After a few more touches, I was done getting our luggage, carry-on, and personal bag ready. That last one was an attempt at being extravagant with words, it was my backpack. Last thing to pack was my fitted hats. Which one will it be? The bright blue, orange hat or keep it simple with the all navy blue one? The question wasn't imperative, but the late-night flight and the trip itself were making me edgy. I realized I was packing so much clothes, one would think I was leaving this life for another.
Being our flight was a little over four hours, it was a no brainer to download a few movies to the tablet. Number one on my list was Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Was it corny on my part based on the destination? Undoubtedly. Can you blame me? You're entitled to your opinion. Regardless of the in-flight movie of choice, the flight proved to be hectic af (as kids say). To begin with, the seat was awful on my lower back. I have to admit, though, my lower back isn't so pleasant to work with either. We'll call it even Seat 20C. Things took a turn for the worst. Before I get to this next part, let me make this abundantly clear, I love kids. Okay, now that we got that out of the way. An hour or so into the flight, someone's child began to cry, no, no, let me be more detailed. Someone's child woke up and thought, this is it, my moment to shine! The audience was set, and we were all in for a treat. She came at us with her best impression of Shelley Duvall shrieking in The Shining. I mean, this kid yelled bloody murder for almost an hour. So loud, you could hear her from the lavatory. I didn't know if someone should go check on her or check on the father. I've seen the movie a handful of times and not once had I ever felt empathy for Jack whilst he took an axe to the door... until that night. The kid eventually stopped crying after the stewardess, bless her soul, provided her with a lollipop.
Due to immense joy, I completely forgot I was flying to the East coast. I finished wiping off the blood from my ears when the pilot announced we were about an hour away. Our flight took off from Phoenix at 11:30 PM and was due to arrive at our destination at about 7:00 AM. Which means I was faced with starting the day without getting as much as a wink in. So, I said to myself what any Latino would say in moments of near defeat, ¡chingue su madre! I kept these peepers open. Moments later, it was dark in the cabin, but the lights were dim enough to notice someone a few rows up. It was baby Shelley Duvall, staring right at me, licking her lollipop. After a few seconds of staring each other down, the toddler flipped me off and went to sleep.
The flight touched down at approximately 7:08 AM. We jumped on a Lyft and made our way to the city, thee big city. I kept looking out the window, waiting to see the skyscrapers and packs of wild pedestrians rushing through crosswalks. I waited and waited but all I kept seeing was what seemed like abandoned buildings (they probably weren't), houses, and cemetery after cemetery. For a tiny second, I was beginning to think Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were full of shit. But after a while, I saw it, the grandiose Empire State Building. I whipped out my navy-blue Yankee hat and put that sucker on. You wouldn't have realized it unless you were in that car, but I was like a kid headed to Disneyland for the first time... or Lavar Ball being asked to switch gears.
I wore shorts due to the myriad caveats of the summer humidity in New York. Even with shorts, the only word I can use to describe the situation in my crotch is: Amazonia. I swear, I felt epiphytes growing from my thighs. Getting closer to the hotel, everything was sinking in, it was somewhat overwhelming. Steam rising from the streets, construction workers yelling a conversation to each other with a cigarette in hand. For the first three nights, we stayed at a hotel in Times Square so it was different than what I expected. I stuck my head out of the window and was immediately bombarded by a gloomy yet familiar scent. A Chinese man was hosing down and scrubbing the sidewalk in front of his restaurant, Weng's Palace, and it reminded me of the streets in Mexico. He was conversing with an African American man smoking a cigarette. When we all got out of the car with our luggage, they both stopped what they were doing, and provided us with what I can only assume was a conventional "goddamn tourists" stare and resumed their conversation. After checking in, we took our bags up to the room and were ready to take the city on, paint it red, as they say. I laid down for what I thought would only be a second, but that second turned into three hours. I was out cold. Fuck you, Baby Duvall, fuck you.
The first meal of our trip was a place born in New York City fourteen years ago in Madison Square Park. Shake Shack! A mixture of my indecisiveness and my wife's clever ways to make me to choose led us there. The place was loud, it was popping, the food smelled so incredible. I had their Double Bacon Cheeseburger while Jojo ordered their Chick'n Shack. I've had their burgers back home in Scottsdale a couple of times, but this tasted a hundred times better. The beef, the cheese, the BACON. It was euphoric. After getting our shack on, we went to collect my backpack and rendezvous with the group at the lobby. My dad made the wonderful suggestion of heading over to Bryant Park. The day started off cloudy, but as we got closer to the park, the sun peeked his hot ass out and blessed us with this beauty.
People grabbed their pastries from Breads Bakery and sat in the tables surrounding the park or around the Reading Room. Your typical tourist, however, stood around taking a cluster of different selfies and portrait shots of the Josephine Shaw Lowell Memorial Fountain.
There was an ongoing theme as we continued walking down 42nd Street, and throughout the whole trip in general. Somehow, we kept referencing Keanu Reeves and various scenes from the John Wick movie series. Which led us to our next stop, the Mid-Manhattan Public Library at 42nd.
Maybe it was the thrill of being in front of the same building as some of my favorite movies, but I stood there motionless, taken back with astonishment. To put it in simple terms, I was totally geeking the fuck out. I started taking so many pictures in the most unsystematic of angles. Don't worry I erased most of them. Just when I couldn't geek out more, I darted inside and went made my way straight to the Great Study Hall. Part of me felt bad for the people in there trying to study or just read, it must be distracting seeing tourists' constantly walk in and out. But the other part of me wanted to jump for joy, tap a random stranger, yell "TAG!" and run off to the next room. After the Great Hall, we noticed the library has a moving commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which FYI, runs through July 13th, 2019. The walls are filled with so much history, telling the story of the LGBTQ civil rights movement through photographs. We came across the exhibition by accident but I'm definitely glad we did. #Stonewall50 #LoveResistance
Moving our way to Grand Central Station, I got a shot of the Chrysler Building. We moved around Manhattan so much and yet this is the only time I had a chance to see it. Still, it was majestic as I thought it'd be.
The area around Grand Central Station was under construction, I apologize for the meager representation I captured of the outside. Inside, however, was the complete opposite. Grand Central's Main Concourse was absolutely gorgeous. The stunning chandeliers and the constellations on the ceiling were breathtaking. My neck became sore from admiring the mural conceived by architect Warren Whitney and painter Paul César Helleu in 1912. The pictures don't do it justice, this place is something you have to experience in person. What's even crazier is my pictures only show the Main Concourse, but Grand Central Station has so many halls and areas to explore. Yes, even an Apple Store.
We made a quick stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral. It reminded us of the countless basilicas in Mexico. It was quite the sight. There was a wedding about to start, I wouldn't have minded sticking around, but we had plenty of places to see and food to scarf down.
As we walked down looking for somewhere to eat, I caught Attilio Piccirilli's "Joy of Life", a frieze above the entrance to 1 Rockefeller Plaza. Other than ancient Mexico, ancient Greece and its mythologies are something that have always caught my attention. The stories and the art are so captivating. When I saw the God of the grape-harvest, I had to capture it and share with you guys.
Tasked with finding a place to eat (yet again) when it's your first time in the city proved to be rather difficult. In the weeks leading up to the trip, I bookmarked a few locations, followed Foodie Instagram personalities, and binged vlogs exclusively regarding NYC food. Even with all the resources at hand, I was still wavering. Based on my dad's elusive hints he wanted a Blue Moon from tap throughout the day, I made a hasty decision and we ended up at Sean's Bar & Kitchen on 48th Street. The Irish-American scheme and menu were gratifying, the Liverpool FC banners hanging off the ceiling won me over, yet the food itself was merely adequate. Service was great, the bar is a perfect fit for after work drinks, so still worth a look.
Right across the street was something we were looking forward to all day, the Nintendo store. It's a two-story fantasy land or at least that's how we saw it. From the apparel to stuffed toys of your favorite Nintendo characters, it was a fun pit stop in our agenda. It was all smiles in the Jojo department, getting to act like a kid with her in this city made it such a better trip than I anticipated.
We did the NBC Studio Tour but unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pics, but we were able to a shot at making our own talk show. I uploaded the video to my YouTube channel. After the tour, we decided to call it a day and walk back to the hotel for the next day we planned to hit Central Park. The days came to close the same way for most of the trip, with us hoping the following days forecast wouldn't come to fruition.
Central Park was everything I thought it would be and more. We rented a few bikes and just rode all around the park via East and West Drive. We stopped for a moment to capture some pics in front of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, near Engineers' Gate, by the memorial for the 95th Mayor of New York City, John Purroy Mitchel. I got some decent shots. #GloryGloryManU
Riding around the park tested the groups endurance as soon as we reached the Warriors' Gate area. It went downhill as soon as we started going uphill so to speak. We pedaled and pedaled up our little hearts up near Strangers' Gate where we decided to rest. We headed back to West Drive to keep going but Jojo recalled seeing waterfalls on the map, so we dismounted and took a tiny detour. I'm so glad we did.
Later that night, I was determined to find a good breakfast spot for the following day, something different. We got up extra early and walked around to find Friedman's in Hell's Kitchen. Menu was fairly simple, three categories: Early Risers, Classics, and Drinks. I ordered the drip coffee which is from La Colombe (Philadelphia) and it was tasty. I'm usually indecisive no matter how concise or diverse the menu options are. Waiter arrived and I didn't think of twice, I went with the Wild Mushroom Toast. It includes a sunny-side egg, burrata, spinach, and truffle butter all on a toasted ciabatta. Locals and other people might have a different opinion of Friedman’s, but I loved everything about this place.
The Vessel (above) is located behind The Shops at the Hudson Yards. It's free to check out from the inside, just need to claim your ticket with an assigned time slot. Did we do it? Nah, we passed. We had one of two museums to check out. It was already 2 o'clock so we had to keep moving. Being the American Museum of Natural History is a tad on the older side and smaller, we finished that bad boy right as it was closing time. Missed a few exhibitions because I decided to stop and check out the Latin America sections but worked out fine.
Next is... you guessed it, eat AGAIN! Right around the corner, inside The Excelsior Hotel, is the Cuban gem, Calle Ocho. You have to come here and try two things: One, the guacamole, which is served with some amazing fried plantain chips.
Second, the bistec topped with chimichurri verde. The food and the drinks hit it out of the park. Paired my food both with a Negra Modelo Michelada and it made my evening. Checked out The Excelsior's interior and it screams of vintage elegance.
Day three was the last day at the hotel so we checked out early and took the subway up to Central Park again. Tuesday was one of the highlights of the trip because I finally had the opportunity to see The Metropolitan Museum of Art. I'm only going to post a few pictures of the museum because it's something you have to see in person.
Trust me guys, this place is E-NOR-MOUS! Unfortunately, there was tons of areas and exhibitions closed for renovations but still, the art and the museum itself blew me away.
In all our excitement at The Met, we forgot we hadn't eaten anything, so we walked around the Upper East Side searching for somewhere to eat. for a while until we found this nice little vegan spot called, Candle Cafe. We couldn't have landed here it at a better time. I peeked over at Jojo and she had that ferocious look in her eye. I ordered the avocado BLT, which comes with tempeh bacon as the meat substitute. The "bacon" and I were at odds, but after the first bite, and adding some of Jojo's chili aioli on there, I could've died happily. Sweet potato fries compliment the sandwich really well. So good.
Day four was probably one of my favorites. A few people had suggested we take a look at the NYC High Line. The history of this park is amazing! Seeing what it used to be in pictures, knowing it was nearly demolished (Thanks but no thanks, Rudy G.), and experiencing what it is now was something else. The views of the city, the art surrounding it, and the plant life is just an experience all on its own. There's so much love, life and coming from the High Line and if I could've, I would've walked it two or three more times. There are a few places to eat on the High Line itself. From empanadas (La Sonrisa Empanadas) to paletas, gelato to bao joints, it has some great choices. Oh, and there's also food and drink in the surrounding Chelsea area, so the options are endless.
It was time to venture to the Financial District of Manhattan. Our Sonder apartment was right next to the NYSE, which I loved simply because the streets are closed off for vehicles and it's strictly for pedestrians. A tiny break from worrying about crazy taxi drivers. For a nice dinner, we checked out a place called Sauce & Barrel. Food was outstanding and the restaurant was lively. It was the middle of the week so I'm sure everyone there was fresh out of work.
The mozzarella fritters were some of the best things I put in my mouth during our stay. It was filled with a trifecta of cheeses: mozzarella (duh), ricotta, and parmigiano. It was then covered in a mouthwatering marinara sauce. The crispy calamari from the table to our right looked bomb too. With that said, I want to apologize to the couple sitting next to us for making it seem like we were staring at you. It's not you, it's the food. For my main entree, I ordered the spicy Italian pizza and it was just as good. Jojo ordered the rosemary pappardelle (braised short rib bolognese) which was just as if not better than my pizza. Don't worry fritters, I was thinking of you the whole time.
Here's the deal, we decided to have Italian the night before knowing damn well the next day we'd be going to Little Italy. By now you should know us, and this is no obstacle, Italian two days in a row? Prendilo! After walking around Little Italy and Chinatown for a bit, we made a tacky pit stop and went into a Christmas in New York store, mainly because the humidity was catching up to me and every fluid in my body was pouring out via sweat. It's a nice little place, you'd think the waiters trying to steer you in would bother me, but it was amusing. Out of all the places to munch at, we chose Gelso & Grand on Grand and Mulberry. What's up with us and restaurants including ampersands in their name? Anyway, another great find by Jojo. The burrata bruschetta probably the best thing we put in our mouths. At this point, everything we ate was the best thing we put in our mouths. The chef's special was a unique white pizza. Elegantly prepared with tomatoes, garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, chervil, and topped with grilled asparagus tossed in Caesar dressing. It looked so beautiful! We almost couldn't bring ourselves to touch it. I said almost, the poor thing didn't stand a chance with these two fatties.
Gelso & Grand was great, but the show had to go on, and the show went on it did. The next stop was Bibble & Sip for dessert. Again with the damn ampersand! We had a pair of cream puffs, Jojo had the matcha green tea and I the cookies and cream.
These, my friends, were life, and the sole reason I knew it would not be the last time we met. We finished ahead of schedule and the day was still so wonderful. We went down to Battery Park and sat in the benches near the WWII East Coast Memorial. The ferries came and went, the local sketch artist offered his services twice, couples made out. It was almost the end of our trip and I couldn't think of a better way to embrace it.
Friday, our second to last day, was a special one. The Yankees are my favorite baseball team (I still love the Diamondbacks, guys, don't worry). As a birthday gift, my dad gifted us with a pair of tickets to the Yankees-Astros game. Riding the subway to the park was a grandiose experience for me. Taking the 4 Train up to the Bronx, getting off on 161 St - Yankee Stadium, and walking up to the entrance made me feel like it was my first time to a baseball game. Once we got inside, I was still in some form of shock. Jojo kept asking me things but I couldn't hear anything. I stood there for a while, staring at the field, at the players.
Our flight was scheduled for 9 o'clock at night. Needless to say, we had plenty of time to do more in New York City. The only thing I wanted to do was visit the thing that made me fall in love with the city in the first place, Central Park. We checked out of the AirBnb and bid adieu to Wall Street one last time. Normally, you could check your bags in at the hotel you're staying at for safe keeping. The AirBnb/Sonder offered to keep our bags but they gave us this speech about them not being responsible for anything going missing and no one is really "watching" them. If you're in this pickle, check out Vertoe. They charge you a fee for each bag, but not only will they keep your bags safe, they'll also insure them for up to $5000.00.
We made a quick stop to pack up a few snacks at Pret a Manger (French for Ready to Eat),
which by the way, if this shop was a person, I'm sure Jojo would've already left me for it. I don't blame her, really. They offer coffee, tea, sandwiches, wraps, burritos, and soups. If there was anything sad about leaving New York City, it was definitely the fact these suckers don't exist back home in Arizona.
After the occasional thunderstorms throughout the week, we were blessed with a hot and lovely Saturday. The skies were clear, the tourists were jam packed, and the locals were still walking very fast. Our destination was Literary Walk in Central Park. Right as we got there, we started looking for a place to eat our breakfast. The sweet serenades of the violin caught our attention. The violinist was playing "Tale as Old as Time" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. With the exception of the Christopher Columbus statue, everything was perfect.
Jojo and I walked down The Mall to the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. When we got to the Terrace, there were several tour guides or random people providing history of the Terrace and the Fountain. Meanwhile, Manny explained to Jojo this was the exact location where the Ms. Perkins character from the first John Wick was ambushed and killed. After a stroll down to the Bow Bridge and getting some quality shots, it was time to say goodbye to the park. We walked toward the 7th Avenue exit and caught a glimpse of Sheep's Meadow. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you there was more skin on that meadow than sheep.
Before picking up our luggage and heading to JFK, we decided there was actually two more places we had to stop. 1) Los Tacos No. 1. If in New York City, you have to try these tacos. Show me a man who wouldn't come back solely for these tacos, and I'll show you a liar. Two words: adobada quesadilla. 2) Bibble & Sip. Another place I wish we had back home. Cream puffs were delicious, but the Roseberry Tea is their golden ticket. Oolong Raspberry Tea topped with a Roseberry Foam (raspberry, strawberry, rose, and lychee).
We arrived home at about midnight our time. I was tired and upset our trip had come to an end, mostly tired. Work is work, life goes on after vacation, I understand that and I'm usually good about embracing it, but I missed the city. The walking, trash bags and people lying on the sidewalks, the buildings, the subways, everything. A while back, I read a post "When You Fall in Love with a City" by Sarah Denise. She details falling in love with a place compared to falling in love with a person. She says, "A city cannot speak, so you must learn it more slowly and methodically." We spent a week in New York City, yet I feel as though we only experienced a smidgeon of it. Our visit went by fast, but while there, I made sure to take my time to get to know the city. Sure enough, I fell in love with it.
Helen Keller wrote, "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." My life is back at home, I know that, but a part of my heart stayed behind in New York City. Will I return? I would want to. But if I don't, it's okay because I have a piece of it with me too.
As we unpacked a few things from our luggage, my wife started going berserk accusing the ramen place where we left our luggage and/or the airport employees of stealing all her underwear. I, meanwhile, sat calmly on the bed staring at my things realizing I didn't use half of the shit I packed. All I could do was smile because deep down inside, I wouldn't trade this life for another, even if I packed like it. Oh, and Jojo, you took out your underwear last night and placed them in the washer.
