I want to start this blog by speaking about some of the New Yorkers we have encountered over the past week. I came to this city, expecting absolutely everyone to be rude to me.
That's the reputation, right?
New York = Rude.
Well, funny thing because Paris has the same reputation, and nothing could be further from the truth.
We met a LOT of people in the city that doesn’t sleep. We met servers, cashiers, shop attendants, road crew, our food tour guide, our favourite coffee man on the corner of 7th & 55th... and everyone was friendly! Everyone! I was even a little worried about the mobs. In the movies & the TV shows, New York always seems to appear overly crowded. Congested. I envisioned us trying to navigate our way down the street, mixed up, disorientated and bumping into everyone.
I figured it would be a non-stop stream of, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"... but it wasn't. We blended in... to a certain extent, and when we didn’t particularly fit in… or when someone accidentally bumped into us, all parties apologized appropriately. No one was particularly disrespectful or abusive.
* Except, of course, the infamous 'Horse Faced Bitch' incident.
My knee also survived. In fact, I'm leaving with quite a sore blister on my right heel.
It was touch & go for a bit at the beginning, but I managed to pull it off with the help of fast-acting pharmaceuticals. Tylenol with codeine to the rescue. New York would have resulted in much pain, wobbling and sobbing, had I not sought the refuge of medicinal assistance.
Things I will remember about New York;
~ Dip the card.
Dip, instead of ‘insert.’ Seems rather pervey, if you ask me.
~ Metro card purchasing.
Ugh... nightmare all around. We never really knew how much we needed. The lovely lady had given us free cards at the beginning, but we weren't sure of their expiry. When you actually purchased with a credit card at one of the machines, it verified you by having you enter your postal (ZIP) code. All of us entered in 90210… for lack of a better zip code... which, much to my horror, worked each time. It doesn’t help invest much faith into the subway financial system. Or my credit cards.
~ Most of the city is decorate with lettuce.
The various colours of lettuce leaves are all over the city. I’m not sure if it’s an autumn alternative to flowers, but it works. Lettuce can be found scattered all over the city. Meridians, planters, base boards, store fronts… etc.
~ Covid testing sites everywhere.
EVERYWHERE. And , honestly, I never saw one single person being tested at any of them. Seemed to be more of a make-shift project than anything else. Perhaps I should have stopped by, as I've developed a bit of a cold.
~ Man, it was MUGGY!
I really shouldn’t complain for the weather we had for the end of October. Gorgeous sunshine, fall colours in full bloom, and only a couple days of rain… but the last couple days were like being thrust into a sauna. It was unbearable at times. Sweater were NOT needed.
I ate FOUR different types of pizzas, 1 bagel, and three hot dogs (which is my full quota on dirty weiners for the next couple of years) … and a LOT of pub grub and cheap eats from diners.
I shouldn't be proud.
At all.
I've seen dogs with fancy shoes on. I've seen a man walking down the street, wrapped in a fuzzy grey blanket, with a broken popsicle stick sticking out of his forehead. I've seen a man playing the guitar on 8th Avenue, wearing nothing but a cowboy hat and Yankee Doodle underwear. I've wandered down 42nd street, I've taken in the spectacular and historical sights of the Chrystler building, the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's Church and Grand Central Station.
I've seen a LOT of scaffolding.
Did you know that scafolding apparently takes up over 300 miles of New York City? The Flatiron building was so entirely covered in scaffolding, that I definitely have to come back in order to see it.
I always wanted to come to New York. My 50th birthday seemed to be the perfect fit.
It’s true, I'd always imagined coming here with money.
I wanted to do it POSH.
THAT didn't happen.
It’s funny thinking of that plan now, considering I crashed in the living room of my friend’s apartment, I took almost every free option available and I didn’t buy anything for myself except food & drink.
But I leave New York, rich with experience.
I made up a bucket list of things I potentially wanted to see and do! I think I did fairly well...
Carrie Bradshaw's apartment ~ ✔️
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge ~ ✔️
Subway ~ ✔️
Eat a hot dog from a street vendor ~ ✔️
Eat pizza ~ ✔️
Food tour ~ ✔️
Central Park ~ ✔️
Broadway Play ~ ✔️
Staten Island ferry ~ ✔️
High Line ~ ✔️
Stroll down 42nd Street ~ ✔️
Empire State Building ~ ✔️
FlatIron Building ~ ✔️
Chrysler Building ~ ✔️
St. Patrick's Cathedral ~ ✔️
Washington Square ~ ✔️
Times Square ~ ✔️
Dive Bar ~ ✔️
Tiffany & Co. ~ ✔️
Chelsea ~ ✔️
Soho ~ ✔️
Noho ~ ✔️
Little Italy ~ ✔️
Wall Street / Financial District ~ ✔️
Greenwich Village ~ ✔️
John Lennon Memorial ~ ✔️
Eat an apple IN the Big Apple ~ ✔️
PLAY the piano from BIG ~ ✔️
Check out The Vessel ~ ✔️
Dine at Tom's ~ ✔️
Hail a cab ~ ✔️
Ellen's Stardust Diner ~ ✔️
New York bagel ~ ✔️
Macy's ~ ✔️
Radio City Music Hall ~ ✔️
They say that if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere... I guess I didn't get discovered, but I did leave my heart here.
Would I come back?
In a New York Minute.
❤️