to learn it again and again.

The hardest lesson, however, was the one where I learned why you have to wear a helmet when cycling in New Zealand.

I briefly mentioned it in my last post on Central Park. During a wonderful bike ride I was tossed off my bike when I breaked harder than expected. I came away relatively unscathed - some scratches, a sprained thumb, a cut on my nose, and some issues with my teeth.

The rest of my ailments would heal in their own time, but the teeth would not. They were wiggly and numb (unless I ate with them, in which case they hurt). It quickly became clear I was going to have to put my fear of dentists aside and get them seen to.

Dr. Wolfson

So I did some Googling, made an appointment and took myself to 212 Smiling.

They were very kind, and very efficient. They worked within the guidelines given to me by my insurance company, and they splinted my teeth. I was given painkillers and antibiotics and sent on my way.

It was easy, and, surprisingly painless. I have no problems recommending them to anyone who finds themselves in need of some emergency dental work in New York.

The Details

Dr. William Wolfson at 212 Smiling

Phone: 212-764-5464

314 W 56th St

New York Stories: Central Park

2012-06-15T14:00:00.000+12:00

I am very jealous of New Yorkers for many reasons, but Central Park is right up there.

Central Park from the Top of the Rock

The park itself is huge. Given the price that land could be sold for, it is an absolute testament to city planning (actually, most of Manhattan is a testament to city planning, but I digress). When you have a population around the size of Auckland living on an island less than one tenth the size, there aren't many back yards. The city of New York has cured this problem by giving the people some of the best parks I've seen in my life.

The king of those parks is Central Park. It's filled with reservoirs, bridges, statues, memorials, walking paths, roads, cycling paths, horse rides, an ice rink, museums...you get the idea.

On my first day, Central Park was the place I decided I needed to get to. Mostly because I desperately wanted to see a squirrel. I worked out how to get there on the subway and entered from 5th Ave. As tempted as I was to take a horse ride, I decided to wander around it instead.

It took me about 5 minutes to see my first squirrel, and less than 10 to fall in love with the park. It's absolutely beautiful, and I found myself returning to it a number of times over my trip - sometimes to find a particular monument, but also to just hang out and enjoy it.

One of the highlights for me was a bike ride. There are plenty of places to rent a bike at Central Park, but we went with Central Park Bicycle Rental and Tours - primarily because they were included in our New York Passes. It ended in a bit of a spectacular fashion when I fell off the bike - ultimately requiring emergency dental treatment - but up until that point, it was awesome. My major recommendation: if you choose to ride a bike in New York (or actually, anywhere), wear a helmet.

Some of the other highlights for me included Strawberry Fields (John Lennon's memorial - which is right over the road from where he was shot), the carousel, the Alice in Wonderland Statue and the Obelisk.

The Strawberry Fields Mosaic

I listened to Strawberry Fields Forever under an Elm tree at Strawberry Fields. Kind of surreal.

Me on the Carousel

I rode the carousel on my first day in New York. The carousel is over 100 years old, and is absolutely beautiful. I've wanted to do this for a long time and had no shame about being the only adult by herself on the ride.

The Alice in Wonderland Statue

This statue was really hard to find from the bike path (there is a direct path, but it's been worn in, it's not an 'official' path). Caine's mother wanted him to visit it, however, and we were glad she did when we finally found it. It's a really impressive statue, and absolutely worth checking out. Click the link above to learn more about it.

The Obelisk

The Obelisk is around 3500 years old. It came from Egypt, via Rome, and took four months to move from the Hudson River to Central Park after arriving in New York. It's the oldest monument in Central Park, and mighty impressive. It's impossible to miss if you're riding a bike, and worth pulling over for a closer look.

You could easily spend days exploring this park. To have this little oasis in the middle of the world's greatest city is amazing - there is even a section of it which has never been touched and which has been left entirely in its natural state! There is an amazing array of sights and things to do, and there are New Yorkers just going about their day all around you. Central Park is their backyard, their gym, their meeting place and their sports field, and an absolute jewel in the crown of New York.

The Details

Central Park Carousel

During Summer, runs 7 days a week from 10am to 6pm.
Rides are US$2.50 each.
Professional photos are US$15 each.

Central Park Bike Rentals and Tours

Rentals range from US$15 to $40, depending on the length of your rental.
A three hour rental is free with your New York Pass.
You can hire a basket for an additional $5, and purchase accidental damage insurance for $3.50.
New York law does not require you to wear a helmet, but these are freely available with the hire. I strongly recommend you get one - especially if it's been a while since you last rode a bike. Central Park is full of people and if you're not used to cycling in these conditions, you may very well fall off.
You must stick to the bike path. If you want to leave it, you must walk your bike. You can and will be fined for breaking this rule. A map of the bike path is provided by the company, you must follow it in an anti-clockwise direction.

New York Stories: NYC Night Out

2012-06-12T14:00:00.000+12:00

Towards the end of our trip to New York, we decided to have a night out. It was a pretty cheap one thanks to our New York Pass. All up we spent about US$25 each, including a taxi home.

We began the evening on the Circle Line Harbour Lights Cruise. This is a 2 hour cruise which takes you down the Hudson River, around the Statue of Liberty, and back up the East River to the UN Buildings. The cruise took place as the sun was setting over New Jersey - on the way out you get great sunset photos, and on the way back you get to see the lights of New York. It's a really beautiful cruise, and I got so many excellent pictures. The hosts are really knowledgeable about New York, though I did notice some are better than others (I enjoyed this so much I did it twice).

Hudson River. That's New Jersey on the left and Manhattan on the right

Lower Manhattan

The Manhattan Bridge

Williamsburg Bridge

After the cruise, we hit The Press Lounge, a rooftop bar. It's just a few blocks from the Circle Line Wharf. The Press Lounge is exactly like the rooftop bars on TV. Fancy cocktails named after newspapers, rooftop pool, and amazing views over the city, and out to the Hudson and New Jersey. There are dozens of rooftop bars in the city - a quick Google is sufficient to find one. The great thing about The Press Lounge is it's right between the cruise and the next stop - The Empire State Building.

View from The Press Lounge over Manhattan towards Times Square

The last stop in our night was The Empire State Building. It's open until 2am. The last elevator is 1:15am. Despite these late hours, you'll probably want to get there before 11pm because the line is really, really long. There are actually 5 separate lines. You can skip them by paying an extra US$25. If I were to do the whole thing again, I would definitely pay the extra.

But regardless, the lines are worth it. The views are absolutely incredible. I've heard a lot of people say that Top of the Rock is better, but it's not. Visiting the Empire State Building is the number one most iconic thing I did while I was in New York. No traveler should miss this experience.

Looking West to the Hudson and New Jersey

That bright-white bit there? Times Square.

We finished the night with a greasy burger at Wendy's, then jumped in a New York cab for the finishing touch on a truly perfect night out in New York.

The Details
Circle Line Cruise (City Lights Cruise), Pier 83 - West 42nd St and 12 Ave.

Departure times vary. See the website for details.
US$34, or included with a New York Pass.
Hint: Get there 30 minutes before the cruise leaves to get on an 'overflow boat'. These boats generally have fewer people on them, meaning you get better photos.

The Press Lounge Rooftop Bar, 653 11th Ave

Open from 5pm, 7 days a week. Dress code applies, see the website for details.
Drinks range from US$11-23.
Hint: The minimum drinking age in New York is 21. Take ID, no matter how many Winters you have seen since your 21st birthday.

The Empire State Building, 350 5th Ave

Open 8am to 2am. Last elevator up at 1:15am.
Tickets are $23 to the 86th floor, or $47.50 for an Express Pass. Regular tickets are included with the New York Pass. Express tickets can be purchased from the website.
Hint: Get the express pass. Your feet will thank you for it.

New York Stories: An Introduction

2012-06-09T23:56:00.000+12:00

On the Top of the Rock overlooking West Manhattan and Central Park

I'm back and recovered (well, nearly) from my trip to New York.

I didn't blog here at all during my trip (although I posted a lot over on my Tumblr Blog), but there is no way I can accurately describe New York day-by-day as I have my other trips.

So over here on this blog, I'm going to start a new blog series. I've imaginatively named it 'New York Stories'. It'll be a combination of things I did, and things I'd recommend (or not recommend) to travelers heading to New York themselves.

I sat down and mapped out some blog posts tonight. There are quite a few there, I'm hoping to post two a week for the next three months, but we all know what I'm like with scheduling.

When I left I had pretty much no idea what I was getting myself into. I think I grew a lot in those 11 days, and I definitely want to share my experiences, and thoughts of my first 'real' (if you don't count Australia, which I never really did) overseas trip.

Redirection

2012-05-15T19:11:00.000+12:00

Last night it struck me that if I post my photos, videos and stories to Blogger, Twitter and Facebook while I'm in New York, I'm going to spend more time on the internet than enjoying my holiday.

So I planned a solution.

All my updates are going on Tumblr. From there, they'll autopost to Twitter and Facebook. When I get back, or when I feel like sitting down for a decent blogging session, I'll write some more in-depth blogs here.

So if you're interested in my trip, you can follow my travel diary here: http://kats-travel-diary.tumblr.com

Take off is in 48 hours exactly. I am so excited!

SkyCity Convention Center

2012-04-28T11:45:00.000+12:00

The raging debate du jour at the moment is the issue of Sky City building a convention center in Auckland for the princely sum of 500 pokie machines and an extended casino licence. Obviously there are many intricate points to this debate. I thought I might jot down my views.

The biggest issue (or, at least, the one opponents have latched on to) around this debate is around the perceived social harm that will come from having more pokie machines. New Zealand has a 'sinking lid' policy on them - meaning that as they are removed or decommissioned, they are not replaced. This applies to pubs and venues with pokie areas - our "community pokies" if you will.

These "community pokies" have an upside and a downside. Firstly, they are known to be the place to go if you have a gambling problem. Much like buying Kronic at corner dairies, it's argued that there are more places to go nearer to your home - making it easier to both indulge and hide your habit. The upside, however, is that they are all run by community trusts and return much of their profit (around 30%) to community activities. Some examples of these activities are teaching kids to swim, or local sports groups. So they're evil, but they're an evil we're willing to tolerate, so long as they support the community in some way, and the number of them is shrinking (which - inevitably - shrinks the funding for community activities).

The pokie machines in casinos, however, return a much smaller percentage (around 2%) to the community. The rest goes into the pockets of the casino shareholders. But, they are in a very small number of places. New Zealand has 5 casinos - Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown. These pokie machines are contained to these particular areas and are legally meant to apply controls to stop problem gamblers.

In reality, it would seem these controls don't really work, and problem gamblers can spend tens of thousands of dollars in a matter of days there, and so moratoriums against the proliferation of gambling venues are in place.

We are told by the government, that the social good of the Convention Center (which we are also told, will not make enough money to support itself, but will provide immense indirect returns to the wider economy), outweighs the small possibility of problem gambling becoming worse. We are told it will boost the 'flagging' construction industry (as a side note: I thought the earthquake recovery was supposed to do that), that it will provide jobs when it opens (another side note: apparently not as much as quoted), and that the wider economy will benefit from the money spent by conference attendees.

I, personally, am not convinced the problem gambling issue will get worse. The handful of times I have visited the casino, there have been more empty pokies than occupied ones. I'm not convinced that adding another 500 will create a single new problem gambler because I believe there is already enough there to accommodate them all. However, that is not what research would suggest, and I do have a huge issue with the idea that a company is - in effect - buying itself a way around the law.

Sky City exists for people to gamble. In New Zealand its name is completely synonymous with gambling. As a large company, its sole purpose is to generate profits for it's shareholders. It wouldn't be putting forth this proposal if it didn't believe there were profits to be made for it. There are, however, laws in the way of it's ever-increasing profit line. Even without the extra pokies, in a mere 9 years, its casino license runs out - at which point I can only assume it will be forced to close down the casino part of its operation and undoubtedly hitting it hard in the pocket.

Finally, without having looked at any of the feasibility studies, I have to wonder how many international conferences will come here. We're a really long flight from the US or Europe. We're also pretty expensive and have little competitive advantage. Very few local conferences, I'd imagine, require larger facilities than those already on our shores. I know that the tourism industry has been lobbying for a convention center for quite some time, but I do wonder if we actually, really need it?

Putting that aside, we might get a "free" convention center, and maybe it will be a resounding success. We may even observe no statistically significant rises in the incidences of problem gamblers (though research points otherwise), but do we want to join the ranks of countries which sell their laws to business? Is the true cost worth the return? I'm unconvinced.

Oh, Excitement!

2012-04-24T10:28:00.000+12:00

My plans for New York are coming along well. It looks like I'm going to achieve 4 of my 101 wishes within the fortnight that I'm there, which is pretty awesome.

I'm going to be seeing three plays, a Yankees game and Gossip, live in concert.

I love Beth Ditto, so I'm pretty excited about that last one. A little sad that I've missed out on Alabama Shakes with Jack White at Roseland, but Gossip is a pretty satisfying runner up.

We recieved word that one of our hostels has closed down yesterday, but apart from that little hiccup, we're pretty much totally sorted.

23 sleeps to go!