Day 23: New York, New York. With a collective maybe 10 hours of sleep between the three of us we arrived at JFK around 6:30am. Grabbed a cab to get to Midtown where we would call the Grand Hyatt Hotel our home for the next few days. It took an hour to traverse traffic into the city, and by the time we get to the hotel, our room isn’t available for early check in. Instead we take 30 minutes to freshen up in the restroom, drop off our luggage off with the bell hop and decide to explore Grand Central Station.
First stop? Apple Store, Grand Central naturally. The only open air Apple Store in existence the inner fangirl in me knew we had to make a stop and what a magical spectacle was had.
Apple Store, Grand Central — I love you.
Shortly after, we walked downstairs and look like crazy people while experimenting with the whispering gallery. At first we couldn’t get it to work, but some nice gentlemen from the Oyster Bar & Restaurant came out to help/laugh at and with us (I’m sure they experience this everyday and chuckle everytime).
Bellies rumbling, we just grabbed a quick bite of warm breakfast sandwiches at the food court below. By the time we finished it was roughly 9am and we set off in the direction of the Guggenheim. I have lusted after going here as it is designed by one of my favorite architects, Frank Llyod Wright, and ever since Will Smith ran up the circular floors while chasing an alien in the first movie of Men in Black series. I take a pause and decide that I wouldn’t mind being arrested for trying to recreate this scene. It would be worth it.
We arrive about 30 minutes too early for a visit, and decide instead to take a quick media and entertainment reference tour of Central Park.
Where Chuck and Blair Got Married
At the Bethesda Fountain Amy Adams broke into song and dance in Enchanted, also there was the Bethesda Terrace where Chuck and Blair from Gossip Girl got married. We walked all about the park visiting the Alice in Wonderland statue before heading for to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met). We seemed to be on a Will Smith tour as we ended up seeing and dangling our feet above the shallow pool where he was fishing in I Am Legend. Reached into my purse and pulled out 3 pennies for us to make an over the shoulder wish with. While I thought it would be a fun thing to do, I actually forgot to make a wish in my head.
There be fish in the Met at the Apocalypse
After the Met we we’re a bit too tired to make the Guggenheim as well, so we ended up going back to the hotel for a brief two hour nap. Last week I read a study where people that take naps often die from cardiovascular disease earlier than people who don’t. Being that I don’t sleep well in general, I think this study is a bunch of bullsh*t, if I need naps to help replenish lack of sleep I will take them.
We woke up and got ready again. Where to next? Another Apple Store! Since we timed our trip to fall within the Tribeca Film Festival, the Apple Retail Stores have a series of events called Meet the Film Makers, it’s a shame that we don’t have this on the west coast. Nevertheless we arrived in time to see Gia Copolla, Emma Roberts, and Nat Wolff talk about their new film Palo Alto. Internally I was reflecting on how somewhat meta this was. We’re from the Bay Area in New York watching people talk about a film based on a city in the Bay Area.
Cast of Palo Alto @ Apple Store Soho
While walking away from the Apple Store, our bellies rumbled and were a little cold. We decided to grab a pastry and coffee at Balthazar. Once inside we all spy the hazelnut hot cocoa and settle on different pastries. This hazelnut hot cocoa would be the center of many conversations that followed our trip. We sat on a bench outside slightly shivering but devouring our goods, contemplating another cocoa before moving on to our next activity.
As long as we were in Soho, what’s the best thing you can do there? Go shopping. Oh the temptation. We made a pitstop at J.Crew Mens so Brian could try on this jacket and then we went peruse Topshop where I fell in love with this hat. Don’t worry, I didn’t buy this lovely.
Topshop, I love you and your accessories. Selfie Times!
Shortly after this we went off to dinner at Cafe Boulud on the Upper East Side. The other patrons were of the older variety and finely dressed except for the couple we sat next to. They might have been 24/25 and young love was in the air as evident by the gratuitous face palming that the girl attempted to do to the young man across the table from her. Brian and I attempted to recreate this tender moment which Jen caught on photo.
Face palming is the new I love you in NYC.
Definition:
face-palming — East Coast tradition of palming a potential love interest’s face like a basketball as a sign of affection.
The night ended with a brisk walk around Rockefeller Center and Time Square, whereby we met “I’m a Perv Elmo” who tried to reach around Jen for a boob grab, as Brian and I stood laughing on the side.
You think you know Elmo, but you really don’t know.
Soon after Jen kicked the Elmo and Animal to the curb we decided to head to Sake Bar Hagi for some late night eats. While NYC has a lot of charm, so far this journey haven’t really been tempted to shop as I’ve been so distracted with experiences and non-stop laughs.
Dah, I sold something on eBay today, and I actually brought it in my suitcase. Tomorrow will need to find some place to mail it out.
Bought: 0
Pinned: 0
Sold: 1
Returned: 0
Gifted: 0
