Hello fellow jetsetters,
I know it has been a while since we last spoke and I am truly sorry for my unexplained absence. To save a long winded post about all the life drama happening, let's just go with, life gets hard sometimes (think my anxiety post). En route through these rough little road blocks I found myself on an adventure and I lived to tell about it. I finally made my way to the Big Apple, as in New York City.
My sister and I were offered the opportunity to go on a group excursion to NY about 7 months ago and we jumped at the chance. I had wanted to see NY ever since my childhood days of watching Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. One of the main reasons for the trek was for touring purposes. But we did get one day in the City that doesn't sleep, about 7 hours to be exact. Seven hours to squish in all the things we wanted to see.
Our adventure began in Brooklyn. Let me tell you, I know in my heart that I belong in Brooklyn. From it's cobblestone streets to the corner bookstores, From the hipster cafes to the charming brownstones. Ask anyone who ventured with me while on this trip and they will clarify I did not shut up about how much I loved Brooklyn. I only wish I could afford the $10,000+ it costs per month to occupy this lush charming community, not to mention the amount of money I would spend on Brooklyn pizza every day... *me drooling*. We were determined to try NY pizza whilst there because..well...it's New York pizza and I am a pizza fiend. We stopped off at the corner pizzeria called Ignazios and the pizza was worth every hard earned penny. Although I had a foot full of blisters (sorry for the image) from my poorly chosen shoes, after much convincing, I was persuaded to take a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge and it was worth every instagram-worthy shot. Brooklyn, you will forever have my heart. Until we meet again...
Snapping out of that pipe dream, the second leg of our adventure took us to the hustling streets of Manhattan. A town with bright lights, lots of people, streets full of yellow cabs and thugs trying to sell you CD'S. After an amazing tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, We started our shoelace journey off in the legendary time square. A jumbo-tron driven community with lots of strangers dressed like creepy cartoon characters getting all up in your business. Venturing through Times Square, we got asked half a dozen times if we wanted to take a bus tour by some sketchy salesmen dressed in green. I had only seen this place in movie scenes so being there was pretty surreal.
We whisked by the famous Radio City Music Hall, the theater that Daddy Warbucks rented whilst trying to ease Annie's boredom and home of the Rockettes, you know. We hit 5th Avenue, home of designer duds and rocks you won't find in the park.
Strolling along we came to the black dress, tiara and cigarette holder worthy, Tiffany's. Yes, THE Tiffany's. The one that Audrey Hepburn stuffs her face with croissant in front of...yes...that Tiffany's.
As we continued making our way down 5th, we finally came to the edge of Central Park and there, standing in all its movie-moment glory, stood The Plaza Hotel. It's iconic awnings and red steps, there it was. As we "casually" snuck in the entrance, I was surprised by what I saw. It looked nothing like it did when Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin checked in ( I found out later that Big Business' "Plaza" scenes were shot on a sound stage. Disappointing!!). It featured gorgeous chandeliers dripping in jewels and not a red carpet in sight (see Big Business). Although a wedding prevented us from further exploration, the Plaza was stunning.
The rest of our day included passing by all the touristy locals such as Rockafeller Center, The NY Public library, Grand Central Station and finally ending our day meeting the bus in Madison Square Garden.
Although I was wired from the days happenings, seeing the city lights as we drove past Broadway, little Italy and Chinatown, calmed me and I was ready for bed. That was it, I accomplished seeing what I needed to see in NY within 7 hours.
Final thoughts on the big city, I say everyone needs to see it once. There is nothing to describe how overwhelmed and underwhelmed you will be at the same time. Forget what you see in the movies and just walk about and take it all in. New York, if we ever meet again, I will be ecstatic. However, if not, I want you to know, I enjoyed every single breathtaking moment I had with you and I had the blisters and swollen feet to prove it. It was a slice...until next time.
