getting around

I don't know if this guy's comment had anything to do with it but apparently there is a stigma related to riding a bicycle in a lot of neighborhoods in the US: you ride one only if you can't afford a car or if you have lost your license. (If you're wearing spandex it's of course an entirely different thing.)

President & Deodorant

This is what they sell at Union Square in Manhattan. Makes sense to me: it's going to get real' sweaty before Obama gets the Cap and Trade system passed.

Snow

The good people of New Haven (and the rest of the Northeast) faced snow fall of a full foot today. Some liked it better than others.

Fuel Economy

I suppose this guy likes flags.

me-turn

breakfasst outside

This year's "breakfast at the terrace" season has been officially opened! A full hour of newspaper reading was pushing it a bit, I left the spot shivering (the umbrellas were rather unnecessary, it was overcast) but I'll try to take the best out of these moderately warm days - before it actually gets hot.

Delivery Vehicles

Many of the American delivery vehicles look extremely old school - and boy I like them! These include school buses, UPS trucks, and many of the freight trucks but my favorite one tends to be the type of van that the mailmen use. Nothing beats a boxy tuna can finished with rivets!

Entering a Restaurant

One of the New Yorkers' favorite activities is to wait on line in front of restaurants. I my self just gave it a try last Saturday morning. Nearly 1.5 hours of waiting. It was fun in the company of my wife and two nice visitors from Finland. I can see my self getting addicted to waiting on line - like so many in New York.

One little detail related to this experience: New York restaurants often have these temporary looking steel-and-tarp structures by their entrances to help keep heat in (or out, in the summer time). Not very elegant but somehow I like them.

Drivers' logic

Oh, good - that'll make them move faster.

Pennies

One Cent coins should absolutely not be in use any more. Their value is so low that there is no-one to bend down and pick them up off the pavement - not even in a city with plenty of people walking around asking for change.

saint patrick's day

It has to be noted here that the people of New Haven were celebrating a bit in advance for some reason. St patrick's is on March 17.