Around the world in 155 days: New York City

Confession time. I'm wallowing in a trough of New York City. Not just snout and both trotters, but actually in the trough, rolling around, and having a wow of a time..... I had to take this morning off to a) update this and b) rest my weary legs and eyes.....

I admit that on the plane here I was well over it. I was exhausted after nearly 12 weeks in South America. I am an introvert trapped in an extroverts body and as much as I loved my travel buddies company, I needed some alone time.... on the plane on the way here after 1 hours sleep I wondered if I could be bothered actually going to NYC (oh, the shame. The shame). And, I was worried that the magic I felt last time I was here in New York could actually be the same, and I was worried that I'd be sorely disappointed and here for a week, left wondering why I bothered coming back (and fretting about the pending 2 weeks in the Middle East).

Well, on arrival at 6pm I thought that I should drop everything and head directly to a happening East Village bar (which I'm in the middle of, mind). But, I was in a vile temper, having dealt with US Visit immigration procedures, and having had no sleep. Once I got to the apartment and had the royal tour, there were only three things I wanted to do:
1) Flush toilet paper down the toilet. Shower.
2) Eat
3) Sleep.

Wow, I thought. We're off to a great start.

I was going to go out, but I'm even more embarrassed to admit that once I got out the door and spotted a supermarket, it was all over. I had an immediate and irresistable craving for mashed potatoes, peas and gravy. I added steak and carrots and onion (cop this Mick, cooked in butter for 45 minutes until they were golden and creamy....) and was sold. I enjoyed cooking it. I enjoyed eating it. And, after 12 weeks of eating out, I even enjoyed every second of cleaning up.

I also found made-in-Sydney Arnott's water crackers - I won't tell you how much they were but my God, they were worth every cent.

(insert 12 hour coma here while catching up on sleep)

I woke up earlyish - and was pleased to feel a warm but steadily increasing buzz of excitement in the pit of my stomach. I was in New York! In Alphabet City the East Village! In my apartment! In a big cozy bed with an endless supply of hot water just steps away!!!!!!

I caught up with Harrison, resident New Yorker in the common area of the building. I just didn't know where to start. He suggested Central Park as it was a nice day, but I had my heart set on walking over the Brooklyn Bridge on this visit. And Broadway tickets!

I headed for the South Street Sea Port ticket booth - and was surprised by how helpful and friendly everyone was. No one said "DO I look like a farking map?", and I didn't need to say "Can you tell me where 112 East 12th St is, or should I just go and fark myself?".... I bought random tickets for a show and headed for the Brooklyn Bridge entrance.....

,,,,which is just East of City Hall. What a great park with City Hall in the back - Spring has sprung in NYC and it's a beautiful place to be. Bulbs have sprung up everywhere and all the trees are in blossom.....

The walk across Brooklyn Bridge takes about 20 minutes, or 45 minutes if you wander across with your mouth gawking open and taking photos every 5 steps. Guess which category I was?

I wasn't disappointed that someone on a bike screamed at me "this lane is for bikes you farking idiot tourist with a farking camera". Ahh. The Brooklyn Bridge baptism. How was I meant to get a shot of Manhattan Bridge from the other side, I ask you??

Our lady from Brooklyn Bridge - I didn't need to cross into the bike lane for this shot....

Manhattan, and the Empire State building from the bridge. From the bike lane (sorry AGAIN you rude impatient farker).

I gave it the emu in the middle of the bridge hoping some of my Sth American travel buddies would hear the call and miraculously appear, but to no avail....

Looking back towards Manhattan.....

And Grandma, here's the serious shot for your album!

Brooklyn was cool to wander around. The area called Dumbo under the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges was cool, and sitting in the park and looking over at the great view of Manhattan across the river was a nice way to pass an hour. I decided to head to the Fulton Mall for lunch.

Mother of God and all things holy. What was I thinking? Black central - full of calls to me of "wat-choo doin' baby"s and just generally scary looking people. It was safe but just like landing in the middle of a B grade American movie. No pictures!!! For obvious reasons.....

I headed to McDonalds for lunch (Moy! I had to fulfull that long ago craving from Riobamba!!!). Well, I got the typical black version of the finger from some girl there complete with eye rolling and mutters of "mah gawd....", so I decided to get the hell out and go back to my true spiritual home of Manhattan....

Once again, where to start? I thought that some photo op's at Grand Central were calling.....

.... and then some S&TC fantasies needed to be played out at the New York Public Library... and free internet (which at $18US or $27 Aussie bucks an hour here, is not farking cheap).

You may recognise this scene from "the wedding that wasn't....."

My favourite part - the toys that Christopher Robin Milne played with that inspired his Dad AA Milne to write about Winnie-the-Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore, Kanga and Co... they live at the NYPL!

The NYPL is stunning and well worth a visit if you're here. The Reading Room is gorgeous and well worth whiling away a couple of hours in.

What next, but a strut up 5th Avenue and some retail therapy. And, a wedding....

Given I'll be in the Middle East on my own, I decided that the best thing to do would be to be "married" even if said husband actually a) doesn't exist and b) isn't there (he's a very important businessman staying in Amman by the way, while I travel around Jordan as a bored housewife).

So, I headed to Tiffany & Co to buy my wedding ring. I found one, said a few word of commitment to myself (I won't cheat on myself, I won't spend all the money). Sorry friends and family that you weren't there to witness it. I guess you could say that I eloped..... I'm sure we'll be very happy together....

FYI - I've always wanted a Tiffany cuff ring to match my bracelet, and here in NYC they have the small cuff (Sarah, I kept telling you the one in Australia was too big) - so I'm a happy lady, and it'll go on the other hand post the Middle East....

We now pronounce you..... (I kept my last name).....

Wandered back past the Rock and the ice skating (Dean and Deluca, MBurr!!!!) and then a pizza slice. Then, Broadway!!

Here's Times Square by day.... (before the show)

And by night...... (after the show)

What happens when you buy random tickets to a Broadway show? Sometimes, you're disappointed. Luckily, I wasn't. Avenue Q was awesome - strange, as half the cahracters were puppets, but it was a great show. Examined the big issues in a funny way - my favourite songs were "It sucks to be me" and "Everybody is a little bit racist". Well worth it.

Now, my neighbourhood is much safer than it was in the 80's but even so, I got a cab from the Ascot Place subway to the apartment. No point tempting fate, though after Rio and Quito NYC is like a teddy bears picnic even at close to midnight....

So the next morning when I woke, I'm pleased to report that I felt full on raging excitement. I knew exactly where to start. More Broadway tickets!! Then, why not head to the economic centre of the world (LOL - one in collapse but nonetheless they insist it's the centre still).

The New York Stock Exchange (I wish it was my future employer....)

The alleged crossroads of the worlds economy - Wall St and Broad St

(PS Thanks guys for the lesson in tying a hajib while we were at Banos, in preparation for my chica-sola Middle East journey. As you can see, the cold snap in NYC means it's come in handy a little earlier than expected.....)

Oh yes, Spring has sprung - in the Financial district in Lower Manhattan....

After that, I had a Subway accident (Jesus man, can you please label a bit more clearly that whole Uptown vs. Downtown thing, and also while I'm whinging, make it clear that the exit is the exit?) I ended up not-quite-where-I-wanted-to-be, but that's OK, as I ended up walking through SoHo, NoHo and Nolita. Very cool, and more retail therapy. I had my first NYC bagel and I'm hooked. Who thought that Cream Cheese and Onion could be that damn good. All the way up to Washington Square and then back down into Greenwich Village and the West Village. And oh, here is where the embarrassing touristy bit really starts.

Bleecker....

I headed for the Magnolia Bakery (yes yes, the S&TC cupcake haunt) on Bleecker Street. That wasn't my only goal. The area is gorgeous - my favourite part of NYC. The walk was worth it....

Magnolia Bakery, and artist in the park....

The cupcakes were worth it. I sat in the park (where SJP goes with her son) and ate them - they were delicious!!!!!

I wandered over to the Meat Packing district - past more and more famous S&TC sights.... all the restaurants and street eateries etc. It was cool (oh, the shame to admit this!).

Abingdon Market - B&W and New York were a match made in Heaven....

The West Village.....

I decided on a whim that I would splash out, and went to Pasti's in the MeatPacking District for lunch. It was exquisite. I really wanted to take pics but that would be so not cool.... I hit paydirt and sat next to a couple of New Yorkers who were really nice, and we ended up eating and drinking together... My first sparkling Rose since January and I really, really enjoyed it. Ciara claimed my "Expresso Martini" virginity and I think I'm hooked.... a drink, a dessert and a coffee all in one. And at over $30 AUD, it would want to be... Jeremy was from Brooklyn and when I told him about my Brooklyn Fulton mall experience he said "girl what were you doing way up there??", and Ciara laughed and asked if I got a lot of "hey, snowflake". She's black, so I guess she's allowed to say that. She's from Harlem, so it looks like I'm off to a traditional, happy clappy, bona fide, Madonna-Like-A-Prayer Harlem Gospel service on Sunday, with her blessing. And her advice that "When you get off the Subway, just look like you know where you're going, even if you don't".

Jeremy said he'd marry me (hello Green Card!) for $10K and a honeymoon. Ciara said I could have him. I'm seriously considering it. Looks like I'll be divorcing myself a bit sooner than I thought.....

Here I have to insert the shameful bit. Oh, I sat in Pastis right where the four girls had lunch, and looked over where Alekzander Petrovskis's rude friends were rude to Carrie, and out the window where Carrie had lunch with the gay guy when Stanford came past.... but I'm allowed to write all this because the real New Yorkers with me pointed it all out (though I knew already, oh the shame).... It was a great couple of hours and I left slightly drunk, and quite a lot poorer....

Because I was drunk, I hope that excuses this next part:

I went to Carrie's stoop, and stood there. And took photos. Yes, the shame. Not a very cool thing to do in the middle of the Village, but it was "just like it was in the show and the movie"..... A guy came past and said "Hi Carrie" (it must be the hair, LOL) and took my photo. Oh, the shame (but I loved it! Loved it!). Then he said, "Bye Carrie". Oh the shame.

Here are more sights that you'll recognise from that HBO series.....

The "I don't hate it" park.....

Then, it was back to culture and Broadway. Reasons to be Pretty. It was great, again.....

Yesterday, I was determined not to do anything S&TC related and actually experience something cultural, and I needed a serious rest after walking the length of Manhattan four times over the day before (or, so it felt). So, after hanging in Alphabet City where my apartment is, reading the New York Times and drinking coffee, I headed to Lincoln Centre for a concert. Via H&H bagels on the Upper West Side.... Having found my love for bagels, I thought I should try New York City's best... and I wasn't disappointed. I've discovered that the Cinnamon and Raisin is just exquisite, esp. with Cream Cheese.

Lincoln Centre is big (a whole series of theatres and the home of the NY Ballet, NY Opera etc etc). The seasons haven't started yet (good - I'd be even poorer with those tickets in my hand!), so I went to a Juilliard School perormance of guitars and harps. It was pretty amazing, my Grade 4 AMEB Flute playing experiences kind of pale in comparision......

I wanted to see the Dakota building. Morbid, as it's the site of John Lennon's murder. Yoko Ono still lives there (no sightings. Sigh). The mosaic memorial "Strawberry Fields" across the road in Central Park is nice, and surprisingly touching.... Lots of people there, just sitting.

The Museum of Natural History was a disappointment. I fear that I've now seen so much of the world up close, that seeing it stuffed, or in replica, or behind glass doesn't cut it anymore... Great building though....

I decided to see a movie in Times Square - go see Sunshine Cleaning! I loved it (not sure about the "Medium" Popcorn deal though that I needed a forklift to carry, esp the 1.5L of coke).

And, the pinnacle of my cultural experience was last night - a concert at Carnegie Hall. I was up up up in the Heavens (Mum, you would have had a heart attack and died), but it was a beautiful venue and a great concert. The "YouTube Symphony" - some dude auditioned for an orchestra on YouTube, and got them together for the concert last night. I lucked out because rather than being just one composer, it was really varied with lots of great guest performances. I really enjoyed it....

Though up high, I had a great view of the performance. Must subscribe to MSO when I get back - it was great......

Because I was in the heavens, I got to spend a lot of time looking at the cieling. The building really is beautiful....

LOL - out the front after the concert I got interviewed by some news station in Tokyo - famous!

And here I am today. Another day in love with this city... I'm off to get tickets for Mary Poppins tonight (I hope!), and then to wander around Central Park until the show....

Things still to do:

Brunch at Balthazar in Soho (and hopefully some Bono spotting)
The farmers markets on the weekend
Church on Sunday in Harlem
Drinks with Jeremy and Ciara (I hope!)
Shopping on Madison and Lexington
Hit some bars in the East Village
Back to Greenwich Village.....

And I'll post some pics of my loft style, Alphabet City East Village apartment! I love it!!!!

In the meantime, here's some pics of my neighbourhood.....

Alphabet City, where you can get a coffee and a tattoo in one hit....