As my month in New York was drawing to a close I scrambled to fill my last remaining days with everything left on my List Of Things To Do.
It was a very strange feeling, preparing to leave our home on W36th. Half of me felt like I had only just arrived- only just made it up the six flights of stairs with my backpack.
The other half of me felt like I had been living there for months- compleltely comfortable with my now familar streets, accents and fast foods.
A couple of things we did during our last few days that are notable because of their awesomeness:
*American Museum of Natural History- possibly the most interesting musem I've ever been to. I dont know why more musems dont follow their lead. Dont just show us diagrams or photos- create life size dioramas with (taxidermed?) real animals in there. We had planned to spend an hour or two, but ended up spending the entire day, making sure we didnt miss a single exhibit. We also got to visit a Butterfly Conservatory where thousands of butterflies flew around us, some even deciding they wanted to attach themselves and come along for the ride. So insane seeing violent blue and yellow butterflies sitting on your arm, brushing past your face. A definate highlight.
*Our Brooklyn visit. On Jess's last full day in NY, we decided to venture over to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. If possible- I love Brooklyn more than I love Manhattan. The vibe is a complete 180. The buildings are lower, the sky is bluer....every single shop had original tees and hoodies, vintage boots, belts and caps. On every corner is a 2nd hand book shop just dying to be sucked dry and every brick wall is plastered with bright grafetti. We had the most amazing Chinese food at a little place called Red Bowl for a fraction of the price we had been paying for similar food in Manhatten and spent the rest of the day being good little backpackers and trying to pretend we didnt see that sick vintage t-shirt, perfect leather jacket or good-as-new ankle boots with studs.....
Before we knew it, it was once again time for Jess to leave us. After saying farewell to Jess and putting her in a big yellow cab bound for JFK, Sab, Coolie. Stef, Sabrinasquared and I headed to meet some other Aussies for chicken wings in Soho.
After ordering 50 chicken wings, popcorn shrimp and calamari between the five of us (and paying about $2 each all up) we rolled home....Stef eager to get packing for her own London flight (not).
The next night was Stef's last in New York, so we decided to finally bite the bullet and go see Wicked, the musical. It was something I had wanted to do before I left NY, however had long resigned to the fact that it probably wasnt going to fit into my budget.
In the end, I figured I could hardly come to New York and not see a Broadway musical...and holy shit was it worth it!
Wicked was everything the five star reviews had promised it would be. It gave me goosebumps, made me smile like a five year old and clap so hard my hands hurt. I dont understand how the cast can get up night after night, sometimes also performing a matinee performance, and put on such a jaw dropping show of amazing standards each and every time.
The next day I bid farewell to my travel buddy for the first time since we had left Sydney (okay okay so I MAY have cried a little), and after a pub dinner at Gatsby's in Soho with Sab and Coolie- made my way home to start the long task of packing my whole wardrobe into a backpack.
Hours later- an extra bag added to my travelling circus show- and a fully fledged cold later (thanks Stef/Jess) and I was packed and ready to go.
I spent MY last day in New York doing errands for Stef.
Fun!
Treated myself to one last cupcake from Burgers & Cupcakes on 9th, said my goodbyes to Sab, Coolie and perhaps most importantly- Batman and hopped in my cab for the journey to JFK.
Both Jess and Stef...(yes even STEF) had managed to find their own way from Heathrow to Dylan's house- it would no doubt prove just as easy for me...
It was a very strange feeling, preparing to leave our home on W36th. Half of me felt like I had only just arrived- only just made it up the six flights of stairs with my backpack.
The other half of me felt like I had been living there for months- compleltely comfortable with my now familar streets, accents and fast foods.
A couple of things we did during our last few days that are notable because of their awesomeness:
*American Museum of Natural History- possibly the most interesting musem I've ever been to. I dont know why more musems dont follow their lead. Dont just show us diagrams or photos- create life size dioramas with (taxidermed?) real animals in there. We had planned to spend an hour or two, but ended up spending the entire day, making sure we didnt miss a single exhibit. We also got to visit a Butterfly Conservatory where thousands of butterflies flew around us, some even deciding they wanted to attach themselves and come along for the ride. So insane seeing violent blue and yellow butterflies sitting on your arm, brushing past your face. A definate highlight.
*Our Brooklyn visit. On Jess's last full day in NY, we decided to venture over to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. If possible- I love Brooklyn more than I love Manhattan. The vibe is a complete 180. The buildings are lower, the sky is bluer....every single shop had original tees and hoodies, vintage boots, belts and caps. On every corner is a 2nd hand book shop just dying to be sucked dry and every brick wall is plastered with bright grafetti. We had the most amazing Chinese food at a little place called Red Bowl for a fraction of the price we had been paying for similar food in Manhatten and spent the rest of the day being good little backpackers and trying to pretend we didnt see that sick vintage t-shirt, perfect leather jacket or good-as-new ankle boots with studs.....
Before we knew it, it was once again time for Jess to leave us. After saying farewell to Jess and putting her in a big yellow cab bound for JFK, Sab, Coolie. Stef, Sabrinasquared and I headed to meet some other Aussies for chicken wings in Soho.
After ordering 50 chicken wings, popcorn shrimp and calamari between the five of us (and paying about $2 each all up) we rolled home....Stef eager to get packing for her own London flight (not).
The next night was Stef's last in New York, so we decided to finally bite the bullet and go see Wicked, the musical. It was something I had wanted to do before I left NY, however had long resigned to the fact that it probably wasnt going to fit into my budget.
In the end, I figured I could hardly come to New York and not see a Broadway musical...and holy shit was it worth it!
Wicked was everything the five star reviews had promised it would be. It gave me goosebumps, made me smile like a five year old and clap so hard my hands hurt. I dont understand how the cast can get up night after night, sometimes also performing a matinee performance, and put on such a jaw dropping show of amazing standards each and every time.
The next day I bid farewell to my travel buddy for the first time since we had left Sydney (okay okay so I MAY have cried a little), and after a pub dinner at Gatsby's in Soho with Sab and Coolie- made my way home to start the long task of packing my whole wardrobe into a backpack.
Hours later- an extra bag added to my travelling circus show- and a fully fledged cold later (thanks Stef/Jess) and I was packed and ready to go.
I spent MY last day in New York doing errands for Stef.
Fun!
Treated myself to one last cupcake from Burgers & Cupcakes on 9th, said my goodbyes to Sab, Coolie and perhaps most importantly- Batman and hopped in my cab for the journey to JFK.
Both Jess and Stef...(yes even STEF) had managed to find their own way from Heathrow to Dylan's house- it would no doubt prove just as easy for me...
1 comment:
Rani said you better not be liking Batman better than her.
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