Back on Mud Island

So the New York glory days are over and now I am lying in bed staring out the window to a cold and blustery London. I can't really pretend that the night we left NY the weather was any better than the morning we arrived in London, but London does have this rather glum, dreary, suburban feel to it, something which is obliterated by the lights and constant stream of people in Manhattan. Because Manhattan is so over crowded, just about every building has some type of restaurant/shop/something in its frontage, this creates a sense of life and light and one never really feels that alone. The same cannot be said for walking up suburban Clapham street at 6pm on a Friday night- quiet as a grave.


I think I am really missing our Manhattan home. As Steve very cleverly observed, Manhattan's demographics are dictated by its economics. Because it is so expensive to live on the island, it results in all the dregs and drudgery being flushed out in all directions north, south, east and west (except for parts of Brooklyn)- resulting in an area populated by young, chic, cash heavy professionals who demand and can afford the best living NY has to offer. Thus the abundance of fabulous restaurants, bars, galleries and shops. Living where we did was like hanging out in a playground of beautiful people, who by their very nature were setting the trends of tomorrow. What a place to play in!!


Last night after dinner, Steve and I were driving home and he made a comment which I thought so accurately summed up NY dining vs London Dining. In NY there is a common saying about restaurants: "it's the kind of restaurant where you could go again" it means that the food is that good that it warrants a second visit as opposed to just trying a new restaurant (quite the statement in flattery) whereas in London, if one says "it's the kind of restaurant where you could go again" it means that one has not been poisioned by the food the first time round and that it was not bad enough to not warrant another visit. Good and bad. hmmmmm... two very different concepts.


There is something quite endearing about the Americans' total lack of self depreciation. They are a fiercely patriotic bunch (I counted 36 US flags outside of people'shouses on Staten island in a 15 minute walk) and at no stage feel any shame to hold their hands to their hearts and blurt out their anthem and their "God bless Americas". There is no irony in their loyalty, (probably why Steve could never settle here permanenently- he's too cynical and too socialist) they lap up the cheese of the American dream in its entireity. Perhaps this song will give you a sense of what it is all about. This has been played non stop in every cab, spin class, restaurant and radio station the city throughout- every New Yorker humming along, strumming their fingers to the beat. Don't mind if I do.......
Jay Zee: Empire State of Mind