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Ok so I am gonna take a minute and try to describe my NY trip.. I am sure I will miss stuff but here goes.
This was my first time in NY, first time riding a subway, and experiencing all that the city has to offer. Was staying at 7th AV between 56th and 57th street. Just south of Central Park.
Flew in on Wednesday afternoon. Met up with a college friend who lives in the lower east side... Delancy/Essex St subway stop off the F line. She lives in a little 600 sq ft place. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath.. and THREE GIRLS live there! Crazy.. its not a nice place and cost $1750 a month.. Insane.
We walked to Mircacle Grill. The restuarant that Bobby Flay first started at. Very good. First lesson learned, restuarants do not give free re-fills on soft drinks. In cali I order Iced Tea or Diet coke and drink at least 5-6.. here i drank TWO Iced Teas and they were $3.50 each! I should have just ordered beer.
From there we walked around, I had to pick up something from a smoke shop for use with some stuff that a "delivery service" had dropped off earlier. We then went to a club called Stay. They had a D&B DJ that night. This place was cool, you wouldn't even know there was a club there by the outside, but inside was pretty sweet.. one huge gigantic couch thing with tables.
After that we took a subway to the Empire state building but they were closed for the night. Then I walked to times Square.. its awesome at night. I got my first experience with street vendors.. copies of DVDs everywhere.. guys trying to sell rolexes... fake oakleys.. wallets.. etc. I got a "gucci" wallet for $5 and a pair of oakleys for $8. Also bought some roasted nuts from a street vendor.. stale. Had pizza on the way home from Ray's pizza.
The next day, walked to the museum of natural history. Spent a lot of time there and explored all four floors. Good shit.. the fossil exhibit is awesome. Came back to the hotel, got lunch at the Carnegie Deli.. a turkey sandwich was like 15 bucks but big.. about 1lb of turkey and meat.. that was it. Took a nap and then headed out to Dinner. Went to Bond St. It was reccomended by sawastea.. he was very helpful and friendly and called a few times to check in. He worked just 5 blocks outh of my on 7th ave.. his building is in Time Square and is awesome at night.. totally lit up with screens and lights.
Bond St. was excellent. Again, not a touristy spot, I would never have known there was a restuarant there if someone hadn't told me. Good food, great atmosphere. That night we met up with my friend from college again briefly, then took a trip on the Staten Island Ferry to see the skyline and statue of liberty.
Oh i forgot the mention, the weather was ridiculously hot and humid. Also I got blisters on my feet from all the walking.. between 80-100 blocks per day. We didn't take a cab once in the city. We got full week subway passes and used those a lot.
So the next day I went to see a smaller gallery in the Chelsea area of town. www.cosm.org if you want to check it out, absolutely amazing. Also met up for breakfast/brunch at Barney Greengrass (deli) on the upper west side. Kosher deli that had some great blintzes.
Did some shopping and walking on 5th ave and madison avenue, then met up with sawastea at a local bar at 50th and 2nd ave. It was called Redemtion. Had a few rum and diet cokes, then parted ways. Wen to dinner at a place called Peep that night Great Thai food in Soho... awesome atmosphere. After that went to Grenwich village and walked around, got dessert at Magnolias... a place where you have to wait in line for a cupcake. Checked out some shops in that area. Ended up that night in Times Square again, at 11pm we were beat and out feet hurting so we saw a movie at the AMC theater there. Saw Dukes of Hazzard that sucked ass. Afterwards we got out of the theater and it was GHETTO as hell.. I couldn't believe it, but I wanted to get home ASAP.. and guess what, my wallet got stolen off me. I noticed within a block of the theater, but there was nothing I could do at that point Luckily I didn't have my cash on me, I kept the bulk of it back at the room, but still a bummer, had to use a copy of my passport to get back on the flight home.. cancel credit cards.. etc.
Saturday we went to New Jersey for a wedding, it was in Wayne New Jersey... country club there, nice wedding, tons of great food and an open bar with a ton of top shelf stuff.
Sunday we got up and went to breakfast at my GF's friend's place. He lives with his family on the upper west side.. really nice place with a view of Central park. He is a CBS sports producer (executive). Then we went to Chinatown, bought some more knock off stuff, ate at Dim Sum.. place was called Dim Sum Go Go and is on East broadway near Canal st. After that met up with sawastea again with his gf and his gf's mom. Just chilled at starbucks and talked for a bit. Went back to the hotel to regroup and rest, then went out to a deli for another late night dinner, wasn't the greatest, but was close by (Lindy's). Got dessert at another place, Cheesecake, and called it a night.
Monday was my last day there, went to lunch at a deli (Petaks) at went to the Gugenheim museum. Was ok, would have preferred the MET but it was closed on Mondays. After that walked to some shopping... and got Frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. (2 hour wait). Then went home. Flight was delayed 2 hours but otherwise smooth sailing.
_________
So my thoughts.
I am 28, born, raised, and lived in California. I have visited other parts of the country, but never NY. It was more then I would have expected. people EVERYWHERE.. literally.. non stop.. walls of people. subways packed... places open all night... no shortage of food or people.
Prices were expensive, way more then San Diego and San Diego is supposedly an expensive place to live.
Times Square is awesome, you see it on TV or pictures, but in person its even more impressive.
Saw a bunch of Donald trump buildings too. If you are in mid town you can't walk 10 blocks without running into something.
Oh also went to FAO schwartz... the big piano that they play with their feet in the movie BIG.. it costs 250,000.00!!!! can you believe that?
I would have liked to have met up with more EF people, but Sawastea was a good bro and very helpful.
That's all for now, I am sure I have left a lot of stuff out...
oh cost.. total cost for the trip for me alone... about $1200.. maybe $1500... that includes flight, 5 nights in a hotel, transportation, all food, souvenirs.. and admissions to sight seeing stuff.
In Chinatown you can get fake designer handbags for $20 or less.. fake Lacoste shirts for $15.. Rolex for $20-40... you can also find these items on the street in other parts of the city as well.
This was my first time in NY, first time riding a subway, and experiencing all that the city has to offer. Was staying at 7th AV between 56th and 57th street. Just south of Central Park.
Flew in on Wednesday afternoon. Met up with a college friend who lives in the lower east side... Delancy/Essex St subway stop off the F line. She lives in a little 600 sq ft place. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath.. and THREE GIRLS live there! Crazy.. its not a nice place and cost $1750 a month.. Insane.
We walked to Mircacle Grill. The restuarant that Bobby Flay first started at. Very good. First lesson learned, restuarants do not give free re-fills on soft drinks. In cali I order Iced Tea or Diet coke and drink at least 5-6.. here i drank TWO Iced Teas and they were $3.50 each! I should have just ordered beer.
From there we walked around, I had to pick up something from a smoke shop for use with some stuff that a "delivery service" had dropped off earlier. We then went to a club called Stay. They had a D&B DJ that night. This place was cool, you wouldn't even know there was a club there by the outside, but inside was pretty sweet.. one huge gigantic couch thing with tables.
After that we took a subway to the Empire state building but they were closed for the night. Then I walked to times Square.. its awesome at night. I got my first experience with street vendors.. copies of DVDs everywhere.. guys trying to sell rolexes... fake oakleys.. wallets.. etc. I got a "gucci" wallet for $5 and a pair of oakleys for $8. Also bought some roasted nuts from a street vendor.. stale. Had pizza on the way home from Ray's pizza.
The next day, walked to the museum of natural history. Spent a lot of time there and explored all four floors. Good shit.. the fossil exhibit is awesome. Came back to the hotel, got lunch at the Carnegie Deli.. a turkey sandwich was like 15 bucks but big.. about 1lb of turkey and meat.. that was it. Took a nap and then headed out to Dinner. Went to Bond St. It was reccomended by sawastea.. he was very helpful and friendly and called a few times to check in. He worked just 5 blocks outh of my on 7th ave.. his building is in Time Square and is awesome at night.. totally lit up with screens and lights.
Bond St. was excellent. Again, not a touristy spot, I would never have known there was a restuarant there if someone hadn't told me. Good food, great atmosphere. That night we met up with my friend from college again briefly, then took a trip on the Staten Island Ferry to see the skyline and statue of liberty.
Oh i forgot the mention, the weather was ridiculously hot and humid. Also I got blisters on my feet from all the walking.. between 80-100 blocks per day. We didn't take a cab once in the city. We got full week subway passes and used those a lot.
So the next day I went to see a smaller gallery in the Chelsea area of town. www.cosm.org if you want to check it out, absolutely amazing. Also met up for breakfast/brunch at Barney Greengrass (deli) on the upper west side. Kosher deli that had some great blintzes.
Did some shopping and walking on 5th ave and madison avenue, then met up with sawastea at a local bar at 50th and 2nd ave. It was called Redemtion. Had a few rum and diet cokes, then parted ways. Wen to dinner at a place called Peep that night Great Thai food in Soho... awesome atmosphere. After that went to Grenwich village and walked around, got dessert at Magnolias... a place where you have to wait in line for a cupcake. Checked out some shops in that area. Ended up that night in Times Square again, at 11pm we were beat and out feet hurting so we saw a movie at the AMC theater there. Saw Dukes of Hazzard that sucked ass. Afterwards we got out of the theater and it was GHETTO as hell.. I couldn't believe it, but I wanted to get home ASAP.. and guess what, my wallet got stolen off me. I noticed within a block of the theater, but there was nothing I could do at that point Luckily I didn't have my cash on me, I kept the bulk of it back at the room, but still a bummer, had to use a copy of my passport to get back on the flight home.. cancel credit cards.. etc.
Saturday we went to New Jersey for a wedding, it was in Wayne New Jersey... country club there, nice wedding, tons of great food and an open bar with a ton of top shelf stuff.
Sunday we got up and went to breakfast at my GF's friend's place. He lives with his family on the upper west side.. really nice place with a view of Central park. He is a CBS sports producer (executive). Then we went to Chinatown, bought some more knock off stuff, ate at Dim Sum.. place was called Dim Sum Go Go and is on East broadway near Canal st. After that met up with sawastea again with his gf and his gf's mom. Just chilled at starbucks and talked for a bit. Went back to the hotel to regroup and rest, then went out to a deli for another late night dinner, wasn't the greatest, but was close by (Lindy's). Got dessert at another place, Cheesecake, and called it a night.
Monday was my last day there, went to lunch at a deli (Petaks) at went to the Gugenheim museum. Was ok, would have preferred the MET but it was closed on Mondays. After that walked to some shopping... and got Frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. (2 hour wait). Then went home. Flight was delayed 2 hours but otherwise smooth sailing.
_________
So my thoughts.
I am 28, born, raised, and lived in California. I have visited other parts of the country, but never NY. It was more then I would have expected. people EVERYWHERE.. literally.. non stop.. walls of people. subways packed... places open all night... no shortage of food or people.
Prices were expensive, way more then San Diego and San Diego is supposedly an expensive place to live.
Times Square is awesome, you see it on TV or pictures, but in person its even more impressive.
Saw a bunch of Donald trump buildings too. If you are in mid town you can't walk 10 blocks without running into something.
Oh also went to FAO schwartz... the big piano that they play with their feet in the movie BIG.. it costs 250,000.00!!!! can you believe that?
I would have liked to have met up with more EF people, but Sawastea was a good bro and very helpful.
That's all for now, I am sure I have left a lot of stuff out...
oh cost.. total cost for the trip for me alone... about $1200.. maybe $1500... that includes flight, 5 nights in a hotel, transportation, all food, souvenirs.. and admissions to sight seeing stuff.
In Chinatown you can get fake designer handbags for $20 or less.. fake Lacoste shirts for $15.. Rolex for $20-40... you can also find these items on the street in other parts of the city as well.
