NYDiscovery

More from the Waterfalls

Since I pass them a couple of times per week on my way to and from work, the NYC waterfalls are my favorite picture project. But other than The Gates and Chihuly this installation is more difficult to photograph. First, it's summer and so far it was difficult to find a day without too much haze and good light. Then, unless you have a boat, the number of different perspectives are very limited. Luckily the installation lasts until fall, so there will be some more opportunities.

Look here to see what I could get so far.

You can wish as hard as you want, things are not just perfect, especially not in the world of technology. Here's why I don't like Apple too much this week:

• The iPhone 3G just doesn't have enough battery power to get me comfortably through the day. Yes, I could turn off features and use it less, but that would be half the fun. This means to charge the phone wherever possible during the day. On the plus side: the 3G comes with the tiniest charger ever. I guess, there's a reason for it.
• iTunes 7.7 does not continue to play music after fast-switching to another user. That came exactly in the moment, when we decided to install our Aperture library under a separate user, so the Elke and I can both use it. But without music, of course.
• After a fast-user-switch, Aperture doesn't quit at all or crashes while quitting. So far it seems that this doesn't do any bad, but, in any case, it doesn't feel good.

So it would be a good time to switch, if I just knew where to...

Well, that was a lot of stress this time. I was totally wrong with my assessment that it would be much easier to get the iPhone 3G than the original one. The lower price seemed to make it attractive to more people and the convoluted activation process extended the lines. So by Friday it still took 5 hours to make it into the store on 5th Avenue and being handed a new phone.

But I bit the bullet and not a day too early. While many probably think it's crazy too wait that long for a freakin' cell phone, it is actually a real happening. At one of the most beautiful places in the city and with a lot of like-minded people around you. It gives you also (a somewhat false) sense of accomplishment: make it to the next loop, being the next person to enter the store, then being escorted finally downstairs and finally the moment where the activation happens and a phone is handed to you.

Is the 3G upgrade worth the effort? Not so sure about that. The 16 GB is the most exciting feature for me and they were available for the old iPhone as well. This means that I can load it with all my favorite music instead of just a narrow selection. 3G network speed is nice to have, but ironically with all those local applications there's less need to go to the web at all. Let's see how it goes with the battery life.

One thing I'm really excited about, though, is the wireless syncing with Mobile Me. I work on different computers and it's just convenient if changes propagate magically to all devices without the need to do a manual sync. That is amazing, but sure as hell the moment came where a change doesn't get synced, not matter what I do. There is a lot of components involved and it's not surprising that there are some kinks to be ironed out, but Apple better hurries - I need to rely on the fact that my calendar is current and I don't want to double check every appointment, just to make sure that has been synced correctly on all systems.

One more thing that doesn't work as smoothly as it should is handling invitations to meetings. Elke and I want to use the system to maintain our common activities (this is necessary, because we have a lot of activities and need to budget our time), but I'm not sure yet if this is going to work out. For starters, the invitation functionality is neither available on the iPhone nor on the Mobile Me website. I'm sure that Apple is fixing that soon, but I was also sure that we'll see cut & paste on the iPhone very soon and we're still waiting.

Posted by oliver at 10:47 PM in Culture, NYC, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 14, 2008

No iPhone for Me - But Life Goes On Anyway

That didn't work out too well. First I tried to get the new iPhone at the AT&T store, just to be told that they ran out of phones after a short time. I gave it a another try at the Apple Store, which seems to have an endless supply on phones, but were not able to process my contract with a corporate rebate. Move on to plan C: the Palisades Mall upstate. No luck: the sight of some guys in camping chairs in front of the AT&T store which was out of stock was more than disheartening.

Whatever. I can still enjoy the 2.0 software and in a few days, I probably just walk into a store and grab a phone. In the meantime there's a lot to do. For example three live acts and a weekend in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Starting with The Statues of Liberteh! (how promoter Frank Wood likes to announce them) in there last NYC appearance until fall, because lead singer John Law goes to Hollywood (literally). We will miss them.

On Saturday we had the pleasure of the Sugar Bees at the Holiday Inn Kingston, one of approximately 8,263 cover bands that played a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton Hotel or similar across the nation that night. However, they had an excellent singer and the remnants of two family gathering to be entertained. Cool families, by the way, because granddaughters were partying next to their grandmothers, long after we went to bed.

On Sunday we visited Saugerties and ran into a historic car show. Now, Elke and I have that talent that, in the summertime, we somehow always stumble over a historic car show. A pretty useless talent, because usually we couldn't care less about cars. But it's hard not to get nostalgic about a time when petroleum was abundant and beauty and luxury trumped always function and economy. A lot of pictures were taken before we headed back home on the east bank of the Hudson River.

This time we had a little more time and after stopping at our favorite Cold Spring, we learned that there's so much more to see: There's Monteverde , an apparently excellent restaurant in unbelievable pretty setting that also offers unaffordable suites. A little bit more down to earth is the Peekskill Inn where the pool offers a breathtaking view over the Hudson Valley. Both places were noted for future weekend trips.

The evening then brought us back to the music: John Carpenter, a friend of Elke's (see her own blog) opened for The Crimea, a band you would not expect in the intimate setting of Union Hall.

Posted by oliver at 08:21 PM in Music, NYC, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 10, 2008

Am I Mobile Yet?

Not quite yet. Mobile Me, the successor to Apples .Mac online service, is still down, even though it was supposed to be online by this morning.

Now given the high profile of the Mobile Me launch, I would think that Apple has thrown all necessary resources on this project and has planned and tested it as careful as possible. Still, so far it's a failure.

Maybe this means that it's just not possible to launch a global website the rock-hard way that Apple usually prefers: without a public beta, without somebody outside the company or not bound by an NDA has ever seen the service. Google, for example, is well known for carefully introducing their applications to a growing audience (and then keep them stuck in beta for years).

Since I waited for a service like Mobile Me for a long time, I really hope that Apple gets it together soon.

Posted by oliver at 10:38 PM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 07, 2008

iPhone Week All Over Again

This could become a tradition: every summer there's a new iPhone model with hype building up until it's unbearable. Last year I was standing in line, just to find out that the AT&T shop has only a few units to sell. This year, well, I don't know yet what to do best.

Should I try the same AT&T store again, at 8 am in the morning, before work? But I won't have time to stand in line for long, so maybe the Apple Store in Soho after work is the better choice? In any case, there's a backup plan: We're going to the Catskills again (same as last year, purely coincidental), so I can do a stop at the Palidades Mall again. Also much better this year: Elke wants to snatch the old iPhone and hence has a vested interest to get this transaction going as soon as possible.

Posted by oliver at 08:08 PM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

July 06, 2008

New Yorkers are friendly, but...

Elke and I usually battle the prejudice that New Yorkers are generally unfriendly and grumpy. Especially when we have visitors from Germany we would like to drive this point home, but sometimes there are (hopefully rare) exceptions.

Two of those happened on a walk through Central Park with our friend Volkmar, who's in town for business. First we wanted to show off Summer Stage in Central park, which offers free concerts. FREE. In fact, you won't see the words "Central Stage" without the word FREE in close vicinity. However before we could enter we had to pass a bunch of volunteers asking for donations. When we left after a few minutes (the music wasn't quite our taste), we were asked again, quite forcefully and when we didn't open our wallets, some sneering comments were thrown after us. I think, a free event should be free. Donations are great and we donate a lot, but I don't like being forced to donate. If the Summer Stage needs more money (on top of the many corporate sponsors they already got) then they need to raise an entrance fee. Or at least a suggested donation that one can pay voluntarily.

Then a short time later on Central Park West a carriage with a long bearded driver passed by. Naturally we took pictures, not even of this specific carriage, but of the New York street scene, which included a yellow cab and some other people (the pictures turned out quite boring). Well, this carriage driver made it clear that he doesn't like to be photographed and underlined this with obscene gestures. I was so flabbergasted that it took me while to understand: there's a guy who drives one of those iconic (and controversial) Central Park carriages and he doesn't like to be photographed? In any case, in public space there's nothing anyone can do against being pictured, so his little rant was without substance anyway.

Posted by oliver at 11:15 AM in NYC | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 01, 2008

Flying is No Fun Anymore!

Choosing a destination for vacation gets harder every year. The Dollar exchange rate continues to suck and flying gets more unpleasant by the month (unless you're able to spend a fortune). So we decided to keep traveling easy this year.

For summer we're returning to our favorite hangout in Montauk, Long Island. We tried to avoid the peak months so far, because they're charging fantasy rates for relatively basic rooms, but the $30, 3-hour train ride is unbeatable. And it's so beautiful there. Yes, it's the HAMPTONS, but a fairly quiet part and, frankly, I don't have anything against the rich and beautiful.

Maybe that's why we take on a cruise again this fall. It'll be for our 10 year wedding anniversary, so it should be something special and what could be a better fit than then continuation of our honeymoon that took us across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2. This time it's the Queen Mary 2, a far more modern and comfortable ship, but presumably with less maritime flair than the QE2, which started her career as an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. There we tiny cabin with bunk beds and a porthole (“How's the accommodation in steerage Mr. Dawson?”), while the QM2 sports hotel-like rooms with balconies. But of course who wouldn't like to sit on a private balcony while Manhattan passed by in front of a sunset?

And that's the other nice thing: we leave from Brooklyn, so we have to endure only one flight back from Ft. Lauderdale. And we hate it already.

The picture, btw, is from May 2002, when we travelled to New Jersey to see the Queen Elizabeth 2 leave New York City.

Posted by oliver at 07:21 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

That didn't work out too well. First I tried to get the new iPhone at the AT&T store, just to be told that they ran out of phones after a short time. I gave it a another try at the Apple Store, which seems to have an endless supply on phones, but were not able to process my contract with a corporate rebate. Move on to plan C: the Palisades Mall upstate. No luck: the sight of some guys in camping chairs in front of the AT&T store which was out of stock was more than disheartening.

Whatever. I can still enjoy the 2.0 software and in a few days, I probably just walk into a store and grab a phone. In the meantime there's a lot to do. For example three live acts and a weekend in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Starting with The Statues of Liberteh! (how promoter Frank Wood likes to announce them) in there last NYC appearance until fall, because lead singer John Law goes to Hollywood (literally). We will miss them.

On Saturday we had the pleasure of the Sugar Bees at the Holiday Inn Kingston, one of approximately 8,263 cover bands that played a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton Hotel or similar across the nation that night. However, they had an excellent singer and the remnants of two family gathering to be entertained. Cool families, by the way, because granddaughters were partying next to their grandmothers, long after we went to bed.

On Sunday we visited Saugerties and ran into a historic car show. Now, Elke and I have that talent that, in the summertime, we somehow always stumble over a historic car show. A pretty useless talent, because usually we couldn't care less about cars. But it's hard not to get nostalgic about a time when petroleum was abundant and beauty and luxury trumped always function and economy. A lot of pictures were taken before we headed back home on the east bank of the Hudson River.

This time we had a little more time and after stopping at our favorite Cold Spring, we learned that there's so much more to see: There's Monteverde , an apparently excellent restaurant in unbelievable pretty setting that also offers unaffordable suites. A little bit more down to earth is the Peekskill Inn where the pool offers a breathtaking view over the Hudson Valley. Both places were noted for future weekend trips.

The evening then brought us back to the music: John Carpenter, a friend of Elke's (see her own blog) opened for The Crimea, a band you would not expect in the intimate setting of Union Hall.

Not quite yet. Mobile Me, the successor to Apples .Mac online service, is still down, even though it was supposed to be online by this morning.

Now given the high profile of the Mobile Me launch, I would think that Apple has thrown all necessary resources on this project and has planned and tested it as careful as possible. Still, so far it's a failure.

Maybe this means that it's just not possible to launch a global website the rock-hard way that Apple usually prefers: without a public beta, without somebody outside the company or not bound by an NDA has ever seen the service. Google, for example, is well known for carefully introducing their applications to a growing audience (and then keep them stuck in beta for years).

Since I waited for a service like Mobile Me for a long time, I really hope that Apple gets it together soon.

This could become a tradition: every summer there's a new iPhone model with hype building up until it's unbearable. Last year I was standing in line, just to find out that the AT&T shop has only a few units to sell. This year, well, I don't know yet what to do best.

Should I try the same AT&T store again, at 8 am in the morning, before work? But I won't have time to stand in line for long, so maybe the Apple Store in Soho after work is the better choice? In any case, there's a backup plan: We're going to the Catskills again (same as last year, purely coincidental), so I can do a stop at the Palidades Mall again. Also much better this year: Elke wants to snatch the old iPhone and hence has a vested interest to get this transaction going as soon as possible.

Elke and I usually battle the prejudice that New Yorkers are generally unfriendly and grumpy. Especially when we have visitors from Germany we would like to drive this point home, but sometimes there are (hopefully rare) exceptions.

Two of those happened on a walk through Central Park with our friend Volkmar, who's in town for business. First we wanted to show off Summer Stage in Central park, which offers free concerts. FREE. In fact, you won't see the words "Central Stage" without the word FREE in close vicinity. However before we could enter we had to pass a bunch of volunteers asking for donations. When we left after a few minutes (the music wasn't quite our taste), we were asked again, quite forcefully and when we didn't open our wallets, some sneering comments were thrown after us. I think, a free event should be free. Donations are great and we donate a lot, but I don't like being forced to donate. If the Summer Stage needs more money (on top of the many corporate sponsors they already got) then they need to raise an entrance fee. Or at least a suggested donation that one can pay voluntarily.

Then a short time later on Central Park West a carriage with a long bearded driver passed by. Naturally we took pictures, not even of this specific carriage, but of the New York street scene, which included a yellow cab and some other people (the pictures turned out quite boring). Well, this carriage driver made it clear that he doesn't like to be photographed and underlined this with obscene gestures. I was so flabbergasted that it took me while to understand: there's a guy who drives one of those iconic (and controversial) Central Park carriages and he doesn't like to be photographed? In any case, in public space there's nothing anyone can do against being pictured, so his little rant was without substance anyway.

Choosing a destination for vacation gets harder every year. The Dollar exchange rate continues to suck and flying gets more unpleasant by the month (unless you're able to spend a fortune). So we decided to keep traveling easy this year.

For summer we're returning to our favorite hangout in Montauk, Long Island. We tried to avoid the peak months so far, because they're charging fantasy rates for relatively basic rooms, but the $30, 3-hour train ride is unbeatable. And it's so beautiful there. Yes, it's the HAMPTONS, but a fairly quiet part and, frankly, I don't have anything against the rich and beautiful.

Maybe that's why we take on a cruise again this fall. It'll be for our 10 year wedding anniversary, so it should be something special and what could be a better fit than then continuation of our honeymoon that took us across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2. This time it's the Queen Mary 2, a far more modern and comfortable ship, but presumably with less maritime flair than the QE2, which started her career as an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. There we tiny cabin with bunk beds and a porthole (“How's the accommodation in steerage Mr. Dawson?”), while the QM2 sports hotel-like rooms with balconies. But of course who wouldn't like to sit on a private balcony while Manhattan passed by in front of a sunset?

And that's the other nice thing: we leave from Brooklyn, so we have to endure only one flight back from Ft. Lauderdale. And we hate it already.

The picture, btw, is from May 2002, when we travelled to New Jersey to see the Queen Elizabeth 2 leave New York City.

Trifecta of Apple Disappointments

You can wish as hard as you want, things are not just perfect, especially not in the world of technology. Here's why I don't like Apple too much this week:

• The iPhone 3G just doesn't have enough battery power to get me comfortably through the day. Yes, I could turn off features and use it less, but that would be half the fun. This means to charge the phone wherever possible during the day. On the plus side: the 3G comes with the tiniest charger ever. I guess, there's a reason for it.
• iTunes 7.7 does not continue to play music after fast-switching to another user. That came exactly in the moment, when we decided to install our Aperture library under a separate user, so the Elke and I can both use it. But without music, of course.
• After a fast-user-switch, Aperture doesn't quit at all or crashes while quitting. So far it seems that this doesn't do any bad, but, in any case, it doesn't feel good.

So it would be a good time to switch, if I just knew where to...

Snatching an iPhone 3G

Well, that was a lot of stress this time. I was totally wrong with my assessment that it would be much easier to get the iPhone 3G than the original one. The lower price seemed to make it attractive to more people and the convoluted activation process extended the lines. So by Friday it still took 5 hours to make it into the store on 5th Avenue and being handed a new phone.

But I bit the bullet and not a day too early. While many probably think it's crazy too wait that long for a freakin' cell phone, it is actually a real happening. At one of the most beautiful places in the city and with a lot of like-minded people around you. It gives you also (a somewhat false) sense of accomplishment: make it to the next loop, being the next person to enter the store, then being escorted finally downstairs and finally the moment where the activation happens and a phone is handed to you.

Is the 3G upgrade worth the effort? Not so sure about that. The 16 GB is the most exciting feature for me and they were available for the old iPhone as well. This means that I can load it with all my favorite music instead of just a narrow selection. 3G network speed is nice to have, but ironically with all those local applications there's less need to go to the web at all. Let's see how it goes with the battery life.

One thing I'm really excited about, though, is the wireless syncing with Mobile Me. I work on different computers and it's just convenient if changes propagate magically to all devices without the need to do a manual sync. That is amazing, but sure as hell the moment came where a change doesn't get synced, not matter what I do. There is a lot of components involved and it's not surprising that there are some kinks to be ironed out, but Apple better hurries - I need to rely on the fact that my calendar is current and I don't want to double check every appointment, just to make sure that has been synced correctly on all systems.

One more thing that doesn't work as smoothly as it should is handling invitations to meetings. Elke and I want to use the system to maintain our common activities (this is necessary, because we have a lot of activities and need to budget our time), but I'm not sure yet if this is going to work out. For starters, the invitation functionality is neither available on the iPhone nor on the Mobile Me website. I'm sure that Apple is fixing that soon, but I was also sure that we'll see cut & paste on the iPhone very soon and we're still waiting.

Posted by oliver at 10:47 PM in Culture, NYC, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 14, 2008

No iPhone for Me - But Life Goes On Anyway

That didn't work out too well. First I tried to get the new iPhone at the AT&T store, just to be told that they ran out of phones after a short time. I gave it a another try at the Apple Store, which seems to have an endless supply on phones, but were not able to process my contract with a corporate rebate. Move on to plan C: the Palisades Mall upstate. No luck: the sight of some guys in camping chairs in front of the AT&T store which was out of stock was more than disheartening.

Whatever. I can still enjoy the 2.0 software and in a few days, I probably just walk into a store and grab a phone. In the meantime there's a lot to do. For example three live acts and a weekend in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Starting with The Statues of Liberteh! (how promoter Frank Wood likes to announce them) in there last NYC appearance until fall, because lead singer John Law goes to Hollywood (literally). We will miss them.

On Saturday we had the pleasure of the Sugar Bees at the Holiday Inn Kingston, one of approximately 8,263 cover bands that played a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton Hotel or similar across the nation that night. However, they had an excellent singer and the remnants of two family gathering to be entertained. Cool families, by the way, because granddaughters were partying next to their grandmothers, long after we went to bed.

On Sunday we visited Saugerties and ran into a historic car show. Now, Elke and I have that talent that, in the summertime, we somehow always stumble over a historic car show. A pretty useless talent, because usually we couldn't care less about cars. But it's hard not to get nostalgic about a time when petroleum was abundant and beauty and luxury trumped always function and economy. A lot of pictures were taken before we headed back home on the east bank of the Hudson River.

This time we had a little more time and after stopping at our favorite Cold Spring, we learned that there's so much more to see: There's Monteverde , an apparently excellent restaurant in unbelievable pretty setting that also offers unaffordable suites. A little bit more down to earth is the Peekskill Inn where the pool offers a breathtaking view over the Hudson Valley. Both places were noted for future weekend trips.

The evening then brought us back to the music: John Carpenter, a friend of Elke's (see her own blog) opened for The Crimea, a band you would not expect in the intimate setting of Union Hall.

Posted by oliver at 08:21 PM in Music, NYC, Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 10, 2008

Am I Mobile Yet?

Not quite yet. Mobile Me, the successor to Apples .Mac online service, is still down, even though it was supposed to be online by this morning.

Now given the high profile of the Mobile Me launch, I would think that Apple has thrown all necessary resources on this project and has planned and tested it as careful as possible. Still, so far it's a failure.

Maybe this means that it's just not possible to launch a global website the rock-hard way that Apple usually prefers: without a public beta, without somebody outside the company or not bound by an NDA has ever seen the service. Google, for example, is well known for carefully introducing their applications to a growing audience (and then keep them stuck in beta for years).

Since I waited for a service like Mobile Me for a long time, I really hope that Apple gets it together soon.

Posted by oliver at 10:38 PM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 07, 2008

iPhone Week All Over Again

This could become a tradition: every summer there's a new iPhone model with hype building up until it's unbearable. Last year I was standing in line, just to find out that the AT&T shop has only a few units to sell. This year, well, I don't know yet what to do best.

Should I try the same AT&T store again, at 8 am in the morning, before work? But I won't have time to stand in line for long, so maybe the Apple Store in Soho after work is the better choice? In any case, there's a backup plan: We're going to the Catskills again (same as last year, purely coincidental), so I can do a stop at the Palidades Mall again. Also much better this year: Elke wants to snatch the old iPhone and hence has a vested interest to get this transaction going as soon as possible.

Posted by oliver at 08:08 PM in Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

July 06, 2008

New Yorkers are friendly, but...

Elke and I usually battle the prejudice that New Yorkers are generally unfriendly and grumpy. Especially when we have visitors from Germany we would like to drive this point home, but sometimes there are (hopefully rare) exceptions.

Two of those happened on a walk through Central Park with our friend Volkmar, who's in town for business. First we wanted to show off Summer Stage in Central park, which offers free concerts. FREE. In fact, you won't see the words "Central Stage" without the word FREE in close vicinity. However before we could enter we had to pass a bunch of volunteers asking for donations. When we left after a few minutes (the music wasn't quite our taste), we were asked again, quite forcefully and when we didn't open our wallets, some sneering comments were thrown after us. I think, a free event should be free. Donations are great and we donate a lot, but I don't like being forced to donate. If the Summer Stage needs more money (on top of the many corporate sponsors they already got) then they need to raise an entrance fee. Or at least a suggested donation that one can pay voluntarily.

Then a short time later on Central Park West a carriage with a long bearded driver passed by. Naturally we took pictures, not even of this specific carriage, but of the New York street scene, which included a yellow cab and some other people (the pictures turned out quite boring). Well, this carriage driver made it clear that he doesn't like to be photographed and underlined this with obscene gestures. I was so flabbergasted that it took me while to understand: there's a guy who drives one of those iconic (and controversial) Central Park carriages and he doesn't like to be photographed? In any case, in public space there's nothing anyone can do against being pictured, so his little rant was without substance anyway.

Posted by oliver at 11:15 AM in NYC | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

July 01, 2008

Flying is No Fun Anymore!

Choosing a destination for vacation gets harder every year. The Dollar exchange rate continues to suck and flying gets more unpleasant by the month (unless you're able to spend a fortune). So we decided to keep traveling easy this year.

For summer we're returning to our favorite hangout in Montauk, Long Island. We tried to avoid the peak months so far, because they're charging fantasy rates for relatively basic rooms, but the $30, 3-hour train ride is unbeatable. And it's so beautiful there. Yes, it's the HAMPTONS, but a fairly quiet part and, frankly, I don't have anything against the rich and beautiful.

Maybe that's why we take on a cruise again this fall. It'll be for our 10 year wedding anniversary, so it should be something special and what could be a better fit than then continuation of our honeymoon that took us across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2. This time it's the Queen Mary 2, a far more modern and comfortable ship, but presumably with less maritime flair than the QE2, which started her career as an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. There we tiny cabin with bunk beds and a porthole (“How's the accommodation in steerage Mr. Dawson?”), while the QM2 sports hotel-like rooms with balconies. But of course who wouldn't like to sit on a private balcony while Manhattan passed by in front of a sunset?

And that's the other nice thing: we leave from Brooklyn, so we have to endure only one flight back from Ft. Lauderdale. And we hate it already.

The picture, btw, is from May 2002, when we travelled to New Jersey to see the Queen Elizabeth 2 leave New York City.

Posted by oliver at 07:21 PM in Travel | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

That didn't work out too well. First I tried to get the new iPhone at the AT&T store, just to be told that they ran out of phones after a short time. I gave it a another try at the Apple Store, which seems to have an endless supply on phones, but were not able to process my contract with a corporate rebate. Move on to plan C: the Palisades Mall upstate. No luck: the sight of some guys in camping chairs in front of the AT&T store which was out of stock was more than disheartening.

Whatever. I can still enjoy the 2.0 software and in a few days, I probably just walk into a store and grab a phone. In the meantime there's a lot to do. For example three live acts and a weekend in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Starting with The Statues of Liberteh! (how promoter Frank Wood likes to announce them) in there last NYC appearance until fall, because lead singer John Law goes to Hollywood (literally). We will miss them.

On Saturday we had the pleasure of the Sugar Bees at the Holiday Inn Kingston, one of approximately 8,263 cover bands that played a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton Hotel or similar across the nation that night. However, they had an excellent singer and the remnants of two family gathering to be entertained. Cool families, by the way, because granddaughters were partying next to their grandmothers, long after we went to bed.

On Sunday we visited Saugerties and ran into a historic car show. Now, Elke and I have that talent that, in the summertime, we somehow always stumble over a historic car show. A pretty useless talent, because usually we couldn't care less about cars. But it's hard not to get nostalgic about a time when petroleum was abundant and beauty and luxury trumped always function and economy. A lot of pictures were taken before we headed back home on the east bank of the Hudson River.

This time we had a little more time and after stopping at our favorite Cold Spring, we learned that there's so much more to see: There's Monteverde , an apparently excellent restaurant in unbelievable pretty setting that also offers unaffordable suites. A little bit more down to earth is the Peekskill Inn where the pool offers a breathtaking view over the Hudson Valley. Both places were noted for future weekend trips.

The evening then brought us back to the music: John Carpenter, a friend of Elke's (see her own blog) opened for The Crimea, a band you would not expect in the intimate setting of Union Hall.

Not quite yet. Mobile Me, the successor to Apples .Mac online service, is still down, even though it was supposed to be online by this morning.

Now given the high profile of the Mobile Me launch, I would think that Apple has thrown all necessary resources on this project and has planned and tested it as careful as possible. Still, so far it's a failure.

Maybe this means that it's just not possible to launch a global website the rock-hard way that Apple usually prefers: without a public beta, without somebody outside the company or not bound by an NDA has ever seen the service. Google, for example, is well known for carefully introducing their applications to a growing audience (and then keep them stuck in beta for years).

Since I waited for a service like Mobile Me for a long time, I really hope that Apple gets it together soon.

This could become a tradition: every summer there's a new iPhone model with hype building up until it's unbearable. Last year I was standing in line, just to find out that the AT&T shop has only a few units to sell. This year, well, I don't know yet what to do best.

Should I try the same AT&T store again, at 8 am in the morning, before work? But I won't have time to stand in line for long, so maybe the Apple Store in Soho after work is the better choice? In any case, there's a backup plan: We're going to the Catskills again (same as last year, purely coincidental), so I can do a stop at the Palidades Mall again. Also much better this year: Elke wants to snatch the old iPhone and hence has a vested interest to get this transaction going as soon as possible.

Elke and I usually battle the prejudice that New Yorkers are generally unfriendly and grumpy. Especially when we have visitors from Germany we would like to drive this point home, but sometimes there are (hopefully rare) exceptions.

Two of those happened on a walk through Central Park with our friend Volkmar, who's in town for business. First we wanted to show off Summer Stage in Central park, which offers free concerts. FREE. In fact, you won't see the words "Central Stage" without the word FREE in close vicinity. However before we could enter we had to pass a bunch of volunteers asking for donations. When we left after a few minutes (the music wasn't quite our taste), we were asked again, quite forcefully and when we didn't open our wallets, some sneering comments were thrown after us. I think, a free event should be free. Donations are great and we donate a lot, but I don't like being forced to donate. If the Summer Stage needs more money (on top of the many corporate sponsors they already got) then they need to raise an entrance fee. Or at least a suggested donation that one can pay voluntarily.

Then a short time later on Central Park West a carriage with a long bearded driver passed by. Naturally we took pictures, not even of this specific carriage, but of the New York street scene, which included a yellow cab and some other people (the pictures turned out quite boring). Well, this carriage driver made it clear that he doesn't like to be photographed and underlined this with obscene gestures. I was so flabbergasted that it took me while to understand: there's a guy who drives one of those iconic (and controversial) Central Park carriages and he doesn't like to be photographed? In any case, in public space there's nothing anyone can do against being pictured, so his little rant was without substance anyway.

Choosing a destination for vacation gets harder every year. The Dollar exchange rate continues to suck and flying gets more unpleasant by the month (unless you're able to spend a fortune). So we decided to keep traveling easy this year.

For summer we're returning to our favorite hangout in Montauk, Long Island. We tried to avoid the peak months so far, because they're charging fantasy rates for relatively basic rooms, but the $30, 3-hour train ride is unbeatable. And it's so beautiful there. Yes, it's the HAMPTONS, but a fairly quiet part and, frankly, I don't have anything against the rich and beautiful.

Maybe that's why we take on a cruise again this fall. It'll be for our 10 year wedding anniversary, so it should be something special and what could be a better fit than then continuation of our honeymoon that took us across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2. This time it's the Queen Mary 2, a far more modern and comfortable ship, but presumably with less maritime flair than the QE2, which started her career as an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. There we tiny cabin with bunk beds and a porthole (“How's the accommodation in steerage Mr. Dawson?”), while the QM2 sports hotel-like rooms with balconies. But of course who wouldn't like to sit on a private balcony while Manhattan passed by in front of a sunset?

And that's the other nice thing: we leave from Brooklyn, so we have to endure only one flight back from Ft. Lauderdale. And we hate it already.

The picture, btw, is from May 2002, when we travelled to New Jersey to see the Queen Elizabeth 2 leave New York City.

No iPhone for Me - But Life Goes On Anyway

That didn't work out too well. First I tried to get the new iPhone at the AT&T store, just to be told that they ran out of phones after a short time. I gave it a another try at the Apple Store, which seems to have an endless supply on phones, but were not able to process my contract with a corporate rebate. Move on to plan C: the Palisades Mall upstate. No luck: the sight of some guys in camping chairs in front of the AT&T store which was out of stock was more than disheartening.

Whatever. I can still enjoy the 2.0 software and in a few days, I probably just walk into a store and grab a phone. In the meantime there's a lot to do. For example three live acts and a weekend in the Catskills and the Hudson Valley. Starting with The Statues of Liberteh! (how promoter Frank Wood likes to announce them) in there last NYC appearance until fall, because lead singer John Law goes to Hollywood (literally). We will miss them.

On Saturday we had the pleasure of the Sugar Bees at the Holiday Inn Kingston, one of approximately 8,263 cover bands that played a Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton Hotel or similar across the nation that night. However, they had an excellent singer and the remnants of two family gathering to be entertained. Cool families, by the way, because granddaughters were partying next to their grandmothers, long after we went to bed.

On Sunday we visited Saugerties and ran into a historic car show. Now, Elke and I have that talent that, in the summertime, we somehow always stumble over a historic car show. A pretty useless talent, because usually we couldn't care less about cars. But it's hard not to get nostalgic about a time when petroleum was abundant and beauty and luxury trumped always function and economy. A lot of pictures were taken before we headed back home on the east bank of the Hudson River.

This time we had a little more time and after stopping at our favorite Cold Spring, we learned that there's so much more to see: There's Monteverde , an apparently excellent restaurant in unbelievable pretty setting that also offers unaffordable suites. A little bit more down to earth is the Peekskill Inn where the pool offers a breathtaking view over the Hudson Valley. Both places were noted for future weekend trips.

The evening then brought us back to the music: John Carpenter, a friend of Elke's (see her own blog) opened for The Crimea, a band you would not expect in the intimate setting of Union Hall.

Am I Mobile Yet?

Not quite yet. Mobile Me, the successor to Apples .Mac online service, is still down, even though it was supposed to be online by this morning.

Now given the high profile of the Mobile Me launch, I would think that Apple has thrown all necessary resources on this project and has planned and tested it as careful as possible. Still, so far it's a failure.

Maybe this means that it's just not possible to launch a global website the rock-hard way that Apple usually prefers: without a public beta, without somebody outside the company or not bound by an NDA has ever seen the service. Google, for example, is well known for carefully introducing their applications to a growing audience (and then keep them stuck in beta for years).

Since I waited for a service like Mobile Me for a long time, I really hope that Apple gets it together soon.

iPhone Week All Over Again

This could become a tradition: every summer there's a new iPhone model with hype building up until it's unbearable. Last year I was standing in line, just to find out that the AT&T shop has only a few units to sell. This year, well, I don't know yet what to do best.

Should I try the same AT&T store again, at 8 am in the morning, before work? But I won't have time to stand in line for long, so maybe the Apple Store in Soho after work is the better choice? In any case, there's a backup plan: We're going to the Catskills again (same as last year, purely coincidental), so I can do a stop at the Palidades Mall again. Also much better this year: Elke wants to snatch the old iPhone and hence has a vested interest to get this transaction going as soon as possible.

New Yorkers are friendly, but...

Elke and I usually battle the prejudice that New Yorkers are generally unfriendly and grumpy. Especially when we have visitors from Germany we would like to drive this point home, but sometimes there are (hopefully rare) exceptions.

Two of those happened on a walk through Central Park with our friend Volkmar, who's in town for business. First we wanted to show off Summer Stage in Central park, which offers free concerts. FREE. In fact, you won't see the words "Central Stage" without the word FREE in close vicinity. However before we could enter we had to pass a bunch of volunteers asking for donations. When we left after a few minutes (the music wasn't quite our taste), we were asked again, quite forcefully and when we didn't open our wallets, some sneering comments were thrown after us. I think, a free event should be free. Donations are great and we donate a lot, but I don't like being forced to donate. If the Summer Stage needs more money (on top of the many corporate sponsors they already got) then they need to raise an entrance fee. Or at least a suggested donation that one can pay voluntarily.

Then a short time later on Central Park West a carriage with a long bearded driver passed by. Naturally we took pictures, not even of this specific carriage, but of the New York street scene, which included a yellow cab and some other people (the pictures turned out quite boring). Well, this carriage driver made it clear that he doesn't like to be photographed and underlined this with obscene gestures. I was so flabbergasted that it took me while to understand: there's a guy who drives one of those iconic (and controversial) Central Park carriages and he doesn't like to be photographed? In any case, in public space there's nothing anyone can do against being pictured, so his little rant was without substance anyway.

Flying is No Fun Anymore!

Choosing a destination for vacation gets harder every year. The Dollar exchange rate continues to suck and flying gets more unpleasant by the month (unless you're able to spend a fortune). So we decided to keep traveling easy this year.

For summer we're returning to our favorite hangout in Montauk, Long Island. We tried to avoid the peak months so far, because they're charging fantasy rates for relatively basic rooms, but the $30, 3-hour train ride is unbeatable. And it's so beautiful there. Yes, it's the HAMPTONS, but a fairly quiet part and, frankly, I don't have anything against the rich and beautiful.

Maybe that's why we take on a cruise again this fall. It'll be for our 10 year wedding anniversary, so it should be something special and what could be a better fit than then continuation of our honeymoon that took us across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth 2. This time it's the Queen Mary 2, a far more modern and comfortable ship, but presumably with less maritime flair than the QE2, which started her career as an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. There we tiny cabin with bunk beds and a porthole (“How's the accommodation in steerage Mr. Dawson?”), while the QM2 sports hotel-like rooms with balconies. But of course who wouldn't like to sit on a private balcony while Manhattan passed by in front of a sunset?

And that's the other nice thing: we leave from Brooklyn, so we have to endure only one flight back from Ft. Lauderdale. And we hate it already.

The picture, btw, is from May 2002, when we travelled to New Jersey to see the Queen Elizabeth 2 leave New York City.