A Traveller's tale: LA, NY and the UK, 2005 - Part 3
Los Angeles - again
After driving up and down the coast for most of the previous day, the next day was set aside for clothes shopping. Whilst this is not normally my favourite pastime, I have to admit that LA has some of the best value clothes stores I've seen anywhere. I'm not talking about the ones on Rodeo Drive—you need very deep pockets for those. I'm talking about certain suburban stores that sell genuine designer-label garments and accessories at (to Australian eyes anyway) ridiculously cheap prices. OK, so they may be discontinued lines or last year's stock, but they're still Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein, etc. At the end of several hours we both had trolley-loads of gear to take home with us. Looking at all our purchases spilling over the check-out counter the next requirement made itself apparent—another suitcase in which to carry it all. I had in mind one of those sleek, silver-coloured, lightweight, clam shell Samsonite-style cases with no exterior zips to worry about, but we couldn't find anything even remotely like it.We decided to give the usual touristy places a miss because we had seen them last time we visited, but since the best part of travelogues is the photos, here's some from 2004 (taken with a 2MP Nikon Coolpix 2100).
It was early afternoon by now, and it was time to do some of my shopping. I mentioned in Part 1 that I had some watch-related business in LA, and this was to purchase a couple of display cases from a guy called Anthony Chau, who goes by the business name of 'Acetimer'. The cases I wanted were $40 each, but from previous enquiries I found out it would cost $50 each to send them to Australia! Since he was based in LA, and we were going to be in LA, it seemed too good a chance to miss. His office was in Irwindale, which was 30 miles away on the opposite side of town to where we were, but we were veterans of the freeway system by now so off we ventured (armed with Tony's instructions). The afternoon traffic was beginning to build, but with the help of the transit lanes (which are not available to cars with only one occupant) we made reasonable time. After only a couple of minor detours we found ourselves in the parking lot at Tony's premises. It was there that a most unusual accident occurred. We heard a loud revving of an engine, a screech of tyres and an almighty crashing noise. At first we thought there must have been a collision on the road adjacent the lot, but there was nothing to be seen. Then we turned around and saw what had happened. A lady had backed her car out of a parking bay in the almost deserted carpark, and for some inexplicable reason had gunned the motor and shot forward again, crashing through the bushes separating her row from the one opposite. The combination of kerb and bushes launched her car into the air, only to have it crash back down again onto the hood (bonnet) of the only vehicle in that row. Luckily no-one was seriously hurt—the woman driver was just shaken up and the other vehicle was empty. And you know what? I had left the camera in the hotel, not thinking I would need it!
Tony turned out to be extremely friendly and charming (with a sister in Melbourne!), and quickly produced the two 20-watch cherrywood cases I had asked him to put aside for me. He had lots of other interesting goodies for sale there too, but I restricted myself to a movement holder and a bracelet link pin remover. Acquiring not one but two display cases made it even more imperative that we buy another suitcase, and as it was now 5.30pm I asked Tony if he knew where one could be found locally. He came up with a brilliant suggestion—Chinatown, about 15 miles away. Closing time was 6pm, but again thanks to his good directions and my new-found ability to drive like a local (i.e. fast and with little consideration for others), we got there, parked and had five minutes to whizz around the multitude of shops selling cases. At the fourth one we found exactly what we wanted, and even managed to bargain the price down from $45 to $30. Thank you Tony!
Above: the display cases we travelled 13,000 km for...and below, the $30 'ideal' suitcase, which proved extremely useful.
The next morning we were up at 3.15am to catch the 4am hotel shuttle to the airport. (Important travel note: if you have an early morning flight, book into a hotel close to the airport that offers free transport to and from. You really appreciate the convenience when you're up before the sparrows.) We boarded the 6am American Airlines flight to Dallas-Fort Worth without much ado. Dallas-Fort Worth is a regional hub and the airport is huge and modern. The various terminals are connected by Skylink, an elevated automated train (no driver). It was a little bit disconcerting at first to look forward to where the driver should be and see no-one at the controls, but it delivered us smoothly to the appropriate terminal to catch the flight to New York.
Left: a hurried shot of the Skylink driverless train, taken from the plane.
Right: There were no less than four light jets lined up on the runway waiting to take off (two are out of sight on the starboard side), and we just cruised up between them to depart first. Might is right!
There was an elderly but lively gent seated in front of us, declaiming to his neighbour about the evils of bureaucracy and his loathing of 'pen-pushers'. "You know why Germany lost the war?" he asked. "They ran out of paper before we did!" He was only half-joking. I had the window seat (for a change), and as usual became fascinated by the ever-changing landscape below.
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Downtown Dallas from 11,000 ft. |
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The beautiful symmetry of a freeway interchange |
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Geography in action—see the oxbow lakes? |
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I wandered lonely as a....... |
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Marinas, marinas, as far as the eye can see. |
New York, New York—so good they named it twice
We had been warned that rooms in the older mid and downtown Manhattan hotels were generally on the small side, but the one we were shown to in our pre-booked hotel on W 48th St (in the heart of the theatre district) was ridiculous. It was so small that once we had our cases inside (including the new one, remember!), there was literally no room to move around. After forcibly expressing our lack of enthusiam for the dog kennel they had given us, we felt better when the management found us another, larger room. Sometimes it pays to complain. After unpacking we sauntered out into the brilliant sunshine to take in our new surroundings. |
Times Square is usually packed with tourists and those trying to buy cheap theatre tickets at the TKTS office. The statue is one of only two in the Square, and commemorates the life and works of one of the greats of the American musical theatre, George M Cohan ('The Man Who Owned Broadway'). George did it all—vaudeville actor, writer, lyricist, composer, dramatic actor, publisher, director, producer, theatre owner. Give My Regards to Broadway was written by him, as were many other famous numbers such as I'm A Yankee Doodle Dandy and Over There. |
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For lunch we wandered into a typical NY deli and ordered a Hero sandwich each. We now know that a Hero sandwich is a very large roll similar to a baguette, and not a 'proper' sandwich at all! Whatever you call it, it was delicious (mind you, we were very hungry). |
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As soon as we sat down to eat our sandwich we became aware we were being carefully scrutinised. I'm afraid pussy missed out on a feed this time. |
Just along from the deli something caught Teresa's eye...
...whilst these Breitlings nearly took my eye out! Bling, anyone?
More bling, but refined: the 5th Avenue entrance to the Kenneth Cole store. The top figures represent the cities of Paris on the left, and New York on the right; the detail below shows via the female form the qualities these cities have in common—Poetry, Beauty and Elegance. Or so I heard.
Food for thought inside the Kenneth Cole store...
Just next door is the Rockefeller Centre and its Plaza, where you can swap the concrete jungle for (almost) the real thing.
To quote a famous Seinfeld episode, "These pretzels are making me thirsty!"
Teresa was really captivated by this cuddly little fellow in the FAO Schwarz toy store...
Remember the "big piano" Tom Hanks danced on in the film Big? Well, this is it, being demonstrated by two FAO Schwarz regulars. Whilst you can buy a small edition of the piano for $49.95, the large one will set you back $250,000. Plus the ubiquitous tax, no doubt.
Some of those 'cuddly' stuffed animals are huge. Note the giraffe and the elephant.
New York is a city of contrasts, with the old cheek-by-jowl with the new, the crass next to the elegant. Manhattan of course is the major financial, commerce and cultural district, and presents some wonderful photo opportunities as shown below.
The Chrysler Building is perhaps my favourite (like everyone else's). Between 1930 and 1931 it was the tallest structure in the world (exceeding even the Eiffel Tower), until the Empire State Building overtook it. It used to have a restaurant and public viewing gallery, but these days it's all offices. That's marble in the lobby and the elevators feature rare and exotic woods from around the world. The time on the clock was about 5 minutes out, by the way.
At one stage the lobby was also a Chrysler car showroom.
The gargoyles at the top are eagles, and the lower corner decoration is inspired by the Chrysler hubcaps of the day.
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Written 3 November 2005.
Last updated 6 November 2005.