Moving on... up?

Sometimes in life you have to move backwards to move forwards. Which is why TLOML and I have moved from the easy life in our roomy Malibu beach pad to a rabbit hutch.

New York is where TLOML’s dreams of world domination (in a purely business sense) will come true. And my dreams of living in a city, with noise and people and things I can walk to, will come true.

The world domination part is a work in progress. But I’m already living my dream. Within one block of our apartment – oh! Pause for joyous reflection! We live in a block! (There were no blocks in Malibu). Anyway, yes, within one block of our new pad is a great boozer called the Half King*, a tapas place, a French bistro which spearheaded the Chelsea restaurant gentrification era 12 years ago, a little Izakaya, a place called the Drunken Horse which does great cheese and wine, an old school Italian, and an exposed brick and scrubbed oak gastropub. And these are just the places which were buzzingly busy on Saturday night. So the street outside our little rabbit hutch is pretty promising.

What’s more, within 10 blocks is the legendary Pastis, Chelsea Market for proper cheese, bread and good meat, and Morimoto which just might replace Nobu as our local sushi joint.

As we explore the new ‘hood I’m uttering ‘I LOVE New York!’ at every corner. I just hope the residents of Chelsea provide me as much entertainment as the good people of Malibu did. Will we miss Dick Van Dyke and the Malibu Barbies? Something tells me they will be quickly forgotten as they are replaced by our new neighbours: mainly large burly men walking toy dogs with little dog outfits… we’re talking sunglasses and little Barbour jackets. I fully expect to see a French bulldog in a sailor suit the next time I step out of our building.

*The Half King describes itself as 'a bar owned by writers'. Which I think is a rather selfconscious way to describe a bar, even if it's true. And it's owned by Sebastian Junger, so it is true. This could be the kick my writing career needs. Perhaps through osmosis, I might soak up some of Junger's literary success. This is my excuse to cosy into the Half King on a nightly basis. It is, by the way, a great bar.