Day 18 - Memorial Day

Today I took it a little slower due to the weekend. It has been a little frustrating with the drop of contacts and appointments. I still have my appointment with Charles Mauro on Wednesday at 10am. Mauro New Media has been in the space of combining formal usability science with high performance user interface design to solve business-critical problems and create world-class customer experiences.. for more than 35 years. They are Certified human factors engineering professionals BPCE. Founded in 1975 they have more years of professional experience in formal usability testing than any other US consulting firm. Their clients include world-class corporations and leading startups covering many industry sectors. They are deeply involved in professional user experience design they know how to design and execute studies that produce focused actionable findings on tactical and strategic levels. Clients tell them they are especially adept at working with product development teams, market research executives and strategic planning groups. They are comfortable reporting to and working with all levels of corporate management.


It was this experience that they have that drew me to them. I emailed their generic account and recieved an email from Charles Mauro who offered me an interview. While I am here I am also trying other avenues of investigation but drawing blanks. 


Today I again went out to see the sights and take more photos.  Here are a selection of day time, evening and night photos. Some of them are obvious locations the others just caught my eye.

View from where I am staying

Some new tricks I have learnt

Some new tricks I have learnt

View from where I am staying

Wedge Building

Street Art

Street Art

Fire Station

Court House New York

Interesting Building

Brookliyn Bridge, under repair

View from the Brooklyn Bridge

The Bull in the Financial District

Experiment with Black and White

Night shoot, Brooklyn Bridge

Manhattan Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge

Day 16 - Sights of New York

Boy that was fun and I have only done the day. I walked into Time Square to check out half-ticks. I wanted to see if they had tickets to "Nice Work If You Can Get It" which was staring Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara.


On the way to time square I took some of the lights, not the best shots did not realise I had one my settings incorrect.

When I got to the half tick board they had it on the board at 40% for the 2pm show. I went to see if I could find the theatre, which was only around the corner. I then realised I had 40 mins before the show so I went back to get a ticket. So I got the ticket and it was $76 but the seat was the $198 seats, so I ended up with 60% of the normal sales price. I realise that as I had checked the site earlier as I thought I might have to buy a full ticket. The ticket was H104. when I got into the theatre I was sent to the 3rd section. Thinking I was going to be sent over to the very side. but the 3rd section was to the right of centre. I walked down looking at the letters and they were getting closer and closer to the front. I found H which was 10 rows from the front, so far so good. I could not read the numbering so an usher came to my rescue and pointed 4 seats into the center. Basically I was 10 rows from the front above stage floor level and a perfect seat in the centre.

Signed by most of the Main Performers

Autograph of Matthew Broderick

The show was fantastic. Full Orchestra with full chorus and all the piazzas of Broadway. the show in total was just over three hours and it was fantastic. Standing ovation the works. Anyway the exit doors opens and everyone left, which was the other side from where we came in. I was hoping to go via the shop but missed out. But as I am coming out it was the stage door and a couple of people were already lined up. So I thought I would join in and be one of the crowd. Well I was right on the front and ended up getting my program signed  by all the stars including Matthew Broderick.

Kelli O'Hara - Played Billie Bendix

Kelli O'Hara - Played Billie Bendix

Michael McGrath  - Played Cookie McGee one of the Gang

Matthew Broderick - Jimmy Winter

Matthew Broderick - Jimmy Winter

Day 15 Arrived in New York, New York :)

Well what a day. Started at 6am and finished at 11:30pm non-stop. After dropping the car off at the Austin Airport I then flew to New York. I arrive at 2:30pm and needed to be in the city by 5pm for a photo tour I was going on. the bus dropped me at Penn Station about 4 blocks away from where I was living and then I walked with cases to 28th. 


I meet up with Isabelle  and was show around the apartment and where I would be sleeping. I dumped my bags and Isabelle then walked me to where I was to meet the tour. I was 20 mins late.  Any way Isabelle kindly offered to give me her guided tour which was fantastic. we were out until 11:30pm and got some great shots and sights of the city. The best part as Isabelle has lived her for a number of year she also gave me history, stories and information which on my own I would not have known. We ended up down near the Brooklyn Bridge and had dinner at a lovely cafe. By the time we were finished we both rolled out of the cafe and walked pass the bridge for a couple of photos and then to the train and home. Part of our walk was along an old rail line which is getting converted to a public space.


It was a great night and I then had a show and hit the sack. Must have been a really good night as I did not wake until after 9am.

New Building replacing the Twin Tower

New Building replacing the Twin Tower 

Brooklyn Bridge - 11pm