NEW YORK!!

Wow! Well here we are in on the edge of Little Italy in Chinatown after a crazy cab ride in from the airport complete with horn honking, passing on the inside, running red lights and swearing. "Where are we?", I asked at one point. "New York," came the reply. Ahk...thanks. :-).

Everyone else has been supremely polite and helpful however, so we feel very welcome here (above are the men looking after our first NY breakfast...). They were not so conversational but most New Yorkers are very conversational. I had always presumed big cities to be less than friendly so there goes one unfounded belief! We have shared thoughts with strangers about the downpours, the heat, the smells, the noise, the prices, where to get good food, views and coffee. Asking for a flat white gets you noticed -"we have had your kind in here before", she said... then checked: "Australian? Or New Zealander? I hear you argue over who invented the flat white..." and so begins the conversation. Asking if the coffee has two shots in it gets you a variety of responses - "Of course! Do you think New York can't make good coffee?!" and "You want two shots? You sure?? Crazy." There is always a view to express :-).


And a person to express it to. Which is the great thing about cities - heaps of different people and heaps of different places to bump into them in! Especially as soon as you slow down a little... and one of the things I have really noticed here is some really intentional efforts to slow things down. Traffic, for example, has been slowed in Times Square, and around the city, by Mayor Bloomberg and Jan Gehl in really simple ways, with street furniture and plantings:

It's not flashy or expensive but it's part of a wider vision and programme and the data shows that its hugely beneficial - not surprisingly the pilots have become permanent and similar spaces are popping up all over the city:

As well as plants and furniture many such spaces are also defined by shade and art and are serviced by food providers, stall holders and performers. And that is a key part of their success - it is not just the provision of space, it is its management and 'programming'. There are certainly formal parks and public spaces in NY that are less populated, and less attractive.

Just as there are some that are full of action every moment of the day they are open (most are locked during night hours). This one below is opposite our hotel. in the week we have been here it has hosted a sports competition, a family day, lots of music, exercise, table top games and sitting:

Lots of people, places and things to do. More later :-).


Denise