Every since I can remember it has always been a dream of mine to go to The Big Apple. Well, this past weekend that dream finally became reality for me! So, let me just warn you now, this will be long, but I have to document while it is fresh in my noggin!! And so it all began, two Fridays ago when I was sitting at the U in my favorite study spot and I got a tweet message from my Uncle. He said would you be interested in going to New York with me and my Aunt. In my head I immediately wanted to reply yes, but there were so many conflicts that weekend. Like we would only be gone four days and everyday something big was going to happen. Thursday I had a big pottery assignment, Friday I had a chemistry midterm, a surprise party, and a relief society activity, Saturday was my cousins baptism I was to speak at, a good friends wedding plus all my family from out of town was coming into town and Sunday was one of my good friends farewells. So, I replied to my uncle with a I will have to talk to my parents, thinking there is no way they will ever let me go. So two hours later I get a text from my uncle asking if I have flown a lot, I reply with a nope, because I had never flown. About two minutes later I get a reply saying my flight was booked and we were to leave SLC Wednesday night at 11:45. I literally started happy dancing as I am walking to my car from class. I was SO excited. So then I had to figure out everything so I was able to turn my pottery in a different day, make up my test, and apologize a hundred times for missing peoples life changing events. But it all worked out because I am back, and everyone still loves me...I think.
THE FLIGHT: Wednesday was probably the slowest day of my life, like I was dying because I just wanted to get to New York! Well school finally ended and I went home and worked on homework that needed to be finished before I left and started packing, I then ventured to the SL temple with my cute friend and we did baptisms and went to dinner before I left. When I got home I rechecked my suitcase for the hundredth time and called it good. One of my friends came over to tell me goodbye and then off to the airport I went! I got there at 10:30 and met my uncle and we went and got our tickets and checked in our bags, went through security and yadda yadda. Well we get to our gate and come to find out our flight is delayed because of mechanical problems, so we sat and waited for at least an hour. We didn't fly out till 1:00 a.m. Now I know why they call them Red Eye flights. Cause everyone's got red eyes!! I couldn't really sleep on the plane because I was so excited to be flying and to be going to New York. What did I think of my first flight? It was good!! I mostly felt like it was a car ride..but in the air. None the less though, I loved it. We landed in New York at around 7 and my cute aunts picked us up at the airport! We then went to my Aunt Olive's apartment because she actually lives in Queens! (shes not really my aunt, but I consider her one) Because we were so tired from our flight we took a quick pick me up nap and then we were off!!
DAY ONE: So from Olives house it is a quick walk to the subway and you can get basically anywhere in a matter of minutes but before that we went and ate at a delicious Asian Restaurant and I ate with chopsticks the whole time. I know, so proud. And then we hoped on the "R" train and headed to Rockefeller Plaza. The subway was not as scary as everyone makes it out to be. It's just like Trax, except underground, ten times faster and kinda more dirty..but everyone rides it so it's fine. When we got to our stop we walked upstairs and outside and BAM there it was! Rockefeller plaza!! Like is this real life? Am I really standing right here? I have only seen this ice rink on the tv and in movies, but here I am staring at it in person! It was truly an unreal experience and I was basically floating on cloud nine! And what is right next to Rockefeller Plaza? The Today Show headquarters!!! So that was way awesome! We walked around and took pictures for a bit and then went into the NBC gift shop, spent too much money and then we hit the ground running! I saw Saks & Co from afar and we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral. Which was amazing! It is under renovation, which was kinda a bummer, but none the less, it was still amazing. The architecture was simply stunning and the high ceilings and stained glass windows unreal. It was very cool to be able to see such a historic part of New York. From there we walked down to Radio City Hall and into a cool little museum that had stuff from Times Square in it. We then headed to TIMES SQUARE!!!!! How amazing is that place?! Like holy crap!! I am in love! It was everything I imagined and so much more! We went into the Disney store, which was giant, and I literally had a hay day shopping in there. It was so fun!!! We went to McDonalds because it was two stories and huge and cool so we had to go. Then we just went and sat in the square for a bit and people watched and I took it all in. It was so so cool. I probably could have spent like an entire day there just going in stores, like the American Eagle there was probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! So from there we hoped back on the subway and headed home. We got Chinese food takeout for dinner and just ate at home, by then I was completely pooped so I went straight to bed so I could be completely rested for the next day. It was weird being two hours ahead of everyone back home. The whole time change thing kinda threw me for a loop. But it worked out.
DAY TWO: Today I woke up, ate a delicious breakfast of eggs, bacon, jewish rolls and Naked Mango juice, hit the shower, curled the hair and was ready to roll! We headed to the 9/11 Memorial! The lines were endlessly long, but we made it! And let me tell you it was probably one of the coolest spirits I have ever felt. It was like a sense of peace. I probably heard like ten different languages in five minutes and that was unique. Being able to see the foot of where The World Trade Towers once stood and realizing what happened was a lot to take it, it was definitely a cool experience. We then went into the gift shop and spent too much money again. I found my dad a way awesome FDNY shirt and was way excited to get that for him! After that we headed to this department store called Century 21. It was like a Kohls, Macys, and Bed Bath & Beyond all tied in one. It was sweet. Like bring those to Utah! We went to lunch at McDonalds on Wall Street and that was neat because that place had a baby grand piano in it with someone serenading us...like they really take care of their Mickey D's. So then we went to the World Biggest Macy's. I have never seen such a store. Like it just was glistening inside and smelled of wonderousness. It is a shoppers heaven. My mother would have been in heaven!! Also I went on the wooden escalator which is like one of the big things Macy's in NY is known for so that was pretty sweet. We then headed over to the Empire State Building and headed up 86 floors to the Observation deck. Holy heck that was breath taking, being able to see New York from a birds eye view. Like wowza!! Also we could see Lady Liberty which was cool. Because of the government shutdown she had been closed so our hopes and dreams of seeing her were shattered. Thanks Obama... We then went into the gift shop and of course I spent more mullah there. I am pretty sure I bought a keychain and magnet everywhere we went... haha. After that we headed back to the subway, but not before I stopped in a shoe store and bought red Hunter rain boots!! Happiest moment ever!! After that we headed back home and went to a delicious BBQ restaurant for dinner and I had the most delicious Pina Colada drink. It was heavenly. But not to forget that before we got on the subway there was the coolest of cool little bands playing at the subway station, so ya I donated to that cause, they were pretty talented. Like go on America's got Talent my friends!
DAY THREE: On this day we went to Long Island and had lunch with some of my aunts friends. Just so you know, my aunt is Filipino so her friends were Filipino. So we headed on over to their house. They lived in a Jewish community so all the Jews were walking to church because they worship on Saturday so that was kinda cool to see. We got to their house and it was a lovely little place! Probably one of the most unique houses I have ever been in. They had fun painted walls and furniture and a baby grand piano. They had it all!! For lunch we were served Filipino food. Which, honestly I didn't know what I was eating, but it none the less I ate it. For a second I related it to being a missionary and just eating whatever is put in front of you and saying thank you. However, what I was eating was very good. We started off with a chicken and rice soup. Then we had pansit, meat and fresh egg rolls and for dessert we had this really good green jello with like these coconut noodles, it was really delightful. After all that was said and done we headed home. We then ventured out to the subway and headed off to Central Park and FAO Schwartz. Which holy heck let me tell you, that place is incredible. Every child's dream!! I was in heaven! It was so much fun! The biggest toy store in America! I bought a cute FAO Barbie doll and then we went to this Filipino restaurant for dinner. Which I am pretty sure I was the only white person (besides my uncle) on that whole block. They ordered this huge platter with a giant variety of food, so I got to try it all out! So basically I am a Filipino now :) After that we went home and I packed my suitcase and went to bed knowing that tomorrow was my last day in the big apple, I wanted to make the best of it!!
DAY FOUR: My final day in the magical city of New York. How did we spend it? With Lady Liberty of course! So as I mentioned before, The Statue of Liberty had been closed cause of the government shutdown, well prayer works cause it opened up in time for us to go!!! So we headed to the subway and off to Battery Park which is where you board the ferry to get to Liberty Island. It was literally one of the coolest experiences of my life! I was just ecstatic! The ferry ride was so fun! From the ferry you can see New Jersey and New York and it is really pretty awesome. There were lots of sail boats and speed boats that were crusin' around too, so it was fun to see those! When we got onto the island we bought waters and then headed around to see the lady herself. It was just a surreal moment. I am still amazing at how cool of an experience it was! After taking pictures with her and the other billion people, we went into the gift shop and bought some fun stuff, then boarded the ferry and back the to the city we went. As we got off the ferry there were all these people trying to sell fake purses and watches and stuff and well of course you have to experience that at least once in your life, so I got a black Coach purse haha. It was pretty funny to bargain with the dude! Once we got back to the apartment I hurried and finished packing, I was kinda worried I wasn't going to be able to fit everything I bought in my suitcase!! But somehow it all worked out!! We ate some leftovers before we headed to the airport and then off we went. We got to the airport checked in, told Aunt Olive goodbye and headed to our gate. However, we had an hour before we could board the plane so I went and explored the airport and bought a cool sweatshirt haha. We finally boarded the plane and got ready to take off. I feel like take off took forever and a million years!! Like get this bird in the sky already! We finally got in the air and homeward bound we went. I wasn't able to sleep on the flight, because I just cant, its too uncomfortable for me, so I just listened to my music and looked out the window at all the little lights down yonder. After 5 hours we landed in good ol' SLC! My mom and sister came to the airport to pick me up and they even made me a sign :) Best family award!!
New York was seriously the time of my life, and I am so grateful I had the experience to be able to go!! Thanks to these three for being such good hosts and tour guides! I had such a blast and cant wait to go back in the future!! Cause there is no way I can stay away now!! If you ever have the opportunity to go to NYC. GO!!! You will not regret it one bit!! I hope everyone is having a nice week!! Its fall break for me so I am sure enjoying myself :) Thanks for reading! Muah!
<3// Nessa
