1. The windows don't open, for 6months we have had no 'fresh' (as fresh as it can be in NY) circulate our apartment. The windows for us , and looks like everyone else who doesn't live in a $2000per week condo are nailed down. I see why in skyscrapers but on the 2nd floor? Each apt window has a air conditioning unit in it and that has meant the window is slid up for the air con to fit and then a piece of uneven plastic is hammered in next to it, ours doesn't fit to well, so some news paper is filling the gap! We have definitely missed a bit of a 'breeze'.
2. The heating cannot be changed. Reading above about the Newspaper fitting the window you'd think there had been a horrible draft...but thank goodness for that cm of cold winter air filing into the building.
The colder it is outside the hotter the central heating gets. Once again this is nailed into a radiator cover which cannot be touched, so the temperature in the apartment is usually sweltering, we have had our ceiling fans on even when it is snowing! This temperature seems to be the same in every building as well as BDC, I remember someone telling me once that it was controlled by law or something...glad our apt was utilities included or that would have cost a bomb!
3.The Phantom Roach...when we first moved in something scuttled once, twice and maybe a third across in the shadows. We saw it only once, a cockroach...which to New Yorker are completely normal...Sam chased it around the apt with the bug spray and the next day we found him conked out on his back. We've never seen him or his pals again but something tells me they are watching!
A a couple of other things to be aware of in NY,
'An empty subway car is not a good thing' - On a packed train, an empty subway car probably means either; someones thrown up everywhere, theres a hobo thats not moved in months or could be dead?, someones wet themselves...or something along those lines. The subway is way cheaper than the london underground but its completely obvious why! You can nip through gates without paying, there is a hobo singing, rapping, dancing, coughing, or attempting to sell gone off candy in every car and station, it runs all night, and of course the rats love the subway stations...!
'If your meal on the menu cost $15...you will pay at least $19'- On absolutely everything there is sales tax. It really confused us at first as we had added everything up as we went round the supermarket to find an extra $12 clocked up somewhere! I do not know why they don't just put the tax already on the prices,but them some places I swear if they think your american they don't add it on, depends on what the item is, who knows its confusing but always budget 2 or 3 dollars more on everything! And thats before the MANDATORY tipping...but lets not go there!
'Apple iPad for $200'- To me this screams SCAM, but obviously not to the numerous tourists you see being conned into buying electronic goods from the numerous electrical stores, similar to those on Tottenham court road. One of our friends bought a blackberry from one, 6months on the battery is dead and going back into the shop with the receipt that says '12month warranty' they say that she has to take it to Blackberry, and its nothing to do with the shop...! Same with another girl who bought a camera from them and cannot find a USB port that fits it anywhere!
'You'll see the whole of Central Park for $50 on this badly shoed horse and trap'- Lies, you'll see about 1/16th of the park, and only the bits on the roads! Walk around it instead, but I suppose its iconic and you have to do it once!
'Don't eat the nuts from the nut vendors'- They smell heavenly...but in the summer we watched a vendor smack a mosquito on the head, it fell into the nuts and he continued pushing them about and putting them in bags. Gross.
Some area's you might want to steer clear of also;
West 4th Station
A,C, E Subway line , its the worst smelling one!
Union Square, apart from Peridance and Lululemon
Fashion district...between 8th-9th, 42nd-34th, no more fashion than BHS.
125th st + Central park north station, only go in day time.
Washington sq park, is not half as exciting as it sounds!
Roosevelt island.
Fulton street mall is not a mall at all, go shopping in Cobble Hill if you go to Brooklyn.
Olive garden resturant is vile, over priced and boring, as well as the 3hour wait if you go to the times sq one.
Port Authority bus station. get out fast.
Coney Island, if its not nice weather!
and on that note, the list of things you must do in NY and our favourite things will be blogged about next week!
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