New York City, Shpat Kasapi, and the temptation to exist

(Photos - Times Square on a Sunday night / Dion Conflict and Albanian Pop Superstar Shpat Kasapi backstage at BB Kings)

Damn! It has been awhile since I have blogged! But I thought I should document my quick little visit to NYC while it's still fresh in my head.

Friday I arrived by train and after trying to catch a cab at Penn Station, I thought f--k it, I'll try my hand at transit. After going too far uptown I got to my hotel in West Harlem. The first room I had had an earring on the floor and the door wide open, but then I got another room. Big, quiet, I slept like a baby. I walked out on the street to get a vibe of my surroundings. It was pretty quiet, unlike my previous visit where I stayed in the Bowery. Back to my bed.

Saturday I woke up and just started walking. I was eventually going to find the East Village and unlike many trips I've had, there was really not much of a set agenda during the day. While walking Broadway, I could hear the song playing in my head. How I got from 107th street to the East Village is beyond me, but it was a fabulous day. In the evening I got a call from my cameraman who was going over what we were going to do that evening. You see, I was suppose to film and interview Albanian pop star, Shpat Kasapi doing a show at the legendary BB Kings. The dink tells me "I'll ring you at 10:30, see you then" - I waited 2 hours for the guy... who didn't show. Now, my blood is boiling. There were about 15 camerapeople who applied to do this, I offered him OK money, and no show! What a bloody joke.

After Shpati's show, I sneek backstage. Someone approaches me and shocking knows who I am and said that they read my postings on some forum. The internet has made the world small. After some apprehension, I meet Shpati backstage and chat with him about doing an e-mail interview or a full sit down interview when he returns in September. This cameraguy left me still with egg on my face. But when you're in another country, there's not MUCH you can do about the situation.

Sunday: I sleep terribly the night before because of the rattle of the hot water heater in my room. However, I meet up with a friend I chatted with online. Will meets me outside the hotel and we make our way to Times Square, then the East Village, just chatting about life. I introduce him to BAMN AUTOMAT, a self-serve vending machine wall with hot food. After downing some Teriyaki burgers, I get lost back in Soho, then find my way to do some more shopping. I sleep 3 hours before taking an Amtrak back to Canada, while sitting beside a yappy child (this always happens that a kid will sit next to me and love to talk).

New York. It was my 2nd time there and I like it, but like Toronto a little bit better just because I do find it still a little more diverse now, and some of the shops that I was finding were just so-so. But having the down time to myself was quite good. Having a trip as well where I didn't have to watch EVERY penny was nice too.

It's weird however. NYC reinforces that I could so get up and move away with no problems, IF the opportunity knocked. Toronto is OK, my home in a ways, but I've always felt more of a man of the world. Opportunity here is kind of limited. But anyhow, that's the reflection.