Differences I've Noticed

This post is more for me than anything else.

Strange little differences between the States and Australia.

When something is on TV and it's called a Premier in the US, it's the first episode of a brand new show. Worth watching. When it's called a Premier in Australia, it just means that station hasn't aired it before. So premier screenings of movies on TV in Australia are not always new. They could be 5 years old, just never screened before.

When you say "Fix me up" at a bar in Australia, it generally means, fix up the tab, I want to pay. In the US it seems to mean, fix me another drink bartender.

Breaking news in Australia, means wow, stop what you're doing, this is big and serious and you need to know. Breaking news in the States means, this is new information which you haven't heard before. If it's not breaking news, it's something that has been reported on all day already.

There are so many others I can't think of right now, but I thought I'd start the list while those were on my mind.

Boston's Big Dig

I'm going to Boston for the weekend and I know pretty much nothing about it. So far all I know is that the Celtics and Red Sox are Boston-based, and that the Boston Tea Party happened there. So, like any good traveller, I used the two best options available to me. Fox, who had lived there for a year, and the Lonely Planet guide book. All I got from both is that I needed to read up on the Big Dig. Ever heard of it? Neither had I.

The Big Dig is a $14.6 BILLION dollar project happening in Boston, which is the largest and most complex highway and tunnel project in US history. For a country where bigger is better, this is really saying something. This immense project has been going since 1982 and is now, finally, on the brink of completion. I’m sure the locals are pretty happy about this! Considering that the option was a stop-and-go traffic jam for up to 16 hours a day – every waking hour – by 2010, catering to the increase in traffic flow by building an 8-10 lane underground highway seems reasonable. The downside of all of this is that the project has incurred criminal arrests, escalating costs, death (the roof collapsed on a motorist), leaks, and charges of poor execution and use of substandard materials.

Having this valuable knowledge tucked away in my head now, I'm feel like I'm finally ready to see Boston, where traffic should be low and mobility high... or will it?

Things I love about Chicago...

After spending a decent amount of time in Chicago - both a month in 2008 and now 6 weeks in 09, there are some things I have come to love about Chicago. Here is what comes to mind.

• I love that a vast majority of the men here have wonderful manners. They open doors for ladies and allow us to go first.
• I love that even in a building of 30 floors, people in my apartment say "have a nice day" when you get out of a shared elevator.
• I love that pickles are served as a side dish to pretty much everything. I'll thank my Canadian mother for giving me a taste for those treats growing up!
• I love that as soon as the temperature rises above freezing, people celebrate by wearing thongs (flip flops) and t-shirts. It's still only a couple of degrees above zero but hey, who am I to judge? Hahaha.
• I love that I have seen women in floor length mink coats riding the public buses alongside girls wearing slippers and dressing gowns.
• I love that my gym has ipod devices on the treatmills, so that you can not only listen to music but watch movies or TV shows that you've brought, plus you can save your workout details to a USB stick to map your progress. Let's hope this technology comes to Australia soon!
• I love that anyone medical wears those blue cotton tops and pants made famous by shows like ER. Gives me confidence in them somehow.
• Finally, despite the struggle for some people to understand me, I love the fact that once someone realises I'm from Australia, they always have nice things to say about our country. It's great to be from a place that everyone loves.

Tweeting With The Stars

Well it was bound to happen, the internet nerd that I am. I joined Twitter. And worst than that. I like it. It took me a while to get the hang of things but once you know the basics, it's simple.

Use facebook? Basically Twitter is a giant list of status updates without the hassle of a profile. I have found that a lot of people use it to post links to great websites - either ones they are promoting or things they have stumbled across. Either way, it saves me looking for them and I get some interesting personal insights along the way.

One thing I have also discovered while on Twitter, is that there is a community of stars who have jumped on board this craze! Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are the most famous Twitter couple from Hollywood, but there are many others to look out for.

Here is a list of people you may be tempted to 'follow' to gain a glimpse into their personal lives. These are all verified but be warned, if you go looking for more there are just as many fakes on Twitter as any other social media site.

Al Gore = algore
Ashton Kutcher = aplusk
Brea Grant from Heroes (Daphne) = breagrant
Britney Spears = britneyspears (this is just her PR team)
Coldplay = coldplay
Dave Matthews, musician = davejmatthews
Demi Moore = mrskutcher
Greg Grunberg from Heroes (Parkman) = greggrunberg
James Kyson Lee from Heroes (Ando) = JamesKysonLee
Jimmy Fallon, host of new Late Night = jimmyfallon
John Cleese = johncleese
Lance Armstrong = lancearmstrong
Lily Allen = lilyroseallen
MC Hammer = mchammer
President Obama = barakobama
Rainn Wilson from the Office = rainnwilson
Richard Branson = richardbranson
Shaquille O'Neil = the_real_shaq
Soleil Moon Frye aka Punky Brewster = moonfrye
Stephen Fry, British Comedian = stephenfry

Two Great Reasons To Be In Chicago In March

Restaurant Week is continuing until March 6th so today Fox and I are venturing out to Cafe Ba Ba Reeba to try a three course lunch for only $22. Events like Restaurant Week are brilliant, no matter the city, as it lures you into areas and cuisines you normally may not experience. It definitely worked for us as we would have had sandwiches otherwise ;-)

Besides Restaurant Week, March signals the start of St Patrick's Day in a city filled with Irishmen. Decorations are up in pubs everywhere already and today was the first of many St Patrick's Day parades.

What I can't wait for however, is when they dye the Chicago river green. A modern day miracle occurs each year as part of the St Patrick's Day parade celebration when the Chicago river turns an incredible shade of Irish green. This spectacular transformation ranks right up there with the parting of the sea by Moses and the Pyramids of Egypt.

I Love The Chicago Music Scene

Ahhhh, there is nothing like soaking up the culture of a new city. Thanks to Tuesday night's Green Mill jazz experience, and last night's House of Blues concert, I am now well on my way to feeling like I am making the most of being in Chicago.

Here are some of my 'observations' from those musical interludes.

The Green Mill

• There were more guys coming out of the men's room than going in. Is there a secret door I don't know about? I have heard there are secret booze tunnels under the venue from Al Capone days. Anything is possible I guess.
  
• The band we heard was called Deep Blue Blues. They were a very talented three piece set. There was an older guy on the organ wearing black sunglasses and facing anywhere but the keyboard (reminiscent of Ray Charles without the singing). We still don't know how he did it.
• There were two taps over the bathroom sink. A hot and a cold. About a foot apart. You have a choice to use ice cold water that sends your hands into spasms, or you can burn yourself. There is no opportunity to mix the two. Why on earth do taps like that even exist. Are you meant to dart your hands from one stream of water to the next? Just a question.
• Fox and I went to the Green Mill with a guy who is writing a dating book. He is the third 'date doctor' I have met that is single. Does anyone else think that is strange? Either they are not taking their own advice, or they are dishing out advice that doesn't work. He's a great guy, but I these thoughts certainly crossed my mind while he was talking about his book.

Chicago House of Blues, Solange (support act for Estelle)

• In my notes from the event, I had written that Solange performed like Beyonce on ADD meds. I just discovered, while I was looking for the name of one of her songs from last night, that Solange is Beyonce's sister. Hilarious. She clearly takes a lot of direction from her more famous sister. I had no idea.
• I found it really bizarre that the back up singers/dancers were strutting 1920's cabaret dance moves and her band had a Beatles-esq guitarist while Solange was throwing serpent-like shakes around the stage. Very mismatched.
• In a VERY unusual move, Solange walked off the stage and down into the audience, just wandering around while she sang, mobbed by the crowd. I have NEVER seen that before.
• There was a creepy balding middle aged man in the front row, pressed up against the stage filming up Solange's short skirt. Take note of this for my next bit on Estelle.
  
• Finally, as Solange finished up her show she accidentally threw her mike stand into the audience, hitting the people in the front row. Don't think anyone was hurt, but in the land of the law suit, I wouldn't want to be Solange right now.

Chicago House of Blues, Estelle

• Early into Solange's set, she sang a great cover of Love Fool (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsrjUFYtpuQ), and you could see Estelle dancing and clapping in the opera box above the stage. Very cool. Throughout all of Estelle's performance however, Solange didn't clap once or look particularly interested in the show.
  
• Estelle makes a page boy haircut look cool. Note: The rest of the world should not try and copy this look. It will go horribly wrong.
  
• While Estelle was dressed demurely in jeans, a black top and a sharp white suit jacket (and no ridiculous bling) she did have a gold mike. A girl's gotta have her indulgences.
  
• Estelle's final song (before her encore) was 'American Boy', with 'I want to show you love' mixed in. All I could think about was Mobin Master. Haha.
  
• Ahhhh the subtlety. Yes, Estelle mentioned her Grammy.
  
• Estelle got people from the crowd to come up on stage. She somehow picked the creepy middle aged man that had been filming Solange. He started grinding on her and trying to be sexy in his cardigan. It was sooo wrong. His name was David. Dirty David I think. He ended up taking off his glasses and doing a semi strip tease with his cardi. He will remember last night for the rest of his life. Gross.
  

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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

Let Me Share My First Time With You

It was bound to happen eventually, and the other night, Fox made sure that my first time was amazing. I went to an improv comedy club and it was fantastic. After trying to go to Second City, a renowned comedy club just down the street from our apartment, Fox and I jumped in a cab after dinner and ended up at IO - another famous comedy venue.

http://chicago.ioimprov.com

After a refreshing ale at Louies Bar next door (in the heart of Wrigleyville - where the baseball stadium defines the suburb), we ended up tucked away in IO, at a little cocktail table, shared amongst strangers. It was cramped and intimate, and the performers were hilarious. The night began with AIRBOURNE! and then led into the musical Deltones, who created songs on the spot and sang their way through the improv. Very talented guys and girls. I would definitely recommend it.
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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

My Fabulous Life With Fox & Estelle

Yes it's true. My life is fabulous. I've just bought tickets to go and see Estelle with Fox tomorrow at the Chicago House of Blues. I AM SO EXCITED! Solange is the special guest which will also be amazing.

http://www.estellemusic.com
http://www.solangemusic.com

Stay tuned for the follow up.

In the meantime, I will be hitting the Green Mill tonight with Michael Bolden (whom I met at the Twestival - yes we are geeks) and Fox for some Jazz and red wine. See below for some of the famous history that makes the Green Mill an iconic club in Chicago.

Throughout its uproarious history, The Green Mill Jazz Club has played host to a number of famous - and often infamous - celebrities. Opened in 1907 as Pop Morse's Roadhouse, the "Mill" was a stopping place for mourners to celebrate the passing of a friend before proceeding to St. Boniface's Cemetery. By 1910, new owners had converted the roadhouse into the Green Mill Gardens, complete with lantern-lit outdoor dancing and drinking areas, and boasting such headliners as Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor and Sophie Tucker. Actors Wallace Beery and Bronco Billy Anderson also visited the Gardens, hitching their horses to the outdoor post and settling down for a drink after a days work filming westerns at nearby Spoor and Anderson Studios.

As the twenties roared, The Green Mill became mobster territory when Al Capone's henchman, "Machinegun" Jack McGurn, gained a 25% ownership of the club. Manager Danny Cohen had given McGurn the 25% stake to "persuade" comedian/singer Joe E. Lewis from moving his act south to the New Rendezvous Café at Clark and Diversey. McGurn managed to convince Lewis by slitting his throat and cutting off his tongue. Miraculously, Lewis recovered, but his songs never regained their lush sound. The incident was later immortalized in the movie The Joker is Wild, with Frank Sinatra as Joe E. Lewis and a Hollywood soundstage as The Green Mill. Of course, his interest piqued, Sinatra had to visit the club.

Throughout the 1930s, '40s, and 50s, The Green Mill continued to pack 'em in with a heady mix of swing, dance and jazz music. Uptown crowds from the Aragon Ballroom or Uptown and Riviera Theaters would "stop in for one" before or after shows. Business began to slip in the mid-seventies, and in 1986, present owner Dave Jemilo bought The Green Mill and restored it to its prohibition-era, speakeasy décor.

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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

Observations From Living In Chicago

Making Yourself At Home At Starbucks

In Chicago I have noticed that people sit at Starbucks all day on their laptops, sipping on a single coffee, and enjoying the atmosphere. I have seen people bring a change of clothing so they can get out of their snow gear and settle in for the afternoon. Many people just sit around doing uni assignments, reading books and relaxing in general. In Australia, I’m not sure if it’s the a moral obligation that prevents us from doing the same, or the expectation of an unfriendly response from staff, but it is certainly not commonplace like it is here.

Unusual Food Colouring

First I noticed that egg yolks were unusually yellow, closely followed by unnaturally orange ‘American’ cheese. Then, it became clear that if its at all possible, food producers in the US try to make their food resemble the culinary delights from the Simpsons. I am not even going to try and figure out why.

Portion Size

I will not even go in to the whole portion-size debate surrounding meals in America, but I assume it has to do with value for money because nobody can be that hungry. On a similar note however, while sitting here at Starbucks on my laptop (yes I’m enjoying the culture while I can!) I have noticed people ordering coffees the size of an old-school milkshake from the corner store. Surely that much caffeine will stop anybody’s heart?

Sunglasses in the Snow

This really has nothing to do with my observations of Chicago, but here’s a handy tip. Wear sunglasses when it’s snowing. It will stop the snow from blinding you when those freezing little pieces of ice try to hurl themselves into your eyeball on their final journey.

Words of Confusion

Do not say cupboard, unless referring to the kitchen. Common mistakes like this will ensure you are given a look as though you’ve just laid an egg. We call this the ‘Just Laid An Egg Look’. Other occasions which evoke the JLAEL are using the word ‘pissed’ when meaning drunk. Here it just means angry. A lift is an elevator. Rubbish bins are trash cans. And wanker just doesn’t translate well. Also, avoid saying Tuna – the pronunciation (chu-na) is confused with chicken. You will never be understood unless you change the pronunciation of Tuna to (two-na).

Paris Hilton

Everyone here hates her. It’s hilarious. That is all.
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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

Social Media Observations

I love Twitter. But I'm always missing great posts and links by other members. So I will keep this one blog post as a memo to myself of pages to re-read and learn from.

Debunking Six Social Media Myths

Using social media to market your business is a good idea. Just don't plan on getting your whiz-kid nephew to do it for free

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2009/tc20090218_335887.htm

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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

Victorian Bushfire Victims 2009

I am impressed. Deeply impressed. Impressed at how a community rallies together in times of hardship. I have seen this first hand through a family tragedy, and again now, with the Victorian Bushfires. Granted, they are the worst disaster that Australia has ever seen, but in today's society, people seem to be very good at looking the other way, or giving sympathy but not opening their wallets or hearts.

The interesting thing is, that I can only speak from the experience I seem to be having from the other side of the world, as I am currently in Chicago. We are getting no coverage of the disaster here - or only fleeting glimpses on the TV when the fires were in their first days, but since then, my knowledge of what's going on has all been through the internet.

I have had over 50 facebook requests to join bushfire relief/fundraising support groups. I have been asked to promote dozens and dozens of Adelaide based events which are also raising funds. I have been sent info from the Red Cross, Salvation Army, RSPCA, and all sorts of groups who are helping out with victims, their families and animals affected by the disaster. So, I have created a section on the GLAM Adelaide website (http://www.glamadelaide.com/front_page_features/vic_bushfire_appeal.html) sharing this information with my community - and it's been getting a huge number of hits. People actually care.

One girl who I used to work with at SKYCITY Adelaide Casino wrote to me and said she had donated her entire paycheck to the relief efforts.

Another guy I know is bringing Krisy Kreme donughts to Adelaide (yes, can you believe we STILL don't have them there!) and selling them for $15 a box to raise money. On his first day he sold nearly 100 boxes. Just unbelieveable what one person can do.

Anyway, I seem to be ranting, but I am excited that there is still humanity left in the world, even if it does take a major disaster to bring out the best in people.
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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

14 Tools of Highly Effective Twitter Users

14 Tools of Highly Effective Twitter Users

Check out http://www.kennyhyder.com for a collection of the 14 best tools available to help you manage and maximize twitter in alphabetical order!

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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

2009 Is The Time

Well I'm back in the States after a break for a few months, and now it's time to get back on board with my blog!

First thing's first. I have started a life boot camp. Everything is being overhauled. I'm back at the gym 4 times a week. I'm working on the way I treat other people. I am consciously out to be a better person. I'm even using sunscreen. I am redoing all of my websites. I'm filing things. I'm tidying up my accounting systems. I'm following up unpaid invoices. I am taking control of my life again. It's awesome. I have begun networking in Chicago, beginning yesterday with a casual networking lunch on North Lincoln, followed by the Twestival at the Catalyst Ranch. What a great place. I'm meeting new and inspiring people. I am reading up on the latest online marketing methods. I am surrounding myself with positive people.

2009 is the time. It's the time to make things count.
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Kelly Noble
Owner & Founder, GLAM Adelaide
http://www.glamadelaide.com

New York City - Sunday

Glancing over the long crazy posts I've already done, I'll try and keep this one short!

On our final day in NYC, we hit Central Park. The weather was perfect and we wandered around for hours taking in the strange people, performers, squirrels, Obama rallys, and other things that were going on. I for one, had NO idea how incredibly large the park actually was. It's like being in the middle of the country. Amazing.

Just near the park was another painting vendor, like the ones we'd seen near the Liberty ferry, and we managed to pick up a large black and white painting of Times Square. One of those great paintings you could stare at for hours and keep seeing new things. Not sure how I'm going to take that one home....

After enjoying a lazy day, we had a quick Japanese Seabreeze and Edimame at Amber with Robert before bidding our farewells and heading back to Chicago.

Loved New York. You have to see it.

New York City - After The Sunrise

Fresh from our lack of sleep thanks to our rooftop adventures, Dave and I cautiously ventured out of the apartment, keys in hand, on Saturday around noon to explore Soho and do some necessary shopping.

Robert caught us as we left however, and proceeded to take us to the nearest bar for breakfast. Luckily there were omelette's and such available so we stuck to the tamer options on the menu, but Robert, in true 'Austin Powers' style, impressed us with his three breakfast Screwdrivers.

Feeling quite shown up, we then grabbed a cab and hit Soho.

Although I had great visions of coming home with dozens of shopping bags full of impressively fashionable Sex And The City purchases, I only bought one thing in Soho. At least I found something! A fab pair of 7 jeans from Barneys.

Saturday night crept up on us quickly and after scouring Broadway for tickets to a show, we lucked out and managed to get two seats to see Phantom of the Opera. What a fabulous show. The only thing I hate about shows like that though, is that I always seem to leave feeling quite talentless. Ah to be able to sing!

Wandering down the road from the Majestic Theatre where Phantom was playing, we found a gorgeous place called Marcellina's, which was Moroccan wine and tapas bar on 9th and 44th street. Open all night for late night diners like us, we tucked ourselves into a corner and savoured an array of dips and nibbles while we enjoyed a glass of wine or two.

To top off the night, we hailed a bicycle cart thing which were absolutely everywhere!), which allowed a Pommie guy called Gregory to peddle us around Times Square in the carriage attached to the back of his bike for half an hour or so. He was the WORST driver I've ever seen and I'm not sure how we avoided being hit by the cars, but we did and it was hysterical. He even narrated the entire ride with a history of the square and all its quirks.

And yes, that night we had the key to the apartment so we managed to get a decent night sleep... haha.

New York City - The Sunrise

Ever wonder what New York City looks like as the sun rises through the buildings? I've seen it. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let's start at the beginning.

Dave and I arrived in New York via United Airlines on Friday August 1st, just in time for lunch. After taking a cab to Manhattan, we discovered the 26 story building that was to be our home for the next few days nestled into the corner of a busy New York street in the Upper East Side that was littered with cafes, bars and restaurants and only a few blocks over from Central Park.

We were greeted by our fabulous "Austin Powers" style host called Robert (in the picture with me), who owned the apartment we were staying in, and after showing us our room (decorated with barn year animal prints and wallpaper?) we were treated to a gorgeous view of the city from the building's rooftop.

Robert then proceeded to guide us to the nearest restaurant, one of his favourites, called Tiramasu, which was as authentically Italian as they come. Located right around the corner from the apartment building, we were tucked into the corner of the restaurant where we enjoyed pasta and wine while taking in the hustle, bustle of the NY Summer scenes before us. Did I mention how hideously humid it was?

Refreshed from lunch, Dave and I parted ways with Robert to go and explore the city. Taking the subway all the way down to the Financial District on the water's edge, I felt very much the fish out of water, and loving every second of it. The park at the end of the subway line (that sits on the water) was bursting with activity. Dozens of street vendors crammed along the footpaths selling paintings, water, hot dogs, hats, souveniers, and other wonderous keepsakes. We were tempted to get our portraits done by the street artists, but being the ultimate tourists, we opted for a ferry ride to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty.

Do it once for the experience. Don't try this twice though, Wow. Nearly three hours of lines, security and waiting in the sun made for a VERY long and tedious afternoon, but with the thrill of being in New York, the time floated past as we people watched and took in everything that was happening around us.

Statue of Liberty done, it was back to the apartment to freshen up and then into a cab to hit the meat packing district for some dinner and drinks. Our first stop was to be the 'Buddha Bar' which was a gorgeous venue that was dimly lit but full of ambience. The music was a little loud for talking, but the Japanese cuisine was to die for, and the cocktails were amazing. I'd recommend the Coconut Mojito and Berry Mojve cocktails to start with and the Chicken & Chickpea Dumplings and Chiken Samosas to follow. Then try the Lobster Risotto Three Ways for a main. Wow.

After dining, the Buddha Bar turns into a nightspot for the city's chic crowd and the DJ that plays to you while you eat turns things up a notch for those wanting to party. After a few drinks post meal, we moved on to see what else the district had to offer.
As far removed from Buddha Bar as you can imagine is a place called Gaslight. We stumbled across it and stopped in for a quick drink that turned into shooters, beers, vodka and more. We'll blame the Irish guys we met there for sending us wayward. We couldn't understand them so we just drank. And drank some more. To explain this bar, think late 90s R&B, raunchy dancing, hilarious pick up moves and a flash back to a time that has slipped into many of our pasts. At least we were safe at the bar!

Around 2am we thought it was time to call it quits, and we retreated back to the apartment building where we were staying. I think it was around the time we were at the door, that we realised Dave had forgotten the keys inside the building. Our gracious host was fast asleep inside and we were officially locked out. This is how we came to sleep on the roof. Or attempt to. And this is how we saw the beautiful sunrise over New York City. Thank god it was Summer.

What to do in New York CIty!

Thanks to all my fabulous GLAM members - here are the suggestions I've received for my New York jaunt on Friday.... sooo much to do. So little time. Argh!

• Do the Hip Hop Tour through Hush Tours
• Eat at London in Times Square
• There is a wicked rooftop bar called 230 5th, which is located at 230 5th ;)
• Do a (rain)dance for me in Times Square Kell....even use a hula hoop if ya want...John
• Take the staten island ferry, its free and gives you a great view of lower manhattan.
• Hang out in the meat packer district. Its awesome.
• Go see the Yankees if they are playing.
  Do The Accomplice- http://accomplicetheshow.com/- a great 2-3 hour scavenger hunt through NYC.
• Do the Sex and the City Tour...you even get a muffin from the Magnolia Cafe which is to die for, you go to SJP's house in the series which so cool. The tour covered some great site seeing and was a great laugh.
• Don't forget to pop into some Karaoke bars...they actually do have some great talent.
• Take a helicopter tour over NYC..
• Go to a club called the cutting room, owned by MR Big himself. Chris Nolfe, Ladies night friday night, you actually might meet him.
• Take a carriage ride around central park
• Go to" Maze" gordon ramseys restaurant.
• Go and see the gospel singers in harlem.. do not get off the bus! Trust me.
• Buy shoes from everwhere they are so cheap (nine west etc) $40 per pair!
• Victoria secrets - STOCK UP!!!
• See The Late Show With David Letterman. Tickets are free. They pre-record during the day and from what I've heard it's hilarious.
• There is also the Sex and The City shopping tour.
• Get to the Sullivan Room. Best Dj's and coolest club in NYC.
  Go and see a taping of "The Insider" that's filmed there isn't it....hahaha. What a classy show that is.
• Check out soho for clothes.
• 8th street for shoes.
• Roof top bar on 5th.
• Meat packers district is great for for clubbing.
• Katz deli in the lower east side for a pistrami on rye (the best sandwich i ever ate)....
• Catch a water taxi from any of the piers its a great way to see the outside of the island (we walked to eastside then got off in battery park n walked up broadway (plenty of shopping).....
• Around 2nd 3rd ave (sorry can't remember the street) lots of little dress shops with local designers - my girlfriend had a ball....
• Go to a bar called Cube

A Fish Out Of Water

Have you ever felt like you've been thrown into a hidden camera scenario, where you're sure the joke is just about to be revealed so you just need to stiffle your laughter and play along? This is my life right now.

Since arriving in Chicago a few days ago, what I've seen of the American way of life is straight out of every sitcom, drama, TV show I've ever seen.

I'm waiting for reality to kick in, but I just don't think it's going to!

I think the fact that I've been taken to so many cool places helps with the illusion too, but even the small things, like people saying "Shut Up" to each other when they're impressed with a story, or surprised but the outcome, makes me giggle.

Where I'm staying is fabulous. Lincoln Park is just North of the city, and is right along the side of Lake Michigan (the third largest lake in the Great Lakes chain). My apartment overlooks a gorgeous 'Central Park' style area, which borders the lake, but the view is similar to that back home in Adelaide - that of an ocean. I'm still struggling to believe it's a lake. Seriously. The beaches, volleyball, boardwalks with thousands of joggers and cyclists also doesn't do much to change the illusion of this massive body of water. But enough about nature. Let's talk about my specialities - shopping, food and drinking!

The day I arrived, Dave, my supurb tour guide and fellow Aussie, took me to a great little bar which was a short walk from the apartment called Zuppa. Complete with beer garden out the back, this experience allowed me to sample Bud Light and some other hideous beer while trying to combat my jet lag. At least we provided some amusement for the staff who couldn't believe I'd come straight off a plane into their establishment. Go the Aussie spirit.

We also stopped past a little cafe, almost diner style, which provided us with the largest choice of meals and the most ridiculous portion sizes I've ever seen.

Next stop was the supermarket, where I quickly discovered that Rocket, Pine Nuts, all fish varities I knew, wine and pretty much everything else that I usually bought, was either not available or was called something COMPLETELY different. The exciting part of this was that I discovered that Grey Goose, Belvedere, Moet, Verve and all the other good stuff I normally like to drink was all under $35. It was like Christmas all over again.

Since then, I've been to a BBQ at someone's house I didn't know, lazed on the beach, gone for a run whilst playing Frogger to avoid the mad scramble of bikes, roller blades, dog walkers and others around here, visited the zoo across from my apartment, frequented the roof top pool here and listened to American college students tell their sitcom stories to each other, gone shopping on the Miracle Mile (fabulous street of all your favourite designer and other great stores), seen the Chicago River, gone to the Navy Pier for a Venetian Night spectacular (complete with dressed boats - which I missed - and a great fireworks display - which I saw), gone for a lovely ride on the famous ferris wheel, had a gorgeous brunch at Lot 36 (great wine bar/restaurant next to the House of Blues), gone Spanish with Paella and Sangria at a very authentic, noisy restaurant in the city, wandered the streets until I hit a MAC store, and had a variety of other fabulous adventures. And I haven't even been here a week. Oh, and here's a cracker. I've taken public transport. Yee har.

Korea. Sound of Vitality.

Korean Air is a great airline, don't get me wrong. But if you're not a steel stomached flier, I woudn't advise flying with them. After four attempts at landing in Incheon airport in a thick steamy fog, I had begun to understand how Indiana Jones felt when his planes suddenly veered skyward to avoid the mountain that had appeared out of nowhere. Luckily we had a plane full of pilgrims to bless our journey and get us onto the ground in one piece. That doesn't mean their contstant singing and clapping was appreciated over the nine hour flight, but hey, it was a small price to pay for divine protection.

Once I hit the immigration line in the airport however, my joyous feelings of arriving in one piece crept into the back of my mind as the humidity started to take control of my senses. Monsoon season. I had forgotten what it was like.

Growing up in Korea brought with it fabulous memories, but I seemed to have blocked out that suffocating humidity that July brought with it.

On a more positive note, once I had hit the main part of the airport and was dealing with my poor choice of clothing (jeans and a t-shirt), I was incredibly impressed with how helpful all of the staff were at making sure bewildered travellers such as myself made it to our hotels in one piece.

Once at the hotel, the challenges began.

There was a control panel for the toilet (with built in bidet). Let's just say that I was lucky not to get a jet of toilet water in my face while searching for the flush.

Then there was the control panel for the shower, air conditioner, lights, tv and computer. All in Korean. No pictures. I felt utterly lost, but figured it wasn't something a nice cold beer couldn't fix.

Enter "Coss Fresh, Sound of Vitality" beer.

It was everywhere, and evidently it was calling my name.

Across the road from my hotel was the "Gentle Organiser Bar" which sounded promising, so I stopped in for a quick, refeshing ale before wandering across the road to a restaurant which looked like it was straight out of a Texan Ranch. The tables and chairs were all made from thick, lumbering furniture made from tree stumps and cross sections. It was somewhat comforting so I settled in for a meal, hoping my favourite Korean dish - bulgogi - was on the menu.

Close.

Through a combination of pointing and poor pronunciation, I mananged to get "Hea Jang Kuk" (subtitled - A Broth To Chase A Hangover). I guess the foreign visitors they get must all be drinkers? Haha. Anyway, there was a Dduck Bulgogi version of this (which is actually beef), so that teamed with another cleansing "Coss Fresh", set the tone for the night.

It was raining and humid and the mosquitos ate me alive, but I enjoyed sitting in the warm, sweet air under the verandah of this restaurant and watching Incheon Airport City buzzing past me.

Familiar smells from my childhood resurfaced, sharp voices carried over the unrehersed stage show of traffic that was playing out before me, the smell of garlic, people wearing white cotton goves, and the beads of condensation running down the bottle of beer in front of me.

I finally felt like I was on holiday.

Today's The Day!

Well after months of planning, lots of stressing, and even more last minute running around, today is the day. I'm leaving my cosy little home in beautiful Adelaide and taking to the skies in search of adventure.

My suitcases are crammed with the latest South Australian fashion to show off while I'm away, I've reduced my pairs of shoes to just 8 and I'm ready to roll!

My dreams of taking my favourite SA Aussie wine with me have been dashed (due to the new, liquid laws on international flights), but it hasn't stopped me from stocking up on stupid amounts of Coopers merchandise for gifts, a McGuinness McDermott Foundation Monopoly game to show people a glimpse of Adelaide, plus a few surprises.

So now it's off to Ocea Beauty Bar and Celcius for some last minute holiday pampering and I'm away!