New York

New York was an epic trip... yea I'd say epic. I accomplished quite a bit in the short two and a half weeks I was there, and working for most of it. The city of New York won me over, whereas before I didn't care for it much. The first time I went I was 19 and on a school trip. I did all the touristy things and sat in my hotel room most of the nights because I was too much of a good kid, and terrified of being caught, to try to sneak into any clubs. Well now that I'm fully legal and much more outgoing (read- willing to do things alone) New York was everything that everyone always says it should be. And believe me, New York doesn't sleep, and neither did I!

*Living my parade dream, cold- I pre-extended on the trip and ended up being in NYC for THE Macy's day parade. My first night there I went to see the Radio City Rockettes and then met up for some salsa dancing with two of my co-workers (whom I love dearly). The next morning I got up bright and early, stopped at Starbucks for a hot coffee, and found a spot right up front where the parade route would be turning so I could see everything. A whole hour after the parade stepped off I saw my first float. It was really awesome to see everything I'd always seen on TV as a kid...until I couldn't feel my arms, nose, or legs. The only thing I could feel was the insane urge to pee, and you've guessed it, no public restrooms w/o a buy-in or a 10 min wait. I figured if I was going to give up my spot to the masses pushing in behind me and have ot wait for 10 minutes to go to the bathroom then I was just going to go back to the hotel. That afternoon I wonderered around a bit and then met up with my friend Kev from work. I spent an amazing Thanksgiving with his family and his family friends out in Long Island. I had the best time, felt like one of the family, and even got to read part of the prayer (in Spanish) at dinner. This was probably the best part of my entire trip, even though I'm pretty sure it resulted in one of my worst hangovers of all time... I blame the Dominican liquor. :-p

*Lady in pancho, was she cold too?- When I was in Italy working I once saw a beautiful lady in a pancho. Since then I was certain that I too needed a pancho to wear with tights and boots. I found the perfect pancho right before going to NYC and I wore it the day of the parade, and I froze my arse off. I couldn't help but wonder if that beautiful Italian woman was cold in her pancho too.

*Fell in love w/ CP heart beat like i was in love- The first moment of truely falling in love with the city was when I was on the subway up to Central Park. As I got closer my heart started to beat faster, almost to a flutter...what I would imagine one feels like when they're about to see someone they love. I got out of the subway and was holding my breath without realizing it (not because it smelled or anything, I was excited to run in the park, geez!). I ran that day for the first time in a long time with full strength in my knee for a full 30+minutes and I soaked up every minute of it, most of the time listening to "Every teardrop is a Waterfall." Running around the scene I'd seen so many times in so many TV shows and films (running where Charlotte ran in Sex and the City!) and seeing the city as the backdrop...best run, best yoga stretch session... I think I was there for two hours falling more in love with the city with every minute, every breath.

*Poetry- What good is NYC without a good bum story, right? Well I managed to go on a date while I was there. On this date the guy took me to look at the Christmas tree at Rockefellar Center, but we missed the tree actually being lit by about 5 minutes, fail. Then he tried to kiss me but just then a bum came up and started to recite poetry...not real poetry, his own poetry. I don't even remember what he said, I was too busy laughing. This date was a bit of a fail, but it was too good of a story not to share.

*Tiesto everything I ever needed- I can not even begin to explain to you the wonderfulness of the night of the Tiesto concert. Ah-mazing. I don't care how much it cost me (the ticket and the replacement of my brand new iPhone that either got stolen or fell out of my purse). The massive amount of people and dancing with my friend, everyone just bumping up and down to the bass pounding, lights flashing, fog rolling... if I could do that once a week for the rest of my life, I would be one ridiculously happy girl.

*Not alone, independent - My sister coined this phrase for me while I was in NYC. I had a bit of a breakdown because the two co-workers I was with had significant others they were spending time with and I was consistantly running into that "Just one?" look from people at restaurants, bars, and theaters. Sarah had to remind me that being alone isn't a bad thing if you look at it as being independent... sometimes that logic will suffice, sometimes I still feel pretty alone instead.

*hit on in gym clothes- A bit of a mood booster for the trip. I was working out in the gym, just got done with a run and was stretching out and I got a job offer from a guy who hires for Donald Trump. He said he mainly hires Ex Miss USA pagent winners for his sales people, but he thought I had a lot of potential and he knew that wiht my personality I would fit right in with his sales team. It felt pretty good to be considered as good as USA pagent girls while I was all sweaty and nasty at the gym. Too bad this guy was not in my age range at all, but I kept his card, just in case I get bored with my job before my looks go downhill. ;)

*drunk russian, libra? Too smart, dangerous bad person!- I managed to try a couple of unique bars while I was there. One of them being a Swing bar. I went alone, excuse me, independently. I was sitting at the bar and this big Russian started to hit on me. Then he asked me my sign and I told him I was a libra. In his drunken slurry accent he told me that libra's were too smart and that I was a very dangerous person, not to be trusted. Then he told everyone around me. Luckily the doorman came to my rescue, pretending to be my boyfriend and scared the drunken Russian away. Apparently, I'm dangerously smart!

*creepy window displays, Macy's kid crying and saks manqs- You always hear about the window displays in NYC at Christmas time, especially the ones at Macy's, and if you're  alocal you steer clear of the area arond this time like it's the black plague. However, I knew what I was getting into with the crowds of people and I didn't feel right leaving NY without seeing it. So I went, and I have to tell you, those manequins were some of the scariest and creepiest things I have ever seen, and they moved. I saw one little kid take a look and start bawling. I don't blame him. I'm sure those things haunted my dreams that night. Ewwww.

*mustard on table was always grey poupon- Instead of being ketchup and regular mustard on the tables it was always ketchup and Grey Poupon...which I didn't mind, just thought it was interesting.

Delicious places I ate - Buddakan, we walked right in a got a table at one of the busiest places in the district. Benefit of being two beautiful girls. :) Basera, my first Indian food outing. Wine:30. La Flaca, where I met the bartending/owner who took me to see The Nutcracker ballet. Pizza Famiglia, Serendipity (not the frozen hot chocolate, but the fro yo, and I met my roommate's cousin who works there!)

Shows I saw - The Nutcracker at the NYC Ballet, The Nutcracker on the lower Eastside (I actually like this one better, way more interesting), Lysistrada Jones, Radio City Rockettes, Heard Usher practicing from the Rockefeller Ice Rink but couldn't see him past the swarm of teenage girls trying to see that little Justin kid (sorry Jess, I know you love him, but he's like 12).

Wow, that's quite a bit for just two weeks. Maybe that's why it's been one of my favorite trips so far.