pumsti goes NYC

Since I’ve heard only positive things about this city I’m very excited to go to San Francisco today. After a smooth day at work here in Glenview, IL I’ll go to the airport now ready for the 4 hours flight to SF.

The plan for this weekend is of course to see Alcatraz (”The Rock”), Napa Valley (north of SF, lots of good vine there) and then do some “sightdrinking” We (a colleague from work is joining me) are also thinking about doing the Segway tour which is going on this futuristic personal transporter for 2.5 hrs through the city. I’ll keep you posted. Loads of pictures to come!

Since it was such a sunny day today in NYC I had to get some fresh air and went outside. My buddy Manny (he is working for Accenture and also on the Reference data project at Allstate) picked me up (he’s got a car) and we tried to get a place at the highly recommended Clinton Street bakery but since it is always very crowded there and especially on weekends the wait time for a table for 2 was around 1 hour so we decided to go somewhere else. As Mr. Manny grew up in Manhattan and loves to eat proper food he knows all the good places in Manhattan and we want to Agave where I had some very decent Poached Eggs on Toasted Brioche with smoked salmon, fresh spinach and hollandaise with coffee and mimosa.

Afterwards we went to the Union Square Greenmarket where I bought some christmas presents. No, I won’t tell what and for whom

As shopping makes very thirsty we went for – nope, no beer this time – it was rather hot chocolate to one of the famous chocolate places here in Manhattan where they make their own chocolate in house. It’s called Jaques Torres Chocolate and I had a very spicy and rich hot chocolate there. Very recommended if you like chocolate as much as I do

Finally I made it to Manhattan again. Yesterday was supposed to be the busiest travel day of the year. Reports told about 30 mio Americans travelling across the country. My impression was that waiting lines in front of the check-in and security check at Chicago’s airport O’Hare are much worse on Friday evening – the time when I’m usually leaving Chicago.  As I knew that my flight will be delayed – as it always is – I joined a colleague who has access to one of the airport lounges. To sweeten up our waiting time we had a couple of beers at the bar there

My flight was showing up as “on time” on the flight information screen until it was time for boarding and then delays started. First delay was only around 15 min which I thought is not too bad but once I arrived at the gate it was already 1.5 hours. I still don’t get it why they’re not able to update their flight information systems on time and only show the real scheduled departure time only at the gate monitor. After waiting for another 1.5 hrs at the gate we finally got boarded but only to sit in the airplane for another 1 hour….but with 2.5 hrs delay I made it to LaGuardia (the smallest airport of NY) and took a cab to my future apartment where I had another couple of beers with my buddy John. The last night I’ve already slept in my future room as the girl who’s got the room at the moment is not here over the weekend and allowed me to use her bed in her absence.

Tonight I’ll celebrate my first Thanksgiving in the US and I got invited to have dinner at a place somewhere in Brooklyn. So far I’ve only seen such big “Turkey” feasts only in American movies so I’m looking forward to being a part of it