So on to the point... here's what went down the past week -- and I keep saying this, but I PROMISE I'll get a hang of posting more than once a week. New York has a strange way of making you want to slam the laptop screen shut and just run out the door (rather see it, than read about it, right?).
And for the record, I've done so much I can't even think of it all off the top of my head -- I have to start backtracking through the million (okay 198) FB photos I just uploaded. FB friends, appreciate. That was like a 4-hour feat. Tagging photos and writing captions could literally be a full time job for someone... hey wait -- I need money. Any one need a photo tagger? Sorry. Rambling.
OKAY. Back on topic. Bucket List Week 3:
47) Eat a world-famous cupcake at Magnolia
A sweet tooth succumbs to the sugary goodies in this city, big time. Tantalizing aromas of warm milk chocolate fill your nostrils as you walk by cake and frosting filled bakeries, only for a few seconds though -- then its back to the foul stench of garbage and urine, um, yum? But regardless ... the short, sweet smell is enough to make you want to pop in and try the most raved and ravished about treats. Now, I was told I had to go to Magnolia Bakery, and despite I heard it was overrated, I still needed to see for myself.
It's actually funny how I came across this cute, corner shop in Greenwich Village. Jenny and I were out on our daily adventure (the goal was to conquer the Meatpacking District, but neighborhood boundary lines blur quite easily and we took a wrong turn into the Village. We heard a commotion down the street and like the curious, budding journalists we are, naturally we had to see what was up. Four bright red fire engines and scours of NYC firefighters (Heeellloooo Mr. February! Is that you?!) swarmed the streets as flocks of passerby (mostly locals for once) chimed into the commotion.
A sweet tooth succumbs to the sugary goodies in this city, big time. Tantalizing aromas of warm milk chocolate fill your nostrils as you walk by cake and frosting filled bakeries, only for a few seconds though -- then its back to the foul stench of garbage and urine, um, yum? But regardless ... the short, sweet smell is enough to make you want to pop in and try the most raved and ravished about treats. Now, I was told I had to go to Magnolia Bakery, and despite I heard it was overrated, I still needed to see for myself.
It's actually funny how I came across this cute, corner shop in Greenwich Village. Jenny and I were out on our daily adventure (the goal was to conquer the Meatpacking District, but neighborhood boundary lines blur quite easily and we took a wrong turn into the Village. We heard a commotion down the street and like the curious, budding journalists we are, naturally we had to see what was up. Four bright red fire engines and scours of NYC firefighters (Heeellloooo Mr. February! Is that you?!) swarmed the streets as flocks of passerby (mostly locals for once) chimed into the commotion.
As our prying eyes finally determined there wasn't much to see, and just as we're about to turn away, oh lookie! Right there in front of us! How could we miss it? The navy and white sign above a little brick shop: The Magnolia Bakery. Knowing that it's on my Fun & Fearless list, I turned to Jenny and squeaked, "Magnolia's!" Enough said.
*A quick aside: It really is SO funny how much you stumble upon in this city. It's like on every block there's something new waiting to be discovered.
Two seconds later (thank you supposed fire, the usual 10-minute line out the door was displaced -- they must have been gawking in the street, too) we were in the door. Approximately 3 minutes later -- it took a little time to decide on the PERFECT cupcake -- I was biting into a chocolate cupcake concoction. Overall rating: 3 Stars. Good, fatty icing. Slightly dry cake for my liking. A wee bit pricey (alas, thats NY). But in the end, fairly delish none-the-less. Next bakery to devour: Crumbs.
34) Visit Ground Zero and say a prayer.
Trying to get some exercise in -- putting my new Reebok EasyTones to work! -- Jenny and I skedaddled through the rest of Greenwich, down through SoHo (South of Houston) and TriBeCa (Triangle Beneath Canal) and back home into the Financial District. Usually I don't make it over to the west side of the FD, but as we were walking I noticed a bunch of construction. Ground Zero, I thought. I snuck up to the big blue barrier and peeked inside -- Wow. Were the Twin Towers really that small: This space seems so tiny? Was this really where it all happened? Silly tourist. At least Jenny knew a little better. Nope, wasn't it. Just another block under construction in NYC, typical.
One street down and one corner turned: There it was. No doubt this time. The numbers 9 & 11 were plastered to the sides of looming, bright blue boards that encompassed and blocked out all view of the site from the ground. In the evening skyline cranes of all sizes were halted in mid-air. A symbol of patriotism, the American Flag -- my flag -- flapped in the cool summer breeze that also prickled over every inch of my exposed skin, drawing it tight into tingling goose-bumps. But it wasn't the wind that gave me chills.
I stood in awe at the site where American life as we know it changed.
Rewind. I remember leaving school early that fateful September morning, all the teachers were in a panic. CNN was plastered to my old boxy TV set all day; I was a seventh grader and I hated the news -- but you can bet I was watching it then. Smoke. Debris. Chaos. That's what filled the Financial District. Chaos filled the world.
Fast Forward. People are still hustling around me as I stand at the street corner looking up, but they're in no actual hurry. There's no more smoke. No more debris. No real sign that anything happened here other than the small notes mentioning the new 9/11 Tribute Memorial to come. It looks like any old construction site -- like when the new Busch was being built in STL. But the chills remind you -- there's no celebration here. And there won't ever be.
It was eerie, yet prideful. All at the same time. A complete whirlwind of emotions if I've ever felt one. I believe it's a feeling all Americans should experience in their lifetimes.
"Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.
"Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.
"Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night."
- Taps, General Daniel Butterfield
I want a New York accent SO bad you don't even understand. I don't know what it is about it that I just absolutely love. Maybe it's just my desire to immerse myself in New York culture and achieve ultimate NYC status: a local. Hopefully one day an Upper East Sider local. But for now... local will do. I spent all night out talking to various people in my makeshift wannabe accent, and surprisingly, nobody called me out on it (although people tell me a lot that I'm too friendly -- a dead giveaway that I'm a Mid-Western -- wah wah). And the funny thing is, after a little active trying, it actually kind of stuck. Little things I say during the day will sound slightly New York-ish. "I love my Cawfee." "I'm awn my way to tha Awffice." "Drop me awff at Jawn (John) Street." And by the end of the night, I had almost convinced myself I had it down... ehh or so I thought I did. My best friend Jen will tell you all about it.
The Meatpacking District is where the real ritzy night life is at in NYC. And it doesn't disappoint if you're looking to get real dolled up like the good ol' Mizzou girls do. But it comes at a cost. Price ranges I've seen for a single well drink range from $9 - $18. On a Thursday night at Big 12 in CoMo, that would buy me, eh, roughly 9 - 18 TRIPLE well drinks. And generally you won't find college boys here. This is where the men come out to play. It's totally Sex and the City-esque. Young, pretty women and slightly older, richer men (ehh we'll say probably like 26+ in age).
SEA. Little West 12th Street. This is where we met Steve from Brooklyn -- talk about SATC, right?! As we patiently waited in the long basement lines, he politely taps us on the shoulders and asks if we'd like to join him for bottle service upstairs. Free. Of. Charge. VIP rooms in NYC are exactly what you'd expect. Hot girls, swanky lounge decorations -- did I mention the seating upstairs was a compilation of Tempurpedic Mattresses? Oh yes. Private DJ. And bottles of vodka served up however you want it, poured to you by Steve and friends. THANKS GUYS -- we heart our new friends.
Seriously, what a gorgeous building. The Met is set in Museum Mile in the Upper East Side on 5th Ave. It's backdrop, the ever-beautiful landscape of mid-Central Park.
It's forefront, the glorious apartment buildings of NYC's most wealthy inhabitants.
It's stairways, covered in flocks of tourists munching on hot dogs, casually reading a book and old men carrying signs saying, "Will you date me!?" -- okay, well, one old man I guess.
We didn't get a chance to go in since our aching feet were swelling under the extensive journey we had taken to get there. We literally walked up and down avenues and streets and Central Park pathways all the way from 42nd Street (Times Square) to 82nd Street. Here's an example, if it were just a straight-shot walk -- which even still is quite far:
So we all took a break to rest our callused soles and blistered toes (Cute imagery, I know. At least I won't show you them!) and hung out on the steps of the Met. Let's just say it was so Blair Waldorf.
50) Find the Balto statue in Central Park.
We totally passed him on our way up through Central Park, so after leaving the Met we had to backtrack our way to find him. Allie was the first to spot him through the throngs of passerby in the park. Slightly impatiently, we waited our turn to take a photo with our fine four-legged friend Balto! Totes worth it.
43) Try a new Tasti D-Lite flavor every week.
This week: Moose Tracks. Location: SoHo. (The first was Times Square and I missed the 2nd -- woops! I'll do a make up double try week!) Yum, yum, yum.
There's so much more to share, but it's a work night, and alas, I am quite tired. It's time to put the Fun & Fearlessness to bed for tonight. More to come about Week 3 -- Not on the list, but still awesome and NYC Street Fashion -- Is there such a thing as what-not-to-wear here?
Ciao Bellas.
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