Editing before bed

Over the past week I've sorted through a lot of the photographs on my laptop, and stored them all on a portable hard drive. I found so many images I'd forgotten about... Mostly landscape images, so I thought I'd set myself a challenge and edit a few each night before I go to bed. Here's the latest one I played around with. It was taken on the Oban - Mull Calmac ferry last summer.

Duart Castle, Isle of Mull.

May already...

So 3 weeks today, I fly home.

Can't believe how quickly time has gone by! Mixed feelings about going home, I can't wait to see my family and close friends... and obviously, wee Bella the pup! But I've experienced so much here, and met so many great people, that it will be sad to leave. Walter Schupfer management, where I'm interning, have all been so welcoming and great fun over the past 10 weeks, that it will be sad leaving them too! Who knows, I could be back soon working for them!

Already, May is shaping up to be a busy month, with Willie's brother, Alexander and his girlfriend visiting tomorrow through until next Tuesday, which will be great! Then the following week, our great friend Jamie and his girlfriend are over to visit for the week! Willie and I have discovered so many great places that we are desperate to share with these guys.

Next thing I know, I'll be boarding the plane on the 22nd, crying like a little baby as I wave goodbye to Willie and Lennart!

Hopefully the weather in Oban is like it is below, throughout all of Summer!

Sunny back garden, Oban

Live music in the city!

Earlier this month, Willie and I were lucky enough to go see a couple of bands play... Both of them from Scotland! Thursday was Frightened Rabbits, and Sunday was The View, both some of our favourite bands and they were amazing... Unfortunately The View's set was cut short, as Kyle the lead singer was too intoxicated to carry on...

By chance, we actually got to meet both bands... We were in the same bar as frightened rabbits, and met the view outside the gig! All good guys, here's Kyle from the view with Willie and I!

Frightened Rabbits, Terminal 5, NY

The View, Singer in the crowd singing Oasis.

Kyle, lead singer of The View

Sunny Sunday in Central Park

Today we woke up bright and early after a brilliant quiet Saturday in the flat. We had a couple of drinks and watched the film 'Local Hero', which made us both quite homesick, and wanting to go back to our small town Scottish homes, Oban and Crieff.

Woke up to another sunny day in New York. We backed a big throw from the flat, a big sandwich from subway and a football and headed straight to Central Park.

The park was mobbed, people everywhere enjoying the weather. I used to love spending hot days in Princess St Gardens in Edinburgh with a football or a rugby ball, but it's always quite strange looking around the parks here and mostly seeing people playing baseball and American football... Even a few numpties with a basketball on grass!

Busy day in the Park.

Willie

Football in the sun.

Empty ice-rink as Spring kicks in.

Brooklyn Bridge & The East River ferry

On Thursday I had a day off at the agency, and decided to go out and enjoy the sunshine! One thing I desperately needed was a haircut... As my hair resembled a garden hedge. So I decided to go to a hairdressers in Brooklyn, where Willie had his cut a few weeks earlier.

Got off the subway a mile or so from the bridge as I wanted to walk along the water front. Found an amazing spot to have a BBQ in future, with unbelievable views of Manhattan. The parks are amazing here and very well looked after with great sports facilities and some with free to use BBQs!

The hairdresser was closed... Typical. But luckily there was a barber in the building next door. Felt a stone lighter after losing that much hair, and decided to get the ferry home.

The East River ferry runs all day and costs only $4. Luckily, we have a stop only 2minutes from our flat which is great for getting to Brooklyn. The views from the ferry are unbelievable. Great day!

BBQ area at Brooklyn Park.

The Brooklyn Bridge.

About to board the East River Ferry.

Williamsburg Bridge.

Old streets.

Stunning views of the skyline.

Shooter McGavin & Forest Gump...

So after quite a tough week, Willie and I needed a beer after work! We met last Friday after work too, and visited the same bar which is below Willie's work. It's a cool little place called 'Surf Bar' which has a good after work happy hour.

After a few beers and many gin & tonics each, we wandered along to get a train home. But as we walked through the area close to Times Square where all the shows and musical are performed, we saw a huge crowd gathered outside. One of the people mentioned Tom Hanks was about to be coming out after his show, so we waited to see the big fella.

While we waited, one of the police officers told us that 'Shooter McGavin' from the film Happy Gilmore, had just left. So we caught up with him and managed to get a photo!! Soon after Shooter McGavin left, the doors opened, fans screamed, cameras flashed... Tom Hanks appears, and out of nowhere, Willie shouts 'WILLLSSOOOON' which gets a cheeky smile from Mr Hanks.

Greenwich Village

Had a walk through Greenwich Village yesterday with Willie and Lennart. Amazing little village with plenty of style and character. Great bars and small restaurants where we got chicken wings and margaritas! Was a good Saturday day out!

The Highline

After checking out the flat iron building, we decided to have a look around the Chelsea Market and the Highline. The Highline used to be an old above ground subway line, which was left unused for years, until recently, where it's now been transformed into a public park and walkway. Great views of the streets below and the local architecture... But can be too crowded at times!!

Flat Iron Building

Decided to spend Saturday walking around manhattan. We got off the subway at 23rd street in order to see the Flat Iron building. At one point the flat iron building was the tallest in New York...

Walk through East Village

Was asked to collect something for the office down in East Village yesterday. Another hot day in the city!

The Wythe Hotel, Brooklyn

We visited the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday for a drink, just to see what all the fuss was about... We had heard the views were some of the best in New York, and I'm pretty sure they were! Was a bit windy outside, but managed to get a table by the window to sit back and enjoy a wee Brooklyn Beer.

Sporty afternoon in Bryant Park

Once the sun comes out in this city, everything seems happen! Only a few weeks ago, we walked through Bryant Park and it was dull and quiet, with the occasional homeless person asleep on a bench... But it was thriving at the weekend once the sun was out! People siting out having coffee, free table tennis, football freestylers, and just an a round good vibe in the place. If this is what it's like mid April, then I'd love to see it in summer!

Bradley Bryant pays a visit!

On Thursday night our friend from Uni in Aberdeen, Brad came to visit! Hadn't Spoken to him for almost a year, and was so good to catch up! Over the weekend we managed to show him Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and on Saturday the boys headed over to New Jersey for a few drinks! We were lucky enough to get dry weather all weekend and had a few good days exploring in the sun! Great weekend and seemed like the big man enjoyed it! Will miss him around the flat! Cheers Bradders!

Jay Sean Photo shoot

Last Thursday I was very fortunate to get the chance to be on the set with photographer Scott Schafer. Scott was photographing R&B singer Jay Sean for his upcoming album.

Scott is a huge golf fan, and he was interested in the fact that I was from the home of golf... So during the shoot I managed to get a live stream of the masters tournament for us to watch it. He was delighted and grabbed me a chair and told me to take a seat and watch it with him!

Very surreal moment, watching the masters with a famous photographer, While on a photo shoot with Jay Sean in the middle of New York. After a day in the studio, we all got in a people carrier and drove around manhattan, looking for a busy spot to shoot Jay Sean with bright lights in the background. Unreal experience and was one of my best days while living over here.