Saturday 6 March 2010

New York, I love you

Ahhh, New York.  After landing in Jersey, waiting forever and a day for luggage to unload, taking an $80 cab ride to the Waldorf reminded me that this megalopolis is purely amazing.  The activity level everywhere seems high, and people in Manhattan look great for the most part.  Glammed up and doing... something, even if they're doing nothing.  Bright lights, big city, here I come.  I'll wear myself down with a few days riding then it's client entertainment and conference to the max.

Of course in this pinnacle of capitalism, a cabbie only takes greenbacks, not Visa.  So I've gotta run into the hotel and load up my pocket.

Up to the room to find Tori snoozing away her cold as best she can.  Since apparently the minibar has been discontinued, ruining my plans of an dinner consisting of $12 of mixed nuts, an $8 beer and a powerbar.  How do you discontinue a concept like minibars?  People are going to be throwing TV's from the 23rd floor at 3am when they can't self serve another Red Bull or Jack 'n Coke.  Seriously, this is a Hilton hotel, Paris would flip out (side note: my assistant said she didn't think I had enough Hilton Honours points win a free visit from Paris yet).

Anyway, I figure it's best to order room service so I can put my bike together ASAP.  To the Waldorf's credit, this is the best $30 cobb salad I've ever had.  Add a side of steamed spinach and a lemonade, plus some room charge, taxes, Visa exchange rate and whatever else, and this isn't the cheapest bike build I've ever done by far.  Somebody's gotta keep funding Paris' spending habits I guess.  Maybe I should have just bought a new bike instead?!  Especially since it seems my promotion since last visit here got the girls who book our stuff to put me in a next-up-the-ladder room.  The upside is there's a little hallway and two walk in closets (there's one more to the left of the one pictured, this is the one with the two closets and a pass through door to the neighbour) perfect for bike building (not that the hotel had that in mind).  Drawback is from now till the conference it's out of my budget, ouch!

My mountain bike hasn't even been unpacked from Sydney, where I polished it clean before leaving, looks beauty.  Man is an S&S coupled bike ever a great tool for my existence.  Love it!

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