katiesfootprints: New York - concrete jungle where dreams are made of!

So the last stop in the US was upon us and there were mixed feelings, sad that our trip was coming to a rapid end but so excited to be in NYC. We hiked it to our Hotel (half a block from Times Square) and immediately headed out to start checking out the city. We had plans to meet up with friends from Boston Steve, Mark and Johannes and go to a Yankees Game later on that evening so we thought a stroll around our new neighbourhood in the sunshine was in order. We headed to Bryant Square to lounge about and let the “we are in New York” feeling set in, I learned that this is where NY Fashion Week is held each year (Bryant Park that is, not NY, I’m not completely stupid). The NY Library sits at one end of this square so it was only natural to head there next. We casually found ourselves in a sweet museum type exhibition in the Lobby hosting such things as Picasso, a Beethoven Symphony and Washington’s Final Address draft. Had a look around the rest of the building and continued on up 5^th Ave to the Flatiron Building. Yankees vs. Milwaukee game was soon upon us and we headed to the Bronx for our first taste of Baseball. Entertainment galore at the end of each innings, none of us made it on the big screen, guts. Yankees won 5-2, finally we were supporting the right team after the Canucks failed to deliver. We headed to a bar on the Upper East Side to meet up with a friend of a friend – best way to meet people!

Woke up with an entire list of things to tick off the next day and not knowing where to start thought we would head downtown. Our first taste of harsh efficient subway systems was met when the doors slammed shut and Scotty was left on the platform, eeek – we finally located him at City Hall. Then it was a casual stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge to lap up the Downtown skyline and East River before I headed to the Rockefeller Centre. I met up with Johannes and we headed up to the Top of the Rock to take in 360 degree views of Manhattan and the rest of the city. We headed down to SoHo where we went our separate ways; I met up with Kata, a fellow Kiwi who is living the dream in New York. She showed me around SoHo, NoLIta and Chinatown, took me to an Aussie café where they serve Weetbix for brekky and then introduced me to the amazing culinary delights of De Palos. Divine! I headed over to Greenwich Village to a must see for me – the Friends building! Met back up with the others and got ready for a night out in town.

Unsure of how we felt about a boat crossing the next morning we headed to the Staten Island Ferry anyway. We lapped up the views as we passed by the Statue of Liberty in all her glory and immediately returned to Manhattan. Tried to get a photo of the Charging Bull in the Financial District, unfortunately every other tourist in sight had the same idea. Wandered around Wall Street and the World Trade Center Memorial site (under construction) before heading back to De Palos for more amazing Mozzarella, Tomato, Salami, French Stick and Ricotta Breadcrumb Rolls! We took our little picnic feast all the way up to Central Park and picked our pozzy in Sheep Meadow to devour it. Got entertained by all manner of sports and then got more than we bargained for when the lesbian couple beside us (and a couple of hundred others) decided to have a screaming match. Decided to burn lunch off by walking to the Plaza Hotel (Home Alone 2, we think?) and then up Fifth Ave to see the likes of Tiffany’s and the Trump tower. I even discovered an RM Williams shop in Manhattan and got very excited only for it to be shut! Typical. A chocolate milk shake from Shake Shack was dinner for me, yum yum yum.

After not having been for a while, and it being one of the must do’s for us, Scotty and I woke up early for a run through Central Park, amazing views – shame about the heat (or is that the fitness levels?). Starving by the time we returned we headed to Harlem for lunch at the infamous Sylvia’s. After this the huge discount store Century 21 was calling us so we made a beeline for Downtown again. Too much in that place for me, I didn’t know where to start, so I decided to go for a nosey to the Irish Hunger Memorial (with corned beef in my belly from lunch, it has some kind of relevance from the movie P.S I love you). I got lost in the gorgeous day and continued to walk down the Hudson River and back to Battery Park. Met back up with Aimee and Scotty and we all headed over to Brooklyn to scope the place out. Back home and out to town again, in Meatpacking (great name!)!

Arriving home late wasn’t the best idea but I got up early to go and catch up with Marian who I haven’t seen in about 7 years! Spent the day on board the cruise ship being shown around, reminiscing and all you can buffet. Left with plans to catch up properly some time in the very near future – on board a cruise ship of course! Swung by Macy’s, the largest one – and retail store - in the world, for a spot of shopping. We tried to find Broadway show tickets but everything was well and truly sold out. Did a spot of Daniel Radcliffe spotting but couldn’t be bothered waiting around, figured we’ll see him next week in London at the HP7 premiere (have since found out that’s been and gone). Scotty and Aimee headed out for dinner (I’m still full on buffet at this stage) so I went down to check out Union Square and East Village and went for a stroll down St Marks Place. It was here in Union Square that I located a 2 storey whole foods, thought I should probably honour it the newly traditioned way so I found the mother ship and bought a salad (I’d been walking for an hour by now so figured I was allowed, plus I was running out of days left in America).

Aimee and I set off early and hit Grand Central Station, Chrysler Building and UN Headquarters. Being 4^th of July everything was dead so we decided to go to Empire State Building, that area was pumping though and they upped their prices for it, $52 to go up the Empire State anyone? No thanks, I’ve been to the Top of the Rock, Cheers. We headed to Olive Garden for all you can eat salad and soup, (yummo) and then down to Times Square to get scammed by bitchface into going to a salon - for a whole bunch of beauty therapy treatments - that she promised was open today (4^th of July), unlikely. Her hair was disgusting, should have been a dead giveaway. So I’ve passed that voucher on to a friend hopefully she gets some use out of it!! Down to Central Park for a run – how patriotic – well at least everyone else was. I decided to get the sub right to the top of the park to run the whole way through it, I’m pretty sure the whole of the Bronx was there with their portable bbq’s and boom boxes as I ran through their picnics. Awesome. That night we headed down to the Hudson at TriBeCa to watch the fireworks before heading back to St Marks Place to celebrate being independent.

Our last day in America was sadly upon us. Two months has gone so fast but we’ve done so much and are pretty much broke. We woke up early, checked out and then hit the Met. Spent a few hours there, Scotty and Aimee went to see MoMA and I strolled down 3^rd Ave and then went to Chelsea. Scoped out the Chelsea Markets, grabbed some local seafood for lunch then went and sat on the High Line in the sweltering heat to eat it. A quick stroll back up 8^th in time to meet the other two to depart the States. Bye America!!!!

Scotty, Aimee, Me and Johannes at the Yankees.