N'Awlins...

Last week we had a long weekend, so I headed down to New Orleans (or N'Awlins as the locals pronounce it) for an long-long weekend... 4 days of hanging in the sun and thunderstorms down in the deep deep South... (well not that deep but a little). It was really an eye opening experience and probably the most unique city I've visited so far. We stayed in the French Quarter, one of the oldest and most touristy part of the city. By day it is a quaint, European, tree lined and terrace filled mini city, and by night it becomes wild when the city's finest come out to party. Bourbon St, one of the main streets of the quarter, lined with open bars and clubs and jazz haunts gets closed off whilst all these venues are overflowing with party goers dancing and singing as live bands belt out jazz, rock and pop songs from all ages. Handing out grenades, hurricanes and 'big ass' beers, (all beverages) the only rule is too pour your drinks into plastic before venturing outside... yes, in N'Awlins you can drink alcohol in the streets, and it seems that's what the locals are best at! As the nights got later the crowds seemed to grow, whilst their demeanor more trashy... we seemed to have landed in NO not only on the busiest long weekend of the year, but it also happened to be the second biggest gay event of the year after mardi gras, so as you can imagine the outfits were as colorful as over.

There is a tradition in New Orleans, originating from Mardi Gras time, when gay men would throw bead necklaces to waiting crowds to generate excitement, today it has also been a tradition picked up by the streetworkers who fill Bourbon St strip joints and massage parlours... they hang out their windows from two stories high and throw necklaces at oggling boys who await them in the street below... in the day time you see trees filled with left over beads from party nights throughout the city... i don't think they are ever removed...

Late one night we stumbled across an amazing piano bar.. if you ever get down there its called Pat Obriens, it has a massive windowless room with two grand pianos... famous for their hurricanes (6 shots and some red stuff in a big cup) three musicians would rotate around the pianos and belt out old tunes to the excited audience... although loud and slightly raucous it was way more chilled and enjoyable then the hecticness outside... we actually ended up visiting every night we were there... we were even dedicated our own rendition of 'I come from the land down under'!

By day the city is all but deserted... i guess everyone sleeps off their big nights... our day times were spent exploring the different areas of the city. The bit I enjoyed most was a tour of the devastated regions of Hurricane Katrina. Our guide took us through the 9th Ward, it was amazing to see that it was still as delapitated as the day after the hurricane left, just 5 years later... wood houses windowless, roofless, broken verandahs and staircases, desolate. Inhabitants in every 10th house, not a person in sight at 12pm on a Saturday... 14 ft below see level this was the hardest hit area, and the one to receive the least aid. With water up to their roofs, residents unable to evacuate or swim, tried to scramble on to their rooftops and ride out the storm...most didnt make it. Every couple of blocks there are vacant plots... places where houses stood before the storm, which were washed away in its fury. Every other house in the 9th ward has spraypainted big X's on the house, a sign left by rescuers to show that they had been inside to look for savivors. Under the X's listed what was found inside... 1 human, 1 dog, 1 bird. As a low income area, with very few residents who returned the government hasn't put any funds in to fixing the area, the residents that are left have very little amenities because of this, no cable no filtered water, no internet. One bright hope for the future of this area is an initiative by Brad Pitt. New Orleans is covered with signs and t shirts saying 'Brad Pitt for Mayor'. Besides him and Angelina living in their own NO mansion, Brad has started a fundraising project whereby he has invited 10 famous architects from around the US and given them each several plots of land in the 9th Ward and encouraged them to build what ever housing they liked. The houses are then given to Hurricane survivors. The houses are mostly ultra modern and brightly painted, a stark contrast to the rest of the neighbood, but nevertheless a heartfelt initiative. The neighbourhoods surrounding the 9th Ward are filled with mansions, houses like you've never seen, 16 room residences, beautiful gardens, amazing that these which were also under 15ft of water, 5 years later look like nothing ever happened... it was a clear indication of with who the governments priorities lay.

We also went on a steamboat ride down the Mississippi... sounds cooler then it was... one other thing... Southern Food... well lets just say its an acquired taste... think every off cut you could find in a chefs kitchen, every part of the bull, the crab and the lobster, boiled for hours and served as a thick interesting smelling soup... they call it Gumbo... we preferred to stick to the hotel for food... the final day before our flight we jumped on a street car (tram) and toured the New Orleans suburbs... i felt like i was in a scene from To Kill a Mocking Bird... was a great weekend... one I feel exposed all the facets of the true America... life outside New York.

This weekend I'm taking it easy.

I'm staying in. Just me the gym and maybe a trip to Macy's...... just for Dad's present! promise!

Times are changing...

It's been over a year now in NY and things are starting to feel like home. I've finally learnt the value of each coin, I know the subway map like the back of my hand, my laundromat lady, Zarina and I are on first name basis, she makes her staff save my washing so she can fold it when she gets in, and words are starting to come out slightly Americanised, Tom-A-to, Wate-R, Z-ee, Sometimes its easier to just adapt rather than get questioned each time. The time has flown, I've visited a different state almost every month, entertained guests just as regularly on my famous blow up bed ("guarenteed to be the most comfiest bed ever slept on") and have spent almost every cent I've earnt on entertainment, concerts, plays, musicals, food, drinks, travel and clothing. It truly has been an awesome (there I go another american word) 12 months, one in which I've grown, matured and learnt loads about myself.

Now for what's to come... Year number 2 has started off almost more exciting then Year number 1! Last week my boss asked me to leave Deepend and start a new business with him. It has really been the break I have been looking for, an opportunity for maximum responsibilty, challenges at every step of the way, stimulation of my brain and the chance to really take charge of something. I have been looking for months for a job with more stisfaction, and when this opened itself to me I jumped at the chance. Within 7 days he had decided to leave, resigned, employed me and I had resigned as well as bringing along another designer. Whilst alot of people have asked me if I am crazy to leave a secure job and start a startup in such a volatile time, but for me I really have nothing to lose and everything to gain. James, my boss, is great, he has an enourmous amount of knowledge, good contacts and reputation within the industry. We've got a bunch of old clients who have moved with us, and have so much work on our plate we are unsure how to get it all done... there are worse risks to take I think! So the new company is called Flint and it is slightly less interactive focussed then my work has been in the past, basically we are working with either existing companies launching new businesses and products, or with startups, entrepreneurs with exciting ideas but need help building their idea and producing a market leading product/service. Our job is to help them develop this and position them competitively within their market, research their competition and develop ideas allowing them to differentiate. Thats step 1, step 2 comes once the strategy has been developed, and invloves us helping them actually develop the product, business or service no matter its sphere, be it an online interactive startup, a new product, or a new service. Already we have 3 start up clients in the pipeline, all working with us to launch amazing new ideas. All going well we' ll be successful and I'll have an amazing time.

My mind right now is kinda like a tissue stuck in a washing machine,.. this has all happened over the past month, mum also came to town, we went to toronto and niagara. Having her here was lots of fun and a great addition to all the chaos... today I'm on a plane to New Orleans, and in less than 2 weeks I just found out I'm on a plane back to Sydney to get a new visa. Amazing where life takes you if venture outside your comfort zone. Right now I'm just going along with it and enjoying the ride!

Sydney siders, I'll see you shortly, New Yorkers,you got me here for a little while longer!

xxx.