And I took ALOT of bites!!!! Ladies I walked over 30 miles the week and 1/2 I was there but ate something on every corner. The cannollis in Little Italy were the bomb!! So let us just say I really don't want to weigh-in right now
I wrote somethings in my journal and I will just copy/paste it here for your enjoyment.
Well I am back from NEW YORK!!!! WOW!!!! Ruthie and all you gardeners would have LOVED to see all the tulips and cherry blossoms in bloom!!! I have never seen so many tulip colors in my life! ---- I tried to upload a pic for here, but it is not working for some reason. SOOOO you can all go to
http://photos.yahoo.com/ttdragonflytt
I took over 200 shots, so I don't know how much I will be able to get up on the site, (some upload fine other don't) but I will work on putting more up.
We stayed at a nice hotel in Manhattan, right across from Central Park. Though the service was rather brisk (alot of New Yorkers were that way) but over all everyone was alright. Only a few taxi drivers were a pain, but I set them right as I was the only one in our group (mom, sister and niece) that was not afraid or willing, to sit in the front seat with the driver. Most were ok, a few smelled funny, but only one really tested my nerve and I had I had to say something to him. I even grabbed his arm, yeah I know not the brightest thing, but after he squeeled tires going around a corner, let's just say that was the last straw.
I bought my hubby a $20 Rolex on Canal street from a black guy named Bling-Bling. Very interested and somewhat humerous adventure that was. My mom and niece got some of the knock off Prada and LV bags. We were hustled into back rooms and up dark stairs by little asian people who could only say "You want bag, come come." Bling-Bling was a trip and I hung out with him for a little while while the others went 'shopping'. This man could have hooked me up with just about anythign I may ever need. My Hubs watch really looks like the real thing. We went into a jewelers up there that sold them and compared. Very close, a few subtle differences.
If I had not ate on every freaking corner, I would have lost weight. I walked over 30 miles while I was up there, most of which was by myself, as I wanted to really experience NY as much as possible and only so much can be seen atop a tour bus, taxi or subway. I went photo crazy and met some very nuch people from overseas. On one day I walked from Battery Park (Ground Zero) back up to our hotel in Upper West Manhattan. Along the way........ I went through Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown. Ate some egg rolls, and a cannolli (yes some burping occured after this unique combination) I walked some with a little lady named Marie from Italy (met her on the corner of Broadway looking at a map) and she and I sat in Grace Church (a gothic architecture marvel) and listened to them play Johann Sebastian Bach on the organ. We then slipped across the street for croissants and tea. I continued north while she went south. Next I met up with Carlos, a nice black man, in an alcove I slipped into changing film. He is a native of New York and told me some good places to go for pictures, pizza (at this point i was very disappointed in the pizza I had tried) and hidden places to see. He walked with me to the Empire State building (he works across the street). Then I made my way towards Time Square where I met some of New Yorks finest police!! VERY nice people and I hung with them for almost 2.5 hours!!! they were so much fun!!! (Their pic is on the above link). They told me areas to stay away from on my walking and what time NOT to walk in Central Park. They were amazed at how far I had walked and not wandered into bad areas. I stuck pretty much to Broadway, which is a major road and one I felt would have been the safest. It was so cool though. I then made my way into Times Square!!! My family met me up there and we ate at Bubba Gump..yes, like the Forrest Gump movie. Pretty good food and neat atmosphere.
Speaking of restaurants we ate at one called Mars 2112.
Ok this is a wierd place. Here is a link for some inside shots
http://www.daroffdesign.com/projects/mars2112/
This is a themed place and the waiters are in costume..alien costumes. See the website
http://www.mars2112.com/
The food was OK, but the atmosphere is out of this world...hehe..get it..ahha yeah ok.
There is also a place to eat called Jekel and Hydes, but my neice would not eat there..something about the skulls outside the door bothered her. (My niece is 18).
Central Park was incredible. Bagpipers, people from all walks of life, joggers, jugglers, bums sleeping on benches.....a melting pot of personalities. They have erected a castle in there called Belvedere Castle (pic on Yahoo site) very cool place.
My favorite place was the Cloisters in Washington Heights in north Manhattan. They have erected a castle with real architectural artifacts from places all over the world. A very cool place! I could live in it! A medieval lovers paradise, which I am
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/medny/cloister1.html
I am giving you this link, but I will try to get some of my pics up on the Yahoo site for you to see. This place was wonderful!
Alright. Hmmm...I will tell you more later, but for now I have to get some work done. My mind is still on vacation and I have to get it back on track here. I will certainly tell you all about the Canal Street/Bling Bling Rolex buy....one for a laugh!!!!
Take care and enjoy the pics!!!!
Back from the Big Apple! NYC
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