It was a hot summer's day in California when I left for the airport in San Francisco. My limousine had arrived on time to pick me up and it was my "regular" driver - a female driver and a tough one too. Traffic was heavy heading across the Bay Bridge and it gave me ample time to reflect on what had been an eventful 2 weeks in California and what might be in store for me in New York as that was my next destination.

Mention California and the song "California" by Rufus Wainwright would come to mind. It is taken from his album "Poses" and one of my favourites. He sings in a sexy swaggering manner, I initially thought only a French man can pull that one off but as it turns out Rufus is a New Yorker himself. I actually found "Poses" in the basement of Selfridges in London. It was hard to find even in the major record stores in London. But whilst I was in San Francisco, it was plenty and came across his debut which was just as "sexy".

I passed on a seafood dinner invite in order to catch the "red eye" to New York. Security was tight at the SFO airport but it didn't help when the luggage X-ray person was trying to establish if I am available or not………it was more like a Spanish inquisition and embarrassing too. What he didn't know though that I give as good as I get!!

The weather channels had forecasted rain in New York but I arrived to a beautiful sunny morning. The song "Wake Up In New York" by Evan Dando on Craig Armstrong's "As If To Nothing" CD comes to mind. As the plane descended into JFK airport, you could see the sunrays breaking through the clouds. Images of waking up with someone next to you and feeling sexy about it conjures up in one's head but alas in reality, waking up on a plane, is far from sexy!

I stayed on Central Park South and the most indelible impression I had of that part of Manhattan is horse shit!! Yes, those "romantic" horse carriages that reek with horse shit right down to Fifth Avenue and parts of Central Park……..

The day had been hot but relief came in the form of thunderstorms in the evening. I loved the smell of rain in the hot weather - like something baked being poured cold water on. As I walked around Manhattan that evening, the song "Here Comes The Rain Again" played in my head. I never liked the song much until I heard the live acoustic version by Annie Lennox and Paul Buchanan. It was a beautiful duet and I wish they had recorded and released it as a single.

It was also the beginning of the World Cup soccer in Korea when I arrived in New York. Earlier in my trip I had stopped over at Incheon Airport in Korea and managed to get the official World Cup t-shirts and other memorabilia! Alas, the Americans are not big on soccer, so I was kind of disappointed to have missed the opening between France vs Senegal. I had to find out through SMS messages and calling up Max to give me the rundown on the match.

It was the same weekend too that they called it a day at Ground Zero……….a Colombian taxi driver drove me to Battery Park and shared with me his experience on 911. I thought London was diverse but New York is just an incredible melting pot.

Being tired of eating at restaurants and room service, I had decided to eat kebab and there was this excellent kebab stand that was so good that I went there twice! As I walked away from the kebab stand on my last night in New York, the song "Let's Go Out Tonight" by Blue Nile was in my heart. After frequenting his stand twice - the "kebab" guy asked me out but unfortunately, I was flying out to London the next day but he was kind enough to give me extra servings as a parting "gift".

It was an incredible journey of self-discovery and more so in New York where I was on my own, feeling both vulnerable and yet totally in control of life and very lucky and privileged. I left for London feeling like I have left something behind in America but my journey didn't end there as it continued to London where it was the Queen's Jubilee weekend! That will have to be another story…….but I was chuffed to find the re-release of New Order's "World In Motion" with a new remix for the World Cup season!

Hopefully that explains the inactivity at "Rainsound" these days……..we have been busy living our lives but we will be back!