I have been to New York City (NYC) quite a few times. I went there many years ago. In my first visit, I had the visceral reaction to compare it with Hong Kong, both world-class cities. I was already biased, but objectively, the city was dirty, old, chaotic. I could find all kinds of New Yorkers, including homeless people, others with a questionable state of mind. Most people keep it to themselves, and if you asked locals for directions, you would be lucky to have one who got you an answer. There were many varieties of people in the subway. Sometimes, I had to tone down my already limited senses to avoid discovering rodents or real shit. All in all, it was not comfortable nor visually striking to be in. Most visits I left unimpressed with an unresolved mystery why it was widely considered as the top of the world. Undeniably NYC has a lot to offer with city charm, and energy in the city. Is it overrated?
My spouse and I stayed for 3 weeks, for the simple reason that our children are now New Yorkers. This time, we really enjoyed our stay. A big part is parental bias to like the city that our children are in. There are other reasons too, including the studio we stayed in, the holiday spirit, and that we experienced living in the city rather than sight-seeing in the city.
We stayed at a studio near Union Square, like a New Yorker. The studio is a few minutes walk to many subway lines, and a few minutes of walk to Union Square markets. It is within easy walking distance to the Greenwich area, the SOHO, the Chelsea markets and the China Town. It makes one of the best locations to experience Manhattan.
We shopped at the just opened Christmas markets. On the first weekend when the Christmas market was open, it was jam packed on the weekend at Bryant Square. Since then, we have been to the Union Square Market and Bryant Square market multiple times. They carried similar merchandise. We like the Union Square market better. Bryant Square market was just too crowded.
Our energy sets the ceiling on the places to shop and to explore. The city finally makes some effort to improve the subway. Most subway stations look a touch cleaner. Many times I got on, a survey would pop up on my cell phone to ask about my wait time, and my experience. I still ran into some “diverse and unpredictable riders” but I accepted it more as a by-product of freedom and diversity.
The weather made a difference too. It was comfortable and sunny in mid November when we first arrived. Other than a bit dry, the weather was almost perfect and made the best season to be in the city. Most days were sunny. We experienced how the city went from autumn with fading fall color to the windy winter after some rain.
There are such a variety of cuisines within walking distance or a subway ride. To name just a few, we enjoyed a French breakfast, signature tea set at Prince Tea House, many lunches at rustic Chinese restaurants, authentic Hong Kong cafe, Mediterranean snack, Korean food, NY bagel, Shake-Shack burger, hot pot dinner, and Schmackary’s cookies after dinner. Our stomach sets the limit to the many foods we would love to try.
We took advantage of the cultural side of the city too. We went to see the “Tosca” Opera at the MET. The cast was so wonderful, the slanted stage setting was so well done, that I did not need to be much of an Opera audience to feel connected to the show. We enjoyed it a lot. We were lucky this year to watch Opera at the Budapest Opera House, and a few months later at the MET.
There were some waves about the new “Sunset Blvd” musical with its use of technology and how the male singer shows up on the street to sing after the interlude. After watching the original movie, I really like the plot and look forward to catching the musical on Broadway. The show was sold out. Maybe I was expecting Hollywood glamor in the cast, costumes and stage. I was expecting a bring back of Hollywood before our generations. It was none of the above. There were no glamorous costumes to wow. The main performers were bare feet. The others wore everyday clothing. The stage was unstaged in a minimalist style. The cast was made up of a diverse set of performers. It was refreshing for the first half hour with some good singing. As the musical went, there were no reflections of what Hollywood was like then. The effort to be different, to be modern stood out. The live camera broadcast with the singer singing in the street caused a stir. All in all, it was a budget production that displays unique creativity but not quite the spirit of the plot. I don’t need to be a seasoned critic to recognize the brilliance of this A-grade production. We experienced that brilliance as we watched the just released “Wicked” movie a few days later.
I commuted to different offices like a New Yorker on many days. I paid $10 for a cup of overpriced but incredibly palate-pleasing specialty coffee and appreciated the warmth in holding the cup. I strolled in Central Park. I walked blocks after blocks at the pace of New Yorkers. We spent a relaxing afternoon in SoJo Spa in New Jersey. We didn’t need to plan our days—there was always something to do, places to explore, and restaurants to try.
I’m finally starting to understand why NYC is the, not one of, city that draws people from all over the world. It’s becoming clear why NYC is a must-visit destination.
oliviatamccue 