New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, the city
that never sleeps, the Big Apple, the Fashion Capital or Sex and the City. 13
miles long, two miles wide, five boroughs, and 8.2 million people all diverse
are what make up this beautiful straight out of various movies state. From
getting lost in the 770 acres of green in Central Park, to visiting the Top of
the Rock, New York was where I instantly fell in love and was heartbroken to
leave. Growing up every show or movie I was fascinated with was always set in
the same city. From Gossip Girl to Maid in Manhattan, New York is full of
iconic locations that are visually compelling.
My first trip to the Big Apple was years in planning due to
scheduling challenges and many other life complications, but nonetheless it
successfully happened. I flew into LaGuardia on a Friday night and though I was
extremely exhausted, I had to at least go for a walk around the block to
breathe in that Carrie Bradshaw air. The next morning after a horrendous night,
we were out for a jammed back day of exploring. First stop was the Top of the
Rock. The Top of the Rock Observation Deck is one of New York’s must see and do
attraction in the heart of the Rockefeller Center with the most breathtaking
(literally) views of New York. There are three levels of observation perfect
for photos with the highest being the open-air roof deck on the 70th
floor.
After the Top of the Rock, we headed out to Times Square but not before
stopping by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saks off fifth. With time to spend
before our One World Trade Center visit, we decided to try our luck on the
Subway and venture out to Little Italy. While there, we looked for the most
authentic Italian restaurant to have lunch and La Nonna was our spot. Located
in a quiet street of Little Italy, La Nonna is an Italian restaurant that
serves classic traditional meals on white tablecloths with sidewalk seating. Talk
about a great atmosphere, from Tony singing in Italian to the people in apartments
peeking out their windows, La Nonna was affordable and as authentic as you can
get. After being put in a food coma, we traveled back to the National September
11 Memorial and Museum.
The memorial is free of charge and honors the lives of
those lost on 9/11. The twin reflecting pools features the names of the people
killed in the terror attack as well as the six people killed in World Trade
Center bombing in 1993 and the Pentagon victims. The pools sit where the Twin
Towers once stood with endless water flow. Never in my life had I been rushed
with so many emotions while standing in an area, definitely one of those most
beautiful yet bittersweet memorials I have ever seen. One interesting part of
the memorial that shows how crazy life can be is the Survivor Tree. A Callery
pear tree was found at Ground Zero, severely damaged with snapped roots and
broken limbs. The tree was removed and placed in the care of New York’s Parks
and Recreation and was later returned to the site in 2010. Today not only does
the tree still bloom but it is a living reminder of resilience, survival and
rebirth.
One World Trade Center Observatory is the rebuilt building
of the new World Trade Center and the tallest building in the Western
Hemisphere and the sixth tallest in the world. Talk about one of the greatest
views I have ever seen in my life. We were so high up that you can see the
curves of the actual state. Not only does the building offer a great view but
it also has a casual café and a bar to make the visit more enjoyable. After
getting enough pictures, we were off to the famous Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge
impressively links Manhattan and Brooklyn over the East River, and enables
hundreds of commuters a safe and scenic passage. After only getting half way
through the bridge, we headed back to the Hudson Hotel to get ready for dinner,
which we settled for Flame an Asian hibachi restaurant. After a very fun filled
night, we went back to our hotel room to relax and brace ourselves for the next
day.
The following day, it was time to visit Central Park. Central
Park is the most visited urban park and one of the most famous and filmed
locations. First stop, the very famous Minton Tile Ceiling at Bethesda Terrace.
Talk about straight out of a movie, as I walked down the stairs that lead to
where Chuck and Blair once said I do and I could hear from a distance, a group
of singers singing Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” Though I wanted to
stay there the entire day, we moved over to the Kerbs Boathouse for mimosas and
views of the city. I sat to enjoy some fresh air on the small dock outside the
restaurant where Carrie and Mr. Big famously once went swimming and wondered
how I was supposed to return back home to Miami. Once the mimosas wore off it
was time to head over to the Met Steps for some yogurt (Gossip Girl reference).
Hey Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. Where you may ask,
on the Met Steps. The Metropolitan Museum of Art represents the best of human
creativity from across the globe with collections spanning over 5,000 years of
culture. After the Met it was time to head to Grand Central station. Grand Central is accessible by subway, train,
bus, or airport shuttle and has various stores and restaurants. Not only is it a historic NYC landmark but it
is extremely beautiful. From Gossip Girl, to the Avengers to Men in Black, this
station can be seen as the backdrop for various famous scenes. Therefore, it
was natural for me to recreate the very famous Serena returns to New York scene
in season one, episode one.
“Ever thine, ever mine, ever ours.” If you know me personally
you know that I love Carrie and Mr. Big and would love to get proposed to in
the New York Public Library amongst all the love letters of great men (cough,
cough). The library provides the city with worldwide online tools to help them
discover resources and services as well as offers readers with an immense
collection of more than seven hundred works of literature. After exploring the
library and being captivated with its architecture, it was time to head back to
the hotel to get ready for dinner.
Originally,
a 19th century stable for the Vanderbilt family and then a movie
theater, TAO Uptown was transformed into a majestic Asian temple of holy food
goodness. If you are ever in Las Vegas, Los Angeles or New York I highly
recommend you get reservations. I first tried their deliciousness in Las Vegas,
when I heard there were two in New York I had to get my cravings fulfilled. I
have since then started a petition for a restaurant in Miami, just saying.
On the last day of our trip, we decided to head over to
Central Park once more to enjoy the views one last time. After checking out, we
took a train ride out of New York to New Jersey to head back home. As I sat on
the train and stared off into the passing city all I can think of is when I
would be back into this city that romanced me like nothing has ever in my life.
New York as simple as it is to many for me holds so much more value. Being born
in Cuba and moving to the US, I would have never envisioned standing in the
exact same spots that I grew up fascinated with. I feel truly blessed to have
had the opportunity to have experience New York and I cannot wait to be back and become my very own perfect mix of Blair Waldorf, Carrie Bradshaw, and Olivia Palermo.
Post a Comment