New York! New York! And some musical interludes from friends...

I'm back from blazing-hot Frankfurt, with its evening storms and electricity - One area on the banks of the city's river, the Main, is commonly known as Mainhattan because of the skyline.

Frankfurt is a city of many contrasts - High finance with its associated suits and heels, combined with well-dressed German pensioners eking out their pension by looking in bins for plastic bottles to take back for the refunds; A multi-cultured mix of people, 65% of whom come from cultures other than German, it's a family-oriented mix despite all and hugely cultured with all the city's political and economic history, new museums and art; There is good food and chi-chi pavement cafes to enjoy, with people begging for a few coins as they pass by... The thing for me about Germany too is that, while the people are fairly health-oriented, watching their diets and taking time spent in the outdoors seriously, they're terribly fond of smoking still, even in shopping malls indoors...

I saw a lovely long-haired young man on the Kaiserstrasse, walking with a ferret on a lead, which he was obviously looking after very well. I smiled as they passed and he told me as an aside that he had another one in his knapsack!

Who says Frankfurt isn't edgy?!



I love this piece of music, continuing my New York and Mainhattan themes....

I hope you love it too... Alicia Keys is da bomb!

She reminds me of Paloma Faith, or vice versa, as they say!

I'd love to visit New York one day and hope my friends on the East Coast are staying safe within Hurricane Irene's grasp...

A little vignette to brighten your day - Here's Paloma in all her quirky grace.

She used to work as a Magician's Assistant, with the same guy who appears in this video - Skip the ad! We're worth it!



I also like Jessie J and the meaning of this song, which is how it isn't about what you can have in life, the money, the price-tag of stuff... We don't need the bling!

There is much, much more to life... So true!

We all need love.

There's a message there for the recent city rioters, methinks.



Or if you would rather hear something moodier, here's the divine Adele:



I love the soul in all of their voices... and their beauty.

Have a nice one, as they say!