(Part I here, Part II here)

9. Have breakfast/brunch at the gorgeously quaint Elephant & Castle

I was slightly hesitant about putting this place on the list, but it was only because I didn’t want to go back next time and find it flooding with tourists (look at me talking as if I’m a New Yorker! Heh.) Elephant & Castle (named after the major road intersection in London) is incredibly cosy with an appetising breakfast and brunch menu, and is perfect for a lazy morning. The food was good too, and judging from the number of locals and seemingly regular patrons, we figured it’s quite well-loved by the community. We really lucked out with this place, because it didn’t pop up in any of our research and I’ll admit, I only picked it because (a) it was near the Village, (b) it had pretty good reviews on Yelp, and (c) it sounded cute. Service here is a little slow unrushed though, so only come if you have time to spare. ;) There’s a sister restaurant in Dublin (yes, Ireland!) too.

The coffee is served in a huge bowl

My Santa Fe Breakfast Sandwich - Sunnyside Eggs, Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Tomato, Guacamole, Crisp Tortilla

Dia's California Sunrise - Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, French Toast, Hash Browns

10. Discover the beauty and charm of Bleecker Street

If you’re a pop culture junkie like yours truly, you’ll certainly find Bleecker Street familiar. It has been featured in many films, TV shows and songs. But all that aside, this neighbourhood street was one of our favourites because it has so much to offer! With plenty of cafes, restaurants, specialty stores and boutiques, be prepared to spend a whole afternoon here. Be sure to check out Bookmarc (a book & gift store by Marc Jacobs) and Bleecker Street Records (for its huuuuuge vinyl collection). And for kicks, pretend (like I did) you’re one of the Sex and the City characters and drop by Magnolia Bakery. Just don’t expect earth-shattering cupcakes.

11. Bask in a leisurely walk through the Village

We loved the Village so much we went back twice. And I think we would’ve hung out there a lot more if we hadn’t already had our itinerary all packed. The beatniks and bohemians of yore may have vacated the place, but they’ve certainly left an indelible mark on the Village, making it the very attractive and eclectic residential neighbourhood that it is today. Be warned though, the streets here are all named (rather than the numbered, grid system that Manhattan is known for) and can get a little confusing to navigate, so keep your map close. It is also home to NYU – which is sprawled all over the Village – and the Washington Square Arch – which we forgot to visit!

See? SPRAWLING.

12. Unless you only want upscale shopping, hit SoHo

Save the last two days when we were in SoHo for a mere couple of hours each time, we really didn’t shop here much (which also explains the lack of photos), and we have never stopped wondering why. It has all the shops anyone would want, with probably a third of the tourist crowd in Midtown. (Yes, yes… I am aware that I’m also a tourist, but you know what I mean!) Also, anywhere with cobbled streets automatically gets 100 brownie points in my book. :p

13. Be part of the madding crowd at Chinatown & Little Italy

We went there on a Saturday. Big Mistake. Then we got used to the crowd and realised that it was quite delightful after all. I mean, all these people make up part of the charm of these two hugely popular neighbourhoods, right?

It was definitely somewhat comforting for us to be part of the majority for the first time in so many days, although I still felt oddly alien when we stepped into the Oriental Garden Seafood Restaurant. I guess people automatically assume that you speak Cantonese if you look Asian and choose to have dim sum for lunch. Little do they realise there are Peranakans like me who fumble over every other Chinese word. Thankfully, Dia is highly fluent in the language so she felt right at home. The food was good and super affordable, but there’s plenty of other fare in Chinatown which also attracted long lines, so go crazy. ;) After we were done walking off our lunch, we headed to Columbus Park to savour our cold treats from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. The park was happening, filled with plenty of old Asians playing card games and whatnot; the ice cream wasn’t. It’s not atrocious, we simply have much better “Asian-flavoured” ice cream here in Singy. The Black Sesame was quite a winner, though.

Little Italy, just across the street from Chinatown, seemed a lot more boisterous. Perhaps the Italians are louder than the Chinese? We did a very quick walk-through but the cannoli carts and packed restaurants are telling me that I need to go back there next time I’m in NYC.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

My Eyes Adored You, by the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Jersey Boys

(Part I here)

5. Be inspired by modern masterpieces at MoMA

This picture needs no introduction, but believe me, this is not the reason why anyone should visit the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). I personally found Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone (at Musée d’Orsay) a lot more inspiring. Instead, it is for the very extensive and well-represented collection of modern and contemporary art that makes MoMA a must-see. Featuring many world-famous paintings, as well as photographs, architecture and design, there’s definitely something for everyone at MoMA.

As excited as I was to see my favourites by Pablo Picasso and Roy Lichtenstein amongst others, personally, I was most captivated by this piece from Italian artist Umberto Boccioni entitled Dynamism of a Soccer Player.

Unfortunately, the photograph does absolutely no justice to this work of art. But trust me, the colours were dynamic and the brushwork was spirited.

Don’t forget to stop by the MoMA store when you’re done. You won’t leave empty-handed. Heh.

6. Tantalise your taste buds with a divine lunch at Le Bernardin

I’d never known the true worth of a Michelin star, let alone three, until I visited Le Bernardin. We didn’t know much about it except that it’s on this list and is overly-fancy since it’s a jacket required kind of restaurant. We’re generally not too keen on chi-chi restaurants but its name kept popping up on Zagat whenever I did the research, so I told Dia that we had to try it.

It did not disappoint.

Salmon Rillette with Toast

Warm Crab Cake with Tequila Guacamole and Potato Crisps, Aji Pepper-Lime Emulsion

Nantucket Bay Scallop

Poached Striped Bass with Wild Mushrooms and Baby Turnips, Rich Peking Duck Broth

Baked Cod with Artichoke Barigoule, Perigord Truffle Butter

Citrus Cheesecake with Concord Grape Spheres, Pine-Nut Sablé

Cinnamon Caramel Cream with Green Apple Foam, Candied Walnut, Red Wine Caramel

I can’t even begin to describe how satisfying this meal was, and how it gave me such feelings about food. It was, for the lack of a better word, orgasmic. ;) The experience was further enhanced by our servers who were incredibly friendly and were far from haughty, something I believe to be essential in good restaurants.

If, like us, this is as much fuss as you can handle, make reservations for lunch. It’s cheaper too (ours cost about US$120 per person, inclusive of tips).

7. Discover real heart amid all the irreverent humour in The Book of Mormon

Figuring it may never hit Singapore, we decided to catch a modern-day all-American Broadway musical making fun of what else? Religion. Entirely written by the same creators of South Park, The Book of Mormon is an offensively hilarious satire that has ridiculously catchy songs, annoyingly lovable characters and a heartwarming storyline underneath it all. So it may not sit well with everyone, but if you’re willing to give it a shot, be prepared to be highly entertained. :p The musical only opened in 2011 so it definitely has a good number of years left on Broadway.

8. Put on your skates or people-watch at Bryant Park

This picture didn’t capture that magical Christmas spirit in the air but we really did have a lovely time unwinding by the rink listening to great Christmas standards and watching people mock us with their fancy skating moves (both of us can’t skate to save our lives). It may not be as famous as the Wollman Rink in Central Park, but there was a certain winsome charm that appealed to us so much that we stayed there for almost two hours (also, we were dead tired from all the mad walking we did that same day). Check out the Holiday Shops just behind the rink before settling yourself cosy in a chair.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Baby, It’s Cold Outside, by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer

Rather than a day-to-day recap, I thought it might be more useful to share with you 20 things I really enjoyed during my trip, so it can help you in your future planning, should you ever decide to visit my favourite city in the world. :)

(Note: This list is not in order of merit.)

1. Fall in love at the top of the Empire State Building

So it’s touristy and a complete cliche. And that long meander to the top was a little bit of a mood-dampener at first. But all that got thrown out of the window as soon as I got to the top and took in THAT VIEW. I had to take a deep breath and tell myself I wasn’t dreaming. That I really was standing atop my favourite building, and I really was looking down at the glittering lights of New York City. It was then, when all the stars seemed aligned that my eyes welled up. I had a moment, and promptly fell in love.

2. Take a musical trip back to the 60s and 70s with the Jersey Boys

I’d heard from the cousin that Jersey Boys was really, really good. We were just looking forward to be able to sing along to a jukebox musical featuring the legendary Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Little did we know that the production and cramazing cast would be that spectacular. All the leads were real standouts in their own right, with special mention to Jarrod Spector and Quinn VanAntwerp (who played Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio respectively); they had voices that could melt the coldest of hearts (unless music has no effect on you). I dare you to not stand up during the finale and dance along with everyone else in the audience. ;)

3. Enjoy a stroll through Central Park

An 843-acre park in the middle of Manhattan? Complete with a castle and an ice-skating rink amongst many other attractions? It was without a doubt a great escape from the urban jungle and another reason for me to love New York City even more. Central Park, in all its fame and beauty, was indeed the perfect place for a picnic with family and friends, or for a mere wander across the sprawling greens or over the many gorgeous stone bridges. And because of its sheer size, it never felt crowded, something that I greatly appreciated. The only exception being at Strawberry Fields, where everyone (including yours truly) wanted to pose for a photo with the John Lennon tribute. But really, who can blame us? Heh.

4. Indulge in all the Christmas revelry at Rockefeller Plaza

We had an “interesting” time trying to catch the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. I wouldn’t say it was the most unpleasant situation I’d ever been in, but it was certainly an experience. Rockefeller Plaza was PACKED beyond belief so we ended up catching only a glimpse of the tree (before light-up) and had to watch the ceremony on an outdoor screen about a block away from the real action. It was quite laughable, but the fact that there was a genuine Christmas spirit surrounding us and we could hear all the musical acts “live”, kinda made the occasion rather memorable. We went back the next night to get photos of the tree and boy, was it gorgeous.

. . . . .

Song of the Day

Riverside, by Agnes Obel