My first trip to the US of A

[esoteric ed]

Well people, the flights are booked and at the end of May we head over the pond to New York and then south to Martha's Vineyard for the JAWSFEST on the island. A lucky few of us have managed to secure rooms in the cabin where Spielberg stayed during the making of JAWS and it's also where the main crew dined with him each evening.
Peter Benchley is onboard too, some of the crew even want to visit the cabin for a Barb BQ/cocktail party and I'm being interviewed alongside my US collector counterpart for a documentary/DVD release backed by Universal so it's going to be a pretty surreal weekend.

What I'd like to ask though is just what is America like? the place? the people?
I'm told New York is awesome, but what's the score for instance when you go into a US bar? do you pay up front like in the UK or as you leave? what about tipping? what about clothes? do you take clothing for all occasions and weather? best places to eat (or not!)?

Sorry this is off topic but I've only ever really been to Spain and I've no idea what to expect over there, I'm guessing people here have been across the big pond so I thought I'd ask.

Cheers
Edhttp://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-1/83440/express.jpg">

[critter]

Most places you pay up front at a bar. Unless you get some eats too, then you pay after you're done. I never been farther North then Rome, NY...but the people seem really great.

critter the Yank

[maryanddavid]

Lucky you.
i was in the states a few years ago on my honeymoon,we went to san diego and san fransisco,good place but very different.
the most amazing thing i found was the coke vending machines on the street corners.none were vandalised or stolen, i know if the were in town over here they would be  kicked up and down the street or in someones front room.
the people were on the whole nice, we met a cabbie after leaving mass in the old town part of san diego, and he asked us if we minded him smoking in the cab, and at the time we were both smokers, so no problem.at that he produced a splif, and gave a free historical tour of the old part of dan diego for over an hour(how much of it was accurate is anyones guess)and  dropped us at the hotel for 5 dollars.
the people in the shops were extremely irritating,good morning sir, can i help you sir etc etc, dripping incincerity.wy wife(who was born in newyork and spent some time there)told me to completly ignore them, and dont make eye contact!!!
new york is apparently completly different to the west coast, much more like europe in outlook etc.would walk over you on the street, but no bullshit either. great nightlife too.
hoping to go over to new york later in the year,but we will see how that works out,
enjoy ed, and make sure you have plenty of space on the credit card
david

[esoteric ed]

--and he asked us if we minded him smoking in the cab, and at the time we were both smokers, so no problem.at that he produced a splif, and gave a free historical tour of the old part of dan diego for over an hour(how much of it was accurate is anyones guess)and dropped us at the hotel for 5 dollars.--

That's hysterical!!!!!!!! :-))))))
I think I like the place already ;-)
thanks gents!

Ed

Link: http://jawsmoviearchives.com/" target="_blank">My Site

http://jawsmoviearchives.com/Memorabilia/jawelry_1.jpg">

[Tordelbach]

I was never as wrongfooted by anything as my first trip to the States in 1999.  

As an Irish teenager of the 80's, America was very much the Enemy (in a Pat-Mills-stylee).  I had expected falseness, insincerity, rudeness, basically an unremitting  plastic cultural void... none of which I encountered (except in Richmond, Virginia oddly... but even they had a nice Civil War museum).  

Things MAY have changed some post-9/11, but when I was there I was astonished by the warmth and sincerity of almost everyone I met, and the vast array of cultural attractions (everything from innumerable awesome museums and galleries to an unimaginable variety of food, muisc, language and architecture - and the Dinosaur exhibits!  And Cape Canaveral!).  

Sure, there was the unmistakable whiff of insularity and arrogance (if you're English, it'll feel like home! ;->), but what a country!  And its HUGE!  And they do things with pancakes that should NOT be allowed, but happily are.

(Please note that this rave review does not extend to America's social welfare, environmental or foreign policies.  On these points my upbringing was spot on).

[Bad Andy]

I was in NYC in November and the people were extremely friendly. If you are looking at a map in the street people always seem to offer help.

One guy in a bar even bought our first round - there were five of us and we ordered really expensive drinks and then he offered to pay for them. He didn't want us to buy him drinks back either because he then buggered off home.

The food is spectacularly unhealthy though.

[maryanddavid]

unhealthy, but fantastic.
how many choices of bread can you have, all the different syrups to put on the pancakes,im now addicted to mapel syrup!and the cookies nothing like them, you have to try them.

[therev]

I came back almost a stone heavier when i went for 3 weeks!
Also dont ask to buy 10 fags the navives get hostile...
(Happened to me, they didnt get my pronunciation of 10 Marlboro so I I tried saying "you know 10 fags"...EEKK)

GREAT site by the way.
Although Jaws doesnt rate up with my "classics" it's still got the ability to scare the SHIT out of me when I see the mouth/teeth.
Brrr!

Have fun!

[therev]

Do you have a picture of what the "Super Scenes" Jaws in a bottle looked like made up?

[esoteric ed]

-The food is spectacularly unhealthy though.-

I'd heard as much, I knew a guy who went to live in the states for around 10 months and on his return home his parents didn't initially recognise him at the airport!
I'm already trying to lose a few pounds before I go... guess that'll a waste of time then as I'm gonna have to try a real US breakfast.

-Also dont ask to buy 10 fags the navives get hostile- ...lucky I don't smoke ;-)

Glad you liked the site Rev, sadly I don't have an image of the completed super scenes kit, they do turn up on ebay every now and again in various statres of completion.


Thanks for the feedback peoples.


Ed

[Art]

New York is one of the best places on earth, you'll love it, its like being inside a movie or something. Make sure to visit lower Manahttan, that's where it really gets jumping.

A few pointers:

Tipping at bars is very much expected, but more so if you get table service.

New Yorkers have a reputation as being unfreindly by American standards, but compared with anywhere in the UK they are a super freindly bunch.

Expect any food you order to come in servings roughly twice the size you would consider reasonable. Anything sweet will probably have way more sugar  than necesarily. Even so, healthy food shouldn't be too hard to find.

American cooked breakfasts are NOT healthy, but are extremely tasty.

It will probably be pretty warm so dress lightly and take a light waterproof  coat just in case. NY has hotter summers and cooler winters than the UK.

The dollar is worth about fifty pence right now so nows the time to buy up electronics, expensive clothes, whatever in a massive NY shopping spree. You might want to do some price comparisons of things you wnat on the interweb.

This Jaws thing sounds super fun, good luck!

[esoteric ed]

Thanks Art, lots of good advice there too which I'll certainly take under advisement, I'm getting more syked up for this each day.

I've made some great friends online over the last few years who I'll finally get to meet in person come June.


Ed

[Richmond Clements]

I'd say don't take many clothes with you. Stuffs so blimmin' cheap there that you can buy your t-shirts and stuff as you go along.

And the steaks are fucking massive. It's great!

[Tanky]

I've never been to nyc, but here's a few general things:

If you're planning on getting *very* drunk at a bar, it's better to stick to spirits as they don't have optics and are pretty generous free-poured measures, as opposed to the beer which is every bit as weak as it's cracked up to be.
Still in the bar - buy in rounds. You pay less on tips that way. At a 'suggested' 10% they can run up pretty fast.
One last alcohol related tip. You'll probably need your passport to buy beer anywhere and to get into a lot of bars and clubs, even if you look about 50.
As with most travel adventures, take half as many clothes and twice as much money as you think you'll need. There's lots of good bargains to be had, especially trainers and jeans.

Most importantly, have fun!

tanky x

[longmanshort]

Blimey! Is EVERYONE going to New York this year?!?

My and my (arguably) better half are off to NYC a week on Tuesday for a week. We're staying at the http://starhotelny.com/">Chelsea Star Hotel which features themed rooms! Including the fantastic Star Trek Room:

http://starhotelny.com/images/startrek.jpg">

but we're hoping to get the Shakespeare Room:

http://starhotelny.com/images/draped.jpg">

Should be fun ;)