Finally, Daragh’s guest entry arrives. It’s handwritten, so this is my transcription – the footnotes and hyperlinks are mine, too. You can read my account of his visit here and Vanessa’s here.
And now, the man himself…
Daragh Pounch!
Top Things I Did in NY
- Went To The Met:
Monet, Rembrandt, Vermeer – in particular Van Gogh’s paintings were awe inspiring. Only when you get to see the originals you understand why these guys were so famous world wide for what they did. Having said that Van Gogh never sold a painting in his lifetime and I love the idea that he painted what he felt rather than what he saw – they just didn’t get it back then. Similarly Monet painted light, each grain or pixel if you like – up close doesn’t seem much but at a distance it all comes together. Monet too got criticized for painting haystacks at different times of the day – he wanted to show – what he reckoned – if there was no light – it didn’t exist – he didn’t see it as a haystack but as an object reflecting light back at him. Seeing all of this really makes you want to be inspired – dare to dream. I loved it – more than I thought it would – nice one, Vanessa!
Starry Night in particular was so different up close – huge amounts of swirling paint coming up to meet you from the canvas – do it! Go there! Say you’re a student too – they never ask for ID.
- Karaoke:
Myself and Anthony howling
Where the Streets Have No Name into a microphone – has to be done. At first everyone is reserved and quietly mumbles into a microphone but later on – and a feed of drink on ye – you are that rock star – these are my people – and sometimes “even Jesus thinks he’s Bono”! Be warned, Blondie’s
Heart Of Glass is a great song to get you going but singing it is a completely different story – “Once a… bla bla bla – na na na na”! We were very good at the na na na bit, and the rest… Blondie never really sang all that, did she?
Vanessa and Young-Min doing a few solos as well. I’m convinced Young-Min had a special microphone with effects on it – ‘cause my mic just didn’t sound the same. The night went on and several drinks and hoarse voices later we called it a day and as Anthony so delicately put it “that was the last time he saw me alone”! Makes a change from sleeping on the floor! The Latin spirit got me in more ways than one!
- Flaming Sambucas – Always A Neat Trick:
- Knock it back… Hold it.
- Important – dry lips
- Get a friend to light you up – don’t worry, it doesn’t burn – only tickles – and when it tickles the most close your gob – the blue flame diminishes – you’ve cut off all the oxygen – swallow hard and you’re done. Warm glowing feeling comes upon you… Like the guy in the “Ready Brek” ad.
- NB: If lighting sambuca in mouth with with match be sure to tell them to take match out of gob – their job is done here… Yes, it has happened – the guy left the match in me gob – basically using me as an ash tray… And a flame thrower spray effect is enjoyed by all.
- Comedy Club:
The two drink minimum we didn’t have a problem with but three drinks max – that’s not on – I mean at least two of us were Irish – and definitely the legal age. So if you’re going – get trashed beforehand and let it rip. Don’t wear an Irish jersey at all costs on entering – they only put you up the front(you might as well be on stage) and they make fun and ridicule you all night – although to be fair – I gave back as much as I took – I got the crowd on my side and I was very close to standing up and doing it myself – I thought “yeah, this is a piece of piss – I can do this”. Everything is wonderful/achievable when you’re drunk I suppose Vanessa’s joke about the fly and the Guinness would have gone down nicely here I reckon.
Later that night… “Please stand clear of the closing doors!” In London they have the Underground with the ever annoying “Mind the gap” – no emotion or feeling whatsoever – whereas “Stand clear…” has all the emotion – the guy’s voice sounds as if he’s from the midwest – some old western like
The Searchers /
John Ford’s Stagecoach etc. I like it, never got tired of it and puts a smile on my face each time. Yeah, right…
- Greenpoint/Brooklyn:
Great part of town – Polish area – the Pope’s training ground! Completely different feel from other areas of New York. As Anthony said I reckon this is going to be the new Greenwich Village – went to a great Thai restaurant – where they shot “Sex and the City” we were told. Great bargains on CDs/vinyl and little markets packed with odd bits of stuff nice place indeed.
TV in NYC: Trying to watch a film here on American TV is pointless – you just lose the will to live with all the TV commercials. As the song goes
57 Channels and Nothing’s On – by the time you go through all of them – you forget what you were watching in the first place! Also, went to Katz’s Deli, made famous by
When Harry Met Sally – “I’ll have what she’s having!” As long as it’s on rye! Good food – nice atmosphere.
- Rockstar/Grand Theft Auto:
Met up at Anthony’s work place here one day – while he finished off I got to play the new San Andreas game… Well, an opportunity to play the game – but I got distracted ‘cause there were other classic games there too, in particular “Space Invaders” – original and for me still the best… Keep it simple… Left and right buttins and one big red fire button and blast everything you see – doesn’t get any better than this and the crappy na na na ni sound effects getting faster and faster as you’re close to death – wonderful! Imagine having it as an art installation piece at some Warhol museum next to Marilyn and a tin of meatballs!
Great city, great place second time here and saw and experienced different things each time and I reckon there’s a lot more to see next time I’ll go.
Vanessa models Daragh's strangely analogue blog entry.
