tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post3905640450076719799..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Blog readers coming to NYC for this weekend's conferenceJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-81764802614650694612015-07-29T04:30:11.685-04:002015-07-29T04:30:11.685-04:00Me and my hub went to NY for the first time for ou...Me and my hub went to NY for the first time for our honeymoon last December - We arrived at our hotel very jet-lagged, but determined to stay up for another 5 hours to try and set ourselves straight. I remember going out for an evening walk, doing a circuit of the National History Museum, dazed and sleep-deprived repeatedly saying 'I feel like I'm in London... Until I look up...' honestly, the sight of all those skyscrapers never looses it's impact.<br /><br />We took the subway/walked everywhere and never once got lost. I've never felt so at-home so far from home! We're already desperate to come back. I want to see Central Park in every season :-)Laura Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604133412050870730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12688666353695491402015-07-28T11:32:13.074-04:002015-07-28T11:32:13.074-04:00I think the biggest problem with those who don'...I think the biggest problem with those who don't frequent NYC is all the built-up preconceptions one doesn't realize is floating around in your head. Having watched just entirely too many old TV shows set in the Big Apple (and weren't they all set in NYC?), it begins to form a mental background.<br /><br />When I first came to NYC, low those many years ago, it was a bit like those old police dramas. But like any city, New York changed. Times Square is no longer an area of sex shops and drug addicts. If anything, it's gotten a bit Disney-fied, with the chain stores and the clothing stores and the chain restaurants, and the clothing stores, and the billboards and the clothing stores… did I mention the clothing stores?<br />There are some that feel the city has lost a bit of its character, with all the homogenization that has taken over in the more well-known portions of the city.<br />Guilty, Your Honor.<br /><br />The biggest tip I can give any first time visitor is this… they're called side-WALKS. Not a side-STANDANDGAWK. Not a stand-WOOWHEELOOKATALLTHEBIGBUILDINGS. Not a side-FIDDLEWITHTHESETTINGSONTHECAMERA. Not a side-LETSGETAGROUPPICTURE.<br /><br />New Yorkers live in the greatest city in the world, and the center of the known universe.<br />If this makes them a tad impatient, or always in a hurry, then that's the price you pay for all that fabulousness.<br />Please understand that they do not necessarily hold you in contempt.<br />When in Rome, do as the Romans do.<br />When in the Center of the Universe, do as the, um… Sharks do.<br /><br />If you're the type of person to go to China, and demand grits with your breakfast (actually, there's a place in Hong Kong where I can make that happen for you) you're not gonna do well in NYC.<br />If you're the type of person to eat what the natives eat, and walk as the natives walk, you'll do just fine.<br /><br />Welcome!<br />Scott Sloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05331803044056836688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31987012658597066172015-07-28T11:26:31.569-04:002015-07-28T11:26:31.569-04:00It's great to imagine a whole contingent of th...It's great to imagine a whole contingent of this blog's readers meeting up at the conference!Theresahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165072684559960801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5279590893655866092015-07-28T10:51:49.022-04:002015-07-28T10:51:49.022-04:00When I was last in NY for a conference, I managed ...When I was last in NY for a conference, I managed to sneak away one night for a celebratory dinner at PRUNE, Gabrielle Hamilton's teensy tiny (and I do mean itsy bitsy- it's hard not to eavesdrop on your neighbors) little bistro on East 1st Street for one of the best meals of my life. <br /><br />If you have the time and a little bit of extra dough to drop on a wonderful meal by an even better writer (her memoir, Blood, Bones, and Butter is a favorite of mine), get thee to Prune. But definitely call for reservations. It's wee, remember?kaitlyn sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10971337666467417380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34141784303446649672015-07-28T10:14:18.282-04:002015-07-28T10:14:18.282-04:00Oooo...how I love that 'Your Sharkness' re...Oooo...how I love that 'Your Sharkness' really 'gets' the city. Some people set up temporary quarters there, but never really open themselves to enjoying the heartbeat and rhythm of my fave city in the world. But, it may be the reason that I roll my eyes at people that take forever to get to the question. lolAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267774710160641372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87469938415394219902015-07-28T09:39:57.260-04:002015-07-28T09:39:57.260-04:00Colin Smith:
Of course you're right, better t...Colin Smith:<br /><br />Of course you're right, better than Weston -- what was I thinking?DeadSpiderEyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687178085803686186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-1277483054658736682015-07-28T04:35:11.725-04:002015-07-28T04:35:11.725-04:00Gah! All this talk of New York has made me despera...Gah! All this talk of New York has made me desperately want to return. I haven't been since 1999, but it remains one of my favorite cities in the world. Maybe one day I'll make it back… Hopefully!Kate Larkindalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06202347563426692610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-9822446500878499872015-07-28T00:15:10.368-04:002015-07-28T00:15:10.368-04:00Janet, how wise of you to zero in on the very thin...Janet, how wise of you to zero in on the very things that visitors need to know - and how kind to share your wisdom.<br /><br />Hope all who are attending have a great time. Me? At home, busy writing a magazine story about a sleepover gone wrong - for preteens.S.D.Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05707682524268581476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46463382259864637662015-07-27T23:46:33.266-04:002015-07-27T23:46:33.266-04:00Sadly, I'm not going to the Writer's Diges...Sadly, I'm not going to the Writer's Digest conference, but I am totally storing away these tips for when I visit NYC in November!<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!A.J. Cattapanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14568787801458618845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-24229646332757092882015-07-27T23:17:15.660-04:002015-07-27T23:17:15.660-04:00I just looked at this map.
It appears that I shall...I just looked at this map.<br />It appears that I shall need another airport to get me from JFK to Roosevelt in order to get past all of the streets. I'm going to get a really, really BIG Air Shark and fly MYSELF in.<br /><br />Because that'll go over <i>real</i> well with the FAA and FCC.<br /><br />Like...<br />(wait for it)<br />...a lead balloon.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291115563391652619/" rel="nofollow">In Town Transport</a>Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-36009400504607393922015-07-27T22:24:03.449-04:002015-07-27T22:24:03.449-04:00OOOOOOH, Lordy.
I know what let's do.
Let'...OOOOOOH, Lordy.<br />I know what let's do.<br />Let's ALL go buy those remote control inflatable shark balloons and bring them...... We can make our own "Conference within a conference...." Take over the thing...<br /><br />Funny how some ideas seem SOOO funny this time of night.Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-71114005503817421402015-07-27T22:21:31.099-04:002015-07-27T22:21:31.099-04:00@Julie - Oh, come on. You should come. We'll t...@Julie - Oh, come on. You should come. We'll team up and make a News at Eleven. Maybe not in NYC, but somewhere.<br /><br />Or at least we'll make a Plot Bunny or a Writing Prompt. "Two Julies, A Map, And A Whole Bunch Of Annoyed New Yorkers. And A Cucumber."Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-4071949338262534662015-07-27T22:19:33.397-04:002015-07-27T22:19:33.397-04:00Me: "Oo! I'm gonna go out tomorrow and bu...Me: "Oo! I'm gonna go out tomorrow and buy a stuffed shark. D'you think she'll sign it?"<br />He: "She's gonna kick you off the blog."<br /><br /><br />Captcha: "Select all pictures with <b>SALAD</b>" --> Green cake with kiwis on it.<br /><br />Honestly, Captcha, what gives? Do you hate me? Or are you honestly just trying to prove I'm an idiot?Juliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15041316285692964293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-68017725832867202102015-07-27T19:54:34.148-04:002015-07-27T19:54:34.148-04:00No, I think I'll pass on NYC. I have a friend ...No, I think I'll pass on NYC. I have a friend on Long Island who insists it isn't that bad, but if this hick ever got lost they'd never find me. <br /><br />"Excuse me, I hate to bother you but--" Hmm, maybe the thirtieth person will know.<br /><br />I'm sure it's a magical city, but sometimes when you tempt Fate, Fate says, "Hey guys, get the R O C Cola and watch this." This is how adventures or news at eleven stories start. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30427329435578116792015-07-27T19:53:56.112-04:002015-07-27T19:53:56.112-04:00Following tlo's comment, I have to comment wit...Following tlo's comment, I have to comment with my professional hat on... yep, the effect of <a href="http://www.urbanheatislands.com/" rel="nofollow">Urban Heat Island's</a> are a well known scientific phenomona. It's why my home town of Canberra is the coldest capital in Australia (we regularly sit below freezing at night and a few degrees above during the day, I think it converts to 20'F to 48'F) yet during Australia's recent Polar Vortex weather we were left without snow while places in the sub-tropics were white *sigh*.AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-32781350370773099152015-07-27T19:40:05.482-04:002015-07-27T19:40:05.482-04:00I second Janet's comment about hot. I visited ...I second Janet's comment about hot. I visited a cousin in NYC on Thursday and the kids (5 and 8), wife and I walked from Penn to about the Brooklyn Bridge. Not a real hot day but it was hot in the city. My cousin made an interesting point - think about all that air conditioning venting out onto the streets, he said. That heat's gotta go somewhere. That, and the concrete and pavement that invariably heats, and the breezes trapped by the buildings, and all I can say is dress for hot.<br /><br />Kids did well, BTW. Have to hand it to them. Only a little grumbling and a few blocks of carrying the 5 yr old. That's what you get in NYC when you're too stubborn to ask directions from a subway worker (or when the line's too long, like we found at Penn). We found the MacDonald's at Union Square to be a wonderful respite. Where else in NYC can you get an ice cream cone for a dollar?<br /><br />If you can find one, I know there are quite a few underground bars that (at least, used to) serve PBRs for two dollars too. That is, if you really want to go slumming, which I've never had a problem with.Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-11298954474668951152015-07-27T19:28:14.651-04:002015-07-27T19:28:14.651-04:00DeadSpiderEye: I don't know... I have some hap...DeadSpiderEye: I don't know... I have some happy memories of Weston Super Mare from my childhood! :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-27084288551112032582015-07-27T19:02:06.748-04:002015-07-27T19:02:06.748-04:00New York seem interesting, it might even be better...New York seem interesting, it might even be better than Weston super Mare.DeadSpiderEyehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07687178085803686186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33009206716945460722015-07-27T18:51:34.262-04:002015-07-27T18:51:34.262-04:00Janet, you're such a sweet shark for giving al...Janet, you're such a sweet shark for giving all that information. I love NYC. My only advice is don't go to Times Square on New Year's Eve! I love big cities and I love discovering them on my own. Walking is the best way, the only city I was afraid to walk alone in was Cairo, but that's another story.<br /><br />I had to laugh about #6. It's so true, I have a bit in my WIP about how impatient New Yorkers are if you don't get their directions the first time, or if you take too long to ask them what you want. It's exactly like you say, you have to ask fast and as short as possible. None of this, "Hello, could you please tell me how..." by the time you get to your question, they're gone. <br /><br />Now this would not work in Paris. If you don't start by saying, "Hello..." you're off to a bad start.<br />LynnRodzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10796099106913990163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57084084528842167972015-07-27T18:44:43.346-04:002015-07-27T18:44:43.346-04:00The best tips for tourists is Johnny T's NYC T...The best tips for tourists is Johnny T's NYC Tourist Tips. Seriously. Funny. And true. :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LmPBPWHJu4Jennifer S. Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763991175668718419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-75541417759327905652015-07-27T18:38:09.633-04:002015-07-27T18:38:09.633-04:00After I graduated from uni I worked for 6 months t...After I graduated from uni I worked for 6 months than packed my bags and backpacked around the US for 3 or 4 months (this was many, many moons ago). The first place I visited was NYC. I did a day tour which took me to the sights of NYC, and helped me find my feet. I think my fave from the tour was Ellis Island. The history there was incredible.<br /><br />I would guess this is still the same, but I caught a ferry to the Statue of Liberty (which I climbed to the top of - not sure if you can still do this?), and then the ferry went to Ellis Island.<br /><br />My first impression was how grey the city was. Footpaths and buildings met with little greenery in between. And on that first day the sky was grey as well. But once I got used to that (and discovered Central Park) the city fascinated me. Coming from Australia the subway was intriguing (we don't have any here), especially the vents in the footpaths. The street parking was puzzling, but I eventually found out how it worked. Eating food from street vendors (hot dogs and pretzels) and talking to the locals - when I could get some to slow down - was huge fun.<br /><br />I went to some shows on Broadway (something I had wanted to do for ever). This will probably date me, but I saw Grease and Phantom of the Opera.<br /><br />I spent one day just walking around and discovering NYC for myself. It was fun (although I was a little nervous not having any idea if where I was walking was safe or not). But I didn't have any problems there at all (unlike San Fransisco where I couldn't leave a restaurant one night because of a gun fight outside, and one day where I got told to 'turn around, walk back the way you came, and stop looking like a tourist'!).<br /><br />The most heartbreaking thing for me in NYC was the number of homeless begging. We have homeless people who beg in Australia, but just not in the numbers I saw in NYC. At least, not in the cities I've been to in Oz. It was really hard to know how to deal with them (I was living on the smell of an oily rag myself, so didn't have a cent to spare). <br /><br />Of course, the thing that aggravated me the most (and this was for all the US) was the tipping. How much do you leave? Who do you leave tips for? The guilt when I realised I forgot to tip! Apparently Aussies are renowned for being bad tippers - but it isn't part of our culture so we aren't used to it. <br /><br />I really enjoyed my time there. In fact, at the end of my trip which ended in Washington DC (I did an anti-clockwise, zig-zaggy holiday around the US) I grabbed a chance to pop back up to NYC for another 2 days to squeeze in some things I'd missed the first time.<br /><br />If you get the chance to go you should. Having been through many US states I can say that NYC was nothing like any of the other places I visited. And if I can navigate NYC as a young foreigner, you locals shouldn't have any problems =)AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-70600763423379623912015-07-27T18:13:22.793-04:002015-07-27T18:13:22.793-04:00I lived in NYC back in 2002 - right across the str...I lived in NYC back in 2002 - right across the street from Gramercy Park (had a key to the park and everything). Great location - close to everything. I loved every minute of my time there and took advantage of everything the city had to offer. I spent so many evenings in the flagship Barnes & Noble and attended many a author signing. I did suffer from the lack of sunlight and grimy, polluted air in terms of allergies, etc., but I made sure to have a facial every couple of weeks to unclog my stunned pores. I found New Yorkers to be cautiously friendly. Years of living atop each other makes people crave friendship yet value anonymity. Once I was "part of the crowd," I found them to be some of the coolest people I've ever met. It's funny though, I'd get a call at 3 am asking if I wanted to get a cup of coffee and they wouldn't believe me when I'd tell them I'd been asleep for five hours. If I ever win the lottery, one of my first acts of fabulousness will be to buy a place somewhere near Gramercy Park.Calorie Bombshellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18039655088542854847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30363270665840193912015-07-27T18:06:05.946-04:002015-07-27T18:06:05.946-04:00Correction: It was a mistake as in we took a wron...Correction: It was a mistake as in we took a wrong turn. :)Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87381967404929839362015-07-27T17:42:46.204-04:002015-07-27T17:42:46.204-04:00I've been through NYC on my way to Maine - it ...I've been through NYC on my way to Maine - it was a mistake b/c I remember Dad asking someone for directions to get back on the Interstate and for the life of him he couldn't stop laughing at being told to go down "Toidy Toid Street" and take a turn. I as seven.<br /><br />And, another time I was in NY, (not the city) and we had to stop in Saranac b/c my case of poison ivy had become so horrendously bad, (fever of 105 and it was even in my mouth) all I remember is the ER staff surrounding my bed and staring at me in horror. They'd never seen a case like it. After, I don't remember much. I was eight.<br /><br />Anyway, I agree with Colin - it'd be GREAT to see this saved somewhere easy to retrieve for future reference!Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87359149108918820292015-07-27T17:27:17.926-04:002015-07-27T17:27:17.926-04:00Janet: Could you post this as a permanent page som...Janet: Could you post this as a permanent page somewhere? I won't be in NY for the WD conference, but I'd like to go visit NY properly sometime. This is invaluable info for the Southern tourist. :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.com