A Day in New York....
We’re in New York for a week staying in a corner suite at the Renaissance New York Times Hotel . Today, is designated for more exploring which we thoroughly enjoy. No power walking this morning as we’ve planned for a long day’s adventure and all of it will be on foot so we can soak it all in….
Omar the Concierge
After breakfast we decided to touch base with the hotel’s concierge. We met “Omar”. Anyway, he started out being quite helpful about where we were going to spend our day and suggested we use the trains. I mentioned that I don’t do trains and he proceeded to spruik New York’s rail system. I turned around to Nanna and typically joking (Aussie humour😊) I said to her that if anything happens it will be your fault. OMG!!….at this point Omar rounded on me and started to lecture me that I shouldn’t talk to my wife like that and gave us HIS history of his irritable bowel problem and his mother’s problems and his marriage and a menagerie of other things and finishing off by saying that he wants to make sure the guests are very happy and that we should always look on the bright side of life……I didn’t see this coming😊. Seriously??
On to Rockefeller Centre
It’s now about 9.30. We set out for the day with the first stop to be Central Park. It wasn’t long before we discovered that we’re going the wrong way. So, we stop and take stock and moved on. First stop. (You thought it was Central Park didn’t you…. get serious😊). We arrive at the Rockefeller Centre…. yea we’re doing a “random”…. A “random” is what Nanna throws when she’s not in sync with my well prepared itinerary😊! Anyway, the Rockefeller Centre is an iconic attraction that has to be experienced to appreciate what views it offers including the famous “Top of the Rock” which offered an incredible view of the Empire State Building, NYC’s midtown and downtown skyscrapers, and farther on to the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor.
Museum of Modern Art, NY
Next stop. Nooo, its not Central Park you fool😊…. Oh, I’m sorry you have to be married to understand! Next stop is MOMA…. No, its not pronounced “moaner” ……it’s a Museum of Modern Art…
OMG…. hold me back…. now, for some time Nanna has been telling me that when we go into New York’s museums we do not have to pay the FULL fare as they are government establishments for the citizens use and so are happy to take a “contribution”. She reminds me of this when we line up for the tickets. I approach the good-looking receptionist and in a deep Australian voice “announced” that I will only pay $10 (instead of $50) for each ticket. The receptionist looks at me puzzled. Simultaneously my dearest wife comes up behind me and whispers to me that this is the wrong museum to ask for a “discount/give a contribution” ☹ …. needless to say, I look like a silly old geezer. I maintain my demeanour and slowly sulk away.
Anyway, we got the tickets and proceeded to look with “awe and admiration” at some “art” that is supposed to have had an impact of the way my life has turned out. Are you kidding me?? I’m living the dream with a great wife (in case she reads my posts), wonderful family, outstanding businesses and reasonable health. Anyway I “enjoy” the next 2 hours of MOANER.
Next Stop: Central Park
Next stop. Woohoo we’re in Central Park. For the next couple of hours we did see many beautiful pockets of gardens. Greenery soothes both of us…. we are rural folk after all. We end up at the Boathouse for lunch but opted for a light “counter-lunch” given a wait of 2 hours to get into the restaurant proper. Central Park is literally an oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle! It’s peaceful and somewhat enchanting and makes for people to relax, enjoy each other’s company, hold hands and talk. We visited Strawberry Fields, Dakota Apartments (where John Lennon lived). We also explored Bow Bridge, The Ramble, Sheep’s Meadow, Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian Andersen statue and many other nooks and crannies.
Metro. Museum & Hell’s Kitchen
As we skirted Central Park’s perimeter, we came across the Metropolitan Museum, one of the world’s largest museums, but alas, it was closed. It will have to be for another day as its a place we truly want to visit. Its exhibits are mouth-watering.
As its 6.15 p.m. we decided to find some place to have dinner and so we headed towards Hell’s Kitchen again. It’s a fair hike. Although we’re somewhat weary from being on our feet all day, we soldiered on and hunted for a restaurant.
We go along Park Lane (but built no houses😊), saw some sculptures Nanna “oohed” over (too hideous to describe but she says it’s a Henry Moore…. What do I know!!), old New York tenements and others interesting sites.
We find a restaurant named Medi Winebar within the Hell’s Kitchen district. Beautiful dining environment in natural greenery with a deliciously sounding Mediterranean cuisine. Took the option of dining in the back patio away from noise. Rustic ambiance. Superbly prepared fare. Incredibly, we met a couple from Ashfield NSW. Naturally, we talked politics given that the election in Australia is in a few days time. Chatted about where we were going to cast our votes and who stood for what. Most engaging.
We loved the Hell’s Kitchen area. At night its vibrant and alive with beckoning eateries and numerous other establishments. We felt quite safe walking about….and listening to the New York language being spoken directly at us rather then thru the movies was a great personal experience.
Times Square New York
We walked back to the hotel and along the way we strolled through Times Square with its “millions” of people, its “gizzillions” of neon lights and monster-size screens and billboards sending the masses subliminal messages to buy this or watch that…. every action is about competing for one’s attention……bigger, better, faster.
The pictures one sees of Times Square do not do it justice. You have to experience it…. to feel the vibration of crowd and to hear unfiltered sounds. Amazing scene and atmosphere.
Times Square derives its name from that dominating newspaper, the New York Times which took up residency in this square in 1904.
Incidentally we bought a NY pretzel…. neither of us liked it…. too doughy and definitely too salty…. and there’s no taste to it…. don’t know what the hype is all about but we did it. Tick.
