New York City

September 5-8, 2013

It felt good to be jumping on a plane with a new adventure awaiting me when I land. I know it hasn't been more than a few weeks since I last explored a new city, but that was only a day trip and it doesn't count. This trip was to go to New York. 

But first, this journey started off in New Jersey. My newly married friends, Tiffany and Brian, live in a town called Saddle River, NJ. It is a quiet area where alcohol can only be served in a liquor store and sales tax on clothes, like much of the east coast, is non existent. Though I did visit two different malls, I saved most of my shopping for the big city. What I do wish I could shop for were the estates located throughout Saddle River. I feel cool because I saw Run DMC's house, I mean mansion. I would have taken pictures, but I didn't want to make you cry at what we don't have. And if you do have this kind of dough, you need to stop being so greedy and share the wealth!

September 7, 2013

On September 7th, we met up with Chris, a friend of Brian's who lives in Manhattan, just a few blocks north of Central Park. Yeah, I hate him too for living in that location. Anyways...

So there i was on the subway headed toward Bronx. Now I have been in multiple cities' underground transport and even the London Underground looked sanitary in comparison to the subway under New York. Thank goodness I didn't see any rats or I would have freaked! It was also unfortunate to see that the stations mirrored the area that was above ground. On our journey home, we switched trains to go toward Chris' apartment under Harlem. Let's just say I am happy that was all I saw of Harlem.

I was finally able to see the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium. Needless to say I was ecstatic about going to a Yankee game.Cut to me standing in front of Yankee stadium with my camera out and a huge smile on my face anticipating the grander of the stadium.  Once Chris arrived, we made our way up to our seats that had a great view of the entire stadium along the first base line. I was in heaven. I could see, in person, the players who I have admired though the television screen. Unfortunately, they lost to the Red Sox 13-9. 

The stadium almost looks surreal, as though it is a model of Yankee stadium that you find in sporting good stores. Yes, this is the newer stadium, but it has elements that make it feel as though you are set back in the day of Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. Around the upper deck are banner shaped fences with flags for each MLB team. The grass was clean cut with geometric shapes that were evenly spaced out. It complemented the clean cut players that make up the Yankees roster of professionals. 

The outing was made better by us not going broke from the concessions. Brian, Tiffany, and I shared a bucket of 9 chicken tenders, fries and a diet Pepsi for 20 bucks! If you don't call that a deal then you clearly haven't been to see any ball game. If we were to buy the same combination at an Albuquerque Isotopes game we would have easily spent $40 on the meal alone. And as any proper American would do at a baseball game, we bought adult beverages. You are always welcome to drink some tasty, watered-down beer, or you could go the route I did and have a margarita and daiquiri mix in a yard high bottle. Talk about delicious! It was definitely worth spending three more dollars for a larger serving of alcohol ($15). Yes, I did start a trend of other fans wanting to copy my grand idea of making a swirl.

Proof that the Men's restroom does have a long line.

Though the Yankees lost, I enjoyed observing the culture of a Yankee game. The fans, correction, the Yankee fans were classy in that they would enjoy the game without heckling the opposing team's fans. Boston fans on the other hand, were like they are everywhere; loud, obnoxious, and getting in every one's nerves. If you are a Boston fan, just be honest, you know you are like this with all of your friends who are Yankee fans. If you strongly disagree or feel the need to comment in this post because you are a Boston fan, you are in clear denial. If you actually comment, on this post or any other form of contact, you have proven my point. 

When the maintenance crew is raking the field in between innings and the YMCA song is on, the maintenance crew becomes the center of attention as they drop their rakes and put on a show for the crowd. I thought this was rather entertaining. 

I couldn't believe I was able to watch Derek Jeter step up to the plate. I was like a kid in the candy shop because I was able to see the players who I have always rooted for via television. He had the perfect introduction for his at bat. For those looking for the more modern aspect of his at bat, you with enjoy the song played during his practice swings. If you would like a taste of this, please play the following music video.

For those who like a bit of history with your baseball, you would enjoy knowing Jeter is the only player to still be announced by their long standing announcer who passed away in 2010, Bob Sheppard. They play a recording of his announcement for Jeter at his every at bat. Sheppard was the voice of the Yankees with good reason. He announced 4,500 Yankee games. That's a lot of Yankee pennants he was fortunate enough to witness! The following video is an example from another game earlier in the year.

Something that was fun to watch and listen to I between innings were the personal interviews being asked to individual Yankee players. The best responses came from the question, "What is your favorite chick-flick?" There would be a lot of players who don't know how to answer the question and look like they were taking a test they didn't study for. If they could think of a chick-flick, the go-to response would be "The Notebook." You could always take CC Sabathia's route and say point-blank "I don't watch chick flicks." Sure you may get a few laughs, but nothing beats a more sensitive response. You can make an impressionable response like Mark Teixeira who said "Notting Hill because I watched that movie with my wife on our first date." Now, all cue the "Awe's." I'm pretty sure that response will get you much further in life than any of the others. Plus, it made Teixeira look ten times more attractive.

The best play of the game had to be made by Ichiro Suzuki in right field. It was a long bomb hit to the right field corner where the wall and the foul ball meet. The ball had just enough hang time for Ichiro to prepare himself for the catch. I am not sure however that he though he would run into the wall at full speed, fall backward instantly onto the ground, and take a second or two before he would be able to lift his glove to show the umpires he caught the ball for the out. It looked like it hurt. 

After the game, we headed to Chris' apartment for some water and time to think of a plan for the evening. We decided to go to Central Park with some whiskey and enjoy the beautiful weather. That's right, with whiskey. In Albuquerque, having alcohol in public is a big no-no. I felt like such a rebel drinking it from the bottle, wrapped in a brown paper bag. Or did I feel more like a hobo?

While in Central Park, I got to experience a hobby of most people living in the area, people watching. There were a lot of very different people walking through the park whether it be for business, pleasure, or working out. This was the moment that made me realize the similarities between New York and London. People would gravitate toward Hyde or St. James Park just as they did for Central Park. In that instant, Manhattan became the new location I wanted to live. 

After about an hour and a half of us relaxing in and exploring Central Park, Chris invited us to join him and his friends for dinner at the Social House. I would rate this palace a 3 out of 5. The higher rating is given because the staff is patient, attentive, and friendly. The food was alright, but I have had better burgers elsewhere. It was however, nice to sit outside while we ate together.

When we finished eating we decided it was time to head back to New Jersey so we could rest up for the next day.

September 8, 2013

Today we drove into the city, which wasn't horrible going in because it was a Sunday morning and we took the scenic route along the Hudson. The biggest obstacle you face when driving into Manhattan is knowing where to park. Luckily Brian knew of a great place, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. That's right, open parking all day. The only kickback is that when you park for ten hours you pay $42. At first this may be overwhelming, but in hindsight it is well worth it. You are parked next to the Met and Central Park, your vehicle is under covered parking, and your property is better protected with more security and less foot traffic.

The first thing to do when you walk inside the Met is to purchase your all day pass. My advice, take the student discount. I'm no longer a student as we all know I graduated recently from Durham University. I mentioned I was a student and I received ZERO push back. Even better, my ticket was half the cost of an adult ticket, so why not?

For those who are not aware, your ticket has a small sticker with the Met's symbol and the date you purchased the ticket. Apparently, you need to wear this sticker as it shows security you have already paid and can come and go at your leisure. Plus, you walk through without the hassle of having to pull out your ticket for every exhibit. I was not in the know about this until I approached one of the entrances and held up the line. Way to go Alicia.

Much of the Met's treasures are artifacts from different areas and countries. 

One of the best hidden treasures of the Met is the rooftop. Not many people know you can go to the top nor do they know that it gives you one of the best views of Manhattan. My suggestion, spend some time up there.

It may take some time, but you will eventually find my favorite area in any museum, the paintings. This space holds collections from all the greats like Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, and Degas. There are not enough hours in the day for me to look at these paintings. 

Van Gogh

Picasso

Monet

Degas

And what's going to a museum without looking at a bit of modern art? 

After the Met, we were faced with a wall of food stands. So, we did what anyone who wanted a true NY experience would do and decided to grab a quick bite to eat. Tiffany had a pretzel, Brian had a hot dog, and I had a kabob. The kabob was well worth not only the money but the calories. It w delicious! It was juicy, not overcooked, and with delicious spices. It was perfect in my book. 

We walked and ate while we walked passed Central Park on 5th Avenue. It was another beautiful day to take in the city. As we passed the park, we counted at least three smaller parks within Central Park, a pond, and a zoo! I honestly don't know what more you could ask for from a park because this one has it all! And that wasn't even half of it! 

What do Louis Vuitton, Prada and Harry Winston have in common? A store front on 5th Avenue. Granted I can't afford to breathe the air inside any of these stores, but it was awesome to see their store front windows. The last time I visited the city it was during Christmas. For some odd reason that I cannot explain, the windows weren't all that impressive. This time, before any holiday, the windows were dramatic, artistic, and sassy. Oh, just kidding about it not being a holiday, it was New York's Fashion Week. 

 

If you know me well enough, you know the one store I absolutely had to enter, Zara. I first learned of its greatness in London and now feel as though I can't live without it! Zara is my favorite brand of clothing at the moment. Lucky for me, it isn't super outrageous in price or I would be homeless. A trip to New York would be incomplete without seeing a few of the famous landmarks like Times Square, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the Chrysler Building and more. 

Lego

Something I have been longing to see is the New York Public Library. This is a must see when you are meandering about through Manhattan. It is an overwhelmingly, large building made out of marble. When you enter, you are welcomed by two grand staircases on either side of you and ceilings that go up for days. The next time I visit, I'm taking some sort of class just so I have an excuse to study there. 

Our last stop of the day was to grab a quick bite. We went to Bill's Bar & Burger. This place is ideal for anyone who wants to go out to eat, have a snack, drink, watch a game or people watch. We ordered some guacamole and chips, which turned out to be very tasty. It had a lot of lime, but still rocked the taste buds. 

Unfortunately, I didn't have more days to spend in New York, so I was unable to see a few things. I will probably write a post about the last time I visited Manhattan because I was able to see a few different things that I didn't see this go around. Don't you worry though, I will be back to see the Statue of Liberty, Museum of Modern Art, Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Fashion Week, and the US Open.