new york cares

[chouchoot]

*friday: flew into la guardia, experienced NYC cab-riding, checked into hotel in tribeca, wandered the streets. james and i found a strange park and miniature golf course right on the hudson river, where there was still clean snow [played, kicked, built a snowman]. more walking. ate dinner in chinatown, got lost: mistook broadway for west broadway [where we were staying] and walked for eternity. botched meet-up with meredith on account of getting lost and running out of time. went to see low at the bowery ballroom; pedro the lion opened. more walking, more getting lost. met up with vanessa_elle and thathappyguy at some restaurant at the grave hour of 2am. it was absolutely incredible how much stuff was going on at such a late hour--it didn't even cross my mind that we were eating [and, prior: drinking hot chocolate at a funky coffee shop] so late. i'm envious of NYC's insomnia.

*saturday: woke up early, had breakfast at the square diner. we conquered the subway [hummed interpol's "NYC" to myself each and every time], which was much easier to understand having just been to boston, but still totally confusing and mind-boggling. walked through time square [though i was advised to "skip it," i have a confession: i loved it there, and it was one of the highlights of my trip!], met the wonderful unseelie_fae. walked through central park, saw strawberry fields and the dakota. went to the guggenheim. had dinner at yaffa cafe, which i absolutely adored. afterwards, we all spent a few hours shopping [lots of eclectic stuff], bid farewell to unseelie_fae, took the subway back to the hotel but got horribly lost...again [ended up riding the express, on accident, then couldn't find out how to get back]. relaxed, went back out to meet vanessa_elle's friend, daniel, at a club for a birthday party...we stayed only for a few minutes--worst.music.ever, most fratboy crowd ever. walked to another club that was supposed to be having an 80's night: it was completely packed, hot, and was not playing 80's, so we all left after one drink. ended up at a cute little bar that was playing mod music & old movies. i had some much-needed bonding time with miss v. met up with james' friend josh [and his friend]. closed the place down.

*sunday: check-out, walked to the park and threw snowballs. had breakfast at the square diner [again: we couldn't seem to find anything else and kept getting lost/ending up at the same place]. walked through soho, then washington park. ended up at union square. did a little window-shopping, lots more walking, experienced NY-style NY pizza. more walking & shopping, then finally it was time to say farewell to the lovely vanessa_elle, as we went on our way via cab to the airport, and back home to orlando.

it was a good trip. i felt like i was there forever: it's hard to believe it was only 3 days. that being said, each day affirmed that i would never want to live in NYC, no matter how much there is to do in the wee hours of the morning. too dirty, crowded, and the public transportation thing just does *not* work for me [spent wayyy too much money on transportation--metro card, cabs, etc.]. but NYC was very cool...definitely worth seeing, and i had an absolutely wonderful time. it was a much-needed break from the craziness that is my life right now.

things i learned about myself [and may have already known, but now am totally aware of] in NYC:
*i have no sense of direction.
*i love dogs.
*i love driving; i love owning a car.