Gettin’ Carried Away

After living in New York City for awhile, I formed an opinion on all the major attractions that everyone wants to see when they visit Manhattan. If you asked me about Times Square, I’d tell you this…. “I’m not a fan.”

When you live in a big city, everything around you is fast-paced, including foot traffic. I found that most New Yorkers walk slightly faster than everyone else in the U.S., as they know exactly where they are going and they want to get there ASAP. I’ve adapted to that walking style and I even move at that pace when I travel. Sure, I’ll stop to snap a photo or to marvel at something I’ve never seen before, but I can’t stand taking baby steps at 1mph… like most tourists end up doing.

So many travelers frequent Times Square every day at any given time that New York City has bowed down and yielded to their lack of attention. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve seen someone dart across the street, dodging cars, simply because he/she wasn’t paying attention to traffic signals. And when one person flees, a whole flock of people runs across the street, completely ignoring the WALK/DON’T WALK signals.

What is Manhattan’s solution? Take away some of the vehicles, of course! A new pedestrian mall standing on Broadway spans from 42nd to 47th. Motorists are still allowed to cross Broadway, but they will be re-routed to a wider 7th Avenue to continue going North or South. The city is also going to set up a promenade between 33rd and 35th near Herald Square, where the Tony Awards will be broadcasted this year. Come December, New York will make the decision whethere or not this plan should be made permanent.

Any NYC drivers out there upset about this? This idea can only prevent pedestrian accidents. Safety first, I suppose! Here is my plea to all tourists out there–Pay attention to where you are walking. Don’t make any city feel responsible for your inability to be careful when crossing the street. That’s something mom and dad should have taught you YEARS ago!

Sometimes, when I read my friend Shanna’s food blog, I start craving all my favorite foods. What can I say? She makes me hungry. The other night, I got a taste for Chinese food. I ordered some from a local place near the city (Chicago, if you remember), but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. What I wanted was in New York City.

In this post I wrote last month, I talked briefly about a restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown called 69 on Bayard Street. It has the best Sesame Chicken I have ever tasted in my entire life. I’ve also tried the Beef with Broccoli, the Sweet and Sour Chicken and the General Tso’s chicken. But none of them hold a candle to the sweet, savory flavors of the Sesame Chicken. Couple it with some fresh broccoli and steamed white rice and you get… heaven on a plate (or a bowl if you like).

But perhaps one of the reasons I love 69 on Bayard so much is because of the experience you get while dining in the restaurant. It’s a small place, but I’d refer to it as charming, not tiny. People leave their signatures on dollar bills and tape them to the wall. I mean, you can actually leave a little “<insert your name> was here” message on the wall! It’s so amazing to see all the places people have come from… and stopped to get a bite to eat.

You get to hear (and for me… not understand) some of the locals chatting up with the 69 staff in their native language. And passers by always say a friendly hello. As I was taking pictures, one guy even asked me if I was a tourist. When I told him I used to live a few blocks away, his face lit up and he cracked a joke or two before heading out the door.

And in case you are wondering, I have eaten at other restaurants in New York City’s Chinatown neighborhood. It just so happens that 69 on Bayard Street has my heart… and my tummy.

How would I spend a single day in the City the Never Sleeps? I’d splurge on purchases from my favorite Broadway shops. I’d grab a sanwich at my favorite cafe. I’d take one of my newest friends to her favorite jazz club in the world. And I’d end the whole night by visiting an old high school friend at my old college roommate’s bar. Whoa — that’s a lot in one day!

My Friday in New York began with breakfast at a charming little restaruant in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). Then, after getting some frozen hot chocolate, Becky and I headed for Central Park to take some fall photos. I lived in New York in the winter. I’ve visited Manhattan in during the spring and summer. But I had never been to the city in the fall. Strolling through Central Park, I couldn’t help but be in complete amazement of the bright reds, the warm oranges and the beautiful browns surrounding me. Colorful leaves delecately fell to the ground, exposing thick, strong tree branches. Talk about a photo op!

Upon leaving the park, we decided to walk down 5th Ave, through Rockefeller center and past Times Square. No matter how cliche it might be, Times Square is the epicenter of Manhattan. And it’s one of the best places to take a picture (besides Central Park)! Eventually, we hopped a downtown Q train to Canal Street to begin my shopping spree.

After buying jewelry at SoGood and more jewelry at Laila Rowe, Becky and I were getting pretty hungry again, and headed to Miro Cafe for a sandwich. Located at 594 Broadway, Miro serves up a ton of options for even the pickiest of eaters. Choose from delightful desserts, scrumptious sushi, create-you-own salads and flat bread sandwiches! My #1 pick is a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and fresh mozzarella. It’s simple, it’s tasty… it’s simply fantastic! While a meal at Miro could run you between $10 and $20, it is completely worth it.

After walking around for almost 10 hours, we were super excited to take a rest and enjoy some smooth jazz music at the Blue Note. Since the club does not allow flash photography during performances, I’ll have to rely on the power of written word. A piece of advice: it’s always cheaper to sit at the bar for a performance. The beautiful wood bar offers you the perfect line of sight to the small stage. Dimly lit, the entire club exudes a calm, soulful mood perfect for enjoying smooth saxophones, funky keyboards and lovely voices. Ivan Lins and the New York Voices put on a phenomenal show!

Exhausted, but still going strong, Becky and I had one more stop to make before calling it a night. We hopped on an L train at 6th Ave and 14th to go back to Brooklyn. Georgie, my old college roommate, works at Spike Hill, across the street from her apartment. One of the best features of the bar is that it’s basically two different places in one! The left side hosts nightly music entertainment, while the right side boasts a little more room and bit of a restaurant feel. I was fortunate to meet up with my friend Jim from high school. While someone’s controlling music from an iPod, the restaurant side is a bit quieter than the band side. Insider information: Watch out for Spike Hill on the next Real World: Brooklyn on MTV!