15% is the new 10%!

I felt like I was back in Thailand when we arrived...basically it was close your eyes, hold on tight and pray...Yes I'm talking not about the city but about the mini bus ride on the way in.  I was basically waiting to become the news story of the hour but thankfully we actually made it to our digs in one piece

It is also true about tipping..gone are the days when people work for their tips...now if u dont give at least 15% they lynch you...and more often than not 20 is expected (and simply added to the bill).  Pretty soon the food will be less than the tip`...And everyone seems to be an actor just waiting for their big break....take for example the rather overtly camp guy we had waiting on us at a Lasagne house an hour after our flight came into NYC.  He pretty much decided what we ate (actually changing my order but not telling me) then afterward he sidled up with a big "well..am I right or am I right"....this was going to be an interesting city we could depend on that

Then there was the restaurant that was totally dedicated to....drum roll please...Macaroni and cheese

I find that getting lost and then just wandering around till u find something you like works quite well.  From Madisson Square Garden to Central Park to David Lettermans studios (where i got to chat to Reuben from Reubens deli - and the food was ok too, although it did look like he worked 23hours a day...every one of them hating the world he had found himself in as Lettermans guy on the street) to the sex museum the city certainly did have something about it

The biggest shock of all...the Yanks actually brew some damn good beer.  The wandering thing brought us to a little place called the brew house and when you come in and find that the beer list is bigger than the food a smile tends to find its way to your face....well it did mine.  Suddenly a quick beer turned into a quick 4...all from the USA and all absolutely beautiful..Now all we have to do is convince them to stop this crap coming out of the states known as bud and give us some more of their real stuff

Then there was the restaurant that was totally dedicated to....drum roll please...Macaroni and cheese...yep...u heard it.  A menu of around 20 items...all of them mac and cheese of some variety....suffice to say we rolled out of this one...

And last but not least Bondi road....a supposed Oz themed bar/restaurant...the only things Australian about this place were the name and the fact that you could buy a coopers! Oh well I didnt travel to eat and drink Aussie style

Look out washington....

Andy