Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Have a super day!

So it looks like I am going to be working an afternoon a week at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company, which is part of a charity that runs creative writing classes for children and young people. The shop itself is a lot of fun - they basically sell anything a superhero would need, from maps of where all the baddies live, to capes, to jars of invisibility serum, to x-ray specs, to kits for changing your identity. The classes take place out the back of the shop, and I hope to get involved in these once they start again after the summer break. I think it's a brilliant idea, and was recently informed by Katie that they are looking to set up a similar thing in London with a different theme (there are also shops in San Francisco and Seattle with pirate and space themes respectively), so I will definitely keep an eye out for that on my return.

It will also be nice to have a bit of structure to my week. I'm already finding it harder than expected to remember what day I am on (I could have sworn today was Tuesday). I have also put my name down to volunteer for Housing Works, who run a series of trendy thrift shops across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Sadly, their book shop has a three month waiting list for volunteers, but I would be happy to work in a clothing one instead. I am also awaiting orientation with New York Cares, who list loads of different volunteering opportunities across the city every week, including taking kids to the funfair at Coney Island, which would be so much fun. I'm still not sure what restrictions apply in terms of if I am allowed to work with vulnerable people, so it may turn out I end up doing gardening in the parks instead, which would be fun and interesting (and a challenge seeing as I can barely keep cactii alive...).

Anyway, the last few days have been pretty quiet. Yesterday I went and did laundry, food shopping, 'life admin' stuff. I also paid a visit to Target, which I guess is something a bit like Woolworths used to be, only with sub-Primark clothes thrown in. And still no hat!

Today I headed to the Meatpacking District, which is the Western edge of the West Village. I guess the nearest thing I can compare it with in London would be Spitalfields - old industrial units that are now home to swanky designer shops and expensive delis. The reason for my excursion there was to go to the High Line park (on the recommendation of Alex following this article in The Guardian) and it was well worth it. Built along the old industrial rail tracks, the girders have been filled in with all sorts of different plants, plus a few sculptural installations. Plus, it's raised above street level, so you get to look down on the buildings below a little bit too. They are still working on it, so at the moment it only stretches as far as Chelsea, but once it's completed, it will be brilliant.


I also popped in to the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. They have a free exhibition, with changing themes throughout the year, regarding the history of fashion. At the moment, the focus is on environmentally suatainable fashion techniques, which doesn't necessarily interest me, but they had some really beautiful pieces from the early 1800s right up to 2010. Sadly, I wasn't allowed to take photos, and they had no postcards.
This evening I tried to go and see Inception due to lots of people raving about it but, alas, it had sold out by the time I got there. So I switched tack completely and went to see Toy Story 3 instead. I have to admit, going to see a film about separation from the things you love when you're feeling a little homesick is probably not the best move. I actually blubbed a little bit (though not as much as Up, you'll be relieved to hear Katie). Still, it was a lovely film, with some genuinely funny moments where I laughed out loud. On my own. In the cinema. This is a rare thing. Two observations: 1) the air-conditioning in US cinemas is RIDICULOUS - I wished I'd taken a jacket and 2) Americans talk at the cinema. They *talk* during the *film*. Grrr.

3 comments:

  1. After the Up debacle where I couldn't figure out how to wear 3D glasses with my being able to see things glasses, I am wary of going to Toy Story 3. Can you get the Super Heroes shop to make me a pair of multi-purpose 3D + X-ray glasses that I can still use to see stuff that's far away? X

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  2. What you need is bifocals. It won't make you look old, I promise *cough* x

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  3. Toy story 3 made me cry quite a bit too x

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