Thankful

It’s been eight years since I’ve observed Thanksgiving, the US national holiday celebrating the Pilgrims’ arrival to the New World. Even when I lived here as a kid, my Irish parents were pretty skeptical about any holiday requiring Turkey that’s NOT Christmas – so the traditional celebrations were pretty few and far between. This year was different.

Following a restful night’s sleep at the Westin Hotel Time Square (the comfiest beds in the world FYI) we got up bright and early to head to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade is a New York tradition spanning back to 1924, making it one of the oldest Thanksgiving parades in the country! Interestingly, the parade was started by Macy’s employees who were immigrants from Europe and longed to celebrate their new lives in America with the type of festival they would have had back home. They marched from Harlem through the city to the Macy’s flagship store on 34th street, dressed in costumes and leading live animals from the Central Park Zoo! Eventually the animals were replaced by giant animal shaped balloons and thus the parade’s famous cartoon balloons were born.

On Thanksgiving morning everyone watches the parade on TV (..unless you’re too hungover – the night before is one of the biggest party nights of the year!). It always reminds me of the movie “Miracle on 34th Street” where the big department store is looking to hire Santa for their parade and get the REAL Santa by accident.

Anyway, I digress! We were fortunate enough to have TICKETS to the parade this year. Before last week I didn’t even know they issued tickets. They’re usually just for Macy’s employees and relatives of the parade performers – but somehow we landed a few for the grandstand seats. Normally you’d have to queue up all morning to get a prime viewing spot.

Sitting along Central Park West freezing our behinds off, we couldn’t help but gaze longingly into the windows of the luxurious condos across the street. Each window was filled with families all ready to watch the annual parade from the comfort of their New York City home.

As first time parade go-ers were were perhaps slightly over-excited at times. For example, when the Sesame Street Float went by, myself and Lynsday couldn’t help but scream “BIG BIRD”! To us, he was Justin Bieber. 

We laughed at the silly clowns, clapped along to the marching bands from all over the country and oohed and ahhed at the fantastic balloons idling down the street, controlled by teams of handlers. We loved Spiderman, Spongebob and Sonic the most. In my opinion, the best part of the parade is seeing Santa and Mrs. Claus come through – which signals the start of the Christmas season! It’s almost a crime to walk away without seeing that happen!

I had a quick chat with 4fm’s Gareth O’Callaghan live from the parade – have a listen: 

The day was capped off with a Thanksgiving feast at my brother-in-law’s family’s house, where twenty of us chowed down on turkey, sweet potatoes, vegetables and an array of pies! sigh…what an excellent way to celebrate how thankful I am to be here. 

Disney World for History Buffs

New York Museums have a treasure trove of original and beautiful items in their exhibitions – and the newly reopened New York Historical Society Museum is no different. It’s New York’s oldest museum, pre-dating the Metropolitan Museum of Art by 70 years and it has just received a $70 million revamp.

Located adjacent to Central Park West and just across the street from the stately American Museum of Natural History, the Historical Society welcomes you with a life-size statue of Douglas Adams at one entrance and one of Abraham Lincoln at the other.

As you enter the building you come upon the Rotunda featuring beautiful art installations, as well as original New York artifacts from the Revolutionary Period and also from 9/11. For example, the Rotunda displays the original chair George Washington used at his Inauguration and the dueling pistols used by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. The history buff in me almost fell over!

Additionally, there are large interactive screens showing the collection and explaining each piece in a large, bright text. The screens were extremely easy to use and much better than crouching in to see the tiny descriptions next to the exhibits. The 9/11 collection shows a small portion of the Museum’s photographs from the day.

Also on display on the ground floor is an exhibit called “Making American Taste” which has a collection of beautiful paintings that shaped 19th Century American culture. There is everything from European style religious paintings to depictions of life on an American farm. The centerpiece is Louis Lang’s enormous painting, The Return of the 69th (Irish) Regiment, which greets you as you walk in. You don’t need to know anything about art to appreciate these works, they’re extremely accessible and the collection doesn’t overwhelm you with it’s size.

On the 4th floor, the Museum has a Luce Center (there is one at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and at Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington) where visitors call see over 40,000 objects from the permanent collection displayed. There are paintings, furniture, silverware and much more to see here! Some of the more notable items include a set of chairs – one from Marie Antoinette’s boudoir and another from Napoleon’s – side by side. The Luce Center also boasts the world’s largest collection of original Tiffany Lamps and a full sized carriage that would have carried New York’s elite in the 18th Century.

During our time at the Museum, we were guided by a very well informed Docent and she really added to the experience for me. The only downside was that she wasn’t great with the microphone and we struggled to hear her at times. I’d be reluctant to do a self-guided tour of this Museum the first time there, probably because there are so many exquisite items on show. I would have had no idea which were the more impressive artifacts and art works! The Docent did a really great job of pointing out the collections’ highlights.

Every half hour there is an 18 minute film shown in their state of the art auditorium. The film documents the history of New York City through a multimedia experience with surround sound, theatrical lighting and effects. Unfortunately, our group missed the last showing of it (poor planning on the part of the tour’s organizers!) I think it’s something that visitors, especially New Yorkers would really enjoy.

There is also a brand new Children’s History Museum located in the basement, which I would have absolutely adored as a child.

As far as future exhibitions go – two of them caught my attention. One is called Stories in Sterling and will display the Museum’s silver collection along with the items’ backstories. Visitors will hear of the wealthy New York husbands that commissioned the likes of Tiffany to create silver collections for their wives. The pieces are beautiful and the stories are very interesting from the small taste I got!

Another will open in November 2012 and is called “New York and World War II” and will explore the effect the War had on this city. One of the pieces in this exhibit will be Irving Boyer’s, Prospect Park, ca. 1942–1944 which we got to see on our tour.

The restaurant the Museum houses will open later this year (it was under construction as we were touring) and is called Caffe Storico (Italian for “historic”). Another project of Stephen Starr (the man behind Buddakan and Morimoto), this casual dining experience is sure to be delicious! It’ll stay open after the Museum has closed to cater for New York diners as well as Museum go-ers.

In conclusion, the New York Historical Society Museum is beautifully laid out, accessible and has some extremely interesting historic and artistic pieces. I especially love how New York-centric it is. A lot of the exhibits really celebrate the great history of New York and it is sure to impress city natives and tourists alike. I would suggest a guided tour or an audio tour to get the full experience.

All information, including ticket prices can be found at: nyhistory.org. They also have an iPhone App with a guide to the exhibits and some very interesting videos by the curators, found here.

Heroic NYC by Water Taxi

New York is the kind of city that always surprises me. In fact, it almost overwhelms me with the sheer volume of new and interesting things to do! A lot of people who live here don’t even take advantage of the great seasonal events, shows, museums and tours that are on offer 365 days a year. Many assume these things are just for tourists, but I think if they did a bit of research they’d find that living in one of the most exciting cities in the world is pretty pointless if you don’t experience it to the fullest. And just because you’re a New Yorker – doesn’t mean there isn’t more for you to learn and love.

When I’m not doing journalism-type activities, I work in the travel business and as a result am lucky enough to see some of the best attractions up close and personal. This week I attended an event that took me from the USS Intrepid to the brand new 9/11 Memorial by Water Taxi. Here’s what I thought:

Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum

I have to admit that I knew very little about the U.S.S Intrepid before I visited the museum. In a stereotypical way, I had these pre-conceived notions of it being a “boys place” with big ships, planes and guns. However, once our tour guide Daniel started to show us around, my opinion completely flipped. The Intrepid Museum is for anyone with a passion for history and a love of fascinating machines. Daniel only had a short period of time to squeeze in a lot – but I’ve never seen a guide with so much enthusiasm for his subject! He was constantly sharing little known facts about US naval history and making the huge amount of information he had extremely accessible to our small group.

The museum space is set out in an attractive way with plenty of places to sit and take everything in. It also has lots of different interactive exhibits including a 4D experience! In addition the museum has a British Concorde plane and is soon to be home to a US Space Shuttle.

One thing I learned was that the U.S.S Intrepid is still vital to the US military. Directly following the September 11th attacks, the aircraft carrier was called back into duty and became the base of the FBI in New York as it carried it out its counter terrorism operations.

At $24.00 for adults and either $12.00 or $19.00 for kids (depending on their age) the price tag is a bit steep. But you could easily spend several hours in this museum and not tire of the educational, historical and heroic snapshot its gives.

For more info see: http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/

The NY Water Taxi

I’m no stranger to the NY Water Taxi and spent a whole summer ferrying large groups of senior citizens on and off these boats! I can therefore vouch for my experience on more than one occasion. But in a city where quick and easy transportation is king – these boats sure do come in handy!

We were ferried from the U.S.S Intrepid Museum down along the Hudson river, which allows you to take in every facet of the New York skyline in all it’s glory! There is no better way to check out the city than from the top deck of a boat with the breeze in your hair. Especially when you compare the experience to a cramped, dark and sweaty subway carriage. It took us no time at all to reach the Brooklyn shore and the newly revamped Brooklyn Bridge Park for lunch.

We were then ferried back across the river to lower Manhattan and Battery Park. You can get a Hop on Hop Off day pass for $25.00 and see the city at your own pace. The NY Water Taxi docks at Pier 84, West 44th Street, Battery Park Slip 6, Pier 17, South Street Seaport and Fulton Ferry Landing, DUMBO.

And now, the Water Taxi has partnered with the new 9/11 Memorial offering passes and packages on its website: http://www.nywatertaxi.com/

9/11 Memorial

It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since the attacks on September 11th, 2001 but sure enough, time has flown by and a
few weeks ago the 9/11 memorial opened to the public. As someone who was in New York on that fateful day ten years ago, I was eager to see what kind of tribute would be put in place and I can tell you, I was not disappointed.

Passes to the memorial are available from its website http://www.911memorial.org/ (or the water taxi website above) and are issued in timed intervals. This system works really well and once you’re there on time with your pass you should have no problems. Lines moved quickly and security went very smoothly despite the huge numbers of people going through the metal detectors. Once in side the Memorial itself I was surprised at how open and airy it was. There weren’t too many people crowded into one space and this left each person more than enough room to breathe and thus take a moment to reflect.

The two pools of water located on the original Twin Towers sites are breath taking. Cool waters flow from all around square imprints where the towers once stood and are surrounded by engravings of the victims’ names. The metal surrounding the giant pools is such that it will always be cool, even on the hottest New York day. Also visible from the sight is the Freedom Tower – currently under construction and only at half it’s final height.

While we were making our visit, we were overwhelmed by the respect ordinary visitors showed to the FDNY, NYPD and military officers who also attended. It is truly a touching and fitting tribute to what happened that day.

This is sure to be one of the most visited tourist attractions on the planet – especially when the 9/11 Memorial Museum opens up next year. Passes for the site are free (but a donation is suggested) and must be reserved in advance. Definitely put this one on your to-do list.

Summer ’11

No pressure now Summer 2011,

you’ve got some lofty heights to live up to…

Summer 2010

Croatia

Vegas

New York

London

Stevie Wonder

 Summer 2011

* Sunny Beach, Bulgaria *

*Killarney, Co. Kerry*

*Prince at Malahide Castle*

Suddenly Susan Sets Forth..

Coming Soon

Make me break the ice

A couple of months ago, I became a proud new member of the Vox Populi Toastmasters Club in Dublin. Although I haven’t been able to attend every single meeting (damn you work! ruining my fun!) I’ve been learning so much and have gotten to know a great group of people.

Last week I made my very first speech at a meeting. Every toastmaster does an “Icebreaker” speech to get started. Usually, it’s about yourself and it serves as a 4-6 minute introduction. I made mine last week and it was a number of things: nerve wracking, terrifying and overall brilliant experience.

I’ve been on the stage for as long as I can remember! I started ballet when I was three years old and have done lots of plays and musicals since! But getting up at a public speaking club, in front of a room of adults, talking about my life – OH MY FRICKEN GOD. I thought my knees were going to fall off they were shaking so much. However, I think I managed to mask my mind numbing fear (its the actress in me!) and remembered the entire speech without notes!

So without further ado, my icebreaker entitled: “The Susan Doyle Show”

Good evening Mr. Toastmaster, Members and Guests, you’re all very welcome to “The Susan Doyle Show”. May I take this opportunity to remind you to switch off all mobile phones and the use of cameras including recording devices are strictly prohibited in the theatre. Also please take note of your nearest emergency exit.

The performance will consist of three acts – act one: New York, New York, act two: The Show Must Go On, and act three: Radio Gaga. There will be no intermission, so sit back, relax and learn about three significant parts of my life.

Frank Sinatra once sang “I’m gonna make a brand new start of it in Old New York” and that’s just what my Irish parents decided to do back in 1994 when I was seven. They worried about me adjusting to American life, but before they knew it, I had traded crisps for potato chips and runners for sneakers, I even had a Brooklyn accent. I knew I had totally blended in when in fifth grade I was chosen from two hundred other students to hold the American Flag at assemblies and special occasions. The process involved a ten year old me leading an honour guard onto a stage each morning with a flag twice my size and commanding an auditorium of children to pledge allegiance! [pause] I watched baseball, went to my junior prom, and loved high school but at home – we were typical paddys. My Dad took the piss out of the yanks on a daily basis, my mum complained that the chocolate just wasn’t the same and right up until the day we moved, we totally ignored Thanksgiving – we used to have chinese actually!

When we left in 2004, I cried for a week but in hindsight moving to Ireland was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

I’m not really sure who first said “the show must go on” but its a sentiment that I found very useful in more ways than one during the moving process. At seventeen it was really horrible having my first day of school all over again – but it turns out Irish teenagers are incredibly interested in Americans and so it definitely wasn’t lonely! One coping mechanism that I’m still thankful for was throwing myself head first into plays and musicals. From a really young age I had been annoying my family and friends with my singing and dancing and when I finally found an outlet for it onstage, I think they were all a little relieved. When I got to Ireland I got involved with musical societies straight away – and that’s how I’ve made some of my best friends here.

In college I lived for the Drama Soc – if I wasn’t onstage I was selling tickets in the rain, moving a set at 3am or dressing up for Rocky Horror Night. I did everything from ABBA in Stars in Their Eyes, to producing “The Full Monty” in the Helix, and I very proudly raised money for charity with “The Vagina Monologues” – dont worry, I’ll spare you the details! The last production I did was around two years ago when I was fortunate enough to be part of the cast of “RENT” in the Olympia. I haven’t done a musical since because I’m not sure anything could top the experience!

Me and Alan aka "Mark...Mark...I'M MARK!"

 

Another experience I had to get used to was WORK EXPERIENCE because I decided to go for a career in media. I first became “Radio Gaga” when my Dad told me all about the days of pirate radio in Ireland. He had run a local station in Wicklow in the 80’s and still had some of the equipment, which I quickly learned how to use. From then on, I was making my own shows on cassette – there was weather, competitions and requests followed by hours upon hours of Backstreet Boys songs. I also “borrowed” my parents video camera, which went everywhere with me in a backpack.

After studying Communications in DCU I got my first taste of the industry with an internship at WPLJ Radio in New York. I worked from 3:30am for free and absolutely loved it! Following a Masters in Broadcasting I became a radio researcher with 4fm and now freelance with Newstalk. Which means I get to ring politicians and personalities at practically any hour of the day to annoy them for an interview! And trust me, I have been hung up on, yelled at and have gotten my fair share of bitchy texts from Louis Walsh. I used to do the traffic reports on 4fm every evening, which was nerve wracking to say the least. My favourite bulletins involved oil spills, broken traffic lights and a traffic reporters’ dream – llamas on the M50. Working in news radio can be tough, particularly when times are so gloomy – but its really rewarding, especially in Ireland where people really value radio.

...I realise how much is wrong with this photo - but lets just go with it!

I suppose here’s where I reach the finale of the performance. Although I don’t live in New York anymore, it’s still a major part of my life and my sister still lives there. When I’m having a really terrible day, I find my happy place among the bustling city streets or at a humid summer BBQ. It helps to remember that if I hadn’t moved back to Ireland, I wouldn’t have had so many amazing theatre related experiences, wouldn’t have met some of my best friends, wouldn’t have met my boyfriend and wouldn’t have gotten to experience Irish radio. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t be standing here, completing my first Toastmasters speech.

Thank you very much for coming to see “The Susan Doyle Show”, I hope you have enjoyed the performance. Please use the exit on the right hand side and souvenirs will be available for purchase in the lobby! Goodnight!

And on a completely different note….I was going to post the video for Britney Spears’ “Break the Ice”…but the video is so awful I’ve decided against it. Good song though.

 

the ‘i love your blog’ interview

So this little interview-yoke is doing the rounds at the moment and the gorgeous Kelle Belle tagged me to have a whack at it! So below are my answers and hopefully a little more insight into me!

Why did you create your blog?

It’s hard to believe, but I started this blog almost three years ago! In that time I’ve dipped in and out a lot – depending on how much free time I have and how much free head space I have for creative writing. Originally the blog was called “Desperately Seeking Susan” but last year, once I had finished college and was surviving on my own for the first time it evolved into its current form, “Suddenly Susan”!

What kind of blogs do you follow?

I follow a whole spread of different blogs! I love catching up on my friends’ personal blogs – and more recently I’ve been into fashion blogs. I love food blogs for ideas and I’m a total political junkie!

Favourite make-up brand?

I love makeup! Almost love it more than clothes…gasp! I’m a MAC girl all the way and use MAC studio fix liquid foundation, studio finish concealer, mineralize powder and mac  blush too. I can’t get enough of Urban Decay eye shadows and am currently navigating my way around the Book of Shadows II palette. Mascara wise, I’m a Bad Gal Lash (benefit) girl and I use MAC fluid line liner in Blacktrack.

Your indespesible make-up product?

Smashbox primer – nothing like it for keeping my makeup where it should be! I also love MAC Mineralize Skin Finish powder – it can be worn with foundation or without to matte-ify your face!

Your favourite colour?

Red, red, red. It’s actually getting a little ridiculous! One day I realised I was sitting on the bus in a red rain mac, red backpack, red iPhone case – sucking on a red lollipop! Anyone who knows me – knows I’m in LOVE with it.

Your perfume?

This changes – currently I like Lola by Marc Jacobs and Premier Jour by Nina Ricci. It just depends on my mood I guess.

Your favourite film?

Wow, this is a toughie. Hercules (the Disney version), Bridget Jones Diary, You’ve Got Mail and The Patriot. I think this list is pretty varied. I know them all word for word!

What country would you like to visit and why?

Hmm..I’d love to go to Peru or Brazil. My boyfriend was in South America this year and according to him – these are places I need to see before I die.

If we’re talking about a place I’ve already been – then its New York. Always New York. My sister was home visiting last week and I miss her already…

Write a question yourself and answer it: Who’s your bizarre celeb crush?

….Louis Theroux. Hands down. Love the geeky glasses and the cute English accent. Love him.

Hey you! You’re next…

Lovely Disco

All Me Me Me

Journalist on the Run

Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is…

If New York is the city that never sleeps…

Las Vegas is Disney World for adults…

See you in a few days NYC! x

The Summer Wind

I hate the cold. As a result, I find myself shuddering in situations where most people are comfortable. To me, luke warm is freezing cold. I can’t go anywhere without some sort of cardigan or sweater – especially here in Ireland where even a good day in the summer is still fairly breezy and subject to an obligatory rain shower every few minutes.

Have you ever seen the brave souls who get into the Irish sea on Christmas day? Well, I’d rather jump off a cliff than attempt such a feat of cold bloodedness.

The Winter of 2010 has set new records in the cold stakes. It brought snow, floods and frost like never before. It has led to dry, broken skin, sore lips, frozen noses and stinging ears. It’s winters like these that bring on my memories of New York in the Summer.

Most New Yorkers are used to the sweltering heat that comes along in May and fizzles out somewhere in the middle of September. When I first arrived in Brooklyn, in May 1994 – I hadn’t a clue how to handle life in what felt like an oven. But I was a kid, and kids can easily adapt to weather shifts and changes.

It was my mother who suffered the most. Every time she turned on the oven she had to sit down and wipe her brow with a tea towel, sighing, “this bloody heat!”. She used to say that when she crossed the road in the summer, she was so hot and worn out, she was afraid that wouldn’t make it to the other side. At her command, our little sweaty apartment was fitted with the best air conditioning money could buy, as well as a BBQ so we could avoid using the kitchen.

My biggest issue with the hot weather, was wearing a school uniform in it. When I got to Catholic High School, we had to wear these woolen short skirts and since it was far too hot for tights, knee high socks completed the preppy look. It wasn’t so bad on the walk to and from school – but come exam time, it was sure to make the difference in the classroom. You’d sit down on your plastic seat (you know the ones with the little desks attached?) and within half an hour, your whole leg would be stuck in place with sweat. You knew you’d have to move it eventually to get comfortable, the question was, would it be slow or quick, like a plaster. Inevitably, you’d end up with these horrible red marks on your thighs. Very attractive.

Sometimes on the walk home from school, I’d walk through McDonald’s – in one side and out the other – without even looking at the menu, just so that I could have two minutes of air conditioning to tide me over.

One place you definitely don’t want to be for a long period of time is at a subway station in the Summer. The heat is almost unbearable and you stand with your eyes fixed on the tunnel hoping the train will come, the doors will open and the air conditioning on board will dry your sweat and clear your head – which was slowly overheating minute by minute.

But it isn’t all bad. The summer in New York comes along with the most amazing smell -a mixture of cotton candy, BBQs, freshly cut grass and sun tan lotion. It comes in the form of this rush of heat to your face, which is especially noticeable if you’re in manhattan, walking in between two particularly tall sky scrapers. There’s also the whiff of hot dog stands, the sound of an ice cream van, vendors shouting “Ice cold water – one dollar” on every corner and on a quiet block, the sound of secadas buzzing from the trees.

When you’re a teenager, a New York summer is very uneventful, but totally memorable at the same time. The average day would go as follows: wake up at noon (or later), wander out onto the stoop to get the mail (while enjoying the warmth of the concrete on your toes), eat cereal while watching trashy daytime talk shows, pick up the phone to talk to other teenaged humans also watching trashy daytime talk shows, slip on flip-flops, meet up with friends with zero plan of action, hang out on someone’s stoop while gossiping, get pizza, hang out on a different stoop while gossiping, go to the cinema to enjoy the air conditioning, go to a final stoop for more gossip, go home. It may sound dull but it was heaven at the time.

This Summer will be my first one in a long time that’s New York-free. With a full time job here in Dublin, there’s no hope of me escaping to Long Island, Brooklyn or Manhattan for June, July or August. I guess I’ll just have to hope that all those weather-predicting postmen are correct and that Ireland gets a little slice of the bliss that is a sweaty, humid New York season.

Williamsburg Summer 2008

Fairytale of Brooklyn

It’s hard to believe that I moved to Ireland from New York just over five years ago. The time has just slipped away! Obviously I absolutely love Ireland – but from time to time I definitely miss New York; afterall it was my home for ten years!

I find it very hard to get into the Christmas spirit these days and it’s not for the want of trying, let me tell you. Ive been listening to Christmas FM, Ive been to see Four Christmases (very cute by the way..) and I’ve just arrived home at a magically decorated house in Wexford – so what gives, eh?!

My theory is threefold:

1. I’m older now, and we all know that Christmas gets a teensy bit less magical once Santa stops visiting

2. My sister is still in NY – and when I don’t get to see her around this time of year, it’s really crap

3. I completely miss how Christmasy New York is this time of year!

Its freezing, there’s snow, Salvation Army Santas are on each corner, all you can smell for miles around is roasted nuts being cooked on the sidewalks and lets not forget the amazing shopping!

Another thing I miss is Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Every year people come from miles around to see the houses in this neighbourhood because they go ALL OUT. Now, you may think its tacky – but we Brooklynites love to go and look at the amazing decorations and donate some money to charity along the way. Observe:

I think even the Grinch would have trouble resisting the magic of Christmas in this part of the world! I know it’ll probably be a while before I make Christmas in New York again – but until then, I can dream, can’t I?

Photos from here.