The boys are back in town have gone home.

In fact, James and Nick flew back home over a day ago, but I've been recovering (and tidying, seriously, having guests is so messy).
I had a great old time while they were here, apart from the bits where I had to work, which was, almost all of their stay! That was annoying, but no matter.
It seems that, because I hadn't seen them in ages, I'd almost forgotten why we were friends. It is nice to be reminded. Yes, yes it is.

I really have been very lucky to have so many (well, 5) people come to visit me while I've been here in New York. I think that if they hadn't then I would have been a much more miserable person by now. As it is, I'm quite excited because there are only two weeks before I fly home. I'm sure I will miss it here a little, but it will be so nice to be home again *can't wait*

So when James and Nick were here we did stuff. Um...we went to Soho, which I had never been to before and is actually very nice. So I'll definately be going there again while I still have the chance. We also went to see Siân who lives in the middle of nowhere, otherwise known as upstate, and I went to my first out of town mall.
We ate Ethiopian food, which is unusual, and sushi, which I'm not sure really agrees with me, and fanjitas (fanjitas! har har har).

Among other things, we went to the cinema to see The Island. It is a film with an interesting concept, although not too original (Brave New world anyone? Even 1984 if you like), but with rather boring delivery. Perhaps I'm being too harsh. It started out interestingly, but once the car chases started lasting for more that 5 minutes it lost me completely. Do other people actually find car chases interesting? Anyway, Sean Bean was good.

On the same day we saw a Broadway musical, the Producers to be specific. I didn't know much about it beforehand, but I thought it might be mildly entertaining. I am glad to say that I was wrong, I really really enjoyed it, which is always a nice surprise. This show is so funny, really it is; a whole bucket of funny. The jokes seem to be more old school than new, but it doesn't matter, they are all funny. I think what makes it funny is that the timing is spot on, these actors know what they are doing. Did I mention that the show is hilarious? I nearly died.

One thing of special note is that I read a new book, although devoured would be more apt. Rarely do I read a book in a week, but i couldn't put this one down (something that hasn't occured to me since I read Crime and Punishment ages ago). And this book was? The da Vinci Code. I didn't really have any inclination to read the book beforehand, I'd heard mixed things about it. But Nick had brought it with him to read, and in a fit of boredom I read the blurb on the back of the book. I was astounded, it seemed like someone had written a book that contained exactly the type of story that I've been wanting to read for ages. I adore this kind of story; old mysteries and ancient secrets, finding clues where no-one would think to look, each one leading further and further into the past in some kind of intriguing treasure hunt. I love it; the thought that there are old secrets everywhere, in places that we would never normally notice. For example, I found it fascinating when, last year, I watched a programme about London on TV, and it told of a river, in London, that was built over, centuries ago, and no-one even knows of anymore. This tributary of the Thames actually still runs, through a pipe in a London underground station, you could walk right under it and never even know *_*
The book also contains secret societies; if you have spoken to me in the past year you will know that I harbour a fascination for freemasons. I watched another TV programme which showed that the buildings of Bath (namely the Circus) are filled with masonic symbolism. It's always exciting when I find masonic symbols on places (I've noticed some in New York even). I like to think that they are mysterious and secret and therefore really interesting. Of course, when you find out that almost every other person knows of someone that knows a mason and that they actually have a website, they become less secret and therefore less interesting. But it's still fun to look out for the symbols.
I think I was talking about the book somewhere, before I digressed like a good'un. It seems rare to find this kind of secret, ancient, mystery, treasure hunt that I like to see (although the Indianna Jones films have a little of it before they get carried away, and the computer game which I owned years ago, Broken Sword, is a great example). So the book did me nicely. The facts which it exposes about symbols and paintings and theories are insanely interesting, and it is all too easy to forget that this is a work of fiction. As for the rest of the actual plot, you know, with police and stuff, I don't care for too much, and think the book would be better without it. Also, I didn't really like the style of the writing, maybe it was just because I haven't read a modern novel in quite a while, but I felt like I was being talked down to. For God's sake! You don't need to have a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter to keep me reading! *exasperated* Still, it is a very interesting read; I think I am going to have to read Angels and Demons now, even though it seems to be an exact copy of the da Vinci Code, but with a different location and female love interest. And I get to look forward to the movie, which should be good considering the people who will be in it.
Maaan, I really want to go to London now and look at old stuff. Not even London, just a place with some history behind it (I'm sorry NYC, but you're just too new for my liking).

I have to really start thinking about all the stuff I need to sort out before I leave this city, maybe I should make a list.

Also, I just heard the new Franz Ferdinand single :D
'Well do ya, do ya do ya wanna'

And why have I eaten nothing but beef for the past three days? It's not right *feels beefy*