(Previous countdown posts: 70 days, 60 days, 50 days, 40 days, 30 days, 20 days, 10 days, 5 days, 3 days)
And here we are, in the 25th hour before I board that 747 and bear a gruelling 23-hour flight to JFK.
*flails arms*
We finalised our itinerary today and couldn’t stop grinning like silly little girls throughout the whole process. But we were also kind of overwhelmed by how packed our schedule looked. You see, we’re the sort who prefers a more leisurely pace, so when we saw how each day seemed chock full of activities, we had to take a deep breath. How anyone can see New York in under a week, is beyond me.
27 Nov – Hello NYC :), Times Square, Empire State Building
28 Nov – Greenwich Village, East Village, NYU
29 Nov – Midtown, Lunch @ Jean Georges, The Met, Book of Mormon
30 Nov – MOMA, Fifth Ave, Barneys, 30 Rock Christmas tree light up
1 Dec – Chinatown, Central Park, Dinner @ 230 Fifth, Wicked
2 Dec – Woodbury, Chinese takeout dinner
3 Dec – Harlem, Columbia U, Museum of Natural History, Upper West Side
4 Dec – Staten Island, Brooklyn, Coney Island
5 Dec – Grand Central Terminal, United Nations HQ, Upper East Side
6 Dec – Midtown, Lunch @ Le Bernadin, New York Public Library, Jersey Boys
7 Dec – Ground Zero, TriBeCa, Soho, Dinner @ Nobu
8 Dec – Hell’s Kitchen, Flatiron District, Garment District
9 Dec – Buffer Day, Goodbye NYC :(
Amid all the excitement, I’m just really thankful that I’ve got such a great travel buddy to enjoy this vacation with. A travel buddy who I’ve known for too long, and travel so incredibly well with. It never fails to amaze me how much we have in common, and how we are both so agreeable to almost everything. I can’t emphasise the importance of travelling with someone who has the same interests and wanderlust-ing desires; I’m extremely blessed to have found such a friend. :)
I’m gonna have trouble sleeping tonight. I’m totally in a New York state of mind. Hee.
. . . . .
Song of the Day
New York State Of Mind, by Billy Joel
(Previous countdown posts: 70 days, 60 days, 50 days, 40 days, 30 days, 20 days, 10 days, 5 days)
So, my mood has been incredibly upbeat since the week started. No prizes for guessing why. ;) In fact, it’s so noticeable that my work buddy Q today remarked that I was “very happy” while we were having breakfast. And it’s true. There’s a lilt in my voice, there are twinkles in my eyes, and I just want to sing and dance all day. Nothing fazes me. I, too, am kinda amazed by the effect this trip has on me; and I haven’t even left yet! Heh.
Downtown Manhattan
I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I’m really glad we’re staying at 37 Wall. It may not exactly be right in the thick of all the action (Times Square) but it’s right in the vicinity of exciting neighbourhoods that I’m sure we’ll be spending a whole lot of time wandering around.
For one, the Village is just a few stops away. Once a centre for boho artists, the West Village (or Greenwich Village) is home to NYU, Washington Square Park, Carrie Bradshaw and my favourite TV bunch of Friends. Elsewhere in the Village, along Bleecker St, lies Magnolia Bakery, a definite stop for us mostly because we I need cupcakes.
We’ve already made reservations to have dinner at Nobu in Tribeca, and it seems breakfast/brunch at Balthazar in Soho is a must-do. Then there’s all the cast-iron architecture and cobblestone sidestreets that make both neighbourhoods all the more charming.
Finally, in the Financial District where we’ll be staying, I can’t wait to visit Trump Building and the NYSE where I will hopefully meet some handsomely-suited man and embark on a whirlwind romance. *cough* But seriously, I’m most looking forward to taking in the view of the harbour as we picnic at Battery Park, and paying my respects to the victims at Ground Zero.
Only three days left! Can you hear the squealing? :p
. . . . .
Song of the Day, because I can’t get enough of these guys.
Dog Days Are Over, by Pentatonix (Florence + The Machine cover)
