Yesterday after the most fun I’ve ever had at the gym (click here for a video taster. I wish I could do it everyday. So so so much fun), I went for a haircut at a place I found on Yelp, as it had the best reviews I’ve ever seen. Turned out it was a punk rockers eclectically decorated, dingy flat in the East Village. I nearly asked if I could take a picture, but we were too deeply involved in conversation about how he lost his virginity to two girls in England and his feelings about Lancashire (he likes the pies, the fry ups and the women, not so much the rain). It was surreal, decent haircut though, I might even go back if we’re here long enough. Instead of a picture of him, have this one, because it made me laugh. I have a very sophisticated sense of humour.

On the way there I wandered through a farmers market in Union Square where I photographed two handsome young men (ok, one handsome man and one man man) drumming.

After I took the photograph I was accosted by another handsome man asking me what I was photographing, asking where I was from, and telling me how pretty I was. I get engaged in a lot of conversations with handsome (and sometimes not so handsome) men here. I’ve never been told I was gorgeous so much as since living here, despite the fact that the city is jam packed full of women far, far more lovely than I. The thing that makes it great is that it seems to come with no agenda. When my hubs comes up (which he tends to quickly, as he is the reason I am here), they don’t flinch, the conversation continues and they just keep on being nice. In London, I tend to clam up at any approach from men in the street, after too many aggressive experiences of men who seem to be angry that they aren’t going to get anywhere. In NYC, I will stop and shake their hands, and enjoy our interactions. I had this idea in my head that New Yorkers weren’t friendly, I was wrong.

Twice a year the sun aligns with the east-west streets in Manhattan causing a phenomenon known as ‘Manhattanhenge’. Last night was the full sun alignment and tonight is the half sun alignment. I only realised that it was last night (after a kindly friend gave me a heads up about tonight) about 10 minutes before sunset, so bombed out of our apartment to 34th and Park. When I got there I found a huge group of people in the middle of the street, cameras and phones aloft. The sun just starting to set. It would have been quite beautiful if it wasn’t for all the angry drivers beeping us to get out of the way. I guess even that was beautiful in its own New York way. Drivers do love their horns here.

Here’s the best shot I got.

And here’s a much better one I stole from someone on Twitter.

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