New York, I Love You

New York is a city I hold very close to my heart. In the 20 years of my life I have been blessed to travel to the Big Apple four times! I credit these travels to my Nana who started me on live theatre at a young age. Her love of NYC led to my love of the beautiful city that never sleeps. I have now seen twelve shows on Broadway, all of which have been truly memorable. 

New York City is home to so many different cultures and so many people trying to become something and find themselves. There is truly a place for everyone in this big city. Walking down the street you can admire the hipster chic guys or the men in khakis or perfectly tailored suits. On my last visit while standing in line at Starbucks, a wonderfully delicious tall blonde comes in and takes his place in line behind my Nana. He had khakis and a long-sleeved button-up shirt with a red tie, his biceps slightly visible through the shirt and beautiful piercing blue eyes. He was on a coffee run and absolutely gorgeous! When the lady asked for my order I almost said, "Ummm one of him please!" When we left the coffee shop I asked Nana if she had seen the beautiful man my mother and I had been gawking at and she said NO!!! I couldn't believe it! Then we walk down the street and see nearly a hundred other gorgeous guys in suits...just a typical day in New York City!

Traveling to a city as big as New York means never having to do the same thing twice, if you don’t want to that is. Each trip can be unique and different! There is so much to do and so much to see when in New York City! I decided I would give some suggestions for anyone who may be traveling to the Big Apple sometime in the near future and also share some of my experiences from my recent trip in June.

There is nothing like stepping into the heart of Manhattan, Times Square. Times Square resides at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. It is the quintessential New York picture! Flashing billboards, glitz, glamour! Never a dull moment! From the Naked Cowboy to eccentric street performers, Times Square is always full of hustle and bustle! Thousands of people pass through Times Square each day! (One of the reasons I sometimes get panicked walking through…I have serious crowd issues! The thought of being separated from my group in the midst of all those people is terrifying!) But, one must suck up the crowds and walk through this New York icon, if only to get a picture. There is truly nothing like Times Square!

Central Park is another one of my favorites. The park itself covers nearly 843 acres of land right in the middle of the city! This giant green expanse is truly a sight to see. Walking Uptown along Fifth Avenue, window shopping in places like Harry Winston or Louis Vuitton and suddenly, a ginormous park is right before your eyes! On my recent trip to New York, my Mom decided she wanted to find the Bethesda Fountain, a Central Park landmark I had yet to see on my several ventures into the lush green abyss.  It has been in several movies including the Disney movie Enchanted, where Giselle puts on a fantastic musical performance ending right in front of the fountain. When we finally found this beautiful monument, I was mesmerized. It was so beautiful! So idyllic! The Boathouse sits on a lake to one side and the Bethesda Terrace on the other. Once we took in this sight, we proceeded through the ornate Terrace and onto The Mall, the sweeping trail of trees that arch over the sidewalk into a whimsical, dream path. The Mall has been shown in many a movie as well and I hope one day to see it covered in snow. Needless to say, find the Bethesda Fountain and walk down The Mall. You will not be disappointed!

 New York City is well known for its extensive array of restaurants. You can find any type of cuisine you could possibly desire in this city! There are even food tours for people who want to be ushered around the city, tasting foods from many of the local restaurants. I am a very picky eater so food isn’t really one of my main focuses but I have had several memorable dining experiences. One of my favorite places in New York is the famous Serendipity III, a teeny, hole-in-the-wall restaurant situated on a street in the Upper East Side. The inside is absolutely adorable. The walls and floors are mostly white and colorful Tiffany lamps hang from the ceilings, drawing focus to their unique craftsmanship. While the main courses are delicious, everyone knows you go to Serendipity for the enormous desserts. Their signature Frozen Hot Chocolate is absolutely TO DIE FOR! It is big enough for two to share, possibly three, and it is like Heaven in your mouth! It tastes just like hot chocolate…only cold…which is strange…but tasty. They also have a variety of other desserts including many different types of sundaes and ice cream treats as well as the most expensive dessert in the world, the $1,000 “Golden Opulence Sunday”. Make a reservation because you WILL have to wait in line to get a table, and who wants to waste time in New York! Another wonderful restaurant is Ellen’s Stardust Diner, a retro 1950s theme restaurant right on Broadway in Midtown Manhattan featuring a wonderfully talented waitstaff. The atmosphere in the Stardust Diner is fun and energetic. The food is great and who doesn’t want to see their waiter or waitress jump up on a table and belt out a song! I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique and fun dining experience. Last I would like to address New York pizza. I will admit, I have only eaten at one pizza place in New York… and I would be perfectly content never trying another slice in the city. John’s Pizzeria on West 44^th is my absolute favorite! I order cheese pizza (picky eater, remember!) and I eat at least three giant slices! I am not ashamed! This pizza is delicious!!!! Brick-oven, thin-crust just like New York pizza should be…I even fold it like a taco, just like the New Yorkers. Go to John’s and eat the pizza. Prepare to have your taste buds say, “Thank you.”

 

The main reason I enjoy going to New York City can be summed up in one word…Broadway. I don’t care who you are, I absolutely do not believe you can set foot in Manhattan and not feel the urge to go see a Broadway show! It just isn’t possible! Maybe it’s because I have a great love for live theatre but I truly can’t imagine going to the city and not seeing a performance. So, GO SEE SOMETHING! I am more than happy to provide recommendations, just ask! But you must see something! There are plenty of ways to get discount tickets and honestly, it is a wonderful experience! I saw Rock of Ages on my last trip and it was one of the craziest musicals I have seen in New York! We had so much fun and all I wanted to do was dance afterwards and sing ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’!

A few other tourist attractions everyone should experience are the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Plaza, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Chinatown and Little Italy, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can go to a taping of a Morning Show or Late Show, shop all day long, go to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, or anything else your little heart might desire. Again, these are just a few NYC sights I have been to and thoroughly enjoyed. There are many, MANY others! I also highly recommend for first time visitors to get a hop-on, hop-off double-decker tour bus pass! It is the best way to see the entire city and it isn’t overly expensive. The tour buses aren’t the best way of transportation so unless you just want to see the city again I wouldn’t recommend buying a pass if you are a repeat visitor.

 So there you have it! Some of my favorite New York haunts and hideaways…okay so they aren’t exactly hideaways and most are quite well-known BUT these are still some of my favorite places in the city and I highly recommend putting them all on your itinerary! When going to New York City the great thing is you can make whatever kind of trip you want! You can focus on food or on theatre or even shopping! So ask around, Google lists of New York attractions and make your trip to New York City memorable!

XOXO,

Alex