Updatichness

If anybody read my old blog compared to my new blog I am a lot more personally preserved. I have tried to keep my personal emotions out this blog as much as possible. It's not working so screw that idea.

A lot of people criticize my generation as the open diary children who prefer to have the lives critiqued by strangers than keep it to themselves but hells to the yea, I love the idea. We spent the last 170 000 years keeping stuff to ourselves, lets try something different.

The view of the new World Trade Financial Center from my street.

My physical state:

I have done better than I was expecting and have easily kept up to three meals a day but that is going to change over the foreseeable future, with reduced income because of my shift changes and the fact that I had to pay the security deposit on my room I have little money left. This is exciting because for the first time in my life I am actually concerned about getting enough food to carry on daily tasks. It is a challenge but one that I can easily overcome, between eating extra large at work and scoring a ration here and there from my roommates I will be fine. I have yet to sign up to a gym and will do so tomorrow as a result I haven't gained weight - I have lost it - but have lost definition and generally just feel like a lazy bum.

The view of the Brooklyn Bridge from my balcony.

My emotional state.


I've been extremely lucky to find such a great set of roommates. They have been supportive and allowed me to transition easily into my new transient lifestyle. I have also met some amazing people in my few adventures on the street especially Anne and Austin who made this weekend one of the best in my recent history. My fellows at work have been accepting and more than willing to help me, even going further than the eyes of the supervisors and moved me in the right direction. I have started feeling homesick. I miss the communication I had daily with my friends. I miss having somebody around all the time. My mother will tell you how my house was sometimes a terminal with people moving in and out but now I am completely alone. I miss having histories with people. I am the new guy to everybody and it is still early days but it is hard. But you know what

I FUCKING LOVE IT, everyday I am learning from the best in one of the best hotels in one of the best cities in the world and sucks to be sad but I am not.

WHOOP THE DOO, BRING IT WORLD.

Plan of Travel Attack: Week 1.

My third weekend just passed and I have been trying my best to do as much as possible but my wallet, beaten and broken, can't take it anymore. Looking at all the available options that I can abuse money on, I think I have done pretty well in the last few days. Packing in as much bang for my buck as possible. Also I have stopped converting everything into Rands and going "that's so cheap". This is an illusion, and it's not cheap and I should stop being retarded.

I started with the bars immediately in the vicinity around the apartment building. Along with Charlie, the landlord, who once was the second largest bar owner in New York City. I have been given access to individuals and respect at bars I do not deserve. It is a thrill though to walk into a bar with a man that receives his favorite drink before he has even sat down.

Ryan Maguires (Financial District)

The best thing about this bar is the authentic Irish staff. They could all be paid actors with shocking Irish accents but they seem legit. Every bartender I have met is Irish and even though it doesn't make the service- which is fantastic- or the drinks any better. It is FREAKING AWESOME. There is nothing quite like watching a tipsy American lose a wit war with an Irish bartender and not even realize it. Case in point: an older gentleman arguing about his bill was told "how can I believe a man with a combover, clearly you are lying to yourself, so what is stopping you from lying to me?" Silent giggles erupted all over the place. There are also a good bunch of regulars that make walking into the bar feel like you are returning someplace instead of visiting.


Liam's (Financial District)

This bar is slightly darker than the rest, with a pool table downstairs and excellent chili fries. I was recommended the chili fries by regular at another bar and ordered them and they were good - its not like I just praise just any food that has been put in my mouth. The bar has gone with the more traditional route of putting pretty ladies behind the bar and spoil me rotten loses geniuneship because of it. The beer flows easy and I can see myself having a great time here.

Open Door Gastropub. (Financial District)

This bar is really modern with a yuppie feel and would be great for a date night. Booths run the length of the long bar and the staff are professional and got to know my name even though I had only been there once before. Not because I was a crazy customer but because the service is great. I never ordered any food but gasto pub implies they serve it so there is that as well.

Julius Bar (Greenwich Village)

The oldest gay bar in NYC. A non imposing bar with a fair share of regulars and a bartender that is part of New York lore, it is definitely a bar worth visiting for a quick stop on a bar crawl. There is an open kitchen area across the bar where you can order traditional NY cuisine - burgers and hot dogs - for really reasonable prices.

The Stonewall Inn (Greenwich Village)

The bar where it all arguably began and home to the Stonewall Riots of the 70's, which set off the modern gay rights movement. I met Tree, a bartender who was on hand in 1969 during the riots and has worked there ever since - that is his name, if he picked it up on a long weekend I could not tell you - and he is an encyclopedia of New York history. I spent the afternoon just listening to his stories of old NY. I was really lucky and plan on having a few more long afternoons listening to this bartender share his thoughts and memories. The stonewall plays to an older generation now but because of its history is a meeting place for young people new to the city.

Marie's Crisis (Greenwich Village)

This was the most fun I have had in a very long time. The venue consists of an open area around a piano. The piano man plays requests or medleys and all the patrons just sing along. It is like group karaoke. Solo singers also take the chance of pleasing the crowd and I take my hat off to the men and women who can sing in front of a room packed with people on all levels of sobriety. The drinks are cheap and strong, STRONG, I watched with a slack jaw as the bartender filled my glass with two quarters Jack Daniels and a splash of coke after I had asked for a double.

Candle Bar (Upper West Side)

Maybe it is because I went there on a Sunday night but this place is a dive, doesn't mean I did not have fun. The patrons are extremely friendly and we got into some uproariuously funny conversations and a few hectic arguments with a variety of people. The clientele varied greatly from a 72 year old native american man to a recent Havard graduate. This bar felt like a place out of the tourist loop and I saw New York for New Yorkers the first time. The drawback was my bill tab had no relation to recent history and I will not be returning.

Snafu (Upper East side) 

I popped in here the first time making my way home. A literal hole in the wall with so much more to offer, it is a suit stronghold .Since I have been back twice with work colleagues and had a blast. The bar gets very busy into the evening and finding somewhere to converse is a problem but with $3 dollar beers and $5 dollar whiskey shots is fantastic because it is a stone's throw away from all the upper east side hotels and sights. Ten minutes from Time Square it is central and a great choice for a weekday get together.

Bodies - The Exhibition (Financial District) 

The exhibition is literally down the road from me and having seen it publicized in many forms - it was even featured on CSI: Las Vegas - I really wanted to go. Make sure you look for a coupon online because at $30 it is pricey. The exhibition is very well laid out and comes from a medical point of view exploring each of the body's philosophical mechanisms at a time. The actual bodies are a combination of grotesque reality and artistic beauty and you get more out of seeing the dead displayed this way than you learn about the reproductive system. There is a hushed respect within the exhibition and I would recommend to anybody that wants to explore the reality of death and doesn't work in the medical industry.

Advice for Front Office and Guests

Okay so I am fully aware that I haven't updated in a few days but I wanted to explore the financial district the most I could in a week before I updated. I am taking tomorrow to visit the museums on my list and then I'll be ready.

The past week has been my first full week of proper work where the focus has shifted from my training to whether or not I can actually do my job. Turns out I'm pretty good at it.

Tips for Front Office Employees.

1. Never say no! You don't have to and the guest does't have any reason to care that you should. If you ever get into a situation where a guest is requesting something you cannot provide leave the desk for a minute, especially if you are busy, and think about personalizing an individual response to the problem. Guests don't mind if their check in takes a few minutes longer but they do mind if they don't get what they asking for.

2. Never offer just one alternative. This works especially well if they are angry, returning to the front desk with multiple options gives the impressions that you actually pieced together their problem and its constraints, which you are forced to do if you keep this in mind. Options give the power back over to the guest and make them feel like they are controlling the situation.

3. Smile always. If a guest is angry before they even get to you, a MASSSIVE smile and genuine concern relax them instantly. Judge the situation carefully and try, being sensitive, to joke around. It doesn't matter how upset they are, if you can get them to smile or smirk - you just made your job so much easier for yourself.

4. Personalize and separate yourself from the organisation. This works in two ways. Firstly you do not become personally responsible for the situation and it reduces the risk that your name will end up in a complaint. Secondly it forms a personal understanding, where you as employee agree with them totally, even though "the organisation" does not. After you have separated yourself you can give them personal advice, in line with what the policy is anyway, and they are much more likely to accept it because you now have their best interest at heart.

5. Never be afraid to admit a mistake. Same as your parents, guests would much rather deal with a mistake as it happens than find out about it a few days later from somebody else. In my first few days escorting guests to their rooms I would get lost in the massive hotel. Making the guest understand that I am new and that I am trying my best makes the journey a small adventure instead of an inconvenience. Guest's love this! Honesty is a universal social lubricant: dishonesty is simply bad service.

6. Follow up. Some guests have personalities that you will automatically remember. some don't. It doesn't matter they all paying for the same service. Treat everybody with the same respect and reward great guests with extra special service but make sure you follow up. Just providing one extra teeny service, an ice bucket for example, will cement the process as positive and complaints will turn into praise.

7. No good deed goes unpunished. This is the hardest lesson I am learning and it has happened personally to me. For example, a guest arrives at 9am for a 3pm check in. They have had a long flight and are extremely upset that they have to wait for a room. You switch rooms around and get them into a vacant room without a wait. Smiles all around. Six hours later they are back at the desk requesting a room change because the room you put them into AT THEIR REQUEST does not have a view or is smaller than they were expecting. You cannot say it is actually their own fault so rather stick to policy and let them blame the industry standard than you or your hotel.

That done there are a few things guests repeatededly complain about that baffle me.

1. Check in times. Check in time is 3 o'clock universally. Just because you arrived at nine does not mean you automatically move in. The hotel I work at is frequently 100% occupied and guests do not check out before noon. I know you are tired but you arrived early We will get you into a room as soon as possible, sometimes within a few minutes but understand, it is similar to asking a doctor who opens at 9am to see you at 11pm and getting upset that he cannot.

2. The view. The hotel is slap bang in the middle of New York City, We are surrounded by high rise buildings. You do not come to NY for majestic views and we cannot offer them. You paid for a room on the 7th floor and want to the see the coast? I cannot do that, God himself cannot do that. Why you want a view on a normal city street is above my understanding. why you will get upset about it flabbergasts me.

3. The person serving you. This is a rule that applies generally to all situations in life. You have a problem and between you and the solution is a single person. DO NOT ATTACK them based on looks, observations or stereotypes. They will lose any interest in helping you and your chances of getting what you want plummet to just above mediocre. We are human beings and you would never speak to us this way if there wasn't a desk between us. Motivate me to help you and I will probably, more than you expected.

Tips and tricks for guests.

1. Everybody asks for an upgrade. Seriously everybody does and we have an obligation to fulfill those as best we can. Real world constraints are: time of day, availability and - no jokes- how pushy you are about it. Hotels offer you to request special rooms beforehand, make use of this. We will not re-assign a room if the guest made special requests at the time of the reservation unless we have too. The best upgrades get given first so check in early and ask and you will probably get what you want, arrive at 12pm when the hotel has had 96% check ins and you only get the option of whats left, it won't be much.

2. If you are celebrating let us know. This is hotel gold for free. If you let hotels know beforehand they WILL make special arrangements. If you let them know at check in they will do their best. If you let them know at check out, well sorry we cannot read minds and deal with it.

3. Always look for honour guests desks or specialized check in areas. The employees that work these areas are the most experienced and have the most power when it comes to upgrades etc. They will always receive any guests and you do not have to part of a program to use them.

4. I might get into trouble for this one but here goes. If you have a genuine complaint DO NOT immediately ask for a manager. The manager will deal with your problem as fast and professionally as possible but that doesn't not meant you will get the best option. Involving staff that were involved previously means they become liable for the complaint and they will work with you to resolve the issue. You increase your saying power significantly by cordially getting as many people involved as possible.

My Plan of Travel Attack

I have been struggling to figure out how exactly I am going to plan so that I will be able to make the most of my time in NY. So I've project managed it and broken it down into smaller digestible chunks. I will spend one week focused on each of Manhattan's neighbourhoods. I move into my new room in the Financial District tomorrow so I will explore that first. I think I am all excited and not so daunted no longer, captains.

I think I got this. Now for a cup of Joe.

Charlie Chaplin: Humanity

This Speech written by Charlie Chaplin for his film, released two weeks into World War 2, is still relevant. When will we learn, take a minute and listen, this gave me chills.

Coming to New York?

Good Morning my 30 regular readers and people who have arrived here by accident and are now slightly frustrated. I would like to extend an open invitation to help anybody coming to New York.  Coming over for a week, or a year, doesn't matter, us foreigners gotta stick together. So let me know and I will help you out as best I can. I will guide you around or find answers to your questions. Also if you plan on staying at the Waldorf=Astoria give me a shout and lets see what I can do for you.

Today is going to be an amazing day. Can just feel it in my bones. Maybe that means it's going to rain? I don't know it is very early.

Sail Re-edit. Hilariou-osity, humourtastic, so Haha-licious.

Another funny vid from the girls at Nanalew. See the rest of their videos here. As much fun watching two girls play with a hosepipe you will have all week.

Stare at the red dot and the blue circle will dissapear.

Honest truth, I'mma doing magic.

Pops-tickle Stick Bomb

HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW, does this work, awesome man, Where can I buy a pops-tickle.

The Royal Suite

Stumbled on another amazing suite. This is the royal suite and was residence of The Duke and Dutchess of Windsor. The room is immaculate, crystal and gold everywhere and all the furniture is either restored or original period antiques. 

The suite consists of two rooms, a living room, and dining room. The chandelier on the right is entirely made out of crystal with intricate blue roses.

There is more gold in the bathroom finishings than in most jewellry stores. HA HA HA I can dream!!!!

Staten Island.

I had to go to Staten Island to go view some apartments. The ferry is really easy to get to with three subway stations all stopping either right on top or basically right on top of the terminal. If you doing the tourist thing then this is a great idea for a Sunday morning. Battery Park is located right next door and is currently being used as an urban farm. There was also some kind of market going on. The park is also where you can catch a ferry to Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty.

Tourist Tip: For the best view of Manhattan let everybody get on the ferry before you, the ferry heads straight out of the terminal and doesn't change direction. Simply step onto the loading ramp and turn around, you'll get an awesome view without frantically fighting for a seat on the upper decks.

It is so strange that so much happens on such a small piece of land. The new World Trade Centre buildings are the buildings with the cranes on top of them. Another place I would like to go see.

How to find an Apartment in NYC.

Apartment Hunting 101

I'm one week into my hunt for a room and no further to finding one. It seems counter intuitive that it would be so hard to find a good apartment when there are so many offers available on so many different websites. Finding one that is within my price range and reasonably close to work is tough.

Where I am looking:

Manhattan: The Island. Expect to pay for the convenience of living on the Island, with rooms starting at about $800 if you lucky and averaging at more than a grand unless you find a roommate who can split room costs, it is just impractical for students who are just settling in. There are better offers further between Harlem and the Bronx that have easy access to the Subway systems and are worth checking out. Also don't expect reasonably priced rooms to be furnished. A good resource to finding properties in Manhattan can be found at www.corcoran.com

Queens. To the west of Manhattan this Burrough is a great place to start. Fully serviced by subway it is within good travel times for Midtown. Astoria is about half an hour from Midtown by subway and seems to be the starting point for many immigrants I have met so far. I have heard quite a few people say Astoria is the new "up and comer" in the city and is very reasonably priced. Traditionally a Greek neighborhood the influx of students makes finding a room that is furnished easier than other places. Unfortunately most places I've looked at are snatched up before I even get a showing. This is still my first choice destination.

Jersey City. Twenty minutes from Times Square by bus with rooms going for as little as $500 this is also an area of great interest for me. I'm a bit scared of travelling to Jersey because I'm not exactly sure about the bus routes yet but I will find out in good time. Being out of New York also means the cost of living is less and if you can get a room close to the river you can get an awesome view of the city.

Staten Island: I'm not really sure what convinced me that this would be a good idea but against the warnings of everybody in the office I decided to see for myself. The prices are good starting at about $500, you can snatch a whole apartment for just less than a grand. The problem is the commute. The ferry leaves every half hour during peak times and takes half an hour to get across the channel. Add that service ends at 11:30PM and you won't be able to stay any later than that in Manhattan if you want to get home. Also imagining the ferry in New York winter seems insane but I take my hat off to all those that make the trip every day.

Brooklyn: I cant exactly tell you why but I tend to gloss over the ads for Brooklyn, it is probably totally uncalled for but I get a sense of weariness. I will have to start looking here and plan on spending my next weekend exploring Brooklyn so I can get over whatever this nonsense I have in my head behind me.

Resources 

Craigslist:

1. Make sure you have a working American number as many people do not respond to just emails.
2. Use the posting ID as the subject in your reply emails because when you get a reply you have no way of telling which advert the respond is referring too. Which becomes a problem when you have sent out 25-30 emails in one sitting.
3. I'm not sure but it seems that people don't remove their ads when they have filled the position so expect a lot of null and voids.

Padmapper.com

1. I really enjoy using this site and their slogan is "Making apartment hunting suck less." so at least they understand it sucks. This website is great because it pins all the adverts from craigslist, gumtree etc onto a Google map of your search area so you can see exactly where and how far the rooms are. They don't have a filter for holiday/short term rooms so expect to do some digging to find what you looking for.

Easyroommate.com

1. Another great resource with lots of ads, it allows you to email the advertiser without upgrading. It also notifies you if your email has been read so you know if you don't get a response to remove the room from your list which makes things more convenient. 

Nyhabitat.com

1. This is the only professional agency I am using and I am keeping them in my pocket as a last resort. Professional and quick they are just too pricey for me. They charge the first month's rent as the commission but a colleague of mine used their service and was very happy. 

General tips

1. Beware of sliding scale rent structures. The first 3 months rent will be $750 and then it will jump to say $1100 and if you signed a contract without realizing this you could be in some serious trouble. 
2. Try get a room with utilities included, this generally covers your water, heat, WiFi and cable. If utilities are shared you might find yourself paying utilities for the whole apartment if 3 roommates decide to move out at the same time. 
3. I only learnt this tip today from one of the hot kitchen chefs at the Waldorf. If using an agency ask if there are any "Fee Paid Apartments". This means the commission is paid by the landlord. I will try this tomorrow and let you know how it works out.
4. The NYC Affordable Housing Center has some great tips.

Occupy Wall Street

Follow the live feed here: http://www.livestream.com/globalrevolution

Like almost everybody in the city I heard the buzz about the group of protesters in the financial district during the week. Today I had time to go investigate after spending the morning in Staten Island apartment hunting. First I walked down Wall Street which was covered with NYPD and K9 units but could not find any activity other than tourists taking pictures. I remembered that they were in a park and turned around, walked down Broadway and came across the camp.

I spent about an hour walking around talking to other people, listening to the grand standing. The camp consists of a haphazard mix of furniture, tarps, plastic bags of belongings and what I assume to be tents packed away for the day. The media has been quick to point out that the effort is without focus and apparently leaderless. This is however a grass roots campaign that has just begun to stumble and walk.

The movement's website features a video found on http://wearethe99percent.tumblr.com/. Watch it, It explains in pretty plain terms why the protesters are angry.

This woman was standing at the entrance to Liberty Park, greeter to the masses and face of the cause I guess.  Message is pretty clear and reminds me of Animal Farm by George Orwell. 

The grand standers are not allowed to use megaphones, which for a country as free as the States seems a bit rough. Instead using short sentences everybody within earshot repeats the message to those behind them and so forth. It is quite haphazard and fizzles out often but they are adamant and make it work.

I had to giggle at this, Only in New York.

Protesters making posters to hand to the crowd. I ran out of battery almost as soon as I arrived so I couldn't take photo's of any of the signs but will get some snaps tomorrow.

I left at about 4 o'clock and I heard that people had begun to gather at Brooklyn Bridge Planning to cross it and move into Brooklyn Bridge Park. 400 protesters were subsequently arrested. Here is a vid I found of the actual arrests on the bridge.

I've also heard Veteran Marines are on the way to the Liberty Park to help protect the protesters from any further police intervention. I think the events on Brooklyn Bridge incident will have caused quite a stir and expect this to be a much bigger story tomorrow, I am going back to see what is going on and will post updates.