NYC- Day 6

Thursday, April 8, 2010

It was another beautiful day in the city. Jerome and I woke up around our usual time (8am), got ready, grabbed a quick bite to eat at the corner Starbucks, then met Dave and Pamela for our trip to Lower Manhattan. We caught the 1 train from Columbus Circle, and after a short ride we were exiting at Rector Street. My first observation was that the streets are very narrow in this part of town, but there was mostly foot traffic, so it was not very crowded. We passed by the NYSE, which was shrouded in security. We passed by Trinity Church, which was as beautiful as ever!

NYSE

Trinity Church

We headed down towards the Bowling Green, where of course we had to take a "touristy" photo in front of the Bull. We also stopped to take some photos of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, which was a gorgeous building! The museum was not open for the day yet, so we didn't go inside, but the facade was definitely enough! Our original plan was to head to Battery Park and see about taking a ferry ride or water taxi trip to see the Statue of Liberty. However, this idea was squashed by the out of control lines. I'm sure seeing Lady Liberty and Ellis Island are something everyone should do, but I was not in the mood to spend half my day waiting in line. NO THANK YOU! So, instead we powered up the zoom on the camera, and took a photo. I waved to the Statue and then we proceeded back through Battery Park, toward the WTC site and Century 21. We did come across the World Trade Center Globe. After all of the destruction, this symbol survived, and it now serves as a 9-11 memorial. It's pretty incredible to see how intact it is.

In front of the Charging Bull

The Museum of the American Indian

The Statue of Liberty

The World Trade Center Globe

One thing "interesting" about Battery Park was the amount of counter-fit selling going on. At first, I was astounded at the huge amount of African-American "homeless" men there were in the park. They were loitering on benches and walking around with huge, over-filled trash bags and suitcases. As we got closer, they began approaching and offering handbags, watches and other paraphernalia. Turns out, all the trash bags and luggage is filled with counter-fit goods! I was wondering where the heck the cops were...hello! Isn't this illegal?

Anyhow, we passed by the WTC site, and it was definitely eerie to be there. What amazed me was the amount of obvious destruction at Ground Zero, yet there were still so many buildings standing tall around it. I know there was blown out windows, and damage, but it was crazy to see how much of the infrastructure remained unharmed. The site definitely brings up a lot of emotion. Jerome and I spent a few minutes remembering the morning of 9-11. We were both students at Cal State Long Beach, and were waking up to head to class (we both always took early morning classes). I remember hearing the radio alarm going off, and Rick Dees near tears announcing that a plane had crashed into the WTC. I turned on the TV right as the second plane came through, and Jerome and I sat stunned, holding each other, and trying to take in the magnitude of what was happening. Those moments will be etched in our brains forever.

Across the street from the WTC site is Century 21, a discount designer "department store". I had been hearing about this place for years (it was always a topic of discussion in my fashion merchandising classes), so we had to stop in. For me personally, I was overwhelmed and unimpressed. There were plenty of deals to be had, I'm sure, but I hate digging through "crap" just to find one or two gems. I cruised all of the departments, hoping for something to catch my eye, and I did find a few dresses and some great shoes, but as my luck would have it, they didn't have either in my size. I started to get some shopping anxiety from all the clutter, so I went outside and waited for Jerome and The Masters'. Jerome had huge success, again, and managed to score several bow-ties (which has yet learned how to tie), button shirts, and a belt for well under $100. Lucky him!

Jerome and I walked up to St. Paul's Chapel, which, again was incredible. It is so close to the WTC site, yet was virtually unharmed! The chapel was opened in 1766, and is Manhattan's oldest building that still remains in continuous public use. In the photos below, you can see the beautiful courtyard cemetery as well as the proximity to the WTC site (it is the construction you see in the background).

St. Paul's Chapel

The WTC construction in the background

After St. Paul's, we caught the train back to Greenwich Village. Pamela had been talking about her favorite pizza spot in NYC, Bleecker Street Pizza, since this trip started, so we decided to make our way there for lunch. Oh My Gosh! This was by far the best slices of the pizza tour. We all ordered several slice varieties, but by far the best one was the Nonna Maria. It's their signature pizza, made with a thin crust, an amazing marinara, mozzarella, parmesan and fresh basil. It was to die for! Weeks later, I am still craving this pizza. It's that good!

The Nonna Maria (aka the BEST pizza in NYC)

Since we were in the West Village, there were two more stops we had to make. First stop was the stoop they used in Sex and the City for Carrie Bradshaw's apartment. She didn't live in the West Village on the show, but this was the building they used. It was such a cute street. I would love to live here!

My Sex and the City moment

Our second stop was the famed, Magnolia Bakery. The line was long and the heat inside was stifling, but we had to partake in some cupcakes. We got one chocolate with chocolate frosting for Jerome, and a red velvet for me. While I was waiting in line, there was the most amazing New York moment. "Empire State of Mind" came on the radio, and the entire staff began belting out the song. Not only do I love, love, love this song (I admit, I sang with them, too), but the fact that the staff sang together, reminded me how much pride these people have for their city. You don't get that in L.A! It was awesome! As for the cakes, they were lack luster in my book. My friend Melissa's red velvet beats Magnolia's any day! However, that moment of singing "Empire State of Mind" made the cupcakes worth every penny.

Cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery

We made our way back uptown, and Jerome and I decided to stop by the TKTS booth to see if any good shows had tickets available. Unfortunately, there was nothing we were majorly interested in, so we called it a wash, and went back to our hotel to cool down (it was HOT!) and freshen up.

Now came the part of the trip that I had been looking forward to for years.....5th Avenue Shopping. I had been in kind of a crappy mood all day because here it was, our last full day, and I still had not made it to the 4 B's (Bergdorf's, Barneys, Bendel's and Bloomingdales). After a pit stop at the hotel, the four of us heading to 5th avenue. The first stop was Bergdorf's. This was my version of the Met (haha). The clothes were amazing, handbags were to die for, and the shoes...oh my! They had more Louboutin's then the Louboutin store!

The iconic Plaza Hotel was right next door, so we went and had a glass of (very over-priced) wine in the bar. Then perused through the Vuitton store, making our way to Tiffany's. I had been so cautious with my shopping (something I always do, whether here or at home), and had decided that I wanted to get something that I could wear that would always remind me of NYC. What better place to do that than Tiffany's? I decided upon the Tiffany Key heart pendant, something I had wanted for a long time (I am obsessed with keys and horseshoe jewelry), and i thought the heart would always remind me of my love for NYC. Mission accomplished! Pamela decided to get herself a little something too (who can resist the power of the turquoise box?), and Jerome was able to have them re-polish the I.D bracelet I gave him as a wedding present. Usually we have to ship it from the Tiffany's in Costa Mesa to the NYC store for cleaning, but since we were here, they would have it done in a few hours! Next time I am bringing all of my stuff!

The Plaza Hotel (later that night)

Happy shoppers!

We crossed 5th avenue, and went in to Henri Bendel. My girlfriend Dana had warned me that I might "die" in here from all the amazing finds. It was accessories and cosmetics heaven- two of my biggest weaknesses! There is a "mini" Bendel's in South Coast Plaza, but it has nothing on the flagship location. I treated myself to a pair of gold hoops adorned with crystals and a black snakeskin (faux, of course) clutch. I had to talk myself out of a zillion other things, but my shopping budget had been depleted. Since my purchases were over a certain dollar amount, I got gift with purchase of a Henri Bendel beach bag filled with tons of samples. I can't wait to use the bag this summer!

It was getting late, so we decided to skip the trip to Bloomies and Barneys. I was happy about my purchases, so I was ready to end the shopping extravaganza. We dropped off our bags at the Hotel, then decided to hit up another one of Pamela and Dave's favorite NYC secret spots, the Burger Joint at the Le Parker Meridien Hotel. This place truly is a hidden secret. The hotel is definitely upscale, but hidden behind the curtain in the atrium lobby is a little neon sign with a hamburger and an arrow. Around the corner, you'll find one of the tiniest, yet most delicious

hamburger shops! The menu is much like In-n-Out. Limited to burgers, fries, shakes, soda and beer. The line is usually out the door and around the corner and seating is very limited (maybe 10 tables). Lucky for us, we came just before the rush, because the line was short and we managed to grab a nice table. The burgers and beers hit the spot! It was so yummy!! Not to mention, I think it was our cheapest meal yet! Who knew such a gem was hidden in such a swanky hotel? Thanks Pamela and Dave for the hookup!

@ The Burger Joint

We took a nice walk home, heading down 5th again and then along Central Park South.

We passed tons of nice residential buildings and cute little restaurants and lounges. Back at the Hudson, we decided to enjoy one last night in the outdoor bar. The weather was cool, but not cold. Perfect! We had a couple cocktails, then decided to call it an early night, since Jerome and I needed to pack and prepare for our trip home tomorrow....hard to believe our trip was coming to an end!

On deck of Day 7: Heading Home

NYC- Day 5

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

In case I hadn't mentioned it yet, the weather in New York had been unseasonably warm this week, and today was no exception. We woke up early, and already you could tell it was going to be a hot one. This created a little bit of a problem for Jerome and I because neither of us brought anything besides long pants, shirts and closed-toed boots, so we scrambled to find the "coolest" ensembles possible. I must say, looking back through the pictures I totally hate my outfit. It was not what I had planned in my NYC dream wardrobe, but it was one of the only options I had that didn't have long sleeves. Luckily, the amazing day ahead made up for my (sad) outfit.

On this morning we met our friends Pamela and Dave in the lobby of our hotel. Since they are planning to move to NYC this summer, this trip was partly planned for them to hunt for a place to live. One place they were looking to move is a little neighborhood in Brooklyn known as Park Slope. Since Jerome and I had never been to Brooklyn, and were getting closer to the idea of moving to New York, we decided to accompany them on their day across the water.

From our hotel, we headed to Columbus Circle, and after a about 30 minutes and two trains, we were in Brooklyn. We didn't really know what to expect of the area. Brooklyn has often gotten a bad wrap for being dirty and grimy, but Pamela assured us that where we were going was not that way. Upon exiting the subway, Jerome and I fell in love with the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn! All of the homes were walk up brownstones, similar to the Cosby Show or Sesame Street. It was clean, with lots of moms out walking their strollers. It definitely gave off that "home" vibe, much differently than the neighborhoods on the isle of Manhattan. Our first stop was for breakfast at a little diner called Dizzy's. Considered to be a "finer diner", Dizzy's is a small cafe serving delicious (and cheap) comfort foods. Pamela and Dave had been talking this place up, and boy, were they right! It was so yummy! Jerome had pistachio-crusted, banana-filled french toast, while I enjoyed "The Stan"- an egg and ham sandwich. Both were amazing, and we left the meal with one more reason we would love to live here.

The "Stan"

Jerome's french toast

After breakfast, we decided to walk down the street to Prospect Park. This park was incredible! I know I have said it before, but the parks in New York are so beautiful! Prospect Park was yet another sprawling, woodsy park covered in lush grass and trees. I don't know what I was thinking, but somehow I think I was so in awe of this place that I managed to *forget* to take pictures. I guess my mind was too excited! We walked through the park, then continued walking up and down the neighborhood streets, checking out the sights and looking for any available real estate. This whole neighborhood was so cute! We were convinced that Pamela and Dave just have to move here, and perhaps someday, Jerome and I would join them!

It was starting to get really hot. We were all pretty sweaty and uncomfortable, so we decided to make our way back to the train, since we had seen most of the neighborhood. Not to mention, the train had air conditioning! It wasn't until getting on the train that I realized we did not take any pictures in Park Slope or Prospect Park! I am still so sad about this, but I vow to go back again the next time I'm in NYC and capture it on film. It's too great to be missed!

Our next stop was Dumbo. This is a neighborhood of Brooklyn located right on the East River. At first I wondered why in the world a place would be called Dumbo, but I later found it that it stands for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass". And it was exactly that. We walked to the little park which was truly under the Manhattan Bridge. It had the most amazing view I had seen in my life. It was the perfect Manhattan skyline I had been dreaming of!! You could see all of iconic buildings, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge (truly beautiful!), Manhattan Bridge, and the Queensboro Bridge. Pictures do not do it justice! The park was full of people sunbathing, since it was blazing hot by NYC standards (it was 90 degrees).

We hung around for a few minutes, snapping pictures and trying to take in the beauty. If it had been cooler, we probably would have hung out longer, but by this point, it was getting a little unbearable. We walked to a nearby market to grab some cold drinks, and then made our way back to the train, for our trip back to Manhattan.

It was nearing lunch time, so Dave insisted we grab lunch at Lombardi's Pizzeria, on Spring Street, in Nolita. Lombardi's claims to be America's first pizzeria. It began as a grocery store in 1897, but began serving pizza in 1905. After over 100 years and one location change, Lombardi's is still going strong. We didn't have to wait for a table, which was awesome, considering this place is somewhat of a tourist attraction. We were seated in a booth next to open windows, which was great considering how warm it was. Ordering was an obvious choice. We had to go with their original Margherita Pizza and a pitcher of Brooklyn Brown Lager (Jerome was becoming addicted to this beer).

The pizza was delicious!!! We ate every last slice and definitely enjoyed it's authentic flavor. I definitely liked the pizza at John's better, but I'm glad we got to try this piece of history too!

After lunch, we shopped around Soho. We checked out a store called Uniqlo, which is a Japanese cross between American Apparel and H&M. I was still not having much luck on the shopping front, but I did manage to get a pair of leggings and a shawl (made out of the softest cotton!). Jerome, of course, made out like a bandit with several shirts and a couple pairs of pants (for under $100!). We also went into Kate's Paperie, which reminded me exactly of Paper Source. I'm a stationary junkie, bit managed to control myself :). We shopped a round a little longer, then headed back to our hotel to cool down, shower, and get prepped for our dinner date.

Pamela and Dave were celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary on April 11, so we decided a fancy dinner was in order! We all wanted to try something new, so we decided to make reservations at Victor's Cafe, on 52nd Street, for some authentic Cuban cuisine. This restaurant came HIGHLY recommended by my fabulous Principal, Hiacynth. Back in December, I told her that Jerome and I were taking a trip to NYC for Spring Break. That same night, she went home and printed out tons of restaurant suggestions for Jerome and I to try, complete with her own notes about what to order (how sweet is that?). Let me just say, my principal has impeccable taste, and this meal left no room for disappointment! I could write an entire blog just on the meal we ate at Victor's. None of us had ever eaten Cuban food, so we didn't know what to expect, other than the fact that it was "Latin". We started in the bar with a pitcher of White Sangria and some Mojitos (complete with real sugar cane stir-sticks) for the boys, both which were dangerously good. We also had plantain chips and salsa. The salsa was the best salsa I had ever eaten, and the chips were perfectly crisp! I could have been perfectly content ending the meal right there!

Waiting for our table @ Victor's

The most amazing Plantain Chips and Salsa

Once seated in the dining room, we ordered some appetizers (and another pitcher of sangria!). The four of us to my Principal's recommendations, and shared an order of the Tamal de Maiz Tierno (a Cuban corn tamale filled with pork) and the Fritas Cubanas con Papitas a la Juliana (mini Cuban sliders made with ground prime beef and chorizo, topped with onions and julienne potatoes), both of which were out of this world good! For dinner Jerome and Dave both ordered the house specialty (and my Principal's number 1 pick), Ropa Vieja, which is shredded skirt steak simmered in garlic, tomatoes, onions and peppers, and served over mashed plantains. I ordered the Lechon Asado (roasted pork marinated in orange, olive oil, garlic and herbs. served with moros and cristianos (rice and black beans)). Pamela had the traditional Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice). The boys' meal was definitely the hit of the night (we are still craving it!), but we all thoroughly enjoyed the feast. We repeatedly thanked my principal out loud for directing us to such an unforgettable meal. All I can say is, wow! If you are in NYC, this is MUST! In the words of my principal, "Victor's is the truth!". Yes, it is!

After dinner, we made our way back to the Hudson, and decided to take Pamela and Dave to the Hudson Bar, since Jerome and I couldn't stop talking about how much fun we had there on Saturday night. We got a table and ordered a pitcher of Mojitos (which were delicious, and that says a lot since I usually hate Mojitos). This night also happened to be what we later referred to as the "Tranny Night" because the bar was full of Trannys and LGBTs. There was one lovely "lady" we referred to as "He Gaga" because he was the Tranny version of Gaga, herself. I was totally disappointed in the music selection, but luckily the people watching made up for it.

We ended our night pretty early, especially by Pamela's standards (she has been staying out till 4am). On a final note, when I climbed in to bed that night, and turned on my newly beloved "NY1 News", they said that today's heat was the hottest temp that had EVER been recorded this early in the year (the usually see this kind of heat in the summer). I told you it was HOT!!!

Overall, it was another incredible day!

On deck for Day 6: Lower Manhattan and 5th Avenue Shopping