In a New York state of mind

I've only visited New York once, when I gaped at the skyscrapers like any other out of towner. But I can't deny that it's had a hold on me ever since. The city so good they named it twice has set the scene for countless movies and tv shows. Mad Men, the series about sharp suited Madison Avenue ad men and their long suffering but always glam secretaries, wives and girlfriends, is one of my favourites.

What makes Mad Men interesting is that it's set in the 1960s. This was a time where America's power, wealth and influence were at a high and New York was at the centre of that and the reactionary counterculture it spawned. A recent episode shows a former ad man return as a Hare Krishna in full garb.

Series 5 of Mad Men is set in 1967 when Manhattan wasn't all peace and love - or smoking and scotch in the office - dangerous undertones were also starting to build. New York's crime problem hit its nadir in the 1970s, when my mum lived near Times Square in constant fear of being stabbed on her way home from work. There was no trace of this when I visited the family friendly tourist attraction the square had become in pre-9/11 Guliani's NYC. Many New Yorkers still complain that the city has lost some of its soul since the clean-up.

Until I can make another trip I need my weekly Mad Men fixes to fill that Manhattan-shaped void.

Dancing in the Street

Yesterday I went to the  Dublin City Soul Festivall in the blazing sunshine. It brought to mind this song by Martha and the Vandelles.

An ode to city life

I am an urban dweller at heart. Born in Dublin, I have lived in Tokyo, London, Sydney and Chicago. Unlike many who go away to 'get out of the city', my favourite holidays have been city breaks. This blog is in appreciation of city life - travel tips, best places in the world to live as well as a look at the news, history, books, films and art about cities.

As it's the beginning of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) I'm going to start by linking to National Geographic's Top 10 Beach Cities: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/beach-cities-photos/#/beach-barcelona-spain_21757_600x450.jpg

I've lived in number 8 and visited a few more, but more on this later!