My life in NYC

Rockefeller Center plant sculpture

Two summers ago I made a new friend, and thanks to her generosity I got to visit and explore the most wonderful city in the world; New York City. I haven't been to too many cities, but I seen them through the magic of television. So, I can tell and I always will, NYC is the dream city of every artist and super heroes, that it's why when I lived in Cuba, I used to tell my friends: “when I grow up, I want to be a superhero, they all lived there”.

The metro

Now, the city is a expensive place to live. Food was cheap, but accommodations are expensive. Transportation is a charm. I don't even need to have a car there, the metro would take me every where and the yellow cab is a luxurious alternative that works good for special occasions.

Little Italy

Chinatown

Radio City

Time Square

Brooklyn  Bridge

For 3 weeks Jim and I lived in the city. Now we are ghosts whose memories keep wandering around Central Park, Soho, Chinatown, Chelsea and the Brooklyn Bridge. I keep floating on the marvels of Broadway and floating down the Hudson river. I met so many people and I met no one, but I found a smile on everybody's face and despite what people say about New Yorkers I made eye contact with a lot of them. A lady stopped her rush to say: “those are the best hot dogs in the city”, she was nice, happy and with the same enthusiasm she wished us goodnight and left. The diversity and complexity of the ethnic groups are beautiful; I would call it romantic. Everybody seems to get along very well. New York is a mini planet, where all the nations live like one.

Food cart in Manhattan

When we first drove into Manhattan, I was so sensory overwhelmed, Jim had opened the windows in the car so our friend Chris and I could experience the city with all our senses. Well, he succeed. We took it all in, the tall buildings, the people rushing through, the cars pulling on front of each other, blowing their horns. The food truck spilling all kind of smells. The New York Times building rushed by, snap, snap! There was no doubt, we were there. My dream had become true.

Things I always wanted to do in NYC:

In every movie I watched filmed in the City, Central Park was always a mandatory scene. I had plainly of snap shots of it to dream about; all the things I could do there; like roller blade, ride my bike, picnic, go to a concert, people watch, look at the sail boats in the pond, eat hot dogs and wonder around, play music. I didn't get to do all that, so I have to go back. From what I gathered, the park is the back yard of Manhattan. It is the place to get outdoors in a crowded super developed city. New Yorkers need the green lawns, the trees, the ponds and lakes. Once you are in the park, it doesn't matter how hard life is, everything is alright, nature is there.

Go to a Broadway play. Our friend had 2 tickets for Bullets over Broadway, by Woody Allen on the first night. We went to get 2 more, and out of nowhere this lady gives us her leftover coupons for a nice discount. My first musical was breath taking and I got to see it from the second row, which was extra special. I could hear their voices clearly, the sweat running down their face and their spit as they projected their voices. I fell in love with performing arts once again. It reminded me why I always wanted to be there. We also went to see Kinky boots and I loved it so much I waited for the actors to come out and got pictures taken with them and the program autographed.

Broadway Boards

Theater ceiling

Kinky Boots Scenography

Balcony

Kinky Boots Star

I also wanted to visit China Town, it was like being in Asia, really! Vibrant, very intense and lots of people. The food markets where impressive. I wasn't so wild on the Chinese spice stores where they have almost every dried creature you can think of, but the seafood markets smelled like the ocean and the fruit stands were tempting and cheap.

Buying papayas at a fruit stand

Seafood Market

Chinese Spice Store

Colombus Park in Chinatown

Little Italy is sadly getting smaller and in the first night in the city we got to go there and sit outside for a late night dinner, like one would do in Europe after a long night out partying. The food was good and most of the places were closed already, so, we had the whole street to ourselves and that made the night even more special.

We did so much in NYC it will be hard to describe it, but I will add a list so if you happen to go there you will experience some of the many things there are to do there, specially non touristy.

Best Cookie Shop in the Country (This is kind of Touristy, but hidden)
Chelsea Market  (European Style Market) This link too for more info
The High Line Park
Coney Island

Nathan's Hot Dog

New York City felt safe and friendly all the time and we had the time of our lives. We loved the people and the food was amazing. We average 8 miles a day walking. And basically talked to everybody on the street. I didn't meet any famous person, and spider man (the real one anyway) wasn't there, but this fellow was impressive.

AnechyNotes
August 2014