US Open: Another example of all the cool things that happen in Queens

Here a are few pics from Wed, which I spent at the US Open. I was operating on roughly 4 hrs sleep that day (due to some travel snafus the day before), so much of the day is blurred. I do, however, recall that the players are very fond of Playstations and they were all very polite.

After I'd logged in my 8 hours staffing the players' internet cafe area, I was free to roam around the rest of the night. The blank statium picture (above), I took after I rushed upstairs to the Arthur Ashe Statium once I was free, only to find out that the night matches wouldn't start for another hour. So, then I proceeded to just wander around restricted areas to see where my credidentials would get me.

I ended up watching most of the night matches, which weren't very close that early in the tournament (Sharapova and Roddick both killed). It was fun, but I was fading toward the end - and woulda been more fun if I had a friend or two with me. Maybe next year.

P.S. How cool is that globe statue?

A Word About Automatic Hand Dryers

I went to Japan last year, and although many things impressed me (e.g. the toilets are more advanced than NASA scientists could ever hope for), none so much as their automatic hand dryers. I was used to the US version, where you could hold your hands under them for a full 20 minutes and still not feel dry. But in Japan, they don't mess around. It's like mini hurricane at the press of a button. For this, I would consider swearing off paper towels forever.

So you can imagine my surprise and delight upon encountering not one, but two such hand dryers worthy of Japanese praise. Pictured above is the Xcelerator dryer I found in the bathroom of the White Plains Target store. (Incidentally, the White Plains Target store is by far my biggest vice of late.)

You can also find the Xcelerator in the bathroom of my favorite Mexican Restaurant in NYC, Tortilla Flats. Suffice to say, although I go there for the Margaritas (they sell by the pitcher!), the mole sauce and the pretty twinkling lights in the bar, I stay for the hand dryers.