By Ila Couch in New York

I'm late. Late for a meeting with Lyttleton musician Lindon Puffin. In town for two days, he's already waiting for me at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park while I'm stuck on mass transit, fifteen minutes late texting him I'm still another fifteen minutes away. When I finally emerge an optimistic search begins for a guy who looks like my Great Uncle Milton circa 1950. By Ila Couch in New York

I'm late. Late for a meeting with Lyttleton musician Lindon Puffin. In town for two days, he's already waiting for me at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park while I'm stuck on mass transit, fifteen minutes late texting him I'm still another fifteen minutes away. When I finally emerge an optimistic search begins for a guy who looks like my Great Uncle Milton circa 1950.Puffin's MySpace page describes him as a "rockabilly rebel" so I should be able to spot him amongst the tourists coming and going but I'm losing faith here. In the day's lead up to our arranged meeting I've been listening to his music, watching the trailer for his film Figure 8000 and looking forward to hearing the rest of a story about a heart attack happening in the middle of his open-mic set last night.

In New York City it doesn't pay to look like you're lost or looking for someone so it's not long before I've attracted unwanted attention. As it is I'm usually singled out for religious conversion or sleazy pick-ups because I still haven't figured out that making eye contact and smiling isn't what native New Yorkers do. I need to work on being hostile and unapproachable but it's too late. A man who is unfortunately not Lindon Puffin makes an approach. He's wearing a Yamaka so I'm pretty sure conversion isn't on the cards. You're either born a Jew or convert prior to marriage right? The man points down to the camera I'm holding. "So, you're a professional he says." "Yep" I say hopelessly engaging him. He reaches into his suit, pulls out a CD and hands it to me. "I am a musician. Perhaps you can interview me one day," he says. "Great" I say as he smiles and moves on.

An hour or four later Lindon texts me to say he took off to see the Bodies exhibition rather than wait for me and really I don't blame him. Back home I listen to Jacob (Yancle) Baris and it occurs to me that while I have missed out on making a kiwi connection I made an Israeli one and perhaps as Yancle suggested, I should interview him one day. Should I be engaging in a little cultural exchange here and not being narrow in my focus? I think so.

I would like to reassure the people I'm planning on meeting in the coming weeks that I am not hopelessly tardy. I did make it along to the opening of the Essenze Design Showroom in Brooklyn on Sunday and will have a video interview with Designer David Trubridge to upload in the coming week. I'm also really excited to have made contact with Mike Davidson who is exhibiting in Brooklyn on June 13th and Shigeyuki Kihara who is arriving for a solo exhibition on October 14th at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

So again, my apologies to Lindon Puffin for not making it on time and my warm thanks to Jacob (Yancle) Baris for the free CD. Mazal Tov!

If you are coming to the US to perform, exhibit or promote your creative endeavours please get in touch with her at bitingthebigapple@gmail.com

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28/05/08