New York

Thanks to the fantastic employers I have chosen in the past 8 years, I have had the unbelievable opportunity to visit 11 countries in my lifetime so far (Belgium, Germany, India, Canada, Sweden, France, Spain, Italy, England, Finland, Denmark) and countless amazing US cities.

However, one iconic city was yet to be conquered by this nightmare of curry - New York.

Consider it now, conquered.

I visited many symbolic burrows and did everything that I wanted to do – except shop. (Shopping will require a dedicated trip.)

The List:

• The Met
  
• Broadway Play – Spring Awakening (I highly recommend it)
  
• Times Square
  
• Ground Zero
  
• Sex and the City Tour
  
• Bryant Park
  
• New York Public Library

The Random Stuff:

• I connected with an old co-worker who took me to her apartment building – The Atlas building, home of Project Runway designers! I actually went to the rooftop with her and took in the magnificent panoramic view of Manhattan.
  
• I met a girl who is an intern for Donald Trump.
  
• I instantly recognized the Sex and the City movie scenes filmed within the New York Public Library.
  
• There was someone famous at the Waldorf…but we have no idea who. The streets were closed off and cops were everywhere – following a stretch black limo.
  
• I had no problems getting around on the icky subway.
  
• I had a slice of Pizza – every day.

The Coolest Memory:

On my first day, I was on my own for the entire day. I figured I would go to the Met – hit an Art museum and get used to the subway system – no problem.

Taking the 6 train from the lower east side, I got off on 86^th street. My bearings were a bit off and I met someone who was in the same position. He looked very young and of course I was aloof. I got over it and we decided to find the museum together. My walking partner (no, I don’t even know his name), let’s call him ‘Bob,’ turned out to be a very interesting person. He also was hanging out in ‘the city’ for the day and that ‘art was his life.’

The walk was short but on the way, we stopped at a street vendor. Bob bought 3 funky looking necklaces, each with large pendants that looked like medieval masks. He asked me which one I liked best. He then said, ‘I would like you to have it so you can always remember this day in New York.’

I didn’t feel right taking it, but I was dumbfounded by this random act of kindness and sentiment.

And they say New Yorkers are rude?

After entering the museum, I lost Bob and never saw him again. But I didn’t need a necklace to remember the day.

In conclusion, I left New York thinking, thank god I never came here at an earlier point in my life. I truly believe that if I visited Manhattan as a naïve, broke 23 year old, I would have picked up my belongings, moved there, stayed broke, and fallen in love with the city. Now, I plan to enjoy the city at least once a year until I no longer have the means to do so. Probably just to shop.