New York, New York, she took your heart away... (Pt.2)

February 1st

Today was my 21st birthday! I’d opened all my presents at home before I left so I didn’t have to bring them all with me, but I had put some of the cards in my case. Special mention has got to go to the masterpiece that was created for me my Louise (@louisejones_x) and Max (@MaxRowleyy). They’d taken a picture of Russell Brand and Katy Perry, and photoshopped my face onto Katy’s body. Despite the fact I looked like Mortisha, we make a beautiful couple. Inside the card was the random scribbling of lunatics and a fake £5 note, but I laughed until I had tears in my eyes. Bless those little rascals.

After a breakfast of waffles, strawberries, and maple syrup, we started to head for Central Park. Well actually, due to someone’s poor map reading skills, we ended up in the depths of Chelsea. Hmm. Jeesh girls, don’t all look at me, WE GOT THERE IN THE END!

Our first glance of Central Park evoked a collective: “Wow!”. It looked like Narnia; the snow was easily 2 foot deep in most places, and some piles were even taller than my 4ft 11 self (although the path all around the park had very efficiently been cleared). The trees - though bare - were snow covered and looked magical, and there were old fashioned street lights that made it more atmospheric. Someone had even made a snowman. It was so cold that our hair froze. Literally, it was stiff (oo-er), and little droplets of water on our bags had also frozen into tiny little ice cubes.

After doing the typically tourist thing of taking endless photos of the same tree but from a slightly different angle (I even took a photo of a bin: a snowed-in bin! HA! Such fun!), suddenly, from nowhere, came ASLAN! Just kidding, it was pedicab guy Alex. After a good 10 minutes of cajoling, and a fair bit of bartering, we found ourselves being tucked up in what can only be described as an oversized pram by Pedicab Guy Alex, and off we set on a tour of Central Park. From a pedicab. Have I mentioned we were in a pedicab?

Luckily, Alex was an actual gem; an opinion that was only reinforced when we went past the Central Park zoo and he started singing “I like to move it move it! I like to - move it!” (that particular zoo was the inspiration for the zoo in Madagascar). We laughed until our cheeks ached. Alex told us loads of interesting things about the park and the surrounding apartments; whilst all that overlook the park are in the million dollar bracket, even they cannot be bought by just anyone. There are some buildings that are deeply rooted in history and tradition, thus they cannot be owned my the nouveau riche celebrity culture, and will only be sold to the long standing elite of New York, such as the Waldorf family. Alex also told us a bit about himself; he is originally from a small island near Russia, but now lives in Brooklyn, and that he came out to work today despite the freezing temps because one of the penthouse apartments overlooking the park had just gone up for sale. Bless him.

We saw, as Alex kept reminding us: “Fountain from TV show Friends!”, which obviously wasn’t running because of the snow, but was still really cool to see, and the infamous arched canopy of trees which was beautiful, and reminded me of countless film/TV show scenes.

I really look forward to going back to Central Park one summer; when the lawns are filled with sun-bathers, and young children and their parents sail toy boats on the large ponds. Sounds idyllic.

From Central Park, we made the short walk to the Upper East Side. If you’re a Gossip Girl fan like myself, you’ll know this was an EXTREMELY EXCITING ENDEAVOUR! (If you’re not a Gossip Girl fan, just take a moment to step outside and re-evaluate your life. Also, maybe skip this paragraph). We saw Park Avenue (“Blair Waldorf: the quintessential Park Avenue Princess”. SCREAM!), and Lexington Avenue, where a lot of the characters are supposed to live, and scenes have been filmed. Every limo that passed I assumed to be carrying Chuck Bass, and every bakery that had pretty pastel coloured macaroons in the window made me come over all Blair. Oh, I loved it.

We went to Bloomingdale’s which was, well… just like Macy’s and Saks: posh and expensive. But it’s where Rachel from Friends worked so it had to be done. We also went to FAO Schwarz, which is undoubtedly The Greatest Toy Shop Of All Time (if you don’t want to take my word for it, it was the toy shop featured in the movie Big!). You were greeted at the door by a man dressed as a toy soldier, and on the right there was a walk-in dome which, when you looked up, was a kaleidoscope. It had Christian Louboutin Barbie dolls, 7ft stuffed giraffes (I really wanted one but doubt it would’ve fit in my hand luggage), and an entire Harry Potter section with hats, wands, and a toy Crookshanks! There were Star Wars characters made entirely of Lego that stood taller than me, and the infamous Big Piano on the second floor - I had to hold myself back from elbowing the little kids off it and playing the Rugrats theme with my feet. It really was a wonderland (until you looked at the price tags).

We were pretty cold after all this walking around in -6 temps, so we hurried back to our hotel (which had not one, but TWO Starbucks in it), and tucked ourselves up in bed with a hot chocolate and cream to thaw out before food and the theatre.

The Gershwin theatre is home Wicked, and we couldn’t have wished for a better introduction to Broadway. We were sat on the second row which made the whole experience ten times more thrilling: we really felt a part of the show. Teal Wicks played Elphaba, and it’s only now that I’ve discovered this was her first performance on Broadway! Which came as a surprise because she was absolutely outstanding and owned the stage; her voice was flawless and the emotion she put into ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘For Good’ brought tears to my eyes. Katie Rose Clark played Glinda and she was just as fantastic; her movements and comic timing were spot on, Lauren and I are still mimicking some of her quirky little ways - hilarious! “Toss toss!” The costumes and staging were so elaborate and beautiful; everything about the show was just enchanting, and we left with a spring in our step. Go and see Wicked - but only in New York!


February 2nd

Wednesday morning we went straight to the ticket office in out hotel to book tickets for Mamma Mia that night (Broadway is rather irresistible), and then booked a hop-on hop-off bus tour that would take us all around Downtown Manhattan.

We got particularly lucky with our tour guide, Jeff. He was one of those one off kind of guys; a strong, street-wise black man who you could imagine would hold up a bank of an evening, then go home, take off his balaclava and make a lasagne for his wife and kids. He’d steal from the rich and give to the needy. I liked him. He high-fived me, and my reaction was similar to if I’d be high-fived by Snoop Dogg. Henceforth, I walked with a swagger.

Jeff pointed out a few buildings that were worth a mention, such as the Project Runway school, New York University, and the apartment Heath Ledger died in. Boy, did I love Heath and his cheek bones (if he’d still been alive, I’d have been off that bus and up that fire escape in the blink of an eye). That was a bit sad, but appealed to my macabre curiosity.

But most of the trip to Downtown was what I like to call: Useless (But Often Interesting And Educational) Facts With Jeff. Catchy, I know. He told us how to survive in New York on just $40 per day (lol, bless you Jeff babes, you do know there’s a Pandora shop in our hotel, right?).

Jeff’s $40 advice included…
Where to eat: “NOT TIMES SQUARE!” - we ate in Times Square every night. Oops.
Where to buy: “Get a sample sale ticket!” - So no Macy’s then? Oops.
Where to, erm… offload: “Do you know that no hotel in New York city can refuse you use of their bathroom? So if you need to pee, might as well pee in the Plaza!” - Jeff, I commend you!

We hopped off the bus at the Ground Zero stop and headed towards the site of the Twin Towers. I was really conscious of coming across as an ignorant tourist who just wanted to gawp at the place, as though it were a circus; that was never my intention. I think it would be even more ignorant to visit New York and not go to Ground Zero and pay your respects.

Now first off, as expected: no where in New York is quiet. Yet here, although there were still people walking the streets and there was movement and chat, there was a stillness that I didn’t recognise anywhere else in the city. It was as though everyone around the site where the Twin Towers once stood were united in some kind of chilling knowledge, that didn’t need to be spoken - you could feel it in the air. Everyone remembers where they were when they found out about the Twin Towers disaster, as the magnitude of the event forms a flashbulb memory; it was the focus of my A Level Psychology study. I was 11 years old, yet as soon as it is mentioned I can recall images on the TV of billowing smoke, people falling from the buildings, and running down the streets that were being engulfed by dust clouds. I can hear the desperate 911 calls that were played out from people trapped in the buildings. I still feel the same shock - even more so, now I understand it more. Seeing those streets today evoked flash backs to those TV images; the sights and sounds that I’d been fortunate enough to only witness from the safety of my own home, were being played out in my memory as I stood amongst the streets and buildings I recognised from news footage. It was eerie, and none of us spoke while we were there.

They were working on the memorial site while we were there which, when finished, will be an area of around 400 trees, a museum, and two waterfalls filling the void of the buildings, with the names of all the victims inscribed around the side. It’ll be such a moving tribute, and I’ll definitely go and visit. No matter what your beliefs surrounding that day - whether it be that it was purely a hideous act of terrorism, or if the coincidences highlighted by conspiracy theorists arousing governmental suspicions are a bit too convenient to ignore - 9/11 is undoubtedly the most catastrophic and heart-breaking thing to shake New York city. I visited almost 10 years after tragedy, and it still firmly lingered on; the importance of that day and the people lost has never diminished, and rightfully, it never will.

From there, we travelled the fairly short distance that brought us to Brooklyn Bridge, and whilst we had intended on taking the ferry to Liberty Island, it was a particularly foggy day, so the trip wasn’t running due to low visibility. We passed through China Town on our way home (obviously by ‘home’ I mean Times Square. Lovely, homely, Times Square). I think my mother adequately summed up our impression of China Town as we passed one of the restaurants: “URGH! Look how filthy that lobster tank is!”. Quite.

That night after dinner, we went to the Winter Gardens theatre to see Mamma Mia! Although not as sophisticated a production as Wicked, it is pointless trying to fight the huge grin that covers your face throughout the show. It was funny, lively, light-hearted, and feel-good; what more could three girls want from their last night in the Big Apple?! The encore really put the cherry on top; the entire cast came back out in their 70s flares and sparkles and sang Waterloo, Dancing Queen, and Mamma Mia!, while the entire audience got the their feet to sing and dance along. It was fantastic, and so much fun! We practically skipped back to the hotel, for packing and our final night of Lift Adventures. Sob!


February 3rd

Our flight home wasn’t until 8.25pm that night, so we wanted to make the most of our final morning. When Lauren mentioned going to Top of the Rock, I wasn’t all that enthusiastic. As Jeff (our tour guide on the bus) said: “What can you see up there that you can’t see down here?”

Oh Jeff. EVERYTHING! That’s your answer.

I’m so glad Lauren insisted, because the time I spent gazing out at the Manhattan skyline on a crisp blue morning were amongst the most profound moments of my life. I know that sounds very dramatic, and as though I’m a poster-girl for emos world-wide, but it’s true. Between 5th and 6th Avenue, 50th street, on the 74th floor of the Rockefeller Centre, I found my happy place. Central Park stretched out for miles below us, glistening in it’s snow-covered perfection; the Empire State Building stood proud right in front; the Statue of Liberty looked small but significant, just visible in the distance; and everyone in the streets below continued on their daily business, accustomed to the wonders of their city.

It was only when 850 feet in the air that you really reflect on how amazing New York truly is. It is unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been; I’ve written 5000 words about my trip there, but that will never adequately describe how the city makes you feel. Those streets did make me feel brand new, and the bright lights did inspire me. It was busy, diverse, thriving; it offered opportunities, spontaneity and freedom that you wouldn’t get in somewhere as sleepy as North Wales which, albeit beautiful, and my home, is somewhere I think I’ve outgrown now.

And for those moments looking out at, to me, the most exciting place on earth, I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t care that I had 22,000 words of literary criticism to write when I got home; I didn’t care that I had no idea what I was going to do when I’d finished my degree; I didn’t care that I wanted to lose a stone before I went on holiday but I’d only lost 5lbs. Right then, I was just happy to be here.


Home

The first thing I did when I got home was check my Uni emails from the School of English, the first of which reported a missing flask. Back to reality then. Corrie didn’t pack the same punch as Broadway, and it took me a few days to get accustomed to the fact it was no longer acceptable to eat syrup for breakfast.

I miss New York, and I miss Lauren! After a week in each others constant company we’d managed not to irritate or enrage one another (I couldn’t have done that with all my friends, believe me!); I miss Lift Adventures, going on trips to get ice each night, and just generally messing about like carefree kids again! But even the pressure cooker that is third year and the 2 hour long seminars can be punctuated with a rendition of Voulez-Vous now and again… “This time last week!”.

The plan is to head back to the Big Apple in the autumn of this year. I’m already counting down the days…

:-)