Bogan in the City: MIA?... No, MIW!

Hi All,
No, I havent' been MIA (missing in action), unfortunately it's MIW (missing in work)... However, the bulk period is finally over - yipppeeeeeee!

But, just because I have been working like a dog, doesn't mean I haven't been able to get out and about and enjoy the Spring time in NYC - a time where the weather is just fabulous. It is two weekends of back to back fabulous weather.

So, on the work front, I got to experience a shareholder meeting in the flesh and I even volunteered to be on the registration desk. A very interesting experience, but unfortunately, probably not appropriate for public broadcast. Friday week ago, I also got to experience the very first "conversation with leaders", which I prefer to label "Lunch with Louis". This was also an amazing experience as there were only 6 of us invited to join our CEO in the private dining room. Teena (my fellow Aussie) was also there - I get the sense that we were invited to ensure there were no awkward silences... impossible with two loud mouth Australian women. My spanish lessons are progressing well - my fellow Spanish speakers are very impressed with my progress, though given I am their boss, I think they might just be trying to flatter me. The key is practice - I have labelled my office with all the corresponding spanish words - la mesa (table); el cuadro (frame); la computerdora (computer); debajo (below); encima (above)... you get the point. Anyway, I'm not looking so professional for the NY office with my wall to wall post it notes, but oh well, I don't really care.

Last weekend I met up with Fiona from Australia who is here on holiday with her husband. This ended up a very hilarious night with me signing Karaoke on 3rd avenue, belting out Mr Jones by Counting Crows (an all time fave of mine). Unfortunately, those that choose to take the mike at Keats Karaoke Club are mainly good singers, unlike this frustrated rock star (frustrated because of lack of talent, but not lack of rock'n'roll ambition!). We also visited the rooftop bar at the Ganseevort Hotel on Park ave - aka the Kardashian pad when in NYC. This was a bit glam for us, and a mortgage was necessary to pay for the drinks, so we ventured onto karaoke instead - a little bit more down to earth on old 3rd ave.

This weekend was very welcomed following a full week of meetings. My final assignment for the semester is due at midnight Monday night AU time and I'm very pleased to say that this has now been submitted - 11 hours early! The good thing with this paper was that it required me to write about my "journey through the semester on the topic of Leadership". This paper was also 3000 words, but I managed to finish it in record time. Some reason my ability to reflect and write a whole lot of garbage about my journey came easy... what that's not a surprise to you? I can promise you that I don't plan to offload onto you 3,00 words... I just got a huge wind gust, was that a collective sigh of relief coming from down under?

So, this weekend has been really great - a relief after such hellish weeks/months. Friday night I went out with Judy as both of us deserved a drink after some crazy weeks. We went to one of my favourite restaurants Zengo, which has the best Empinades ever... to be honest, I've never tasted any other Empinades, so, I really don't know if they are the best ones ever for anyone else, but they really are for me.

Yesterday morning I was feeling fresh and invogorated by the beautiful sunshine and went out for Dim Sum in China Town with Teena, her husband and baby Ruby - a feast of delicious dumplings coupled with some very nice Chrysantheum tea at the 100 year old Wan Hah tea house. Following dumplings, we then set out to walk up to Hell's Kitchen Market. For those not acquainted with NYC, China Town is right down town, and Hell's Kitchen is 3 miles up in mid-town. We ventured first through China Town - this place was seriously like being in Hong Kong, with people offering to sell me watches, bags... "come with me to my store miss" etc. etc. (I resisted); we then ventured to China Town's neighbour, Little Italy - there is seriously no division between these two areas - one minute you're in a mini-HK, the next you're in a big version of Lygon Street (my reference not there's), with Italians lureing you into their restaurant with the offer of free wine and dessert (again, I resisted).   Once we hit union square, there was the weekly farmers market on, which is always nice to look around at (yes, I resisted again), and then we were hit with a street parade of what seemed to involve every dance school in NYC - there were hip hop dancers, traditional latin american dancers, russian, japanese, salsa dancers, cheer leaders, and dancers where it was not clear what genre they were from - think white bikinis and angel wings... maybe they were representing the Victoria Secret Angels...

Anyway, it was pretty cool to watch. We then ventured up to the market where I found a fabulous pair of designer shoes at a bargain price, and although a size 9 1/2 (my normal size), they were not a cindarella fit for my feet. I was convinced it was because they were hot and swollen, but there was no chance they were fitting (so yes, I resisted again). Then it was time to venture home and start on said paper. I set the clock for early this morning 6.15 (on a Sunday morning!) to get the paper finished as I had a walking tour planned for 4.30 this afternoon in Manhattan. Come 3pm and I was 98% finished. I set myself off to Manhattan and discovered the bloody tour was cancelled. I had been given the ticket from a friend at work who though it was last weekend, but it was this weekend instead and she was travelling, so they couldn't contact her to let her know. Anyway, Judy and I then ventured instead to a street fair that was being held on Park Avenue. Seriously, the city was alive this weekend - I don't know if it was the weather or what, but there just seemed to be so much activity, it was really great.

I am off to Quebec tomorrow to work with the Canadian Operations Management Team on leadership - something I am really looking forward to as it is close to my heart. It is then a long weekend - Memorial Day is on Monday, but we also get the Friday off. I am planning a dinner party on Saturday night for me and 8 others - a murder mystery and my dining room is going to be transformed to an Italian Trattoria, red checkered table cloth and all. I'm then off to somewhere on Long Island on Sunday for a BBQ. Teena and Matt have just bought a car, so I am luckily getting a lift with them there. The car is what I can only describe as beefy - a black Comaro with a red stripe and red leather seats. I get a free ride as my house is currently 'car sitting' their vehicle whilst they live in mid town. They move next week and will be then taking ownership of their car.

Missing everyone - the time is flying. I have Kelly, my fellow Counting Crows devotee from high school, visiting in July, so I better get the spare bed ready.

I had a heap of photos to share, but my camera is flat and it was the choice of waiting another week until I got back or sending this off tonight, so I chose the latter.   Probably lucky - one of the photos were the bikini cladded winged angels.

Here are the photos that I wanted to send last week:

The dumpling house...