Dear blog,

This is, as I knew it would end up being, a catch up post.  I do mean to keep you up to date with events, but I’m falling behind, so this will be a quick selected highlights thing.  I was up reasonably early on Monday. The plan was to go shopping for suits and prezzies, before heading out to Brooklyn.  Deb and I grabbed a quick breakfast at a nearby diner, and then began walking uptown.  There’s something about this crazy place that makes you end up walking distances you never would have otherwise, so we walked the thirty blocks up towards Central Park and began shopping.  It didn’t go well, and we were tired and a little frustrated by lunch time, but we persevered.

In all honesty, lunch was so non-descript that I don’t really remember it, but we did stop in to the Apple Store and FAO Schwartz where I bought Jessica and Sophie a couple very small gifts. Not enough to be gifts, but something. Still need something for Marianne. I gave up on shopping at that point, and we decided to walk over to the Algonquin so Deb could get a tourist fix. What a brilliant idea, it was. We passed a cheap men’s store, I bought a serviceable jacket, and ended up sitting in the deep leather couches of the Algonquin’s Blue Bar drinking cocktails. The Hot Chili Raspberry Cosmopolitan was quite something.

I then headed over to Brooklyn Heights for a very rewarding meeting with Howard Morhaim, a stroll down the beautiful Brooklyn Promenade which has stunning views of the harbour and city, and then back on the subway to the hotel.  I met up with Deb again and headed down to Chelsea for an Aussie party at Scott and Justine’s.  We dined at  a small Italian place, Franks, just near where they live, and were joined by Liza from Locus.  After a nice dinner, where I had a terrific rosemary chicken dish, we headed upstairs for the party. All sorts of terrific people showed up. Rob, Cat, and Alisa arrived from home, I got to have a great conversation with Ellen and Delia, and got to meet some of Scott and Justine’s friends, who all seemed vibrant and funny and fascinating.

After a fine party, Deb, Liza and I headed back to the hotel for a late drink and then off to our respective rooms.  A good day, after all.

Best
J

I’m working out how to embed video on these pages. WordPress seems to filter the scripting. In the meantime, here’s my first video upload – http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2827420290361563070

Dear blog,

Sunday was a slow but pleasant day. I did a few things around the hotel, before heading out shopping with Deb. Meant to find a jacket, but didn’t (today!), but did get the toiletries I didn’t think I’d need. Then on to Dos Caminos to meet Ellen Datlow and Garth for brunch. Had a great meal (more margaritas!), talked the antho business, and so on and so forth. We then went shopping at a flea market, before heading down to Chelsea Flower Market for tea and such. Deb and I headed back to the hotel around then, in time to meet Liza-the-organiza get in from Oakland. It was 7pm, so she joined Deb and I to have dinner with Matt Cheney in what was  a very enjoyable evening at a small restaurant in Chelsea.  Then it was back to the hotel, and then we sat up talking to 1.00am.  It sounds simple, but it was busy and good.

Today is shopping and Howard. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Best,

J

A respite from dumb pictures of me. One of Sophie at her birthday party last weekend.

Dear blog,

Another lovely day in New York City. I know I should have checked the weather. I know I should have thought about weather. Everyone’s been complaining about the cold (I got off the plane wearing thongs and a t-shirt and didn’t notice the cold), but it’s been drizzling almost constantly. I was up fairly early in the morning, did some blogging, then met up with Deb and headed down into the warm, humid subway to go uptown to meet Garth. He’s staying up near Central Park, so we met him at his hotel, then went for a lovely long morning stroll through the Upper West Side. We found a place for brunch, and sat and chatted for a couple hours, as you do, when you can.

Around noon-ish Deb went shopping and Garth and I went back to his hotel before heading down to Books of Wonder, which I would conservatively describe as the greatest kids bookstore in the universe. Lovely staff, a terrific proprietor, and just wonderful stuff everywhere. Garth and I arrived, and a few minutes later Margo and Stephen (yay! I met Margo!! At last!), and then Scott and Justine showed up. We chatted for a little while and met some of the locals, which was terrific. After that we did a signing. Now, I like signings well enough, but don’t usually have to do them. And, well, I forgot I was doing this one. My name wasn’t on the poster, and I thought I was just going to meet people, check out the store and so on.

When I saw my name on the signing table, I was a little surprised. Not unhappy, just surprised. Then David, the lovely and very helpful guy who was running the event, said ‘You’re going first’. Although I hope it didn’t show too much, this made me a little less happy for a moment or two. I’d not prepared anything to say, so I burbled about editing and doing The Starry Rift and filled five minutes to so, giving a few more people time to arrive so they could hear the stars. Garth was his usual entertaining self, Scott was interesting, Justine read a really funny new short story, and Margo read some fascinating weirdness, before we took questions. The others put on a great show, and it went down well. I then got to chat with some really interesting people before heading off to dinner.

I don’t much like Mexican food. Well, I don’t like what they serve as Mexican food in Australia, and I don’t like the Californian version of Mexican much either. But, Scott and Justine picked a place and Justine said it was great. Ten of us went off – Deb, Trevor, Garth, Scott, Justine, Delia, Margo, Stephen, David and I – and it was fantastic. I drank pomegranate margaritas (the new pink drink!) and ate plaintains and had a ball. Just wonderful! And then I stopped on the way back to the hotel to pick up a book Justine recommended. I’ll let you know how that works out. :)

At this point, dear blog, I should tell you that I went quietly to bed so I could be refreshed for Sunday. That would be sensible and good and smart. But, I am not always sensible and good and smart, so Deb and I sat up chatting till 1.00am.

Today is brunch with Ellen Datlow. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Best

J