“If you see something, say something” is what you would often see in the staircases of New York subways to alert officers if one’s security is at risk. “If you see something, say something” for me is different. It is my way of sharing what I saw and experience to educate (big word eh lol ), inform or inspire people to travel or discover a new place. Since I got back, some of my friends have been asking “is it expensive to travel to New York?” I’m organizing everything on this post to give you a roundup of my trip.
Transportation
I flew in to Montreal from Vancouver and stayed for 2 days then from Montreal I went to NYC by Greyhound bus. (You will see the breakdown of charges on the bottom of this post and air tickets are not included since I used my air miles.) Busing will take 7 hours including customs inspection.
While in the city, it is accessible to go around from North to South, East to West. You can go uptown to downtown hassle-free with their spaghetti-like subway. Our group purchased a week-worth subway pass for $30 only.
Accommodation
Hotel is a thing of the past. We’re living in the “now” so Airbnb is the way to go (check out http://www.airbnb.ca/c/dmagbual ). For accommodation, we stayed in Harlem which is located uptown Manhattan. We were warned not be home too late as it might post challenges to our personal security but I proved this place to be safe. It is a colourful African-American community with distinct culture and history. Our place was also 2 blocks away from the subway and can take you midtown (Central Park) in 10minutes.
Our morning routines spent on planning our day with the very helpful subway map
Food
New York city is a sanctuary for every good food. It was either I was hungry every time I ate or the food was really great. My first meal was at Shake Shack and I thought it was just all hype but it didn’t disappoint. All pizza lovers will also find this city a pizza haven. We tried Patzeria in 46th St and 7th Ave and the thin crust dough was just melting with the cheese and it was so good. Of course there are other very popular pizza places like Grimaldi’s where you need to line up. When craving for sweets, Serendipity 3, located in 60th and 2nd, is a must. It’s a trendy spot recommended personally by my aunt. My eyes grew in amazement when they started placing our orders in the table. We had Forbidden Broadway Sundae, Fresh Fruit Sundae and Frozen Hot Chocolate. They were massive and satisfying to anyone’s sweet tooth.
We were lucky we got in without the long wait/line up 😉
Jolly me: I’m texting papa right about now.
Interior Design
Dressing Up
New York is really humid in summer so make sure to bring comfortable, breathable clothes. I did a lot of walking and I wore sandals most of the time. My feet were full of unpleasant callus by the time my vacation ended. I noticed too that people dress up decently yet fashionably. Maybe it has something to do with the greater population which is working professionals.
Don’t forget to accessorize, it’s fun. For me my best accessory is a fresh, mild scent and I would recommend Acacia from L’occitane. It’s very light and you can wear it anytime.
Live Performance
While in New York, one cannot miss watching one of their performances. If/Then was our choice just because we wanted to see Idina Menzel. :)) For tickets, it is not uncommon to get a discounted price when lining up in the TKTS booth. Thankfully, we were told of another city secret. Line up instead on the theatre of the musical you wanted to see, sign up at least 1.5 hour before the start of the show and 30 minutes later there will be a draw for 20 people to get tickets at USD $35. $35 for front row seats ain’t that bad since face value of tickets is $140-190. You can only sign up once with 2 tickets maximum and if your name wasn’t picked form the draw, you will still get discounted tickets ($40 vs. $140 for centre rear mezzanine) just because you lined up.
If/Then is a story of a Elizabeth moving back to New York for a fresh start. I believe this is a story of every New Yorker. People move to this city for opportunities and to start anew. It is recognizable how many buskers are in the subway showing off their talents. It’s like great talents from different States flock in to this tiny city to try out how life will work out for them. If you make it in NYC, you can make it anywhere they say. Because of that mantra, it is undeniable to sense that strong New Yorker pride.
Itinerary
I was short of time to plan out everything so our itineraries were arranged on the basis of location. Manhattan is divided into 3 – Uptown, Midtown and Downtown. My friends and I planned of the places we wanted see so badly in Downtown then Midtown. Then we crossed out those negotiable sights and ended with our non-negotiables. We had to choose between the Empire State and Top of the Rock cause once on your top you get the same view anyway. The Brooklyn Street Art / Bushwick Collective was something I didn’t want to miss for sure so we have time allocation for this. I also wanted to visit at least one museum and I had it scheduled for the last day but it rained and I got stuck while shopping. Lol. Here’s a sample list of the attractions we went to:
Lower Manhattan
9/11 Memorial / World Trade Centre
Financial District – Charging Bull / Wall Street / New York Stock Exchange
Federal Hall and Faunces Tavern
Statue of Liberty / Staten Island
Trinity Church
Chelsea
Soho
The Highline
Greenwich Village
Madison Square Park / Flatiron District
Union Square
Obligatory touristy shot in Brooklyn Bridge
Washington Arch
Flatiron Building Behind Me
Diana pointing to a Diana
The Highline
Midtown Manhattan
Times Square
Grand Central Terminal
Empire State Building
The Rockefeller Centre
Broadway District
New York Public Library
Empire State from Top of The Rock
Does Times Square ever get old?
Taking a break and retreating at Central Park
Getting Lost in Grand Central
Why New York?
New York City is a BIG city though tiny in size. It came as a shock on my first day how dirty the place is and how snobbish people are to think that NYC is a touristy place. Aren’t they supposed to be polite? Haha!! It was an unfair judgement I know. Removing all prejudices, New York city has a lot to offer. If I lived there, I don’t think I will ever get bored because there’s always something for everyone. The energy may be overwhelming but there are places you can escape to. You can visit different neighbourhoods and each has a different vibe. I think people move to New York to work and considering raising my (someday) family with this culture won’t be an option. People move to Vancouver because of the lifestyle and I’m for it. This is not to say that one city is better than the other though. It’s unfair doing that cause it’s like comparing an apple from an orange. As I write, I am sorta missing the energy that is New York! Will definitely go back again. 🙂
It is doable so why don’t you plan your next trip to the Big Apple?
Breakdown as follows:
Bus = $80
Accommodation = $218
Food: $50/day (6days) = $300
Subway Pass = $30
Entrance Fee (Top of the Rock) = $30
Shuttle from Harlem to Newark = 41.49
Shopping (optional)
Rescued By Jesus 